Italian American studies addresses itself to the experiences of persons of Italian descent in North and South America with a particular emphasis on experiences in the United States of America. It is designed to assist students in exploring the ways in which Italian and American cultures have combined to form a distinctive ethnic culture. Formal study of Italian American culture, in the university, is a relatively recent phenomenon. The field’s major professional organization, The American Italian Historical Association —founded in 1967—has been instrumental in validating this area as a worthwhile field of study. Italian American studies offers students an opportunity to survey the developments of the field in general, and in history, literature, media, and language study in particular. The program is designed for students interested in the interdisciplinary studies of one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States. Students are encouraged to engage studies from the point-of-view of another field of studies. Combined with a major in political science, history, science, or psychology, Italian American studies can provide students with an in-depth exploration of the role ethnicity plays in the definition of what it means to be an American. A sociology major might find that a focus on how Italian Americans assimilated into American society will help them better understand theoretical approaches to the study of urban and suburban cultures. An American literature or studies major might use this program to develop a specialty in the study of a specific ethnic American culture. A pre-med or pre-law major might use it to establish an understanding of a community that she or he might serve.