Italian

Q: What are the rules governing the language requirement?

A: Hunter College's official policy is stated here.

Q: I studied Italian in high school. Can I be exempted?

A: Students who have successfully completed 4 years of Italian in high school should contact an Italian advisor. Such courses must have been taken in high school. Italian courses taken in middle school do not count. A high school transcript must be presented. If you have taken between 1 and 3 years of Italian in high school, you would normally take the language placement test. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, however, there is currently no placement test in Italian. Italian advisors will conduct informal interviews via Zoom to approximate your level of proficiency. Depending on the result of the interview, you may also be asked to take a short writing test.

Q: I passed the New York State Regents Exam in Italian. Does that exempt me?

A: No. If you scored a 3 or higher on the Italian AP Exam, you may be exempted from ITAL 202. No other exam is valid.

Q: I'm a transfer student. Do I need to fulfill the language requirement?

A: Please consult this page and select the link that describes your situation to find out.

Q: I graduated from a high school in Italian or an Italian-speaking country. Am I exempt from ITAL 202?

A: Yes! Contact an Italian advisor. You will need to present a high school transcript or diploma.

Q: I successfully completed an advanced college Italian course that has a fourth-semester prerequisite. Am I exempt from ITAL 202?

A: Yes! Contact a Hunter College Academic Advisor.

Q: This is my last semester and I just found out that I need to fulfill my language requirement. What should I do?

A: Uh oh! You should not have waited so long to address this issue. Contact a Hunter College Academic Advisor immediately. Unfortunately, it is very likely that you will need to stay one or more semesters to fulfill the requirement.

Q: My current Italian class is too easy or too difficult. How do I get placed at the right level?

A: Contact an Italian advisor. He or she will approximate your level of proficiency, based on an informal interview via Zoom. Depending on the result of the interview, you may also be asked to take a short writing test.

Q: Who should take the placement test?

A: Normally, you are encouraged to take the placement test if you need to fulfill the language requirement, and if:

• you have had between 1 and 3 years of language in high school;
• more than 2 years have passed since your last foreign language course;
• you have some knowledge of the language but never studied it formally;
• you have had additional exposure to the language through family, school, travel, or work connections.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there is currently no placement test in Italian. Italian advisors will conduct informal interviews through Zoom to approximate your level of proficiency.

Q: What should I expect for the informal placement interview?

A: During the Zoom interview, you will be asked some questions about your experience with the Italian language, and have a short conversation in Italian. Depending on the result of the interview, you may also be asked to take a short writing test.

Q: Can I do the informal placement interview more than once?

A: No, it cannot be repeated.

Q: The section of the language class I wanted/needed to take is full.

A: We do not over-tally. Please check CUNYfirst regularly, as seats may open up over the course of the enrollment period and (especially) during the first days of class.

Q: I have been placed on the waitlist for my language class. How does it work?

A: Unfortunately, the waitlist is deceiving. It is used by Hunter administrators to gauge which courses have the most demand for the purposes of opening a new section. The computer does not automatically add you to the section you want when someone gives up a seat. Students on the waitlist have to be added to the class manually. Nor does the waitlist respect the order in which you are listed. Someone not on the list could theoretically take an open seat before you see it. Seats for all classes are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Q: The waitlist for the language class I want is quite long. Will another section of that course be opened?

A: Not necessarily. The computer does not always remove students from the waitlist once they have registered. More importantly, the opening of new sections depends on the availability of personnel to teach them as well as sufficient funds.

Q: There are seats available in the section of the language class I want, but CUNYfirst says that they are being held. What do I do?

A: Every semester, especially during the summer break, the Hunter Administration reserves a certain number of seats for transfer students and for Learning Community students. Just because these seats are being held does not mean that they will fill up. Typically, the hold will be lifted from two to four weeks before the start of the next semester. So, for the spring, it lifts in the middle of January. For the fall, it lifts on August 1. You must check CUNYfirst vigilantly to register at the first possible opportunity.

Q: Do you offer the intensive ITAL 10300 and ITAL 20300?

A: We do not offer the 6-credit courses ITAL 10300 (intensive elementary Italian) and ITAL 20300 (intensive intermediate Italian) on a regular basis. Check the Schedule of Classes on CUNYfirst for the Spring, Summer, and Fall terms to find out more.

Q: I don't meet the course prerequisites listed on CUNYfirst, but I'm interested in taking the course.

A: You will have to ask permission from an Italian advisor.

Q: I meet the course prerequisites listed on CUNYfirst, but I still can't register.

A: Please speak to an Italian advisor. When you email, your message must include the following information: your full name, your Empl ID, the course number (and section number, if applicable), and the reason CUNYfirst listed for the failed registration (e.g., “Needs departmental permission”).