9.
FINAL PAPER AND GRADUATION
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 is worth 4 credit points.
The final paper preparation stages are the following:
- completion of the graduation application procedures;
- admission to the graduation session;
- final paper assessment and grade awarding by the Degree Assessment Board
- communication of the results;
- graduation ceremony.
There is no oral defense of the final paper and therefore, students are not required to be present during graduation days.
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9.1.
Contents of the final paper
The final paper is a concise paper which develops a topic that may be supported by empirical evidence, taking work experience as a starting point (e.g. seminars, field trips, internships, etc.) or study periods in Italy or abroad.
Students enrolled in English programs must write the final paper in English.
The content of the final paper must be related to one of the subject areas of the Bocconi University 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 an internship, the tutor and student must agree on the topic before the student starts the experience.
As a general rule, 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.
The Guide for Producing the Final Paper is available in the yoU@B Student Diary in Graduation > How to: useful info. This is an essential tool for students who are getting ready to prepare their final paper, which should be used along with The Guide for Bibliographic Citation and Writing the Bibliography.
For each Degree Program, additional information could be provided, due to the peculiarity of the courses of the Program. Any additional information will be given by each Program Director and will come out when writing the final paper from the contact between Tutor Professor and student.
We encourage you to carefully check the correct procedures for the use of citations, in the above guide. Please note that Bocconi University, which values the originality of 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. Improper use of citations or any excessive use of them in final papers may be reported to the Disciplinary Board.
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9.2.
Assignment of the final paper
The graduation application procedures process is divided in the following phases:
- entering the final paper title
- assignment of the final paper title
- graduation reservation
- entering the information relating to the final paper title completion and uploading the definitive file of the final paper
- request for approval from the tutor professor.
Students who do not complete all the phases of the Graduation application procedure will not be admitted in the graduation session.
Bocconi University offers assistance at the Secretary’s Office of the Undergraduate School (Location Table).
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9.2.1.
Entering and assigning the title of the final paper
Entering the final paper title and final paper title assignment can be made only if the student is enrolled in the last year of studies.
Procedure for entering title
After having agreed upon the final paper title with the tutor professor, the graduating student must complete the following by the deadline for entering the title (see note):
- access the Punto Blu function "Graduation - Application Procedures" and fill out the online section "Final Paper Title Entering” by specifying:
- type of final paper: theoretical or empirical
- final paper title*;
- final paper language;
- and, on the following screen (Choice of Tutor professor) the name of the tutor professor.
NOTE: Failure to meet the title entry deadline will result in the student not being allowed to access the Graduation session.
Title assignment
The information regarding the final paper title entered in Graduation>Applications procedures by the student is immediately made available to the Tutor Professor who will continue with the online assignment of the final paper title.
Upon title assignment, the student receives a notification via yoU@B Diary (To Do and Notices widget) and can continue with the following phases of the Graduation Application procedures.
NOTE: The final paper title approval by the Tutor professor is a compulsory requirement for carrying out the graduation reservation.
Any changes to the title entered
If the student wishes to modify the data relating to the title entered only, he/she must use the function Graduation Application procedure>Change title: in this case, if already assigned, the final paper title assignment by the tutor professor is still valid.
The student can change the title entered online until approval is requested from the Tutor Professor: after approval has been requested, the function 'Change title' will no longer be available at Punto Blu.
Cancellation of the title entered
If the student wishes to change the tutor professor and enter a new title, he/she must use the function Graduation application procedures>Cancel title: in this case, he/she must repeat the whole procedure of title entering and must wait for the title assignment from the new tutor professor.
IMPORTANT: Students who continue with the cancelation of the title must also cancel any graduation reservation that may have been submitted. They must make a new graduation reservation after receiving the title from the new Advisor professor, within the deadlines.
Uploading non-definitive Final paper attachments
Only upon approval of the Tutor Professor after a specific request can the student forward NON-DEFINITIVE files of his/her work (e.g. single chapters of temporary sections) by using the appropriate function ‘Final paper attachments - non definitive files’ available online in the Graduation>Application procedure function.
The attached files are made available to the professor as soon as they are uploaded.
IMPORTANT: uploading the files in ‘Final paper attachment non-definitive files’ function DOES NOT replace the upload of the one definitive file which MUST be made in any case by using the function ‘Final paper title Information completion’>Final paper final attachment. Once the title has been assigned by the tutor professor, the student must:
- make the graduation reservation
- enter the information to complete the final paper title and continue with the upload of the definitive file of the final paper;
- request approval.
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9.2.2.
Graduation reservation
IMPORTANT: the first graduation session available for students enrolled in the last year of studies in the 2024-2025 academic year will be held in July 2025.
Students can make the graduation reservation online via the 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.
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 entered the title by the deadline for the selected graduation session;
- have received a final paper title assigned by the tutor professor;
- have paid all fees due including the graduation fee* (using the MAV payment slip available in Punto Blu in Administrative Area>Financial status>Payments).
*Students are advised to pay the graduation fee (see 11.1 'Other Costs') around one month before making the graduation reservation.
In addition, last-year students enrolled in the 2023-2024 a.y. who intend to graduate by the graduation session of December 2024, are not obliged to enroll in the 2024-2025 a.y.
After the 1st graduation session in December 2024, they are obliged to enroll in the 2024-2025 a.y.
Last-year students enrolled in the 2024-2025 a.y. who intend to graduate by the graduation session of December 2025, are not obliged to enroll in the 2025-2026 a.y.
After the 1st graduation session in December 2025, they are obliged to enroll in the 2025-2026 a.y.
For information on financial status and payments to be carried out, students are advised to check with the Fees Funding and Housing Office www.unibocconi.eu/fees.
Once the graduation reservation has been made, students are suggested to print out the relating receipt via Punto Blu> Graduation> Application Procedure> Print reservation.
In the days after the graduation reservation, students are asked to:
- enter Cv@B in the "CAREER SERVICE" section of yoU@B and to upgrade their Profile and Default CV. The updated Profile and curriculum will be used to create the Graduants CV Book and, after graduation, the Graduate CV Book. Both CV Books will be shared with Bocconi contacts, which include companies, public and private organizations as well as professional firms, with the aim of enhancing recruitment opportunities.
- fill out the evaluation of university experience questionnaire on the yoU@B Diary, which forms part of a nationwide survey aimed at gathering feedback on university study from graduating students.
After reserving a graduation session, students can no longer enroll in the new academic year unless they cancel the graduation session that they have reserved.
Students who no longer wish to graduate during the chosen graduation session should:
• if before the deadlines set in the graduation sessions calendar, cancel their graduation application by selecting the function “Graduation>Application Procedure>Cancel Reservation”;
• if after the deadlines in the graduation sessions calendar have expired, the reservation must be refused in writing, submitted via B in Touch in Graduation.
If the reservation is refused for the last graduation session available in the academic year (December session), the student must enroll in the new year.
After enrolling in the academic year and duly paying the fees and tuition due, a new graduation reservation can be completed through the student diary.
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9.2.3.
Entering information to complete the title - uploading the final attachment
After completing the first phases of the graduation application procedure, the graduating student must enter online all information still missing to complete the title of the final paper.
Through the function Graduation>Application procedure>’Final paper title information completion’ the student can:
- make any changes to the title he/she was assigned to
- enter an abstract summarizing the final paper topic with a maximum of 4,000 characters - see IMPORTANT NOTE
- confirm the final paper language;
- authorize to use the final paper attachment by the University.
In addition, after the data entered have been confirmed, the student can
- upload the Definitive file, i.e. one single file in the final version and in PDF format of his/her final paper (see NOTE)
Students must upload the definitive file of the final paper by the dates specified in the graduation calendars published on the website at www.unibocconi.eu/graduationcalendar.
Uploading the definitive final paper file
The definitive file of the Final Paper must exclusively be uploaded through the Final Paper Title - Information completion. The function Final Paper attachments non definitive files’ MUST NOT be used as an alternative for uploading the definitive file of the final paper.
In addition, after the definitive file has been uploaded and approval has been requested online, changes are no longer possible.
The information entered and the final attachment of the final paper uploaded online will be made available immediately to be viewed by the tutor professor.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
- the text of the abstract MUST BE entered in the box of the procedure and NOT copied and pasted from a file;
- the definitive file, in PDF format (max 10 MB), must include 4 sheets as its first pages (see paragraph 10.3 for Format Specifications).
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9.2.4.
Approval request
Approval is a declaration of approval released by the professor regarding the final paper written by the student and it represents the final phase of the graduation application procedures and a prerequisite for the student for being admitted in the graduation session.
The student may request the approval after:
- He/she has a title assigned
- He/she has completed the graduation reservation
- He/she has uploaded the definitive file of the final paper and abstract.
The approval request must be carried out via Punto Blu upon selecting the function ‘Graduation>Application procedure>Request approval by the dates specified in the graduation calendar published on the website at www.unibocconi.eu/graduationcalendar.
Upon approval released by the tutor professor, the student will receive a message on the yoU@B Diary and can consider the graduation application procedure correctly completed.
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9.3.
Format specifications
The Final Paper must be uploaded in a single file salved in PDF format (the use of online PDF editors is not recommended; students without Adobe Acrobat can generally save the document through the 'print' button).
The name of the file must be LF followed by the student ID, e.g. if the student ID is 1234567 the name of the file will be LF1234567.pdf
In the final paper content, students must not include any personal reference of the student (name and student ID number).
The definitive file, in PDF format, must include 4 pages as its first pages, ordered as follows:
- 3rd page: dedication or acknowledgements (or a blank page)
The text of the final paper (numbering, table of contents, introduction, body, etc.) must start after the 4 pages above, page numbering included. In addition, the body of the final paper must not include a title page, which will be automatically issued by Bocconi and will include the title information entered by the student on Punto Blu.
In addition, the final paper must respect the following formatting specifications:
- Maximum size of the file: 10 MB
- Paper size: cm 29x21 (A4)
- Lines per page: from 26 to 30 lines
- Wright and Left Margins: 2.5 cm
- Recommended font: Arial/Tahoma/Verdana
- Font size (body):12 points
The Bocconi University seal may not be used on the cover sheet or within the Final Paper.
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9.4.
Admission to the graduation session
After the graduation deadlines for completing the Graduation Applications procedures, the Study Planning Office will verify that:
- the graduation reservation has been completed;
- the definitive file of the final paper and abstract have been uploaded into the procedure;
- approval has been requested and obtained;
- all the educational activities provided for in the study plan have been registered (except for credits relating to the final paper) - the appropriate offices periodically check the grades recorded in the academic career of all students;
- students do not have any pending obligations with the Fees Funding and Housing Office;
- students do not have any outstanding obligations with the Library.
Final papers will be submitted to the Degree Assessment Board 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.
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9.5.
Awarding of the graduation grade
The graduation grade is awarded by the Degree Assessment Board.
When the Degree Assessment Boards meet for final paper evaluation, students are not required to make an oral presentation of their final paper and are not required to be present.
The Degree Assessment Boards are appointed by the Rector or by his/her 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, with 1 tenured professor (1st or 2nd level) who will take on the role of President.
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 (only educational activities which have an equivalent in the Bocconi study plan will be considered),
to which the following 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) to all WBB students due to the international nature of the program.
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 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;
- 0-1 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 faculty member 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; 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 Assessment Board may unanimously award lode (cum laude) only if all the following conditions are met:
- the total of the 3 elements used to calculate the graduation grade is equal at least to 111;
- the points awarded for the final paper is equal at least to 3 points;
- the student has not been charged any disciplinary sanction of suspension lasting 6 months or longer.
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9.6.
Graduation sessions
The Graduation Calendar is displayed on the University website at www.unibocconi.eu/graduationcalendar. The following information is given:
- dates of the graduation days (i.e. dates of the Degree Assessment Board meetings);
- deadline for entering the final paper title;
- period for reserving the graduation session;
- deadline for sitting the last exam;
- deadline for uploading the final paper definitive file and request approval;
and, in the specific section of the website:
- date of the graduation ceremony.
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9.7.
Results released
During the working days immediately following the meeting of the Degree Assessment Board, graduates will receive a personalized notification of their graduation grade and information about the graduation ceremony through the student Diary.
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9.8.
Graduation certifications and self-declarations
As a general rule, from the days following the publication of graduation results, graduates can:
- print the self-declaration samples specifying the graduation available on the yoU@B Diary > Certificates >Printable Documents;
- Request certification only by using the cert@B procedure available on the yoU@B student Diary > Certificates > Cert@B.
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9.9.
Graduation ceremonies
Graduation ceremonies are led by the Program Director or his/her delegate in the presence of the graduates and their families and friends. Graduates are awarded their degree diplomas at the ceremony. In case the graduate cannot attend, the diploma will be delivered to the permanent address. The videorecording and the pictures taken during the graduation ceremony will be made available to the graduate on the yoU@B Diary in the month following the ceremony.
The Graduation Ceremony Calendar can be consulted on the website in the section dedicated to graduations.
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