2019-2020 A.Y.
Master of Science Programs in joint with Politecnico di Milano
3.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
The information in this Guide refers only to activities and regulations in place at Bocconi University. For activities and regulations in place at Politecnico, please check the PoliMi widget available in the yoU@B Diary. Last change 15/07/2019 18:34 |
3.1.
Entry requirements
In order to classify levels of language knowledge, Bocconi University follows the Common European Framework established by the European Council. In order to be admitted to a MSc program taught in English the University requires, as minimum entry level (checked upon admission), a B2 general level in English. Last change 18/07/2019 12:23 |
3.2.
Study plan: foreign languages and minimum exit level
“Cyber” study plan includes one EU language (4 cpu), more specifically:
A minimum entry level is advised for MSc foreign languages in order to be able to reach the minimum exit levels required, namely A2 general level is advised. In order to foster active participation in curricular learning activities, preparatory courses are offered (see § 3.3). For further detailed information, please see “course profiles” published on the website. Last change 18/07/2019 12:25 |
3.3.
Educational offer
The educational offer includes:
For further details about courses, please see “course profiles” published on the website and “course syllabi” available on BBoard via the yoU@B students’ Diary. All students’ study plan includes the language “course code”; those who are interested can apply for courses to prepare for international certification (with different course codes) via the yoU@B Students’ Diary. Therefore, students have the following options: to attend the internal exam course only, the certification course only or both of them. Language certification courses:
In order to benefit from the course, the student must have a knowledge of the language equal to at least the level immediately lower than the level of the certificate course. At the beginning of the course, the teacher evaluates the student’s preparation in order to suggest him/her whether to go on attending it or not. Last change 18/07/2019 12:28 |
3.4.
Knowledge assessment and recording in the academic transcript
1) Bocconi exam: mark out of thirty; The mark is included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA). Students holding an international certification (taken before or during MSc studies) whose level is equal to or higher than the minimum required for MSc studies can ask to have the result recorded in the academic transcript, provided that the certification is still valid (validation procedure). Due to the fact that, for some languages, B1 business certifications do not exist, general language certifications are recognized as an alternative, provided that they are B2 general level (as a minimum). Recording can take place as from 2nd semester – 1st year (soon after the choice of the second language to be included in the personal study plan). If the certification is submitted in a year after the year of studies the language is positioned in, the student will appear to be a student who has not yet passed the exam (“in debito”) until the certification is recorded. Students must contact the Language Center to have the certification recorded in the academic transcript and do not have to register for the internal exam. Moreover, students who had taken a Bocconi BSc degree and had the internal Bocconi exam or an international certification recorded in their BSc academic transcript, may ask for a waiver, provided that the level of internal exam / certification was equal to or higher than the minimum required for graduate studies and:
Students must contact the Language Center to apply for the waiver (see deadlines in chapter 9). Students can opt for sitting the internal exam only, the certification exam only or both of them; in the latter case:
Last change 18/07/2019 12:33 |
3.5.
Bocconi internal exam
The assessment method consists of an exam focused on reading, writing, listening and speaking competencies as with international certifications. Students can sit the exam offered in “partial” mode (only in the first two exam sessions after the end of lessons) and/or in “general” mode. The 1st partial exam is at the end of 1st year – 2nd semester; it is a written test; and, it is required to register via Punto Blu. The 2nd partial exam is at the end of 2nd year – 1st semester. Two dates are scheduled for the 2nd partial (the first on the same date as the first general exam and the second on the same date of the second general exam) but the student can sit just one of them. In order to be allowed to sit the 1st partial exam, a 75% attendance of the 1st part of the course (1st year – 2nd semester) is required. Only those who sat the 1st partial exam (minimum result: 15 out of 30) are allowed to sit the 2nd partial exam, regardless of whether they attended the 2nd part of the course in the 2nd year or not. The written test of the 2nd partial exam is the same for attending and non-attending students (2nd part of the course). The 2nd partial exam / general exam consists of two linked parts: written (writing, reading, listening) and oral (speaking). Please note that:
Further details in the course syllabus available on BBoard. Last change 18/07/2019 12:35 |
3.6.
International certifications
Here below basic information about international certifications and tests (in short “certifications”). Further detailed info, please visit the website area Campus and services > Language Center. International certifications can be recorded in the academic curriculum provided that they are:
The level of the certification can be higher than the minimum required for graduate studies; it can date back to undergraduate studies (provided that it is still valid) or can be taken during graduate studies (self-preparation or attendance in a course offered by Bocconi, when offered; see § 3.3). The level/typology (general, business) recorded in the academic curriculum is the level/typology stated by the Certifying Body on the international certification. In order to support students who want to earn an international certification, the Language Center offers:
Registration fees for certification exams are at the student’s expense.
Last change 18/07/2019 12:38 |
3.7.
Self-study
In addition to attending lectures, learning foreign languages requires a constant commitment to self-study, which includes a number of activities, based on specific assignments provided by the teaching staff in class and available on the course syllabus; different tools are offered to support learning activities (e.g. exercise books or multimedia courses/assignments available on the BBoard platform). In addition, at the Language Laboratory students can benefit from:
In general, students are advised to spend 3-5 hours per week on self-study. Last change 18/07/2019 12:39 |
3.8.
Foreign languages as additional activities
Curricular languages are usually recorded as included in the standard 120 cpu of the study plan but they can also be recorded as additional activities (on top of standard 120 cpu – see chapter 9), either by passing a Bocconi exam or upon obtaining a certification (see chapter 9). In this latter case, the certification must be included in the list of certifications recognized by Bocconi university, must be still valid, and the level must be equal to or higher than the level required for that specific language in graduate studies. Moreover, also “extra” languages can be recorded in the academic transcript but only as additional activities (on top of standard 120 cpu). “Extra” languages offered by the Language Center are Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and as from 2019-20, Portuguese. As no internal exams are organized for such languages, it is possible to register only the result of a certification (score converted in a mark out of thirty). The certification must be included in the list of certifications recognized by Bocconi university and must be still valid. For further detailed info on international certifications and conversion tables, please visit the website area Campus and services > Current Students> Service> Language Center.
Last change 18/07/2019 12:41 |