What can FRIT mean to you?
FRIT means imagination.
When Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) was exiled from his beloved Florence, he responded with the legendary Divine Comedy, the tale of a journey through the realms of the afterlife to heal himself and imagine a more just world.
The Department of French and Italian (FRIT) offers many courses on the power of cultural imagination, such as Italian 3051: "Italian Romances" and French 1801: "French Existentialism."
FRIT means feminism.
Simone de Beauvoir (1908-86) was a philosopher, writer and activist whose most famous work, The Second Sex (1949), offered a sweeping critique of female oppression and laid the foundation for contemporary feminism.
The Department of French and Italian (FRIT) introduces students to inspiring female figures in French, Francophone, and Italian culture in many courses including French 3401: "Introduction to Contemporary French Culture" and Italian 3220: Italian Culture Through the Ages."
FRIT means drama.
The volcanic performances of Anna Magnani (1908-73) made her synonymous with the post-WWII boom in Italian cinema and the global reach of her stardom led her to work with some of the most legendary directors of Italy, France and Hollywood.
The Department of French and Italian (FRIT) offers a thrilling array of courses devoted to Film, Screen and Visual Studies including Italian 2055: "Mafia Movies" and French 5701: "Gendered Bodies in Global Francophone Cinemas."
FRIT means revolutionary.
Frantz Fanon (1925-61) was a psychiatrist, philosopher and revolutionary from Martinique whose searing critiques of racism and colonialism in Wretched of the Earth (1961) helped imagine the existence of a new humanism based on equality.The Department of French and Italian (FRIT) enables students to explore challenging and crucial issues of colonialism, race and identity through courses such as French 5205: "Black Africa and Diaspora" and French 4401: "Trans-Atlantic Frenemies."
FRIT means travel.
When Marco Polo (1254-1324) set off from home to travel across Asia, he was an average 17-year-old Venetian. When he returned 24 years later, he had a radically new perspective on the diversity of the world.
The Department of French and Italian (FRIT) regularly offers classes on the theme of travel, such as Italian 2051: "Italian Journeys," as well as faculty-led Study Abroad experiences in Italy, France and beyond.
FRIT means multilingual.
Winning more than 20 career titles is not the only thing that makes Serena Williams (born 1981) exemplary. She's multilingual, having learned French and Italian to better connect with global audiences and fellow members of the diaspora.
Whether you would like to start from scratch or pick up where you left off in high school, you can learn French or Italian with our Language Program in the Department of French and Italian (FRIT). Classroom, hybrid, and online courses offer everyone a convenient option to become bilingual (or trilingual!).