Courses General information on Degrees

General information on Degrees

The decree of November 3, 1999, No. 509, "Regulations Concerning the Didactic Autonomy of Universities," and the decree of October 22, 2004, No. 270, "Amendments to the Regulations Concerning the Didactic Autonomy of Universities, Approved by Ministerial Decree of November 3, 1999, No. 509," reformed university degree programs. Starting from the academic year 2001-2002, universities were able to activate new courses in accordance with D.M. 509/1999, thus terminating enrollments in all previous programs and ensuring that students enrolled in the old systems could either complete their studies or transition to the new courses. From the academic year 2008-2009, study programs based on the amendments indicated by D.M. 270/2004 were initiated.

 

The reform, as a whole, provided for a new structure of academic qualifications; universities award the following first and second-level degrees:

 

• The Bachelor’s Degree (L), which has a standard duration of three years, aims to ensure that students gain adequate mastery of general scientific methods and content, even when oriented towards acquiring specific professional knowledge. To obtain a Bachelor's degree, students must earn 180 credits, including those relating to the mandatory knowledge of a European Union language in addition to Italian. To be admitted to a Bachelor's program, candidates must possess a secondary school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification recognized as valid.

• The Master’s Degree (LM), which has a standard duration of an additional two years after the Bachelor's degree, aims to provide students with advanced training for performing highly qualified activities in specific fields. This degree is awarded after earning 120 credits. To be admitted to a Master's program, candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree or a three-year university diploma, or an equivalent foreign qualification recognized as valid.

 

Universities also award the Diploma of Specialization (DS) and the Doctorate (PhD).

The revision of university education mandated by the reform introduced the use of credits as a reference point for educational activities. Understanding their significance is therefore essential; the main characteristics are summarized as follows.

 

University Credits (CFU) represent the unit of measurement for the work required of a student to complete educational activities leading to a university degree. One year of work conventionally corresponds to 60 credits. Each credit corresponds to a value of 25 hours of work, totaling 1500 hours of annual work.

For typical educational activities, such as a course with an accompanying exam that assesses the quality and quantity of the student’s learning, the student’s work includes the hours of lectures, exercises, seminars, etc., required by the course, along with additional hours of study or personal commitment needed to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to pass the exam. For other educational activities (projects, internships, foreign language proficiency, training in the use of IT tools, training in communication or relational skills, teamwork, thesis work, etc.), the measurement of credits is carried out similarly by estimating the student’s hours of work. The credits corresponding to each educational activity are acquired by the student upon passing the exam or through another form of performance assessment; the total or partial recognition of credits acquired for the continuation of studies is the responsibility of the academic structure that receives the student.

All degree programs of the same level, regardless of their designation, are grouped into a specific Class and share qualifying educational objectives. The qualifications awarded upon completion of degree programs of the same level, belonging to the same Class, hold identical legal value.

Each Class is associated with a prospectus titled with the Class designation and divided into two parts: the first part descriptively contains the qualifying educational objectives of the Class (indicating the competencies and skills characterizing the cultural and professional profile of the specific graduate); the second part outlines the necessary educational activities deemed essential for achieving these educational objectives.

The educational activities considered essential for achieving the qualifying educational objectives are grouped into six "types," based on which the study plans of the degree programs are organized:

• Basic educational activities;
• Characterizing educational activities;
• Related or integrative educational activities;
• Student elective educational activities;
• Educational activities related to the preparation of the final assessment for obtaining the degree and, with respect to the Bachelor's degree, the verification of knowledge of at least one foreign language in addition to Italian;
• Educational activities aimed at acquiring additional language skills, as well as IT and telematic skills, relational skills, or skills useful for entering the job market.