Final examination: modalities

The final examination for the master’s degree involves:

- continuous self-study activity, over both years of study;

- the drafting and subsequent public discussion under the guidance of a supervisor of an original project consistent with the learning purposes of the MA. The project may possibly be related to an internship.

The final project and its discussion must demonstrate mastery of the chosen topics, critical skills, the ability to work independently, and good communication skills.

In Italy students "apply" to graduate in a certain Appello di laurea (graduation session). There are three sessions per year, and students choose one. After submitting a dissertation, they defend it in front of a graduation panel (and usually of family and friends) and obtain the title on the same day.

They are eligible to graduate once they have acquired all the credits required by their study plan, apart from those for the final examination (15 ECTS credits).

This page explains the procedures involved. For any doubts, please do not hesitate to contact the Teaching Office.

Students wishing to be admitted to the final examination must, by the deadlines listed below, first:

1. submit their online graduation application (surcharge payable if the application is submitted after the first deadline) together with the title of their dissertation, even if only provisional, using the LAUREA section of the Studenti Online webpage;
2. pay the graduation fee. 

*NB: it is not necessary for all exam passes to have been recorded by this date – this must be done by the second deadline, by which time all exams must have been passed and the dissertation submitted. 

It is not possible to submit the graduation application after the second deadline.

For the first deadline students have to pay 32 € for two tax stamps. 

If the application is submitted for the second deadline there is a supplementary payment of 100 €.

All payments can be made online using Studenti Online or at any branch of the Unicredit bank by printing the on-line payment code.

What students must do 

 To be admitted to defend their dissertations and graduate students must have:

1. Completed the course requirements (ensuring all the exams passed have been recorded) and paid all outstanding fees;
2. Uploaded to Studenti Online, in the relevant section on the graduation application webpage, an electronic copy of the dissertation in PDF, the keywords and abstract. The content of the file must first have been approved by the dissertation supervisor. 
   NB: the title indicated in the field “Titolo Tesi” in the graduation application and the title actually present on the cover in the PDF file uploaded to Studenti Online do not necessarily have to be the same.
3. Agree with the supervisor on the level of access to be selected when uploading your thesis on Studenti Online (options: available to anyone (immediately after graduation); b) available only to people with @unibo.it @studio.unibo.it e-mail addresses; c) access deferred until after a period decided by the graduate and her/his supervisor; d) access restricted to the Unibo intranet).
4. Ensured that, by the relevant deadline, the supervisor has approved the final TITLE of the dissertation online at https://almaesami.unibo.it (this title will appear in the official graduation document), as well as the DISSERTATION itself.
5. Filled in the online Alma Laurea questionnaire.
6. Filled in the DIT graduate questionnaire (online version).
7. Provided the dissertation supervisor, when requested, with a copy of the FINAL version of the DISSERTATION (PDF or paper) by an agreed-upon date.
8. After the thesis has been approved by the supervisor, downloaded (from the graduation application webpage), signed and sent by email to the Teaching Office the declaration that an electronic copy of the thesis, with the original signed by the student, has been deposited enclosing ID copy. 
   Note!! the declaration is not produced if the student agrees with the supervisor that the thesis will not be available online after the thesis defense.

Students wishing for whatever reason to withdraw from the graduation examination must immediately inform the Students Office by e-mail (segforli@unibo.it), using their University e-mail address (nome.cognome@studio.unibo.it) and indicating as the subject of the e-mail “RINUNCIA LAUREA”. 

NB: degree fees already paid remain valid for the entire academic year.

By the second deadline all outstanding fees must have been paid and all exam results recorded. You can check the latter on the "Certificati e Autocertificazioni" section of Studenti Online.

The Students Office will carry out a final check to ensure that students have completed the course requirements and paid all outstanding fees (though not necessarily by the second deadline) and will contact students by e-mail solely in the case of any anomalies.

By the third and final deadline the dissertation, supervisor must have approved the final title of the degree dissertation. 

NB: Students must ensure that the supervisor has approved the final TITLE of the dissertation online at https://almaesami.unibo.it, as well as the DISSERTATION itself. This title will appear in the official graduation document and degree certificates.

Booking a new session

The graduation application is valid for the entire Academic Year. Should a student not graduate during the session for which s/he applied, s/he must reapply using the Studenti Online webpage for another session by the third and final deadline without any payment being necessary.

If, however, the new application is submitted in the following Academic Year, it will be necessary to repay the cost of the tax stamps, but not the graduation fee or the payment for the degree parchment (except to pay any differences due to increased costs).