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 all Bachelor programs in the "Management" and "Economics" fields of study (respectively 17 and L-18, 28 and L-33) include a first and a second European language, specifically:

(*) The language courses are offered in the first and/or second semester depending on the first language entered by the student into the study plan (in English or other language courses) and his>/her relating initial language preparation (see 3.1.6 The language learning path)

The above 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 relating exam.

The first-year exam (first language) is a prerequisite to the second-year exam. The first-year exam credits are computed in the number of first-year credits required to move on to the second year (see "Administrative rules, procedures and deadlines").

The second language (third year) includes an optional partial exam in the first semester and a compulsory exam in the second semester.

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

The student's language knowledge assessment for both the first and second language is marked out of thirty; marks are included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average (GPA).

The choice of foreign languages follows the same criteria for both first and second languages. This depends on:

• the language of instruction of the Bachelor Program class group: Italian or English; 
• the native language of the student: chosen languages must be different from the student's native language.

If students have more than one mother tongue language (e.g., coming from or residing in a multilingual Country or living with parents from two different nationalities) they must choose one language as their mother tongue language for the whole duration of their studies.

English is always taken as the first language for students who are not English native speakers and it is:

• compulsory for class groups taught in Italian;
• optional for class groups taught in English.

Italian can be taken as either the first or second language for students who are not Italian native speakers and it is: 

• compulsory for class groups taught in English;
• optional for class groups taught in Italian.

The table below shows first and second language availability:

(*)Students whose mother tongue is English must choose from the other curricular languages.
(**) For students whose mother tongue is not Italian, one of the two languages must be Italian.
(***)Notice that the Portuguese language no longer offers teaching nor Bocconi exam: it is only possible to register in the study plan one of the international certifications recognised by the University.

The language course codes are: 

The minimum exit levels are:

(*) Students state the exit level when registering for the final exam (second year) at Punto Blu  regardless of the study path. In the same way students choose the level of the first-year exam.

Students can achieve higher exit levels only if they submit an international language certification from among those recognised by the University.

Students enrolled in the Dual Degree Central European University (CEU) - Università Bocconi must adhere to specific rules:

•  language choice procedures;
•  exit levels.

For non-native speakers of English and non-native speakers of Italian the choice is compulsory:

•  first language: English
•  second language: Italian

For native speakers of English the first foreign language may be chosen from one of the following European languages: French, Portuguese, Spanish, German.

For native speakers of Italian the second foreign language may be chosen from one of the European languages: French, Portuguese, Spanish, German.

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

• International language certifications (only for English, first language)
• Bocconi exams (for curricular first and second foreign languages)

B. guided individual study.

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

Teaching for preparing the students to English certifications
For English, 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:

• IELTS, International English Language Testing System, general language, B2 and C1 levels, Examination Center British Council, IDP - IELTS Australia, University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
• BEC, Business English Certificates, specialized language/business, B2 and C1 levels, Examination Center University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

Each course lasts a semester with a total number of hours equal to 48 hours, except for IELTS C1 with a total number of hours equal to 24. The offer is scheduled in the 2nd semester of the first year and in the 1st semester and 2nd semester of the second year.

The courses are addressed to students with an adequate level of language knowledge verified through an appropriate online test and they are offered to a limited number of students.

Students who are not admitted in a course have the allocation of a class group of preparation to the Bocconi exam corresponding to their level if this has already been included in the educational offer of that semester.

Periods and methods to sit for the test and for enrolling in the course are communicated via yoU@B student Diary before the start of each semester (further information is available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Language Laboratory).
Each course is started when the minimum number of enrolled students is reached.

Teaching for the preparation of Bocconi exams of curricular language courses(*)
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.
(*) Please note that the portoguese is no longer included in the educational offer. Materials for the guided individual study is available at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Language Laboratory.
First language
Lessons last 2 years, and are structured in the two years and includes the following paths on the basis of the student’s initial preparation (see Initial evaluation of English and Italian)

Class Teaching specifically:

(*) In the second year the Path 1 elementary flows into the Path 2 intermediate as it has the same contents and prepares for the same exit level B2.

 For English at the beginning of the first semester of the first year the path 1 is automatically assigned only to students enrolled in class groups taught in Italian with elementary initial language preparation. Starting from the second semester of the first year all students (also those already assigned to Path 1) choose, via the yoU@B Diary, to attend a course for the certifications or a course for the Bocconi exam, from among those which can be accessed on the basis of one’s study plan and initial language preparation.
For French, Spanish and German, at the beginning of the first semester of the first year Path 1 is assigned automatically. For these languages no initial language evaluation is required, but at least an A2/B1 initial preparation (pre-intermediate/intermediate)is strongly advised.

For Italian at the beginning of the first semester of the first year the following paths are assigned:

• Path 1 (exit level B2) to students enrolled in class groups taught in English.
• Path 3 (exit level C1) to students enrolled in class groups taught in Italian.

All different paths have a total of number of classroom teaching hours equal to 48 for each semester.

Class groups are activated if the minimum number of enrolled students is reached.

Second language
The classroom activities last one year and involve one single path only which is assigned automatically when students choose languages for a total of 128 hours of lessons.

The class timetable can be viewed on the yoU@B student Diary after the teaching starts.

Attending first and second language courses is strongly recommended: attending courses is considered the most effective way of learning the language and preparing for the final exam.
For courses aimed to prepare the students to the Bocconi exams, active participation and individual study may be considered into the calculation of the grade awarding up to 2 extra points (detailed information is presented in the exam requirements and in courses syllabuses for every language and they are available  at www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in Exams-Certificates>Bocconi exams).

The general course profiles are available on the website www.unibocconi.eu/courses.


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

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 Language Laboratory).

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. Study exercises are also indicated for the related topics covered during lessons.

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

In order to seek for the correct learning path, all non-English native speakers enrolled in class groups taught in Italian must assess their initial level of English knowledge, according to one of the methods below:

• when finalizing the enrolment, students must show that they have at least one of the language requirements indicated by the University, stated when they applyed for admission online (see www.unibocconi.eu/admission) or
• when making the selection "Italian candidates", students take the aptitude test entirely in English, or
• when making the selection "Italian candidates", students take a test  for the language positioning together with the aptitude test (in Italian).

For English, Università Bocconi suggests the A2/B1 (pre-intermediate/intermediate) minimum preparation level needed to attend courses successfully in the class groups taught in Italian.

For information on language competence and knowledge required and self-study paths to be followed to reach the desired levels, check www.unibocconi.eu/languagecentre in "Minimum level required". 

Students who are not native Italian speakers, non-EU citizens who do not have Italian residency must take a compulsory test online to evaluate their initial Italian knowledge (first or second language), in accordance with current Ministerial regulations.

All students with Italian in their study plans will have their language path assigned automatically.

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 under 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").

For the purpose of registering international certifications in the academic career, 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).

The list of the international language certifications 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 for MSc programs published on the same website section.

International certifications can be presented even in the first year of studies; this applies to both 1st and 2nd languages. In any case, students will have the credit points and marks expressed out of thirty registered for the year of studies in which the course is placed in the program structure.

With reference to the first language, it is important to note that the registration of an international certification in the student's academic career is only possible in the following 2 cases:

• if the certification is submitted in the first year of studies, 3 credit points will be registered in the student's academic career in the first year of studies and the other 3 credit points from the second year of the program. In this case, only the credit points awarded for the first-year exam will be included in the calculation of credit points that are required in order to continue studies in the second year, only if the certification is handed in by 14 July 2014;
• if the certification is submitted in the second year of studies or later, the student will have an exam debit for the credit points attributed to each year until registration has been completed.

In both cases, with reference to the first language the following will apply if at the time of certification registration the student:

• has not passed any Bocconi exams: the certification mark which has been converted into a mark out of thirty will be shown as the mark achieved for both the first and second exams;
• has already passed and registered the first Bocconi exam in the study plan: the certification mark which has been converted into a mark out of thirty will be shown as the mark for the second exam only.

Students must take the exams for international certifications through an official Examination Centre, either in Italy or abroad.

Students are responsible for the costs associated with sitting the exams for international certifications.

The certifications submitted for the admission procedures 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 are among those recognized by the University (upon presentation of the original certification to the Secretary’s Office of the Language Centre within 3 years from the conferral date, except for some international tests which are valid for less time, see www.unibocconi.eu/languagecenter in Exams - Certificates).

The Language Centre offers a service which is designed to give guidance and information on the exam assessment methods and to provide specific preparation materials and past exam papers which are available at the language laboratories. This service is offered to all students interested in taking the Bocconi exams or in international certifications.

• International Certifications recognized by Università Bocconi as an alternative to the Bocconi exam
  

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 integrative one; admission in the oral exam is subject to passing the written exam.

Only for the first language, the first-year exam constitutes in a written exam only and it is a prerequisite of the second-year exam.

For the second language in the third year of studies, there is one final exam (compulsory) in the second semester and also one partial exam (optional) 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.

The final grade is given on the basis of the final exam results and other elements such like the learning progress made specifically:

• for the 1st language:
  - positive results for active class participation and for guided individual study each year;
• for the 2nd language:
  - positive results for active class participation and guided individual study;
  - positive partial exam results.

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

The language level achieved when passing the second year exam is specifically indicated on the official exam report and official academic transcript.

Students can achieve higher exit levels than the curricular courses for both 1st and 2nd languages. This is only possible 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 9.4 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 3.1.8. 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 Russian:

• the same rules valid for all additional exams (see 9.4 Additional exams) 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 3.1.8 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 or lessons.

The program requirements of all Bachelor Programs offered at Università Bocconi include a computer skills course, aimed to fulfill the specific requirements of the students study paths.

The computer skills course, Informatica per l'economia/Computer Skills for Economics (cod. 30068), is taken during the second semester of the first year of studies, and is worth 3 credit points.

There are two procedures for exams, according to whether students attend the course, or not:

• partial exams
  they have been planned for those who regularly attend the lessons and the exam topics refer to the ones held in class. Only first year students can sit for partial exams. Partial exams cannot be sat or repeated in the following years.
• General exams
  They are addressed to those who have not sat partial exams or who have not passed them. The preparation of the whole bibliography is required.

In both procedures, the exam is structured in a section of questions and a section of exercises by using the Personal Computer.

Please note that in order to be admitted to the exam students must have one of the following certifications: a complete ECDL Core certification (seven modules), ECDL advanced (all four modules), MOS Master, MCAS Master, IC3 2005 Plus or other equivalent certifications recognized by University. The certification must be completed and forwarded to SEDIN according to the deadlines and procedures published on the website www.unibocconi.eu/sedin.

It is strongly recommended that students gain certification recognized before the start of leassons in order to attend the Computer skills for Economics course with the needed basic knowledge.  

Students who do not yet possess 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 view the exam calendar and enrol through their yoU@B student Diary, using the special ECDL box.

If students do not hold a skills card, the official document needed to sit exams, they may purchase it by using the payment procedure online (available through the ECDL box from the yoU@B student Diary) at a providing cost.

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