The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures - Italian Studies has as its mission to maintain the traditions and study of the great classics as well as to provide a window on an increasingly complex and diverse contemporary Italian culture. It promotes the study of the Italian language through an excellent and rigorous language training program. Its undergraduate and graduate programs also offer courses in Italian literature, both in Italian and in English, as well as in Italian film. The department periodically invites scholars specializing in contemporary politics, the Italian immigrant experience and social change, enabling students to gain both a broader and more critical understanding of various aspects of Italian culture, through contact with specialists in these areas.