Leonardo da Vinci said, The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding. There's something especially wonderful about understanding another language. It enables you to think and express yourself in a new way. Using that newfound skill to communicate with people whose culture and life experiences are very different from yours can bring you much joy.<br><br>An estimated 180 million people worldwide speak Italian as their primary or secondary language. Almost 20 million North Americans identify as having Italian ancestry. Italy is internationally recognized for its rich contributions to art, architecture, music, literature, and philosophy. Today Italy attracts interest in a wide variety of areas, including tourism, emigrant heritage, filmmaking, fashion and design, and gastronomy.<br><br>You might want to study Italian to get in touch with your family's history, or with Italy's incomparable artistic heritage. Or maybe youre looking forward to traveling in a famously beautiful country, and you want to take some language skills with you. Perhaps youre interested in a global business career that involves multinational companies. Whatever the basis of your interest, the University of Oregon's Department of Romance Languages will help you to expand your knowledge and horizons.<br><br>Romance Languages is a diverse, multicultural and multilingual unit that offers a first-rate faculty from around the world. As a major or minor, you will gain an extensive knowledge of languages and cultures and will have invaluable opportunities for intellectual growth. Youll also be able to engage in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including lectures and film festivals, language conversation groups, study abroad programs, and internships.