GUIDES TO THE UNIVERSITY

To be admitted to the graduation session students must have earned all credits for the educational activities provided for in the program structure, except for the credit points for the final exam.

The degree is awarded when the final exam has been passed and at least 180 credit points have been earned.

The final paper preparation stages are the following:

• assignment of the final paper title;
• graduation reservation;
• submission of the final paper;
• admission to the graduation session and communication of the results;
• ceremony.

The final paper is a concise paper which develops a topic which may be purely theoretical or supported by empirical evidence, taking as a starting point work experience (internships) or study periods in Italy or abroad (preferably abroad for BIEM students).

Students enrolled in Italian class groups can decide to write the final paper in Italian or in English. Students enrolled in english class group (BIEM) must write the final paper in English.

The contents of the final paper must be related to one of the subject areas of the Università Bocconi Departments. However, it does not necessarily have to be related to one of the courses in the student's study plan.

Final papers are written under the supervision of a tutor.
If students want to base their final papers on either an internship or a period of study abroad, the tutor and student must agree on the topic before the student starts such experience.

As a general guide, the paper is around 30 pages and may require about one month of work.
The final paper must be accompanied by the abstract of the final paper that summarizes the main topic.

It is possible to download the "Guide for writing the Final Paper"  which has been written with the aim of give orientation to students in writing the final paper.

For each Bachelor Program additional information could be provided for in, for the peculiarity of the courses of the Program. Any additional information will be given by each Bachelor Program Director and will come out when writing the final paper  from the contact between Tutor Professor and student.

We invite you to carefully check the correct procedures for the use of citations, in the above guide. Please note that Università Bocconi which values the originality of the final papers, has been equipped with an ad hoc software to verify their authenticity in addition to the methods for checking the copying of final papers already in use. An improper use of citations or any excessive use of them in the final papers may be reported to the Disciplinary Board.

Università Bocconi offers assistance as follows:

- in each Department  follows the student in the orientation phase. Graduating students can go to the Final Paper Service in the tutor Department of reference.
- in the Secretary's Office of the Undergraduate School (Via Roentgen Building, Rooms E3-01 and E3-02) helps the graduating students during the IT procedure management phase (validation of the title enetered by the student and, once completed, the submission of the final paper).

The formal assignment of final papers can take place only after students have enrolled inthe third year of studies.

Assignment procedure

Graduating student must:

• access to the Punto Blu function "Graduation -  Application Procedures", fill out the section "Final Paper Title submission on the web by enetering:
  - type of final paper: theoretical or empirical
  - final paper language
  -final paper title;
  - name of the Supervisor (Tutor Professor).
• print out 2 copies of the Final Paper title form which is partially filled out by using the function Final Paper Title Print Form, in order to submit the final paper title;
• go to the Supervisor (Tutor Professor)for the signature and the check of information included in the "Final Paper Title Submission" form;
• go to the Secretary's Office of the Undergraduate School (Via Roentgen 1 first floor E3 Rooms 01 and 02)and hand in 2 copies  of the completed form  (to be entered in the IT procedure). 

Students who have not yet carried out the graduation reservation can cancel the enetered title via Punto Blu by selecting Graduation>Graduation-Application procedure> Cancel Final Paper Title Function. In this case graduating students who wish to submit a new final paper title must repeat the whole assignment procedure.

Students can make the graduation reservation via Punto Blu function Graduation>"Graduation-Application Procedure>Graduation Reservation" by reserving a graduation session from the Graduation Calendar.

Students can sit exams during this period.  Students do not need to have passed all exams in order to make the graduation reservation.   Therefore they are advised to apply in advance than the sumbission of their final papers.

When making the graduation reservation, the system will check online that both the student's financial and administrative positions comply with the graduation session.

In addition, the system also checks that students:

• have submitted a valid final paper title;
• have paid the graduation fee (using  the MAV payment slip sent by the University to the permanent or temporary address);
• have valid qualifications for admission to the University.

In addition, third-year students enrolled in the 2009-2010 a.y. who intend to graduate:

• by the graduation session of December 2010, are not obliged to enrol in the 2010-2011 a.y.;
• in the 1st graduation session after December 2010, are obliged to enrol in the 2010-2011 a.y. and to pay the 1st installment of University fees and tuition;
• in the 2nd graduation session after December 2010, are obliged to enrol in the 2010-2011 a.y. and to pay the 1st and 2nd installments of University fees and tuition;
• from  the 3rd graduation session after December 2010 on, are obliged to enrol in the 2010-2011 a.y. and pay the total amount of university fees and tuition.

Third-year students enrolled in the 2010-2011 a.y. who intend to graduate by the graduation session of December 2011, are not obliged to enrol in the 2011-2012 a.y.

After making the graduation reservation students are asked to fill in the following forms in the yoU@B student diary http://agenda.unibocconi.it/:

• the placement form which goes into a "CV Book". Following graduation this CV Book   will be sent to Bocconi contacts which include companies, public and private organizations as well as professional studios, with the aim of enhancing recruitment opportunities;
• the evaluation of university experience questionnaire, that forms part of a nation-wide survey aimed at gathering feedback on university study from graduating students.

Students who have carried out the graduation reservation for the graduation session but who do not want to graduate in the chosen session anymore can, by the set deadlines scheduled for the graduation sessions, cancel their graduation reservation via Punto Blu by using the function Graduation>Graduation Application procedures>Cancel Application.

Graduating students after interacting with their Supervisors (Tutors) for writing the final papers:

• should access the Punto Blu function "Final Paper Title - Information Completion" and enter their final paper abstracts (which summarizes the final paper's main topic) autonomously
• print (two copies) the approval form (for the submission of the final paper) through the  Punto Blu function "Print Approval". This form includes:
  - Final paper title;
  - Name of Supervisor (Tutor Professor) ;
  - Supervisor (Tutor)'s Department;
  - abstract of the final paper
• sign declaration of conformity (i.e. that the contents of the CD ROM conform to what the student has written and approved by the Supervisor-Tutor Professor);
• submit the approval form for the final paper submission to the supervisor (Tutor Professor) who checks if the abstract is correct and make any changes to the title of the final paper and sign the form;
• hand in to the Supervisor (Tutor Professor), if the tutor request it, copy of the Final Paper in paper or in electronic format;
• hand in the 2 copies of the approval signed  by the Supervisor (tutor) to the Secretary's Office of the Undergraduate School (via Roentgen 1 - I floor E3 rooms 01 and 02) with the final paper CD-ROM, following the formatting specifications indicated in the following paragraph and the final paper PDF file, by the deadline for the submission of the final paper which is indicated in the graduation session calendar.

Third parties can submit the final paper but only under presentation of their ID, delegating paper and complete copy of the ID of the graduating student.

Submission is considered to be final. Once the final paper has been submitted, no requests for any modifications of any type will be accepted.
The deadlines for submitting final papers are indicated in the Graduation Calendar.

• Maximum size of the file: 15 MB
• Paper size: cm 29x21 (A4)
• Lines per page: from 26 to 30 lines
• Recommended font: Arial/Tahoma/Verdana
• Font size (body):12 points
• Pages numbered
• Cover sheet including: student ID, surname/family name, name, Bachelor Program, final paper title and tutor

It is not possible to use the Università Bocconi seal on the cover sheet or within the Final Paper.  

Once the period for making the graduation reservation has ended, the Student Administration Centre (Graduation, diplomas and Certification Office) will verify that:

• the final paper has been uploaded into the procedure;
• all the educational activities provided for in the study plan have been registered (except for credits relating to the final paper);
• students do not have any pending obligations with  ISU;
• students do not have any outstanding obligations with the Library.

Final papers will be submitted to the Degree Board for assessment only if all of the criteria to graduate above are fulfilled.
Graduating students will receive notification of acceptance to graduation via an online message sent to their yoU@B student Diaries.
After reserving a graduation session students can no longer enrol in the new academic year unless they cancel the graduation session that they have reserved. If the graduation reservation is made when the deadline is expired,this must be done by handing in the renouncement in writing to the Academic Affairs Division Desk (open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm). After enrolling in the academic year and paid the fees and tuition due, it is possible to carry out a new graduation reservation.

The graduation grade is awarded by the Degree Board. Students are not required to make an oral dissertation of their final paper.

The Degree Boards are appointed by the Rector or by his delegates, and are presided over by a tenured professor. The Boards are comprised of professors, researchers and experts in the subject of the final paper.

The Boards are made up of at least 3 members, shared out as follows: 2 teachers, one of which is elected President, from the Department which has supervised the final papers, and a teacher outside the Department.

Calculation of the graduation grade:

•  Grade Point Average, weighted on the credit point values and converted into a mark out of 110, of all the "educational activities with marks expressed out of 30" indicated  in the study plan,

to which is added:

• from 0 to 4 points (out of 110) for the assessment of the "quality of the final paper";
• 1 point (out of 110) for:

-    participation in a curricular internship and/or
-    participation in the International Exchange Program (if student received credit for at least one exam passed abroad).

Points earned for both activities are not cumulative.

With reference to the "GPA" it should be noted that:

• a mark of 30 "cum laude"is expressed as 31;
• a maximum of 2 additional exams are taken into consideration (in cases where students have passed more than 2 additional exams, the  2 best results will be used);
• if students have passed exams at other Italian or foreign universities with a mark not expressed out of 30, it is converted on the basis of a specific conversion table.

With reference to the quality of the final paper it should be noted that:

• 4 points (out of 110) are awarded for excellent work;
• 3-2 points (out of 110) for good work;
• 1-0 points (out of 110) for satisfactory work (final papers that are judged to be unsatisfactory cannot be presented).

Based on the points proposed by the teacher following the final paper   the Board assesses the quality of the final paper.

The minimum graduation grade is 66 and the maximum grade is 110. The Board calculates the rounding of the graduation grade; if the decimal is equal to or higher than 5, then the graduation grade is rounded up, if the decimal is lower than 5 it is rounded down.

The Degree Board may unanimously award lode (cum laude) only if there are both the following conditions:

• the total of the 3 elements used to calculate the graduation grade is equal at least to 111;
• the points awarded for the quality of the final paper are at least 3 points.

In general, from the following days after the publication of graduation results, graduates can print the graduation certifications which are described in "Certifications and Diploma Supplement" at Punto Blu terminals or request them at the Academic Affairs Division Desk.

The graduation ceremonies are generally organized according to Bachelor Program and are led by the Program Director or his/her delegate in the presence of the graduates and their families and friends. At the ceremony graduates are awarded their degree diplomas.
If the graduate is unable to attend the ceremony, the degree diploma will be sent to the permanent address.
The Graduation Ceremony Calendar can be consulted on the website in the section dedicated to graduations.

The Graduation Calendar is displayed on the University Internet site at www.unibocconi.eu/graduationcalendar. The following information is given:

• dates of Degree Board meetings;
• period for reserving the graduation session;
• deadline for submission of the final paper;
• deadline for taking the last exam;
  

and, in the specific section of the website:

• date of the graduation ceremony .