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").

The choice of foreign languages follows the same criteria for both first and second languages, depending 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.

Students who have included Portoguese in their study plan can take the Bocconi exam until February 2013; subsequently students 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 and the relating level they wish to attend the lessons for (see 3.5 Language learning paths) by using the Punto Blu after the finalization of their enrolment and no later than 30 September 2011.

More detailed information is available on the Internet at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Language Teaching.

Students can change languages in first and second year of studies, as follows:

• first-year students: during the period 09 - 23 January 2012 via Punto Blu.
• second-year students and repeating students fuori corso: during the period 2 August - 30 September 2011 and 09 - 23 January 2012 via Punto Blu.

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.

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 for the MSc degree programs are:

• B1 or preferably B2 for the first language;
• A2 or preferably B1 for the second language.

On the website at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre 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 2011-2012 academic year, for students enrolled in the first year of studies:

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

Both class groups 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 until enrollment capacity is reached (a maximum of 100 applicants) on a first come basis.

Class group will be started up only if the minimum number of applicants is reached.

The teaching activities for studying languages offered by the Language Centre include curricular courses for all languages (*) at the following levels:

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

The 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. However, a guideline to prepare for the final exam is available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Language Teaching.

The course level to be attended is chosen by the first year students through the Punto Blu after the finalization of the enrolment and no later than 30 September 2011. The lowest level course is suggested if students have not handed in adequate documentation supporting their language level.

Courses suggested by the University according to basic language level are listed below:

• for the first language:

• for the second language:

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 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 award a maximum of 2 extra points which are included in the calculation of the exam grade (detailed information is given in the course syllabuses and exam requirements for each language and is available at www.unibocconieu/languagecentre in Language Teaching>Curricular activities).

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/languagecentre.

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 take the Bocconi exam until February 2013; subsequently students can only register in the study plan one among internationally recognized certifications recognised by the University.

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 among those suggested by the University for the MSc programs instead of the Bocconi exam (see www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre 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 Secretarys 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/languagecentre 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 of the certifications to the Secretarys 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.

• International Certifications recognized by Università Bocconi - Table 

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.
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 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):  

Students who meet the requirements (as mentioned above), and opt for the exemption, must present the request at the Academic Affairs Division Desk in the period 2 August - 30 September 2011 and 09 - 23 January 2012. 

• the same rules which are valid for additional exams are applied (see 9.2.7. 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 also Russian in their study plan, which is a non curricular language. For the recording of Russian:

• the same rules valid for all additional exams (see 9.2.7. 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. Language choice procedures, International certifications);
• the minimum exit level is equal to B1 for linguistic business area and C1 for the linguistic general area.

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