What level of Italian do I need for the Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies?

Approximately CEFR B2 — comfortable with most spoken and written Italian, able to discuss complex topics. The Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies takes you from there toward C1 (Avanzato) over the course.

Does the Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies include Italian literature?

Yes. Contemporary fiction is read closely across the course, with selected older works for historical and stylistic comparison. The Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies treats literary reading as part of building advanced language competence.

Is the Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies useful for translation work?

Yes. The translation portfolio of eight to ten pieces under tutor review is a credible foundation before a specialist translation Master's. Many Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies graduates work as freelance translators while or after studying.

Can I study the Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies online?

Yes. The course runs on-campus in central London, fully online with live tutor sessions, and as distance learning. Speaking practice is conducted in small online groups across all three modes.

What fees and instalment options are available?

Fees vary by mode and intake. LSJHML offers an instalment plan across the academic year and a small early-application discount. Contact admissions for the current schedule.

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

Course Overview

The Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a fifteen-to-eighteen-month UK qualification for upper-intermediate and advanced learners of Italian moving toward professional or academic fluency. The course is taught in dialogue with the Società Dante Alighieri and the Chartered Institute of Linguists, and is built around advanced spoken and written Italian, translation craft, and a substantial portfolio of Italian-language work.

You will work across CEFR C1 (Avanzato) toward C2 (Padronanza), engage with contemporary Italian literature, journalism and academic writing, and produce a substantial translation portfolio under tutor supervision.

Key Features

Near-degree-level depth at CEFR C1 toward C2 in Italian.
Advanced reading from contemporary Italian newspapers, literary fiction and academic prose.
Advanced writing — structured essays, professional correspondence, longer analytical pieces in Italian.
Translation portfolio — eight to ten Italian-to-English pieces across journalistic, literary and professional material.
Cultural and area-studies content — contemporary Italian society, regional variation, professional norms.
Direct top-up into the final year of a UK BA with Italian at LSJHML or a partner university.

What You Will Learn

The Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies is structured around the four working capabilities a near-fluent user of Italian needs — reading, writing, listening and speaking — at CEFR C1 toward C2, with translation as a fifth integrative skill. You finish able to read contemporary Italian prose at speed, write structured essays and professional correspondence, follow complex spoken Italian, and produce publishable translations.

Reading at CEFR C1/C2 — newspapers, literary fiction, academic and professional prose.
Writing at CEFR C1/C2 — essays, professional correspondence, analytical writing.
Listening at CEFR C1/C2 — news, podcasts, academic lectures, professional meetings.
Speaking at CEFR C1/C2 — discussion, presentation, professional meeting language.
Italian literature — contemporary fiction with selected older works for comparison.
Italian journalism and current affairs — reading the contemporary press critically.
Translation craft — register, idiom, cultural transposition, fidelity vs readability.
Italian cultural competence — regional variation, professional norms, contemporary society.

Who This Higher Diploma Is For

Advanced Diploma graduates in Italian or learners around CEFR B2 ready to move toward C1.
UK-based bilingual professionals using Italian in their work who want a recognised UK credential.
Working translators wanting structured depth across multiple text types.
Italian-heritage students wanting formal study in advanced literary and professional Italian.

Career Pathways

The Higher Diploma in Italian Language Studies supports progression into Italy-facing professional roles and articulates into a Bachelor's top-up year. Typical roles include:

Italian Translator (commercial agency, in-house, literary)
Bilingual Heritage Officer (museum, gallery, heritage body)
Italian Teacher (secondary, further education, language school)
Cultural Programme Coordinator (festival, cultural body, university)
Bilingual Editor (publishing, international body)
Italy Markets Specialist (luxury goods, fashion, food industry)

Graduates progress to the final year of a UK BA with Italian or to a specialist Master's in translation, Italian studies or applied linguistics.

Entry Requirements

An Advanced Diploma (Level 5) or equivalent in Italian, OR CEFR B2 plus relevant experience using Italian.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement, CV and a short writing sample in Italian.
Mature applicants (25+) without standard qualifications may apply with significant senior-track work experience using Italian.

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.