<p>I'm interested in architecture though I haven't fully decided yet if I would surely major in it. (This is because I'm also thinking of other majors such as Political Science, Comparative Literature, and Classics) Yet, I really want to study in Italy for at least a semester during my junior year. I love its history and art. However because I haven't decided if I want to major in architecture, I don't know which language I should study in college. In order to join the study abroad program, I should have at least a year of Italian. People around me advise against learning Italian because it is only spoken in Italy, therefore it is not as useful as say French or Spanish (this is especially important if I were to choose a different major. I'm already fluent in Chinese, having studied it in highschool) So I'm confused as to which language I should learn. French or Spanish for practicality? Or Italian because I want to study abroad in Italy and interested but not set on an architecture major?</p>
<p>Wait, does your college only offer study abroad programs in Italy? Also, you realize that you can also apply to study abroad programs that aren't affiliated with your college, which in turn broadens your language options. If you're interested in Italian architecture or possibly working in Italy, take Italian. If you're interested in German arch, take German. Don't limit yourself to languages which are merely practical, if you don't have any interest in the countries which speak said languages.</p>
<p>My daughter is an architecture student. She studied abroad in her junior year of college in Florence, Italy. It wasn't through her own college (Brown) but was through Syracuse University. Syracuse had their own professors in the architecture program and all classes were in English. She took Italian for the first time ever while she was over there as part of the abroad program. She did not need to know Italian before studying abroad. </p>
<p>She started French in first grade and took it all through college and is fluent. She has worked two summers in France during college, one of which was in an architecture firm and it was obviously handy for THAT to speak French (even the arch computer programs were all in French). </p>
<p>But many study abroad programs are taught in English and then they have foreign language classes as part of the program. Now, my D does know a bunch of Italian but she did not know it prior to her study abroad.</p>
<p>It's easy to overthink usefulness, though now that I have a bunch of Hispanic clients, I really wish I spoke Spanish. I learned French in high school because that's what was offered in junior high. I took German because of family history. Because I knew both languages I did research for a senior thesis on low cost housing in London, Paris and Berlin. Many years and a marriage later, my husband wanted to do a post-doc in Germany. Since I knew German I was able to say I'd love to go with him and was able to work there. </p>
<p>I spent a few weeks in Italy on a summer program Columbia offers architecture students. It was a great experience. I love Italian architecture - you can't go wrong knowing some Italian. Both Spanish and French are likely to be easier if you learn Italian first. </p>
<p>There's no right or wrong here. You'll get more out of an experience in Italy if you know some Italian before you go, but it's really more efficient to learn languages through immersion experiences than in college classes.</p>
<p>dragon...I mentioned you to my daughter and she said what mathmom said that while you don't have to know Italian before you study in one of these programs in Italy (like her program was in English), that it helps to know some ahead of time and to take it ahead of time. She didn't as she was studying French. But she did study Italian while over there and I was impressed on my visit there 2 1/2 months into her stay at how proficient she was talking to people in public using Italian. But I think she picked it up quicker because she already knew French. So, you do not need to know Italian to do the program itself, but it would help to know some to just live there and feel more able to converse from the start.</p>