Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

The Italian Language and Literature program at UFSC is one of the most dynamic Italian degree programs in Brazil. Its faculty is strongly committed to research and outreach in the areas of linguistic, literary and translation studies.

The program features a weekly schedule of eight hours of Italian language courses. In the first four semesters, students complete core courses, and in the fifth semester, they choose between pursuing a teaching degree (licenciatura) or a research-focused bachelor’s degree (bacharelado).

The Italian program aims to educate professionals capable of working with language and interculturality, fostering and disseminating a critical understanding of society. Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in the Italian language, as well as in literature and literary theories, and in the theory and practice of translation, from (inter)cultural, functional and structural perspectives, engaging socially and adopting professional stances that contribute to an awareness of the other.

The program, located in the state of Santa Catarina, is situated in a context where  approximately 60%  of  the  population  has Italian ancestry. Serving as a key institutional  hub  in  this  reality, it  adopts  a plurilingual  approach  as  a historical  and  cultural characteristic of the state.

In March 2011, an agreement was signed between the Italian government and the government of Santa Catarina for the teaching of Italian in public schools across the state. Currently, there are about 14 municipalities where the language is taught.