GUIDES TO THE UNIVERSITY

To classify language competence levels, Università Bocconi follows the Common European Framework established by the Council of Europe.

An outline of the language skills relevant to each level is available on the website in the Language Centre section in "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages".

The program requirements of all Master of Science Programs in the fields of study 'Management' and 'Economics' (respectively  LM/77a nd LM/56) include 2 European Union languages.

The objective of the foreign language course is to provide students with the ability to use specialized language skills appropriately in a professional context.

Exams for both first and second languages are placed in the I semester of the second year of studies of the program.
Language paths is placed in the II semester of the first year of studies (see "Language learning paths").

Both the first and second foreign language courses are awarded 4 credit points for all MSc programs. Students earn the credits when they pass the exam or record in their academic career one of the international language certifications recognized by the University (see paragraph "Method of assessing foreign language knowledge").

In addition, alla language courses include a partial exam (elective and on one day) in the second semester of the first year of studies.

When passing the partial exam no credit points are earned by the students, but an additional point out of thirty is given and it is counted to define the final grade of the Bocconi exam (see course profiles of the foreign language courses available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Exam-Certificates>Bocconi exams.

The choice of foreign languages (first and second language) depends on:

• the teaching language of the class group (Italian or English) of the Msc Program;
• the native language of the student (languages chosen must be different from the student's native language).

If a student has more than one mother tongue (e.g. coming from or residing in a multilingual Country or living with parents from 2 different nationalities) the student must choose one language as his mother tongue for the whole duration of his studies.

The table below shows first and second language options:

(*) For students who are not  native English speakers, one of the 2 languages must be English.
(**) For students who are not  Italian native speakers, one of the 2 languages must be Italian.
(***)Notice that the Portoguese language is no longer be included in the educational offer.

Materials for individual study are available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in self-Study>Online materials

Students who have included Portoguese in their study plan can only register in the study plan one among internationally recognized certifications recognised by the University.

The course codes are:

First year students choose the foreign language courses (see 3.6 Language learning paths) by using the Punto Blu during the period 08 - 19 January 2016.
The lowest level is automatically assigned (any changes can be requested by 19 January 2016 at the Secretary’s Office of the Language Center or through the Help&Contact procedure available on the yoU@B Diary).

Students can change languages via the Punto Blu in first and second year of studies, as follows:

• first-year students: during the period 08 - 19 January 2016 .
• second-year students: during the period 29 July - 30 September 2015 and 08 - 19 January 2016.

Exit levels are set according to language area and the language in which the lessons are taught (Italian or English). If there are two exit levels, it is up to the students to choose when registering for the final exam via the Punto Blu. Specifically:

However higher levels are possible, assessed only through international certifications from among the ones recognised by the University.

On the basis of the requirements for the Master of Science  program (described in the course profiles and in the course syllabuses) exit levels (see "Exit levels"), the University sets the minimum foreign language requirement in order to complete the educational path in time. 

The entry levels suggested:

• B2 for the first language;

• B1 for the second language.

On the website at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in "Minimum Level Required" the following are indicated in detail:

• required knowledge and skills for each level;
• topics and learning  materials to help students reach the minimum required levels;
• self-assessment guide for language knowledge and skills.

In the first semester of the 2015-2016 academic year, for students enrolled in the first year of studies: 

• one B2-level English course has been programmed the review the language basics (36 hours of in-class learning activities);
• one A1/A2 level Italian course for the initial preparation of the lowest level needed (52 hours of in-class learning activities).

Both courses aim at offering the students the possibility to face with a more adequate preparation the curricular courses of Italian and English scheduled starting from the second semester.
Classroom teaching should be integrated by individual study, according to the teacher's instructions.
Students can sign up for class groups online via the yoU@B student Diary (sign up for "Various Activities") when finalizing the enrolment.
Applications will be accepted (for a maximum of 100 applicants) on a first come basis.

Class group will be started up only if an adequate number of applicants is reached.

The teaching activities for studying languages offered by the Language Centre include:

• Courses to prepare the students to certifications for English
• Courses to prepare the students to the Bocconi exam for all languages
  

Courses to prepare the students to certifications for English

The Language Center, offers courses to prepare the students to the following certifications, recognized as an alternative to the Bocconi exam:

• IELTS International English Language Testing System, general level C1, Examination Center British Council, IDP - IELTS Australia, Cambridge English Language Assessment;
• BEC, Business English Certificates, specialized language/business, B2 and C1 levels, Examination Center  Cambridge English Language Assessment.
   

Each course has a duration of a semester for a total of hours equal to 48 except for the IELTS C1 with a total number of hours equal to 24 hours .

The offer is scheduled in the second semester of the first year and in the first semester of the second year.

The courses are addressed to a limited number of students students with and adequate level of language skills certified with appropriate test.

Period and methods for sitting for the test and to enroll in the course are communicated via yoU@B before the start of each semester (further information at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Language Teaching>IELTS, BEC and ILEC).
Each course is started if a minimum number of enrolled students is reached.

Courses to prepare the students to the Bocconi exam for all languages
The Language Center offerscourses for preparing the students to the following levels:

• first language: business C1 and B2
• second language: business B2 and B1

Relating class groups are started only if the minimum number of enrolled student is reached.

Please notice that the Portuguese language is no longer included in the educational offer. A guideline for the materials of individual study is available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Self-Study >Online materials.

Students enrolled in the first year choose the languages at the Punto blu from 8 to 19 January 2016. The minimum level is automatically assigned (any changes can be requested by 19 January 2016 via the help&contact procedure available on the yoU@B Diary).

If students have handed in adequate documentation supporting their language level, they can attend an higher exit level.

Curricular courses last one year of studies. Each course  begins at the start of the II semester in the first year and finishes at the end of the I semester in the second year for a total of 72 hours of lessons.

Attendance at curricular courses is not compulsory but strongly recommended; attending courses is considered the most effective way of learning the language for a professional context and preparing for the final exam.
Students enrolled in the course are encouraged to attend. An in-dept individual study is also recommended.

Active participation at curricular courses and individual study may count toward the exam grade.

The summarized course programs (course profiles) of the language modules are available at www.unibocconi.eu/courses.

The detailed course programs (course syllabuses and exam requirements) are available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Exams-Certificates> Bocconi exams.

Double Degree programs involve the participation of both students enrolled at Università Bocconi and students enrolled at partner institutions (incoming students).

For those students who are enrolled at Università Bocconi the rules regarding foreign languages are indicated herein (see  "Foreign languages").

For those students who are enrolled at other institutions (non native Italian speakers) the rules regarding foreign languages indicated herein (see "Foreign languages") apply with the exception of the following:

• method of choosing foreign languages;
• exit levels.

Method of choosing foreign languages

The table below shows first and second language choices:

(*) 1 of the 2 languages must be Italian
(**) Notice that the Portoguese language is no longer be included in the educational offer.
Students who have included Portoguese in their study plan can only register in the study plan one among internationally recognized certifications recognised by the University.

Materials for individual study are available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Self-Study>Online materials.

Exit levels

The exit levels for all MSc programs require business level for the language of specialization:

Language knowledge is assessed by one of the following methods:

• international certification from among those recognized by the University, or
• Bocconi exam.
  

The services offered by the Language Centre are designed to assist students in developing self-study methods, inform on exam assessment methods and provide a range of materials available for use from the language laboratories. The services are available to all students (those taking Bocconi exams or preparing for international certifications).

International certifications

Students can choose to take one of the international certification exams or tests among those suggested by the University for the MSc programs instead of the Bocconi exam (see www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Exams-Certificates The registration of the result in the student's academic career, after being converted into a mark out of thirty, will be made by the Secretary’s Office of the Language Centre upon presentaion of the original certification.

International certifications can be presented from the first year of studies.

With regards to certifications, students must take the exam through an official Examination Centre, either in Italy or abroad.

Students are responsible for the costs associated with sitting the exams for international certifications.

For the purpose of registering international certifications in the academic career, certifications are valid for a period of three years from the date of issue (except for some international tests which are valid for less time, see www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Exams-Certificates).

The certifications presented as language prerequisites for admission to class groups taught in English can also be used as an alternative to the Bocconi exam. These certifications can only be submitted if they satisfy the exit level requirement and  program contents and are among those recognized by the University (upon presentation, by the student, of the original copy of the certifications to the Secretary’s Office of the Language Centre).

For some exit levels there is not an indication of the corresponding certifications because some of they are not offered by  authorities recognized by Università Bocconi.

• Università Bocconi is test center for some english certificates of British Council/Cambridge English Language assesment, recognized as alternatives to the Bocconi exam. Registration for exam session is made via the yoU@B diary, upon paying the relating fee. For schedule and detailed information see: www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in exams>certificates>Bocconi test center. The iniziative follows all rules of the appropriate institutions in all phases.
  

Bocconi exam

Language knowledge is assessed by an exam. This exam is designed to test the student's comprehension and knowledge of both written and spoken skills in keeping with one's language level required. The exam is structured in a written exam and an oral exam, which are both compulsory; admittance to the oral exam is subject to passing the written exam with a grade of at least 18/30.
Exams are prepared in accordance with the language standards relating to international certifications.

The exam is marked out of thirty and will be included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA).

The language level achieved is specifically indicated on the official exam report and academic transcript.

Students state their desired exit level when they register for the final exam at Punto Blu.

The choice of the exit level does not depend on the course attended. Therefore a student can sit for an exam (or present a certification) at a level different from that of the course he/she has attended.

Exit levels which are higher than those required for curricular exams of first and second languages are possible only through the registration in the student's academic career of any international certifications recognized by the University.

For the language areas and the Bocconi undergraduate degree exit levels shown below, students may request to have the curricular exam waived, that is the registration of the undergraduate degree grade in the student's academic career (exam grade or recognized international certification result converted in a mark out of thirty according to the Language Centre conversion table):
 

Also foreign languages can be recorded as additional exams. With reference to the additional curricular languages it is specified that:

• the same rules which are valid for additional exams are applied (see 9.2.9. Additional courses);
• the recording of the grade earned through the Bocconi exam or the conversion in a grade out of thirty of the score achieved upon international certification from among the ones recognized by the Univerisity in accordance with the same methods for the recognition and recording valid for the first and second foreign language (see 3.8. Method of assessing foreign language knowledge, International certifications);
• the minimum exit level and linguistic field specified for second languages (see 3.4. Exit levels).
  

In addition students can record, only as additional exams, also Russian and Chinese in their study plan, which is a non curricular language. For the recording of additional exams:

• the same rules valid for all additional exams (see 9.2.9. Additional exams) are applied;
• there are no Bocconi exams therefore it is only possible to record an international certification from among the ones recognized by the university in accordance with the same methods for recognition and recording valid for curricular languages (see 3.8. Method of assessing foreign language knowledge, International certifications);
• a minimum exit level is equal to B1 for linguistic business area and C1 for the linguistic general area.
  

(*) Please notice that Russian and Chinese, not included in the educational offer and therefore there are no exams and no curricular teaching in class.