GUIDES TO THE UNIVERSITY

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

Language skills for each level are available in the Language Centre section of the website in Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

The program requirements of the WBB include a second European language of 6 credit points during the third year at Bocconi.
The assessment method include a grade out of thirty which is included in the calculation of the grade point average.

The credit points can be earned, upon student’s choice, after:

• registering an international certification from among those recognized by the University (see "Method of assessing foreign language knowledge").
• passing the Bocconi exam.

Teaching activities last one year and are positioned in the first and second semester.

In addition to the final compulsory exam, there will be a partial exam (optional exam, only one date) in the first semester.

When passing the partial exam credit points are not awarded but 1 extra point expressed in marks out of thirty which can be calculated in the Bocconi exam final grade may be awarded (see the language course profiles published at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Exams - Certificates> Exam Requirements).

• the language chosen must be different than the student’s native language;
• students who are not Italian native speakers must have Italian in their study plans.
  
  As a consequence:
• students who are not Italian native speakers have Italian as second foreign language;
• students who are Italian native speakers must choose from among: French, Portoguese, Spanish and German.
  
  Codes:
  

For all second language the minimum exit level is B1.

Higher levels are possible, ascertained only through international certifications from among the ones recognized by the University.

The educational activities designed to assist students in learning foreign languages offered by the Language Centre includes:

A. Classroom teaching to prepare the students to

• International language certifications (for French and Spanish, second language);
• Bocconi exams

B. guided individual study.

A. Classroom teaching

The educational activities are organized by the Language Center and are offered only when an adequate number of students is reached.

Teaching for the preparation of international certifications of French and Spanish

In addition to the teaching for the preparation of the Bocconi exam, the Language Center proposes courses for preparing the students to the following certifications, recognised as an alternative to the Bocconi exam. Specifically:

For French second language:

• DELF, Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française, general, level B1, Examination Center Ministère de l’Education Nationale

For Spanish second language:

•  DELE, Diploma de Español Lengua Extranjera, Nivel Inicial, general, level B1, Examination Center Instituto Cervantes.
  

Each course lasts a semester with a total number of hours equal to 48 hours.

Teaching, as alternative to preparatory courses for the Bocconi exams is offered for French and Spanish certifications, in the second semester of the third year.

The courses are offered only to the students who have the code of the language in their study plan.

Courses have a limited number of places available and are addressed to students with adequate level of knowledge verified through an online test.

At the end of the first semester of the third year of studies, students with French and Spanish in their study plan as a second language, can register for the test for being admitted in the courses of preparation to international certifications of French and Spanish proposed as an alternative to the Bocconi exam (see http://www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Teaching> DELF B1 French courses, http://www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Teaching> DELE B1Spanish courses,).

Students admitted in a course have the allocation of the relating class group; those students who are not admitted keep the class group of preparation for the Bocconi exam allocated in the first semester.

Periods and registration procedures for the test are communicated via yoU@B (fuerther information is available at http://www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Teaching> DELF B1 French courses, http://www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Teaching> DELE B1Spanish courses).

Teaching for the preparation to Bocconi exams for the curricular languages

The aim of the foreign language course is to provide the students with adequate language knowledge for an appropriate use of the language in a general/academic context.

The course attendance for the first and second language is strongly recommended: the courses are offered as ideal path to learn the language and preparation for the final exam.

For courses aimed at preparing for the Bocconi exam, the positive participation in the course together with specific individual study activities can be considered in the calculation of the final grade for the Bocconi exam (detailed information is available in the course syllabus and profiles at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Exams - certificates>Bocconi exam).

Summarized course profiles of the first and second language courses are available at www.unibocconi.eu/courses. 

Teaching last one year and includes one single path assigned automatically to all students upon language choice.

The class timetable can be viewed on the yoU@B Diary upon the start of lessons.
Students who are not Italian native speakers enrolled in an English Program are offered an Introductory Italian language course intensive in the first semester.

B. Guided individual study

The study of foreign languages requires students to be committed to individual study  in addition to regular attendance of lessons.

Guided individual study involves students carrying out a series of activities based on the specific instructions given by teachers in class. These instructions may include the use of student's own materials (e.g. exercises in books specified in the course syllabus and exam program), assistance which is available at the Language Lab (e.g. multimedia courses) and recommended materials which are available online.

The detailed course programs (course syllabuses) are available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Exams-Certificates.

In addition to information about classroom teaching they also provide information about guided individual study.

As a general guide, the recommended number of hours per week that should be dedicated to individual study is 3-5 hours.

The Language Centre also offers a service which provides information and guidance on language study and suggests ways for utilizing different tools (multimedia library) for exam preparation, which are available at the Language Labs and online. (See www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Self-Study).

Knowledge is assessed by one of the following methods:
 

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

International certifications

Students can choose to take an exam for only one of the international certifications recognized by the University instead of the Bocconi exam. Students will then apply to have the result converted into a mark out of thirty by the Language Centre Secretary's Office upon presentation of the original certification and recorded in their academic career.

The level of the international certification must at least correspond to or be higher than the exit level set for the language in question (see "Exit levels").

Certifications are valid for a period of 3 years from the date they were obtained (except for some international tests which are valid for less time, see www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Exams-Certificates) for the purposes of recording it in the student's academic career.

The list of the international language certifications and tests recognized for the different exams is published on the website at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Exams-Certificates.

In addition to the list of international general language certifications, the University also recognizes special language certifications published on the same website section.

For achieving a certification it is necessary to sit for the relating exam at the Official institutions, in Italy and abroad.

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

The Language Centre offers a service which is designed to give guidance and information on the exam assessment methods. There are also specific materials and samples of exam texts available at the Language Lab.

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 language adapted to the appropriate language level of competence required. The exam is structured in a written exam and a compulsory oral one; admission in the oral exam is subject to passing the written exam.

For the second language, there is one final exam (compulsory) in the second semester and also one partial exam (optional and on one date) in the first semester (for information on partial exams check the website at http://www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Exams - Certificates> Bocconi exams).

Exams are prepared in accordance with the same language standards relating to international certifications.

Specifically:

• The final grade is given on the basis of the final exam grade and other elements such like the learning progress (see www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Exams-Certificates> Bocconi exams. Specifically:
• positive result for active participation in the lessons and guided individual study;
• passing of the partial exam (only when scheduled) and passing the written and oral exam in the first sessions available;
• sitting and passing the written and oral exam for the first time in the same session.

The exam final grade is out of thirty and is included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA).

The language level achieved when recording a certification or passing an exam (structured in written and oral exam) is specifically indicated on the official exam report and official academic transcript.

Students can achieve higher exit levels through the registration of one of the international certifications recognized by the University in the student's academic career.

• the same rules which are valid for additional exams are applied (see 9.5 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 second foreign language (see 3.1.6. Method of assessing foreign language knowledge, International certifications);
• the minimum exit level and linguistic field specified for second language (see 3.1.4 Exit levels).

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

• the same rules valid for all additional exams (see 9.5 Additional courses) are applied;
• 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 3.1.6 Language choice procedures, International certifications)*;
• a minimum exit level  equal to B1, and the linguistic area is general or business.

*Notice that Russian is not included in the educational offer, therefore there are no Bocconi exam nor curricular lessons.

Students who do not yet have the complete ECDL certification may take it at Università Bocconi. Exams are held each week according to a calendar which is updated regularly. Students may purchase online the ECDL products (at a discounted cost), view the exam calendar and enroll directly through their yoU@B student Diary, using the special ECDL box.

For further information, please refer to the website at www.unibocconi.eu/sedin.