Short course
Italian: Upper Intermediate – Part 2
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
18/01/2027 - 22/03/202714:00 - 16:00
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
Improve your language skills to interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity in a wide range of contexts.
To support the development of communicative skills, the course offers a balanced progression in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Each session features practical, meaningful activities – from interactive tasks, and guided listening to problem‑solving scenarios and debates. Learners engage with authentic language, collaborate with classmates, and build confidence through varied, hands‑on activities that mirror real‑world communication.
The course is pitched at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and completion of the course will help you meet the level requirements.
Is this the right level course for you?
To benefit from the course learners will have done one of the following:
- Completed our 'Italian: Upper Intermediate – Part 1' course or equivalent; or
- Gained an AS in Italian; or
- Achieved level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in Italian.
New students, who have not completed 'Part 1', whose proficiency in the language is appropriate for the course level are very welcome.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Course starts Monday 18 January 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Mondays, 2.00-4.00pm.
The weekly schedule below is intended to give an indication of the main topic(s) likely to be covered in each session. Please note that these may sometimes change according to the tutor’s discretion to reflect the interests of course participants.
Week 1: Sport: il Giro d’Italia
Week 2: Benessere digitale
Week 3: Migrazioni
Week 4: Emergenze umanitarie
Week 5: Il quartiere ideale
Week 6: Bricolage
Week 7: Una cena sfortunata
Week 8: Specialità alimentari
Week 9: Lingue regionali
Week 10: Letteratura
Course aims
To help you develop the language required to interact effectively and with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with speakers of the language without strain for either party.
Course objectives
- To further develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing to enable students to interact effectively in a wide range of contexts on both concrete and abstract topics.
- To consolidate reading comprehension skills required for understanding articles and reports in which the writer adopts particular viewpoints.
- To widen the range of lexical repertoire, idioms and grammar structures required for understanding lectures and most current affairs programmes and writing clear well-structured texts to pass on information, narrate events, or express viewpoints.
- To further develop intercultural competence and appreciation of the role that values and beliefs play in communication between cultures and social groups.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be better prepared to:
- understand extended speech and lectures and follow lines of argument on familiar topics,
- participate effectively in discussions and express viewpoints with a degree of fluency and spontaneity,
- read and comprehend a wide range of articles, reports and news items with a degree of independence to obtain information, ideas and opinions, using reference sources selectively, and
- write clear, well-structured and detailed texts to present own viewpoints, narrate events, explain reasons or point out advantages and disadvantages of available options.
Level and demands
Pitched at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), completion of this course helps you meet all or most of the level requirements.
Find out more about our language levels.
Teaching methods
You will learn through practical, task‑based classroom activities that encourage the active use of the target language. Sessions typically integrate meaningful scenarios, pair and small‑group work, and collaborative problem‑solving in a supportive and friendly environment. These tasks bring together speaking, listening, reading, and writing, enabling you to apply the language purposefully in real‑world situations.
The course is designed to build your spoken and listening abilities while deepening your understanding of cultural nuances, etiquette, and everyday usage. We will work with new grammatical structures through meaningful, communicative tasks, and you will continue developing your reading and writing skills both in class and independently through self‑study.
Assessment methods
You will be set optional assignments to consolidate your learning and to allow you to progress at your own pace.
Dr Francesca Magnabosco
Francesca Magnabosco obtained her DPhil in Italian literature from the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, Oxford University. She has been teaching Italian language and culture at OUDCE for over a decade. She is also a lecturer in Renaissance literature at Pembroke College, Oxford.
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.
After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee | £315.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Textbooks
To participate in the course fully, you will need access to the following textbook:
- DIECI lezioni di italiano B2 (units 1-5) / C.M. Naddeo, E. Orlandino
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- DIECI lezioni di italiano B2 (units 6-10) / C.M. Naddeo, E. Orlandino
Module code: O26P575XIW
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.