What CEFR level does the Certificate in Italian Language take me to?

Most students reach a confident A2, with stronger learners arriving at the lower band of B1. A CEFR placement test maps your exact level on your transcript.

Does the Certificate in Italian Language teach standard or regional Italian?

Standard Italian is the teaching language. Regional variants and dialects are mentioned in cultural materials but not separately examined. The standard taught is the one understood across all of Italy.

Can I take the Certificate in Italian Language fully online?

Yes. The online route includes live small-group classes (typically twice a week), recorded review material and written feedback on your work.

How is the Certificate in Italian Language different from the Diploma in Italian Language?

The Certificate covers A1 to A2/B1 in three to six months. The Diploma takes you to a working B1/B2 over nine to twelve months and adds substantial reading, writing and cultural modules.

Is there an Italian exam at the end of the Certificate in Italian Language?

The course ends with an internal LSJHML assessment that maps to CEFR levels. Students wanting external certification typically take CILS or CELI separately, with our preparation guidance.

Certificate in Italian Language in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in Italian Language at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a short, practical UK qualification taking learners from beginner to elementary intermediate Italian (CEFR A1 to A2/B1) in three to six months. Tutors are native or near-native Italian speakers and the course is structured around the Common European Framework of Reference.

Italian is one of the most studied modern languages worldwide and a core language for working in heritage, design, fashion, food and cultural-policy fields. This Certificate gives adults a real grounded foundation.

Key Features

CEFR-aligned curriculum covering A1, A2 and the lower band of B1.
Small live-class sizes on the on-campus route.
Cultural strand — short readings from Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica, film clips, music.
Three study modes — on-campus, fully online or distance learning.
CILS / CELI preparation available as an optional add-on for students wanting external Italian certification.
Direct articulation into the Diploma in Italian Language at LSJHML.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in Italian Language is built around what an A1 to A2/B1 learner needs to do in the real world — order, ask, describe, agree, disagree, narrate, write a short structured message.

Greetings, introductions and everyday courtesy in Italian.
Present, passato prossimo and imperfetto tenses; introduction to the conditional and subjunctive.
Numbers, dates, time-telling, currency and transactions.
Describing people, places, daily routines and past experiences.
Reading short authentic Italian texts — menus, train timetables, news headlines.
Listening to short news and conversation clips.
Writing short structured messages — emails, notes, brief paragraphs.
An introduction to Italian culture, history and contemporary society.

Who This Course Is For

Adult beginners with no prior Italian.
Professionals working in fashion, design, heritage, food and cultural-policy fields.
Students preparing for time in Italy or postgraduate study in Italian-speaking countries.
Heritage Italian speakers wanting a recognised UK qualification.

Career Pathways

The Certificate in Italian Language is a foundation credential. Typical applications include:

Bilingual Customer Service (UK companies trading with Italian markets)
Cultural and Heritage Roles (museums, galleries with Italian collections)
Hospitality and Travel Roles (UK hotels with Italian guests, tour operations to Italy)
Junior Communications roles (NGOs operating in Italy)
Continued Study (Diploma in Italian Language, BA Italian Language and Culture)
Preparation for CILS or CELI Italian certificates

The Certificate articulates into the Diploma in Italian Language at LSJHML for students continuing.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers.
No prior Italian required.

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.