Guides to the university

          

The program requirements of all MSc programs include a first and a second compulsory European Union language.

In order to classify the language knowledge, Bocconi University follows the Common European Framework decided by the European Council.

Considering that the language learning corresponds to a long and gradual process and that the output levels of the program must be adequate to the post-studies opportunities, the University:

• Requires a certain entry level prerequisite for English (B1 level for programs taught in Italian and B2 for the ones taught in English); the prerequisite is checked upon admission in the Study Program;
• Suggests specific initial knowledge levels for the other languages (B1 for the first language and A2 level for the second language, independently from the programs taught in Italian and in English).
  

In order to favor an adequate initial preparation, on the Bocconi website at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Minimum Level Required, the University:

• Specifies the grammatical and syntactic knowledge and communication skills relating to the minimum entry levels;

• Specifies in detail the learning materials to achieve such levels.

In addition, in the first semester of the first year, the following courses are offered:

• To non-Italian native speaker students: an introductory Italian language course, lasting 52 hours;
• To non-English native speaker students: a Review English language course, B2 level, lasting 36 hours.
  

Information about sign-up procedure is communicated to all students via the yoU@B Diary.
Courses are started only upon reaching an adequate number of registered students.

 

All class groups	First language	Second language
Learning path	1st year, 2nd semester + 2nd year, 1st semester
Knowledge assessment Details at 3.4.	International certification or Bocconi exam
Educational offer Details at 3.5.	Six-month courses for certifications or One-year course for Bocconi exam
Language choice Foreign language courses must be different than the native language declared upon enrollment.1 The first language must be different than the second one.	Italian -French - Portoguese2-Spanish - German   Language: all first year students choose the first language and the second one.3 Italian class groups: for non-English native speaker students, one of the two language courses MUST BE English. English class groups: for non-Italian native speaker students, one of the two language courses MUST BE Italian.   Course level: the minimum level required is automatically assigned4
Minimum output levels Business contents	First language B2 business Second language B1 business Exceptions (first and second language): Class groups in Italian: for Italian C1 business Class groups in English: for English C1 business
Teaching level and exams5 offered Business contents	First language B2 and C1 business Second language B1 and B2 business Exceptions (first and second language): Class groups in Italian: for Italian C1 business Class groups in English: for English C1 business

Only for students coming from partner institutions and enrolled in a Double Degree program taught in English, all rules described in chapter 3 are applied except for language choice and minimum output levels. The rules applied for these students are as follows:

 

Native language	First language	Second language
Different than English	English C1 business	Italian A2 general
inglese1	Italian - French - Portoguese2 - Spanish German The first language or the secondo ne MUST be Italian
	B2 business	Italiano A2 general other languages B1 business

 

1. First and second language must be different each other.

2. For Portoguese there is no educational offer and it is only possible to record the result of one of the international certifications recognized by the University in the study plan. Materials for self-study are available.

In addition to the minimum output levels specified, for both Bocconi teaching and exams higher levels specified at 3.2 paragraph are included. Students choose the final Bocconi exam level when registering at the Punto Blu, independently from the attended course level. Higher output level than the one specified in paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3. it is only possible through international certification as there are no Bocconi exams for such levels (see 3.4.1).

 

Students can choose between:

• International certification / test

• Bocconi exam.

The language level acquired by the students is specified in the exam report and on the official academic transcript. The knowledge assessment is expressed into a grade out of thirty calculated for the grade point average.

Below please find general information relating to certifications/tests (in brief “certifications”).
Detailed information is available on the Bocconi website.

Students can record only one of the certifications recognized by the University, taken at one of the Examination Centers officially recognized, in Italy or abroad.

In addition, the certification must be:

• Must be recorded within 3 years after the conferral date (except for TOEFL which must be recorded within two years);

• Of an equal or higher level than the minimum output level required (see paragraph 3.2 .; for Double degree students, see paragraph 3.3.);

• Of a business language area. As good language knowledge is essential to fill the gap between business and general language areas, some general certifications are recognized as long as they are
•  for the first language: of C1 level or higher level
• for the second language (except for English): of at least B2 general level or higher.

Students can obtain the certification before (e.g. certifications obtained for the purpose of being admitted to the University submitted again) or during the university studies.

Recording can be made after the choice of languages in the study plan, starting with the second semester of the first year of studies (on condition it is still valid).

In any case, the relating credit points and the grade are awarded in the year of studies the language is positioned in.

The result of the certification is recorded in the student’s academic career with a grade out of thirty, upon conversion based on the tables published on the website.

For certification recording, students must submit the original certification at the Office of the Language Center and must not register for the Bocconi Exam.

For obtaining a certification during the university studies, the Language Center offers:

• Information and orientation service;

• Courses to prepare some certifications (see chapter 3.5.1.);

• Preparatory materials and exam models at the language laboratory;

• Test Center for some English certifications of the British Council / Cambridge English Language Assessment. The registration method and the whole procedure entirely follow the rules of the Examination Institute.

Costs relating to the registration for the certification exam are to be paid by the student.

Below please find general information on Bocconi exams.
Detailed information on exam assessment methods and calculation of the final grade is available on the course syllabi available on the website www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Curricular courses, Master of Science programs.

 

Exams follow the same language standards applied for international certifications, depending on passing the written exam with a grade equal or higher than 18/30. The exam is structured into a written exam and an oral exam, both compulsory; admission to the oral exam is Both the first and the second language include a final compulsory exam in the first semester of the second year and an optional partial exam (on a single date) in the second semester of the first year.

 

The final grade is calculated upon considering both the final grade than other elements aimed at assessing the learning progress during the studies and the student’s commitment. Specifically:

 

• Active participation of the student at lectures (attendance at lectures for at last 75% - recording made through Attendance procedure is required) and guided self-study;
• passing the partial exam.

 

Validation of language exams taken during the BSc program at Bocconi

 

Students who were awarded a Bocconi BSc degree can request the recognition of the grade of the first and/or second language recorded during the BSc studies (with releating exemption from knowledge assessment for the MSc program) on condition that their output level of the BSc program is included in the following ones:

 

First language	Second language
B2 business, C1 general, C1 business, C2 general, C2 business	B1 business, B2 business, B2 general (except for English), C1 general, C1 Business, C2 general, C2 business

 

The relating request is to be submitted at the Academic Affairs Division Desk (for the periods see chapter 9).

The Language Center offers courses to prepare some international certifications and the Bocconi exam.

Courses are offered for both the minimum output level and for some higher levels (see 3.2) so to better satisfy the different language preparation of the students.

All students are allocated a class group to prepare the Bocconi exam (minimum output level required); those students who wish attend a course to prepare the certification (and not the course to prepare the Bocconi exam) must register fir the admission test and pass it (see paragraph 3.5.1.).

Below please find information on the educational offer.

Detailed information is available on the Bocconi website at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter, in Certificates.

• IELTS, International English Language Testing System, general language C1 level, Examination Center British Council, IDP - IELTS Australia, Cambridge English Language Assessment

• BEC, Business English Certificate, specialized/business language, B2 and C1 levels, Examination Center Cambridge English Language Assessment.

The course for IELTS C1 includes 24 hours of teaching, while the BEC courses include 48 hours.

Courses are offered only to the students who have the language course code included in their study plan.
They are offered to a limited number of students and only students who pass the relating test for initial positioning are admitted.

Students who are not admitted keep the allocation of the class group to prepare the Bocconi exam, automatically assigned based on the language code in the study plan.

Courses are started only if an adequate number of registered students is reached.

Further information is available on the website at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Certificates.

Courses last one year and are of 72 hours (from the second semester of the first year to the first semester of the second year, 36 hours per each semester).

Detailed information on course objectives and contents is available in the course syllabi available on the website www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Curricular courses, Master of Science programs.

In addition to lecture attendance, learning foreign languages requires a constant commitment also for self-study which includes different activities to be carried out, based on specific information provided by the teaching staff in class and available on the course syllabus, with the use of different tools (e.g. exercize books, multimedia courses available on the BBoard e-learning platform).

In addition, the Language Center offers the following at the Language Laboratory:
 

• An advisory and information service for the language study;

• A tutoring service realized by the language teaching staff as a support of the individual learning; this service is upon reservation;

• Several materials for preparing certifications and the Bocconi exam, available at the multimedia Library of the Laboratory and on the BBoard platform.

In general, students are suggested to spend 3-5 hours per week for the self-study.

Also curricular languages can be recorded as additional exams, either passing a Bocconi exam, either upon obtaining a certification.

With reference to the certification, it must be included in the list of the certifications which can be recognized, it must not be expired and must be of a minimum level equal to B1.

In addition, students can record in their study plan, only as an additional course, also Russian and Chinese, which are non-curricular languages.

As for these languages there are no Bocconi exams, it is only possible to record an international certification, only if it is included in the list of the ones recognized by the University, it is not expired and is of a minimum level equal to B1.