What level of Italian do I need to start the Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies?

We expect upper-intermediate competence — broadly CEFR B1+ or a completed Diploma in Italian. Applicants without a UK qualification can take a short placement assessment to confirm the Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies is the right entry point.

Does the Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies include translation?

Yes. Translation between Italian and English is a core strand, with weekly workshops on press, literary and policy texts. The work is aligned to Chartered Institute of Linguists standards so the credential supports applications for translator roles.

Can I take the Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies entirely online?

Yes. The online route runs live cohort sessions, recorded conversation practice and tutor-marked translation work. Distance learners follow the same syllabus asynchronously with structured fortnightly deadlines.

Are scholarships available for the Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies?

Scholarship and instalment options are reviewed at application. Admissions can confirm the current schedule alongside your study plan and any sector-specific awards open to language students.

Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a twelve-to-fifteen-month UK qualification for linguists ready to move from upper-intermediate Italian into solid professional working competence. You will read and analyse contemporary Italian newspapers, listen to RAI broadcasts, write structured essays and short reports, and translate between Italian and English with a tutor critiquing every step.

This Advanced Diploma is sustained, demanding and grounded in real Italian usage. The Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies maps to CEFR B2 with an explicit path to C1 and is designed for translators, cultural workers, bilingual coordinators and academics who need certified competence in the language.

Key Features

Senior-track UK credential in Italian, mapped to CEFR B2 with a clear pathway to C1.
Translation workshop using Italian press, literary and policy texts, aligned to Chartered Institute of Linguists standards.
Listening and discussion strand based on current Italian broadcast and Società Dante Alighieri materials.
Cultural and historical literacy — modern Italian politics, regional identity, art and design history.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, online with live cohort sessions, or distance learning with structured fortnightly deadlines.
Direct top-up into the final year of a UK BA in Italian or Modern Languages at LSJHML or a partner university.

What You Will Learn

The Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies is structured around the four working competences a professional Italianist needs — reading complex prose, listening to live broadcast, writing for professional purposes and translating with editorial discipline. You graduate able to write a short report in Italian, summarise a televised debate, and translate a news piece into idiomatic English.

Advanced Italian grammar — subjunctive use, conditional structures, complex syntax.
Reading contemporary Italian — newspapers, opinion columns, short fiction, policy briefings.
Listening to Italian broadcast — RAI news, current affairs, panel discussion.
Translation practice — Italian to English and English to Italian across registers.
Professional writing — formal letters, short reports, summaries.
Spoken Italian — presentation, interview, structured discussion.
Cultural literacy — twentieth-century Italian history, regional identity, contemporary debate.
Italian for specific purposes — heritage and museum vocabulary, EU institutions, cultural programming.

Who This Course Is For

Diploma graduates in Italian ready to step up to near-professional competence.
Working professionals in heritage, museums, arts management or EU-facing roles who need a senior credential.
UK residents with Italian heritage who want certified competence to support employability.
Translators and bilingual editors building a credentialed CV for agency or in-house work.

Career Pathways

Italian at this level supports careers in translation, heritage, cultural programming and EU-facing coordination. The Advanced Diploma in Italian Language Studies is the credential to put on a CV when the next role expects Italian as a working language. Typical roles include:

Italian Translator (heritage, EU, commercial agency)
Bilingual Heritage Officer (museum, archive, cultural trust)
Italian Teacher (community education, secondary level)
Cultural Programme Coordinator (festival, gallery, cultural institute)
EU Project Officer (research consortium, NGO)
Bilingual Account Manager (Italy-facing UK business)

Graduates progress to the final year of a UK BA in Italian or Modern Languages at LSJHML or a partner university.

Entry Requirements

A UK Diploma (Level 4) or equivalent in Italian or a related language subject, OR completion of secondary school plus one year of relevant work experience.
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement and CV; a short Italian writing sample is welcome.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with three years of relevant work experience or demonstrable Italian competence.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.