Final examination: modalities

Summary

1. About the Graduation

2. Graduation session

3. Regular application

4. Late application (with a fine)

5. Requirements fulfillment

6. Upload of the final thesis

7. Approval of the final thesis

8. Degree diploma and certificates

1. About the Graduation

LEGS students can finalise their academic path by providing a descriptive/systematic thesis, or a  research one. 

While the former should be based on a structure ideally comprising at least two main parts: a background study/case study and doctrinal/normative/jurisprudential analysis (approx. 60/120 pp.); the latter, in turn, should focus on a specific topic and entail a critical in-depth study on a complex legal phenomenon, possibly with an inter/multi-disciplinary approach (approx. 60/80 pp.).

In their second year, when students are filling out their study plan, they will then choose the 24 CFU (Final examination) option for a research thesis, or a combination of internship+final examination option in case they will carry out an internship experience on which they will build a descriptive thesis upon. In this case, the background study will be their very own internship.

These patterns are general suggestions, and should always be discussed with the students' thesis supervisors.

The final thesis will then be worth 24 CFU, meaning students will have to have acquired 96 CFU before trying to apply for the final examination (split into the relative sets of the students' track of choice).
The dissertation will always be prepared under the guidance of a supervisor (relatore). We suggest students to start searching for a supervisor around 6 months before the intended graduation date.

On the final examination day, students will defend their thesis in front of a Committee composed by professors of the Department of Legal Studies.

Average and Final Grade

The weighted average is calculated by multiplying each grade (X/30) by the number of credits required for the corresponding exam; all the values ​​thus obtained are added together and divided by the total number of credits accrued (relating only to training activities that require grades, thus excluding seminars, laboratories, etc.).
This includes also credits and grades from exams that the student decided to take OVER the required minimum of 96 CFU.

The graduation average is calculated by multiplying the weighted average by 110 and dividing the result by 30.

The average is also retrievable from myUnibo app.

This average is the starting point for the evaluations by the members of the graduation commission, which:

• can assign up to 5 points according to the assessment of the final thesis and oral discussion;
• must award 0.25 points for each honor achieved in the exams taken during the training course up to a maximum of 1 overall point;
• must award 1 point to students who will graduate by the last deadline of the II year (usually around the month of March after the students have completed their second year classes, e.g. March '25 for students enroled in 2022);
• can award up to 1 point in presence of a co-supervisor;
• can unanimously attribute to the paper a special mention (work "with the dignity of the press") considering the course of the discussion and particular and relevant merits.

The final discussion/exam is passed with a minimum grade of 66/110. In the event of the highest grade (110/110), the Commission can grant honors ("cum laude") on a unanimous decision.

In order to apply for your graduation and submit your Thesis for the final approval of your Supervisor you need to upload your Thesis in pdf-format on Studenti Online. 

Subject/Topic

Students are expected to propose a thesis topic/subject to a professor, chosen from amongst those of your courses, who will also evaluate the adequacy of your proposal.

You will have to demonstrate that you can build an adequate bibliography on the topic/subject, summarize it and rework it in an original work, in compliance with the editorial standards.

Editorial Standards 

The thesis frontpage must be written according to the facsimile published in the attachments.

Fonts used and other standards are as follows:

• Times New Roman or Arial font;
• body of the text of 12 or 13 points (notes to be set in body 10);
• right-left margins of 3.25 cm and upper-lower of 4 cm;
• 0.5 cm binding margin;
• line spacing 1.5 cm.

In any case, your thesis format must be agreed with your supervisor, usually according to the criteria mentioned above, unless grounded reasons suggest following specific different standards.

2. Graduation session

Students are generally informed about the exact date of their defence and the composition of the Graduation Board one week in advance through their institutional e-mail address.
More information are also available on Studenti Online in the "Graduation" session.

3. Regular application

You can apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee (€32) only once per academic year.
In the attachments you can find the deadlines dedicated to the various Academic Years.
If you decide not to graduate within the session you have chosen, you have to send an e-mail to the Registrar's Office at seggiuri@unibo.it from your institutional e-mail address. Thus, the Office will cancel your reservation and allow you to book forthcoming sessions.
In this case, no further fees are due within the same academic year.

The title of your thesis – as previously agreed with your supervisor – has to be specified in your application. Please mind that this will be the title reported in the official degree certificates.

4. Late application (with a fine)

Candidates are allowed to undertake a late application – after the first deadline – by paying an additional late payment fee of €100.

5. Requirements fulfillment

Candidates have to:

• Pay all due fees and/or taxes. The Registrar Office verifies the fulfilment of the payments of fees and taxes, even after this deadline. Candidates are contacted at their institutional e-mail addresses in case of anomalies. In case of taxes that happen to be due after the aforementioned deadline candidates should fulfil the mandatory requirements within the deadline anyway (i.e. the fee related to integration for ERGO students).
• Pass all the exams included in their study plan. All exams that are part of your study plan should be registered and validated. The Registrar's Office will contact candidates through their institutional e-mail addresses in case of anomalies.
  
• Fill in the “AlmaLaurea” online form. Candidates will find the appropriate link to Alma Laurea during the completion of their application (successful procedures will be acknowledged by the system about 2 hours later).

6. Upload of the final thesis

Candidates have to upload their thesis in pdf format in the appropriate section of their application on Studenti Online. It is not possible to upload a thesis after the deadline. Candidates who do not manage to upload it within the required terms are not allowed to graduate in the chosen session.

Candidates should check that the title of their thesis as indicated in the application is consistent with the title they have indicated in the pdf file. The title of the thesis can be modified more than once within the upload deadline.

7. Approval of the final thesis

Your supervisor will approve the final dissertation: please check the state of approval of your thesis and contact your supervisor if needed.

8. Degree diploma and certificates

Students will receive their diploma directly at the address they have indicated on Studenti Online for communication purposes.
If you would like your diploma sent to an address outside of Italy, please write an email to the Registrar's Office (seggiuri@unibo.it) indicating your name and the full address to which you ask the delivery of the parchment, and attach a copy of your passport. 

Students can also print a valid degree certificate from Studenti Online.