GUIDES TO THE UNIVERSITY
2015-2016 A.Y.
World Bachelor Business (3-y)
7.
EXAMS
Assessment methods such as exams and other types of tests are designed to assess the students' required level of preparation in order to be awarded the credit points for the various educational activities. Assessments are marked out of thirty (exams) or given a pass/fail grade and are always individual. Last change 14/07/2015 12:33 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.1.
Exam program
Exams, like lessons, are based on the topics described in the course program, available in 2 versions: the course profile and the course syllabus. The course profile includes the main topics dealt with in the course and is divided into following sections: Course Objectives, Course Content Summary, Textbooks, Detailed Description of Assessment Methods and, were applicable, prerequisites. Students can access the course profiles on the Bocconi Internet site (at page http://www.unibocconi.eu/courses). To help students in choosing courses on the basis of the course contents, the course profiles are published on the site well before the start of lessons. Substantial variations to the course profiles are not envisaged during the year, except for some changes to the textbooks that may be made as a consequence of new publications or updated material that were not available when the profile was finalized.
The purpose of the course syllabus together with the information published online is to explain in more detail the topics covered. For every learning session of the course, if possible the reference materials necessary for an in-depth consolidation of the concepts dealt with in the lessons and assessment methods are specified and tutors are available (see "Teaching assistants"). The course syllabus is prepared by the Course Director in conjunction with the views of the Program Director. The syllabus is generally distributed during lessons and generally is also available online (yoU@B student Diary, in the course profile, e-learning). Last change 22/07/2015 09:50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.2.
Assessment methods
The assessment methods are indicated in a summarized form in the course profiles and are explained in further detail in the course syllabuses. In addition, they are also explained by the teachers during lectures and generally available online. The assessment methods may be different for attending and non-attending students. Furthermore, some exams can only be taken by attending students. Partial exams are not compulsory, although they are strongly recommended. The results of partial exams are taken into account to pass the complete exam and to be awarded the credit points; passing two partial exams can, if the assessment methods allow, be equivalent to passing the general exam. Oral exams are open to the public, while for written exams (either general or partial exams) students have the right to inspect their exam paper, which they are advised to do before the mark is registered. Last change 22/07/2015 09:51 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.3.
Past exam papers
The Course Director will decide on the availability of past exam papers, together with the correct answers. The course director can do it through:
Past exam papers which are released are available for 12 months, unless otherwise stipulated by the teacher. Last change 14/07/2015 12:35 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.4.
Period of general/partial exams and timetable
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7.4.1.
General and partial exams
The exam timetable (October 2015 - September 2016) is organized in periods that do not coincide with the lessons . Each exam period consists of one or more sessions. Students can take exams in all sessions as long as they satisfy the attendance requirements (semester course lessons in the study plan must be finished). Lessons are suspended at mid-semester in both the first and second semester for 1st partial exams. 2nd partial exams are held at the end of the semester (as a general rule it is scheduled after the Christmas holidays). However, for 1/2 first semester compulsory courses per Degree program/year of studies, the second partial exam and/or the general exam may be held before the Christmas holidays. Partial exam dates may or may not coincide with those fixed for general exams. The exam periods and exam sessions (reference period: October 2015 - September 2016) are scheduled as follows:
(*) In the period 14-19 December 2015 an early session, open to all enrolled students is scheduled for 1/2 compulsory course per program/year of studies replacing the January 2016 exam session which, as a consequence, will not be scheduled. Note
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7.4.2.
Exam timetable
The exam timetable for the October 2015 - September 2016 period is published in the second half of September on the University Internet site at www.unibocconi.eu/exams. During the year the timetable of an exam session may be changed (only to a later date or time), in which case students do not need to re-register for the exam since their registration is automatically transferred to the new timetable. Exam dates are updated daily on the Internet site. In addition, any changes to the exam timetable can be viewed on the yoU@B student Diary. The exams are identified in the exam timetable by the following letters:
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7.4.3.
Classroom and student allocation
Students can check the classroom assigned and time for their exam via yoU@B student Diary generally in the afternoon of the working day prior to the exam date.
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7.5.
Exam and partial exam registration procedure
Registration for written, oral and partial exams can be carried out via the yoU@B>Registration exam session function up to the fourth last working day before the exam itself. The following days and periods are classified as non-working days:
Registration for the exam session and for partial exams can be allowed only if the student has not been suspended (e.g. if the payment of tuition and fees and/or any penalty fees has not been recorded, for a disciplinary sanction, for any irregularities checked by one of the University Services etc).
If the exam calendar includes in the same day both a written exam and a partial exam or both a oral exam and a partial one students cannot register to both types of exams at the same time. Therefore students must choose which of the 2 types of exam they want to register for (written or partial exam; oral or partial exam).
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7.6.
Examining boards
Examining boards are appointed by the Rector or one of his delegates. They consist of at least 2 members, including a President, and are presided over by the Course Director. When necessary, exam commissions may be divided into sub-examining boards. Examining professors include: the Course Director and the official course teaching team, as indicated in the annual teaching activities program, together with those experts in the subject who have the required qualifications and have been proposed by the Course Director. Students will generally sit exams with the teacher(s) of their assigned class group if they take the exam in the first exam period after the end of the course. In successive exam sessions, exams may also be organized for various class groups, in which case students sit exams with a teacher or teachers of one of the class groups, or with an expert in the subject. The class groups may not be the same that were assigned to the students. Last change 22/07/2015 10:02 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.7.
Exam procedure
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7.7.1.
Procedure
ONLY students who have regularly registered for exams can be admitted to sit for them. Students must come to exams equipped with:
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7.7.2.
Exam conduct
Exams are official assessments which must be taken in full compliance with the rules. During an examination students:
Violation of the above rules or instructions given by the teacher during exams, is cause for cancellation of the exam, and the start of disciplinary procedures.
All disciplinary sanctions are registered in the student's academic career, written in the transfer form, and in all university documents used in determining the student's graduation grade. A disciplinary sanction more serious than a warning precludes any student benefits (scholarships, housing etc.). Last change 22/07/2015 10:03 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.8.
Marks
A mark of between 0 and 17 out of thirty is considered unsatisfactory. The examining board may award "lode" (cum laude) to students who are awarded thirty out of thirty (30/30). Exams that are awarded a satisfactory mark are considered to have been passed and cannot be retaken (whether they are partial exams or general exams). Exams that are awarded an unsatisfactory mark are considered to have been failed and must therefore be taken again. As far as written exams are concerned, if the final grade does not satisfy all the requirements of the partner Universities, the Examining Board might require a supplementary exam. Last change 26/08/2015 17:26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.9.
Publication of exam results
Exams or other assessments are public. The results of written exams are available from the Secretary's Office of the Department the courses refer to. The results are also generally published on the yoU@B student Diary. Marks are communicated for informational purposes only, therefore once the result of an exam has been registered, students are advised to check that it has been correctly recorded in their academic career by using the yoU@B in the"Career>Study plan" menu on the yoU@B> Punto Blu. Results of written exams are also available via the SMS Bocconi service if students have entered their mobile phone number in the yoU@B Diary. The result notification sent to the student, includes the information on the result of the written exam, of the date for inspect exam paper and, if decided by the Examining Board, also the convening for any integrative exam. As the exam review is an opportunity for the student to analyze, together with the Professor, the quality and limits of the exam taken, students are recommended to attend it. Last change 26/08/2015 17:27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.10.
Recording, registering and certifying
The final results of exams are recorded with a mark out of thirty and are registered in the student's academic career by the Study Planning Office. The exams of course subdivided in modules are considered passed, and may be recorded in the academic career and certified, only after passing both exams of which the course is made up. The final grade is obtained by the grade point average (compared to the credit points of each module) of the two marks achieved. The appropriate offices periodically check the grades recorded in the academic career of all students. Each student's "Official academic transcript" available only through the cert@B procedure available on the yoU@B Diary>Certifications, contains all the exams included in the study plan, together with the date when the exam was passed, marks and credit points awarded and subject groups for the exams that have been recorded. Last change 22/07/2015 16:30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.11.
Credit for foreign language certifications
For the second foreign language courses, some international language certifications (the mark is converted into a mark out of thirty) are recognized as an alternative to Bocconi exams. For more detailed information see "Foreign languages and Computer Skills" Last change 22/07/2015 16:31 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7.12.
How to calculate the Grade Point Average (GPA)
The Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by the mathematical average weighted on the credit point values of all courses with marks expressed out of thirty recorded in the student's academic career.
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7.13.
Registration of exams taken as part of the Campus Abroad Program
Credit is granted for all exams taken as part of the Campus Abroad Program as they are considered as Bocconi exams. On completion of the program, the Markets and External Affairs Division - Study Abroad sends a list of students who have passed exams along with marks to the Study Planning Office. The course is automatically registered in the student's academic career, if it conforms to the program structure regulations. Last change 22/07/2015 10:05 |