Faculty of Humanities undergraduate course programmes

Introduction

The aim of the undergraduate courses is to enrich and enhance the quality and level of university education for students, while fostering their critical thinking. Generally, these courses are designed using teaching methods that differ from those of undergraduate and graduate programmes at universities: assuming the acquisition of core knowledge and skills through students' university studies, the Scuola can focus its teaching on in-depth exploration of themes and methodologies.

The distinctive feature of the educational model at the Scuola Normale is the integration of teaching and research, which forms the backbone of the academic pathway. Student life involves constant interaction both with senior peers and PhD students and with their lecturers. College life encourages the continuous exchange of ideas and insights, embodying the Scuolaís vision as a large laboratory of ideas.

Students enrolled at the Normale must attend courses simultaneously at both the university they are enrolled in (University of Pisa or University of Florence) and the Normale. These include lectures, seminars, lab exercises and study periods, internships and placements in highly qualified institutions, along with other activities designed to enrich their education.
Foreign language courses are also offered, promoting the ability to navigate scientific literature and strengthening the communication skills needed to engage with overseas students present thanks to exchange agreements and with visiting professors invited to give seminars and lectures.

Obviously, the development of these skills varies across the three academic structures according to the specific characteristics of each subject.
In addition to access to the library, laboratories and computing facilities of the Normale, students are provided with free accommodation in the colleges, meals, reimbursement of university tuition fees at the University of Pisa or the University of Florence, and funding for mobility to other Italian and international institutions for summer schools, internships and other educational activities.

Students who fulfil the academic obligations set by the internal regulations regarding the first three years attain the first-level degree diploma, while students who enter the Normale at the fourth year and fulfil the academic requirements of the two-year graduate programme are awarded the second-level degree diploma, equivalent to a Level II Master's degree.
Students who enter at the first year and complete the full five-year programme attain the Diploma di licenza, also equivalent to a Level II Master's degree.

Undergraduate Courses of the Faculty of Humanities

In the Undergraduate Courses of the Faculty of Humanities, lecturers engage with specific topics in their disciplines, demonstrating the investigative methods through which they approach these subjects. Emphasis is placed on methodological issues and research techniques employed by the international scholarly community. Lecturers assign and lead seminars aimed at equipping students with the scientific tools of their respective disciplines through the development and collective discussion of independent research projects.

A distinctive feature of the educational programme in the Faculty of Humanities is the inclusion of certain courses attended jointly by undergraduate students, including those in the first year, and PhD candidates. This aims to accelerate undergraduatesí acquisition of critical thinking methods while giving PhD candidates early experience in mentoring and supervision.
Students have access to courses specifically designed for the Undergraduate Course, but may also attend more advanced courses intended for the PhD programme. Interaction with more advanced students, both during classes and in the context of college life, is one of the most stimulating aspects of studying at the Scuola Normale Superiore. Each year, students are required to attend two courses, each of which entails an annual examination in seminar, oral or written format, agreed upon with the lecturer.

During the first four years of the Undergraduate Course, an annual evaluation ("Year Transition Interview") is also required. This takes the form of an independent research project, typically agreed upon and developed under the guidance of one of the course lecturers. The project is presented and discussed before a designated committee and contributes to the broadening of student's knowledge, analytical and argumentative skills and presentation abilities.

Philosophy

The five-year Undergraduate Course in Philosophy offers a series of advanced courses that explore themes and problems of philosophical thought from classical antiquity to the present day. As stipulated by the Statute, students attend these courses alongside those offered by the University of Pisa. The programme includes lectures, seminars and educational visits to museums, research centres, libraries and archives.

Students are encouraged to cultivate intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, and to gain a comprehensive understanding of the philosophical tradition, in dialogue with the sciences, social sciences and history. Philosophical problems are examined from a variety of perspectives: historical-conceptual, theoretical, logical, ethical, aesthetic and political. Special emphasis is placed on the critical understanding of philosophical categories and discourses through a genealogical approach and the practice of rational argumentation. The programme promotes a methodological attitude capable of placing philosophical questions within their historical and cultural contexts, linking them to contemporary debates and other forms of knowledge.

The curriculum includes courses in Aesthetics, Political and Moral Philosophy, Logic and History of Philosophy. Additional courses, taught by Italian and international specialists, are offered annually.

Modern Literature

The five-year Undergraduate Course in Modern Literature offers a range of advanced courses featuring in-depth study of literature from the medieval period to the present day, with a particular focus on the Italian tradition and essential insights into Romance and foreign literatures. As per the Statute, students attend these courses in parallel with those at the University of Pisa. The curriculum includes lectures, seminars and educational visits to museums, theatres, research centres, libraries and archives.

Students are encouraged to develop intellectual curiosity and critical thinking and to gain a comprehensive, transdisciplinary and comparative understanding of literary traditions and linguistic phenomena. This is achieved through philological, hermeneutic, linguistic, historical and intermedial analysis of literary texts, as well as formal and neurolinguistic analysis of natural languages. The programme fosters a methodological approach to the understanding of texts within their historical dynamics and cultural frameworks, and highlights connections with general theoretical and critical issues.

The curriculum includes courses in Italian Literature, Renaissance Italian Literature, Contemporary Italian Literature, Comparative Literatures, Romance and Italian Philology, History of the Italian Language and General Linguistics. Additional courses, taught by Italian and international specialists, are offered annually.

Classics

The five-year Undergraduate Course in Classics offers a series of advanced courses that delve into topics and issues related to various aspects of the ancient world, from the archaic period to late antiquity. In accordance with the Statute, students attend these courses concurrently with those at the University of Pisa. The programme includes lectures, seminars and educational visits to museums and archaeological sites, as well as field research activities.

Students are encouraged to develop intellectual curiosity and critical thinking and to acquire a comprehensive and comparative view of the ancient Mediterranean world. This is achieved through direct, philological and historical engagement with all types of sources (literary, epigraphic, numismatic, papyrological, archaeological and written) and by adopting appropriate theoretical and methodological perspectives.

The curriculum includes courses in Greek and Roman Archaeology and Art History, Greek Literature, Latin Literature, Latin Philology, Latin Palaeography, History of Religions, Greek History and Roman History. Additional courses, taught by Italian and international specialists, are offered annually. 

Art History

The five-year Undergraduate Course in Art History offers a series of advanced courses that explore the study of artworks, the texts concerning them, the historical and institutional events connected to them, and the cultural debates they have inspired from the medieval period to the contemporary era. As stipulated by the Statute, students attend these courses alongside those offered by the University of Pisa. The curriculum includes lectures, seminars and educational visits to urban contexts, monuments, museums and temporary exhibitions.

Through these activities, students are encouraged to develop intellectual curiosity and critical thinking. The goal is to help them gain a comprehensive, culturally grounded and interdisciplinary perspective on art history. This is achieved through the careful reading and analysis of textual sources, the direct study of artworks in terms of their materiality, historical function and formal characteristics, and by addressing broader topics in historiographical and critical discussions.

The curriculum includes courses in Medieval and Renaissance Art History, Contemporary Art History, and Museology, Art Criticism and Restoration. Additional courses, taught by Italian and international specialists, are offered annually.  

History

The five-year Undergraduate Course in History offers a range of advanced courses that explore themes and issues related to various aspects of the medieval, modern and contemporary world. As per the Statute, students attend these courses in parallel with those at the University of Pisa. The programme includes lectures, seminars and educational visits to libraries and archives, historical-artistic sites and research centres.

Students are encouraged to approach the understanding of the European and non-European world through the centuries, considering different perspectives (institutional, political, cultural, religious, social and economic). The analysis and contextualization of documentary, regulatory, literary, iconographic and material sources from a necessarily transdisciplinary perspective, together with the study and comparison of various historiographical interpretations, are aimed at developing their intellectual curiosity and critical thinking.

The curriculum includes courses in Medieval History, Modern History and Contemporary History. Additional courses, taught by Italian and international specialists, are offered annually.