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About Us

The Department of French and Italian at Stanford, part of the Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, has a unique profile among American departments of Romance languages and literatures.

While providing an intensive training in French and / or Italian literary history, theory, and criticism, the Department has long been a leader in connecting the literary to broader issues in philosophy, anthropology, political history, and cultural history. This commitment to interdisciplinary work can be seen in the profiles of our faculty, whose training and teaching encompass the digital humanities, cognitive studies, anthropology, history, continental philosophy, and analytic philosophy along with their literary expertise. It can also be seen in the variety of programs run by or in conjunction with the Department: a Program in Literature and Philosophy; the France-Stanford Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies; the French Cultural Studies Workshop; the Philosophical Reading Group; the Italian Modernities series, and numerous ad hoc workshops on issues in epistemology and interdisciplinary research. This long tradition of interrogating the relationship between literature and other cultural domains gives French and Italian at Stanford a particularly sharp perspective on the importance of literary studies today.

The Department of French and Italian offers students the opportunity to pursue course work at all levels in the languages, cultures, literatures, and intellectual histories of the French and Italian traditions. Whether interested in French and Francophone studies, Italian studies, or in both, students will find a broad range of courses covering language acquisition and refinement, literary history and criticism, cultural history and theory, continental philosophy, and romance linguistics.

The Department's course offerings reflect a conscious effort to accommodate the needs of undergraduate and graduate students, both majors and non-majors. The undergraduate majors in French or Italian provide a comprehensive study of their respective literatures and cultures, establishing a solid basis for potential further study in literature or history. At the graduate level, a terminal M.A. and a Ph.D. (with various possible minors and combined degrees) are offered.

In addition, the Department offers a minor in French or Italian for both undergraduate and graduate students. The curriculum is also designed to benefit students with varying interests and levels of language proficiency. Students interested in international relations, European history and literature, film studies, philosophy, and postcolonial studies will find relevant courses within the Department's offerings. In addition to its courses, the Department seeks to promote cultural understanding in a number of more global ways. It coordinates activities with the At Home Abroad (AHA) House to provide an immersion into the experience of French and Italian culture; students live together in an environment focused on cultural events and language enhancement. The Department also invites frequent guest lecturers in French and Italian studies throughout the academic year, maintaining a regular schedule of extracurricular events. For students interested in study abroad, the Department plays an important role in the Overseas Studies Program in Paris and Florence. These programs, open to all students who complete the required language preparation, extend the educational spectrum well beyond textbooks and classrooms, and provide students with invaluable cultural and life experience.

At Home Abroad (AHA) House

Located in Yost, AHA House is an intellectual and cultural crossroads where students engage in interactive, transcultural learning and acquire the tools necessary to confront the complexity of our contemporary world. Building on the legacies of Stanford houses that hosted language tables in French, Italian, and Russian, AHA House is a vibrant, diverse community that offers students an opportunity to explore languages and cultures beyond the English-speaking world. We welcome any and all students interested in creating a space for conversations about foreign films, music, food, and international issues.

Through a wide range of activities, residents have a chance to broaden their awareness and understanding of the incredible range of experiences, ideas, and non-English idioms that each house resident brings. 

French Section

The French section provides students with the opportunity to pursue course work at all levels in French language, literature, cultural and intellectual history, theory, film, and Francophone studies. It understands the domain of French Studies as encompassing the complex of cultural, political, social, scientific, commercial, and intellectual phenomena associated with French-speaking parts of the world, from France and Belgium to Canada, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Three degree programs are available in French: a B.A., an M.A., and a Ph.D., and a Ph.D. in French and Italian.

Visiting faculty and instructors contribute regularly to the life of the French section. The section maintains contacts with the Ecole Normale Supérieure, the Institut d'Etudes Politiques, and the Ecole Polytechnique.

A curator for Romance languages oversees the extensive French collection at Green Library. The Hoover Institute on War, Revolution, and Peace also includes materials on 20th-century France and French social and political movements.

Stanford Center for Interdisciplinary Studies

The Stanford Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, founded in partnership with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to bridge the disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, sciences, engineering, business, and law, to address historical and contemporary issues. Its programs bring faculty and students from across Stanford's departments and schools in contact with colleagues in France to explore issues of common intellectual concern. The center invites French-speaking scholars to offer courses or give lectures or seminars on campus. It facilitates internships for Stanford students in computer science and engineering in Sophia-Antipolis, France's new high-tech center near Nice.

Stanford in Paris

The Bing Overseas Studies Program in Paris offers undergraduates the opportunity to study in France during Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters. It provides a wide range of academic options, including course work at the Stanford center and at the University of Paris, independent study projects, and internships. In addition, the program promotes interaction with the local community through volunteer employment, homestays, and internships. The minimum language requirement for admission into Stanford in Paris is one year of French at the college level.

Courses offered in Paris may count toward fulfillment of the requirements of the French major or minor. Students should consult with the Chair of Undergraduate Studies before and after attending the program, in order to ensure that course work and skills acquired abroad can be coordinated appropriately with their degree program. Detailed information, including program requirements and curricular offerings, may be obtained from the "Overseas Studies" section of this bulletin, the Stanford in Paris web site, or the Overseas Studies Program Office in Sweet Hall.

Italian Section

The Italian section offers graduate and undergraduate programs in Italian language, literature, culture, and intellectual history. Course offerings range from small, specialized graduate seminars to general courses open to all students on authors such as Dante, Boccaccio, and Machiavelli.

Three degree programs are available in Italian: a B.A., a Ph.D., and a Ph.D. in French and Italian. An Italian minor program is available to undergraduates.  

Collections in Green Research Library are strong in the medieval, Renaissance, and contemporary periods; the Italian section is one of the larger constituents of the western European collection at the Hoover Institution for the Study of War, Revolution, and Peace; and the Music Library has excellent holdings in Italian opera.

Stanford in Florence

The Bing Overseas Studies Program in Florence affords undergraduates with at least three quarters of Italian language the opportunity to take advantage of the unique intellectual and visual resources of the city and to focus on two areas: Renaissance history and art, and contemporary Italian and European studies. The program is structured to help integrate students into Italian culture through homestays, Florence University courses, the Language Partners Program, research, internship and public service opportunities, and by conducting some of the program's classes in Italian. Many courses offered in Florence may count toward the fulfillment of requirements for the Italian major or minor. Students are encouraged to consult with the Italian undergraduate adviser before and after a sojourn in Florence to ensure that their course selections meet Italian section requirements. Information on the Florence program is available in the "Overseas Studies" section of this bulletin, the Stanford in Florence web site, or at the Overseas Studies office in Sweet Hall.

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Department of French and Italian
Pigott Hall, Building 260, Rm 116
450 Jane Stanford Way
Mail code: 2005
Stanford, CA 94305

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