Do I need prior Italian to enrol in the Diploma in Italian Language?

No. The Diploma in Italian Language admits at zero-knowledge and intermediate entry points, with intake placement set by a short diagnostic at the start of the course. Most students with no prior Italian reach the CEFR B2 endpoint with the same total study time as those starting from a stronger base.

Does the Diploma in Italian Language cover the Italian subjunctive properly?

Yes — and it is one of the central structural features of the grammar core. The subjunctive is taught systematically across multiple registers (formal correspondence, conversational, journalistic) so students leave able to use it correctly in working contexts.

Will the Diploma in Italian Language qualify me as a translator?

It is a strong foundation but not a translation qualification in itself. For professional translation work, graduates typically continue to a specialist translation Master's or Chartered Institute of Linguists qualification. The Diploma in Italian Language gives you the language foundation those build on.

Can I study the Diploma in Italian Language online?

Yes. The online route uses synchronous tutorials, recorded grammar sessions and live conversation circles. Distance-learning students work on extended deadlines with named tutor support and weekly online speaking practice.

Is the Diploma in Italian Language recognised in Italy?

It is a UK Level 4 qualification with a CEFR B2 endpoint, and CEFR levels are recognised across Italy for working-language assessment. Italian employers and Italian universities recognise the B2 standard as evidence of working professional fluency.

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

Course Overview

The Diploma in Italian Language at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month UK qualification that takes you to working-fluency Italian (CEFR B2) across reading, listening, speaking and writing. You will move from confident beginner or solid intermediate to a level where you can read Corriere or Repubblica with reasonable speed, hold a working meeting in Italian, write business correspondence, and engage with contemporary Italian culture on its own terms.

The Diploma in Italian Language is taught in dialogue with the Società Dante Alighieri's standards and the Chartered Institute of Linguists' wider language-practitioner framework. The UK is one of Italy's largest European trading partners and London hosts one of the largest Italian professional communities outside Italy — this Diploma is built for the careers that grow in that context.

Key Features

UK Diploma (Level 4) in Italian — nine to twelve months full-time, with online and distance routes.
CEFR-aligned syllabus taking students to a working B2 level by the end of the course.
Business Italian module covering corporate correspondence, meetings, presentations and the Italian commercial register.
Cultural strand — contemporary Italian society, regional differences, current public debate.
Reading and listening core with current Italian newspaper, podcast and broadcast material.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London with regular conversation circles, online with synchronous tutorials, or distance learning with structured deadlines.

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in Italian Language is structured around the working competences of an Italian user at CEFR B2 — independent reading and listening, structured writing, conversational confidence and professional correspondence. You graduate able to operate in Italian in most working settings short of literary translation or simultaneous interpreting.

Italian grammar — verb system (including subjunctive), agreement, pronoun system at working fluency.
Vocabulary development — general, business, current-affairs and selected sector-specific lexicons.
Reading — Italian newspapers (Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, Il Sole 24 Ore), longform features, technical correspondence.
Listening — current podcasts, news broadcasts, panel discussion, regional accent exposure.
Speaking — conversation, presentation, meeting chairing, telephone Italian.
Writing — emails, business letters, briefing notes, short reports.
Cultural literacy — contemporary Italian society, regional traditions, key institutions.
Italian commercial context — business conventions, meeting culture, register awareness.

Who This Diploma Is For

UK professionals taking on Italian markets responsibility in their current role.
Bilingual job seekers wanting a formal UK qualification in Italian for translation, editorial or cultural work.
Heritage Italian speakers wanting structured writing and reading discipline alongside conversational fluency.
Career-changers preparing to relocate to Italy for work or study.

Career Pathways

Italian is one of the most-used working languages in the UK cultural sector, fashion and design industries, food and hospitality businesses, and Italy-focused financial services. Typical post-Diploma destinations include:

Italian Translator (commercial, EU-institutional, cultural)
Bilingual Heritage Officer (museum, gallery, Italian-UK cultural body)
Italian Teacher (UK secondary, language school, evening institute)
Cultural Programme Coordinator (Italian cultural body, joint UK-Italy organisation)
Italian Markets Specialist (financial services, fashion, food and beverage)
Bilingual Account Manager (UK firm with Italian clients or markets)

Graduates progress to an Advanced Diploma in Italian Language or to a BA top-up in Modern Languages at LSJHML or a partner university.

Entry Requirements

Completion of secondary school (A-Levels, BTEC, or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement — applicants are asked to indicate prior Italian experience (none required).
Mature applicants (21+) may apply with two years of relevant work experience.

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.