The Italian program at DU offers the opportunity for qualified students to graduate with distinction in the major of Languages, Literatures in Cultures with a concentration in Italian. Distinction is earned by writing and presenting an honors thesis. The thesis is approximately 25 pages long and is written in Italian. 


ELIGIBILITY 


Students are eligible to participate if they meet one of the following qualifications: 

  • Membership in the University Honors Program 
  • Maintain a GPA above 3.6 in the Languages, Literatures and Cultures major and above 3.5 overall 


PROCEDURE 


Junior Year 

  1. Select an area of interest by the end of the spring quarter of your junior year. Topics may have to do with literature, culture, civilization or language. With the approval of your faculty advisor, you may combine interests from another major, such as international studies, as long as the overall topic is focused on Italian studies. 
  2. Ask a professor of Italian to serve as your thesis adviser. 


Senior Year 

  1. During fall quarter, define your thesis topic, conduct research and start writing. 
  2. In winter quarter, continue to research and write your thesis. 
  3. Spring quarter should be reserved for revision. A thesis is expected to go through several drafts—it is not simply submitted to a professor once for a grade. 
  4. Submit a draft of at least 10-12 pages and a detailed outline of the entire project to all committee members by April 1. You will receive written comments and suggestions from each committee member by April 10. 
  5. Submit a final draft of the project to all committee members by May 15. Present your findings to the committee and at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in late May. You will have the option to choose the other two faculty members to serve on the committee, based on the topic of your thesis and previous course of study. 


Questions should be directed to Professor Rachel Walsh at rachel.walsh@du.edu.