Engineering of Building Processes and Systems

Specific learning outcomes of the Programme

The specific learning outcomes of the Degree Programme in Engineering of Building Processes and Systems are to produce professional figures with a solid basic and specific background able to cover positions in public authorities and private companies, or work in a freelance capacity, in the management, design and coordination of activities concerning the surveying, diagnosis, strengthening and rehabilitation of historic buildings, requiring the in-depth knowledge integrating technical, engineering, historic, critical, organisational, managerial and legal competencies in a coherent and effective manner in order to optimise the use of resources and achieve the expected levels of performance, complying with any client-led or legal constraints.

They will therefore have in-depth knowledge of the specific subjects of this class, particularly concerning structural engineering, surveying and diagnosis of buildings and their material and functional components, the organisation of implementation processes and technologies used in the strengthening and rehabilitation of historic buildings.

Engineering of Building Processes graduates will be able to:

- Critically analyse historic buildings using advanced surveying and diagnostic techniques, identifying criticalities and potentials, as well as the relative constraints and protection laws;

- Plan and programme strengthening and rehabilitation activities, evaluating feasibility and organising efficient works implementation processes;

- Design strengthening and rehabilitation works, integrating structural, technological, functional and maintenance aspects in compliance with the specific rules and regulations;

- Develop effective solutions to integrate the services provided with innovative materials and technologies and apply the most advanced engineering methods to estimate and verify the behaviour of the buildings and planned works;

- Understand the multidisciplinary variety of skills required to work in the specific field and to identify the range of parties holding such skills, working effectively with them.

The study programme alternates single-subject course units and practical, single- and multi-disciplinary workshops, aiming to integrate the acquisition of theoretical knowledge in different fields and foster further study through the understanding of the needs emerging from their application.

The equipment and laboratories on site will allow students to study these applications also autonomously.

For Curriculum 2 students: Historic Buildings Rehabilitation also offers the possibility of obtaining a dual degree: a Second Cycle Degree in Engineering of Building Processes from the University of Bologna and an MSc in Architecture and Civil Engineering from Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

In addition to the enhancement of language competences acquired during courses held in the English language, the study programme also offers students the opportunity to gain extensive experience abroad, thus acquiring considerable transversal communication and interpersonal skills.

The internship (or alternatively, for Curriculum 2 only, the undertaking of practical research activities in the core subjects of the curriculum) is a learning experience allowing students to experiment their knowledge acquired during the study programme, applied to concrete cases and situations, and to create professional opportunities for the future.

The final examination is based on theoretical, experimental or design work using all the knowledge acquired during the study programme to demonstrate the integration of the acquired competencies.

The study programme is divided into the four following fields, to which the specific course units refer:

1. History of Architecture, Town Planning, Conservation and Protection of the Architectural, Historic, Landscape and Environmental Heritage

2. Representation, diagnostics and surveying

3. Architectural Technology, Building Production and Legal and Economic Sciences applied to the organisation of building processes

4. Structural Design and Technologies.

Other learning activities include the English language, elective course units and activities for the preparation of the dissertation.

Admission requirements
Curricular requirements

To be able to profitably follow the 2nd cycle degree programme in Engineering of Building Processes and Systems, students must possess the following knowledge:

appropriate knowledge of the methodological-operative aspects of mathematics and other basic sciences and the ability to use this knowledge to interpret and describe the problems affecting the sector; notions of the history of building techniques, architecture and the arts; knowledge of the tools and forms for the representation of elements of the building environment; knowledge of aspects concerning technical and economic feasibility and the organisation of production and manufacture of building products;

the ability to formulate hypotheses, test them using logical arguments and experiments, analyse and interpret the data.

Admission to the 2nd cycle degree programme is also subject to the possession of the following curricular requirements:

1. A 1st cycle degree in one of the following classes, or other suitable qualification obtained abroad:

ex Italian Ministerial Decree no. 270:

L-7 (Civil and Environmental Engineering),

L-17 (Architecture Sciences)

L-23 (Building Techniques and Sciences),

other equivalent classes

ex. Italian Ministerial Decree no. 509/99:

class 04

If no degree certificate is held by the candidate, admission to the 2nd Cycle Degree Programme is subject to

assessment by a Board to ascertain the required skills and competencies through the assessment of the candidate's curriculum and where required an interview.

The Board, appointed by the Degree Programme Board, will establish a calendar for the interviews, which will be published on the University website.

If the Board considers the level of the candidates' knowledge and skills to be satisfactory, they will be allowed to enrol in a test to assess their personal competencies and skills.

Assessment of knowledge and language skills

Admission to the degree programme is subject to the assessment of knowledge and skills in the English language.

In particular:

- For admission to Curriculum 1 of the Degree Programme in Engineering of Building Processes and Systems, Management of Building Processes in Rehabilitation, delivered in the Italian language, candidates shall possess English language skills to at least B1, tested at the University Linguistic Centre;

- For admission to Curriculum 2 of the Degree Programme in Engineering of Building Processes and Systems - Historic Buildings Rehabilitation, delivered in the English language, candidates shall possess English language skills to at least B2. If they do not possess language certification to B2, their language knowledge will be checked by the Degree Programme Board.

Students are in any case not permitted to enrol in the second year of the programme without certification, issued by the University Linguistic Centre or equivalent, of their English language skills to at least B2. Students holding a corresponding language certification may be exempted from sitting this exam.

Assessment of personal competencies and skills

Admission to the 2nd Cycle Degree Programme is subject to the possession of the prescribed curricular requirements and to the passing of a test to assess personal competencies and skills, by examining the candidates' curriculum and allocating a score to the following elements:

- Results obtained in previous studies: up to max. 40 points

1 point (up to a max of 5 points) for each exam passed with a score of at least 28 out of 30

10 points for a first cycle degree grade of less than 80/110

15 points for a first cycle degree grade of between 80 and 89/110

25 points for a first cycle degree grade of between 90 and 100/110

35 points for a first cycle degree grade of at least 101/110

- Consistency of the candidate's study plan and learning experiences with the learning outcomes of the Degree Programme: up to max 60 points:

10 points: if the number of CFU acquired by the candidate in subject areas ING-INF /05, ICAR/17 , ICAR/18 and ICAR/19 is at least 15 CFU

15 points: if the number of CFU acquired by the candidate in subject areas ING-INF /05, ICAR/17 , ICAR/18 and ICAR/19 is equal to or above 20

CFU

10 points: if the number of CFU acquired by the candidate in subject areas ICAR/10 ICAR/11 ICAR/12 ICAR/14 ICAR/20 ICAR/21 ICAR/22 or

ING-IND/35 is equal to or above 18 CFU

5 points: if the number of CFU acquired by the candidate in subject areas ICAR/06 ICAR/07 ICAR/08 ICAR/09 is between 8 and 15

25 points: if the number of CFU acquired by the candidate in subject areas ICAR/06 ICAR/07 ICAR/08 ICAR/09 is between 16 and 24 CFU

40 points: if the number of CFU acquired by the candidate in subject areas ICAR/06 ICAR/07 ICAR/08 ICAR/09 is equal to or above 25 CFU

Based on the above criteria, candidates obtaining a score of over 70 (seventy) points are deemed to have appropriate competencies and skills, and may proceed directly with registration.

Based on the above criteria, candidates obtaining a score of between 50 (fifty) and 70 (seventy) points shall be required to sit an interview to assess their personal competencies and skills, and may proceed with registration only if they pass the interview.

Based on the above criteria, candidates obtaining a score of less than 50 (fifty) points will not be deemed to possess appropriate competencies and skills, and will be rejected.

The Degree Programme Board may hold a specific assessment session for international students, appointing a Board to assess the candidates' curricular requirements and level of personal competencies; this session will be compatible with the schedule established in the call for applications for study grants (which indicatively expires in May).

International students passing this assessment are exonerated from the following assessment of their personal competencies and skills required for students generally.