"Study in Italy" is a valuable information tool for students wishing to attend higher education
(H.Ed.) programmes in Italy, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
This national website provides the following information: types of H.Ed. institutions (university and
non-university sector), admission procedures, study programmes, university degrees, non-university
H.Ed. qualifications (academic diplomas), tution language, student life and welfare services,
country
information,
etc.
Links to other websites are also given, where even more detailed information on specific topics of
individual
interest
is
available.
The website "Study in Italy" is a MIUR project, jointly carried out by the CIMEA of the
Fondazione Rui and CINECA.
Why Italy?
Italy has played an important role in European higher education: it is one of the four countries that
first engaged to create the so-called "European Area of Higher Education" (Sorbonne Declaration,
May 1998), thus starting that type of higher education reform which, known as "Bologna Process"
(Bologna Declaration, June 1999) is being implemented all over Europe.
Today Italy ranks among the 8 most industrialised countries in the world. Alongside some big
companies, both state-owned and private, it has developed a sound network of small and mediumsized undertakings, promoted a few scientific parks, and is incentivating basic and applied research
in a great variety of fields (biology, ICT, medicine, physics, etc.).
Higher
Education
Typologies and Lists
Institutions
in
Italy:
The Italian Higher Education System
Italian higher education is structured in a binary system, consisting of two main articulations:
- the university sector
- the non-university sector.
At present, the university sector is made up of 89 university institutions which are classified in:
- 58 State universities
- 17 non-State universities (legally recognised by the State)
- 2 universities for foreigners
- 6 higher schools specialised in postgraduate university studies
- 6 telematic universities.
The non-university sector includes 4 education typologies with their institutions:
- higher schools of design: polytechnics for the arts, academies of fine arts, higher institutes for
applied arts, music conservatories and recognised music institutes, higher institutes for musical and
choreographic studies, national academies
- higher education in language mediation: higher schools for language mediators
- higher integrated education (FIS): programmes of higher technical education & training (IFTS)
- a few specific fields (e.g. archiving, diplomatics, restoration, military studies, etc.) which, along
with their respective institutions, fall under the supervision of ministries other than that of
Education.
Italian University Degrees
We
are
listing
the
degrees
in
offer
at
Italian
universities.
The related study programmes may be designed either under the old or the new university
regulations, that is to say the rules in force respectively before and after the 1999 reform prompted
by the Bologna Declaration.
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New degrees (degrees designed in conformity to the regulations of the university system in force
since November 1999)
Old degrees (degrees designed in conformity to regulations of the university system in force up to
October 1999)
The 5 great subject areas
The 5 great subject areas covering the whole of university education are: health, humanities,
sciences, social studies, technology. Each area is subdivided in the following main subject sectors:
1. Health: dentistry, pharmacy, human medicine & surgery, midwifery, nursing, physio-andrehabilitation therapy, preventive care, technical sanitary assistance;
2. Humanities: arts (performing, visual, fashion, music), cultural heritage, education, geography,
history; Italian and classical/oriental studies, language mediation (applied foreign languages,
interpreting, translating), modern languages and cultures (glottology, linguistics, literature,
philology, etc.),
3. Sciences: agriculture, animal production & husbandry, biology, biotechnology, chemistry,
environmental sciences, food industry & forestry, maths, natural sciences, physics, statistics, etc.;
4. Social sudies: administration, business, communication, cooperation & development, defence &
security, economics, law, physical education & sports, psichology, political science and international
relations, social service & sociology, tourism;
5. Technology: architecture & building engineering, design (industrial), engineering (civil, industrial,
information), regional & environmental planning, urban planning, etc.
Classes of degrees
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Agriculture, food industry and forestry
Applied languages
Architecture and construction engineering
Aviation and maritime navigation
Biology and Biotechnologies
Business and management
Chemistry
Communication
Computer Science
Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
Co-operation, development and peace studies
Cultural heritage studies
Defence and security
Dentistry and orthodontics
Earth sciences
Economics and Administration
Education
Engineering
Environmental sciences
Geography
Health professions
History
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Humanities
Industrial design
Law and Political sciences and international relations
Legal services
Mathematics
Medicine and surgery
Modern languages and civilisations
Nursing and midwifery
Pharmacy
Philosophy
Physics
Psychology
Social work
Sociology
Sport sciences and physical education
Statistics
Tourism
Town, regional and environmental planning
Veterinary Medicine
Visual arts, music, performing arts and fashion studies
Zoology
Practical information
Academic Calendar
The academic year in Italy is made up of two semesters. The first semester starts in
September/October and ends in January/February. The second semester starts in February and ends
in July. The actual start and finish dates will vary in the different universities but each semester lasts
around 20 weeks and is made up of a teaching period lasting around 14 weeks and an exam period
lasting around 6 weeks.
Teaching and learning
Most teaching still takes place in large lecture halls but this will depend very much on the single
course of study. Students are also expected to carry out a considerable amount of self study outside
the classroom in order to prepare for exams.
Assessment
Exams are held after the teaching period and are mainly oral exams although some courses will
have written tests taking place during the semester or before the oral exam. Each exam will have a
number of dates offered during the exam period and students can choose which date they wish to
take the exam. They are also entitled to turn down a mark and take the exam again if they are not
satisfied with the result. Rules apply as to how often a student can take an exam within an
examination period.
Grading systems
Examinations are graded according to a scale ranging from 0 to 30, with 18 as a pass mark.
A "cum laude" may be added to the highest grade (30; 30 e lode) as a mention of special distinction.
All examination results are used to calculate the overall degree mark on a scale of 0 – 110. The final
result is based on exam results plus the presentation of a project or dissertation in front of a Board
of Examiners. The pass mark is 66 and students who obtain full marks of 110 may also be awarded
‘summa cum laude’ (110 e lode).
For searching courses check please
http://offf.cineca.it/pubblico.php/ricerca/show_form/p/studiare
http://www.universitaly.it/index.php/