To get a first-level degree, second-level degree or specialisation degree, a student must pass the final examination. The content and type of exam are established by the academic regulations of each course.
The final examination necessary to get a degree or specialisation degree is public and may be an oral, written or practical exam.
Thesis
A thesis must be submitted in order to get a specialisation degree and this is the only case in which it is obligatory. The student must prepare an original thesis under the guidance of a supervisor. The student then publicly discusses the thesis with a special Board. The academic regulations of each course establish the terms and conditions for the assignment of the thesis, where required, and the criteria for the appointment of a supervisor. The academic regulations of each course also establish in general or for specific cases, whether or not the subject of the thesis must be related to a subject of the course for which the student has passed the exam and obtained university credits.
Request for admission
The University Senate establishes the terms of the request for admission to the final examination.
The request for admission to the final examination is valid only for one session, not for the following sessions. Therefore, if a student does not get his degree in the session for which he/she is admitted, he/she must renew the request by the deadline established for the new session.
The Faculties establish the calendar of the degree examination dates, which are spread over the three sessions that are held each academic year. In addition, they establish any special requirements necessary to register for each exam date.
To be admitted to the final examination a student must have passed the exams and in any case must have obtained all the university credits required under degree course regulations for activities other than the final examination. Furthermore, a student must have paid the tuition fees.
Final examination
The aim of the final examination is to assess whether or not the educational objectives of the course have been achieved.
The degree examination Board evaluates the candidate as a whole, taking into account the final examination and other elements such as the curriculum of studies carried out, the time taken to complete the degree course, and any transfers from another course or University, etc.. It also applies specific rules that are established independently by each Faculty.
The Student Registry Office also gives the Board the student’s examination slip, on which the average before the final examination is shown.
The average is the result of the conversion of the average marks for the exams passed (which are expressed out of thirty) into a mark expressed out of one hundred and ten: the calculation is made by adding up all the exams with a mark, excluding pass/fail examinations; the result is then multiplied by "110" and divided by "30".
In this way, the arithmetic mean is obtained.
For post-reform degree courses (first and second-level degree courses) there is also a weighted mean, which relates the marks to credits: excluding pass/fail examinations, each mark is multiplied by the credits for the corresponding exam, the products are added up and the sum is divided by the total number of credits obtained for examinations with a vote; also in this case the result is then multiplied by "110" and divided by "30"
The Board expresses its mark out of 110.
To pass the examination the minimum vote required is 66/110. In case of full marks (110/110), the Board may unanimously decide to award a distinction.