We are a friendly and vibrant department offering a range of stimulating degree programmes in Italian. The department was ranked third nationally in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (2008), with 60% of its research publications assessed as 'world leading' and 'internationally excellent'. In the 2010 National Student Survey, the department achieved 88% student satisfaction, and came sixth nationally.

All of the department's teaching is research-led, and it has an excellent record in Italian language teaching, both for beginners and advanced students. Modules cover areas of Italian culture and textual production from medieval and renaissance times to today.

Each academic member of staff is an active researcher, and regularly publishes books and articles with leading presses and in international journals (see staff research profiles). The department currently supervises twelve postgraduate research students.