Second cycle programmes are provided by both universities and by institutes of the Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM). For further details on the types of institutes please refer to the relevant section.

Second cycle programmes can last either two years, corresponding to 120 ECTS credits or, in the case of single-cycle programmes, 5-6 years corresponding to 300-360 credits.  Programmes offered by universities and AFAM institutions are designed to provide students with advanced competencies for highly qualified activities in specific sectors as well as the acquisition of high-level professional competence.

At the end of the relevant second cycle programme, university students obtain a laurea magistrale degree, whereas AFAM students obtain a diploma accademico di secondo livello (second level academic diploma).

Furthermore, universities and AFAM institutions offer other types of courses, described in the section 'Programmes outside the bachelor and master structure'.

All the qualifications issued in the Italian education and training system, both State and Regional, are referenced to the NQF (pp. 85-89) that corresponds to the EQF. Qualifications issued by universities and AFAM institutions are also described in the Italian qualification framework of Higher education (QTI).

Branches of Study

University Education

Master's programmes are organised in the sanitary, scientific, social and classical study areas. Studies in medicine and surgery, pharmacy, veterinary science and dentistry studies, law, primary teacher education and architecture, are organised in single-cycle master's programmes. Both two-years and single-cycle master's programmes lead to a laurea magistrale degree.

Each study area is made up of courses and of so called 'degree classes' (classi di laurea magistrale). One 'class' groups together more courses with the same core qualifying objectives and the same core activities established at national level for each class (e.g. the laurea magistrale course 'Visual arts' and the laurea magistrale course 'Historical heritage', belong to the same class 'History of arts '(LM-89), included in the classical area). Classes, with the relevant core objectives and minimum amount of credits required, are established at national level for all universities. A complete list of classes is available on a national data base, regularly updated.

Universities autonomously activate courses and regulate their teaching organisation (course title, objectives, curriculum and relevant study activities, credits, final assessment procedures) in their own regulations.

Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM)

Second-cycle programmes at AFAM institutions last two years, corresponding to 120 ECTS, and lead to a master's degree called diploma accademico di secondo livello.

AFAM institutions offer highly qualified specialisations in: 

• visual arts (painting, sculpture, decoration, set designing photography, multimedia, new technologies for arts, film and TV set designing, preservation and restoration of modern and contemporary works of art)
• drama (acting and direction)
• dance (classic and contemporary dance, choreography)
• music (all instruments, jazz and electronic music)
• design (product design, communication, system and fashion design)

Admission Requirements

University Education

To access two-year masters' programmes it is required a bachelor's qualification (laura), or another equivalent qualification obtained abroad. To access single-cycle programmes, it is required an upper secondary leaving certificate, or another equivalent qualification obtained abroad. 

Admission is restricted for single-cycle courses in medicine and surgery, pharmacy, veterinary science and dentistry studies, primary teacher education and architecture; admission is also restricted for courses in health professions or for courses for which study plans foresee practical training and the use of laboratories. In case of limited-number faculties, access can only take place after passing an entrance test. The Ministry of university and research annually establishes the dates of the mandatory entrance tests. In addition, students in the final classes of secondary schools must submit a pre-enrolment form to the university so that universities can plan and improve their organisational and educational offerings and make students aware of them.

Universities may also require an adequate initial preparation. To this end, each university, in its own regulations, should establish the knowledge required for admittance and should lay down the procedures for tests. Tests can take place on completion of preparatory training activities carried out in collaboration with institutes of upper secondary education. A negative result does not preclude enrolment; teaching regulations should specify additional specific training requirements to be fulfilled within the first year of the course. 

In case of two-year master's programme, all credits obtained in the previous cycle (180 CFU) will be recognised if the masters' course is fully consistent with the contents of the completed bachelor's course; otherwise, the student will be enrolled with a 'debt' (debito formativo).

For the purposes of course enrolment, the recognition of qualifications obtained abroad is decided by the institution itself, in compliance with European regulations and international agreements in force.

Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM)

Admission to courses requires a first-cycle qualification obtained either within the AFAM system (diploma accademico di primo livello) or through university education (laurea) or another equivalent qualification obtained abroad.

Single institutions decide on the acknowledgement of qualifications obtained abroad for the admission to courses, in coherence with European Union directives and regulations as well as with international agreements in force.

Curriculum

Central regulations establish the general criteria for the organisation of studies at universities and High education for the fine arts, music and dance institutions (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM).

The curriculum is the set of the educational activities (lessons, seminars, practical and laboratory exercises, small-group teaching activities, tutoring, guidance, internships, projects, theses, individual study and self-study activities) envisaged for the attainment of the qualification. The knowledge of a language of the European Union is required to obtain the final qualification.

As for university education, at national level, the Ministry of university and research establishes the subject areas called 'degree classes' (classi di laurea magistrale) and, for each class, the qualifying educational objectives and the subsequent learning activities necessary to reach these objectives.

The same applies to the study courses at AFAM.

According to central regulations, learning activities for each degree class at universities and for each study course at AFAM, should include:

• basic studies,
• learning activities in one or more areas typical of each class or course
• training activities in one or more related or supplementary subject areas to those characterising the field of study,
• training activities chosen independently by the student,
• training activities relating to the preparation of the final examination for the award of the qualification and verification of the student's knowledge of a foreign language, 
• other training activities aimed at acquiring further linguistic knowledge, as well as computer and relational skills, or in any case useful for integration into the world of work, including the training and orientation traineeships,
• laboratory activities or artistic productions, where relevant.

Central regulations establish the minimum number of credits that institutions, in their teaching regulations, should assign to learning activities and areas of study. However, the total amount of credits cannot exceed 66% and 60% in university and in AFAM education, respectively.

In this framework, universities and AFAM institutions determine, in their own regulations approved by the Ministry of university and research, the following aspects of courses and teaching activities:

• the name and educational objectives of the study courses, the general framework of the educational activities to be included in the curricula, the credits assigned to each educational activity, the characteristics of the final examination for the award of the qualification, 
• the aspects of the organisation of teaching activities common to the study courses, with particular reference to the objectives, timing and methods with which the competent teaching structures must provide for the planning, coordination and verification of the results of the educational activities, the procedures for assigning the annual teaching duties to professors and researchers, the procedures for conducting examinations, including the final examination, the procedures for assessing students, in compliance with the criteria established at central level, the assessment of students' initial preparation and the organisation of preparatory educational activities for the assessment of initial preparation, the assessment of the quality of the activities carried out.

It is, therefore, not possible to provide an in-depth picture of programmes and contents of courses.   

The official teaching language is Italian. However, many institutions offer seminars and conferences, as well as programmes or single courses in a foreign language, mainly English.

Teaching Methods

Universities and AFAM institutions, in their own regulations, should establish procedures to carry out teaching activities, in the respect of teaching freedom as well as of teachers' and students' rights and duties.

Teachers freely choose their own teaching methods. They can receive just some not mandatory indications. 

Some courses are also held in English.

Progression of Students

Students at universities and AFAM institutions are expected to obtain the credits foreseen in the study plan for each academic year, upon passing the scheduled exams. Students who do not pass the scheduled exams cannot attend courses foreseen for the following academic year.

To graduate, students are required to pass all the exams foreseen by their study plan. If they do not, students are expected to fulfil their duty within the terms established by regulations of each institution.

Students holding a university or AFAM second cycle qualification, have access to the third-cycle programmes, within the limits of the admission requirements foreseen for this level of higher education.

Teaching regulations of each institution lay down procedures and criteria to switch from one course to another within the same or different university, or from a university to an AFAM institution and vice-versa. Regulations can provide for monitoring the acquired credits to check if the students' knowledge is not obsolete. As for the switch from one course to another or from one university to another, teaching regulations must guarantee the recognition of the possible highest number of credits obtained by the student. In the case of switch within the same class of studies, the recognition of credits must not be lower than 50%. The non-recognition of credits must be adequately motivated.

Employability

University Education

Universities have an official role of intermediation between students and the world of work, provided that they are registered in the Register of Employment Agencies, the computerised register in which all entities authorised by the Ministry of Labour to carry out intermediation activities are entered (DM 20.09.2011).

The intermediation takes place via the Cliclavoro portal on which universities make the CVs of their students and graduates (within 12 months) accessible so that they can be consulted by interested companies. The companies in turn can place their own personnel requests on the portal.

Those who wish to pursue a freelance profession, in most cases (e.g. agronomists and foresters, agrotechnicians, architects, social workers, actuaries, biologists, chemists, geologists, engineers, etc.) must pass a state examination that allows them to be entered on the relevant professional register. The registers are managed by the Orders and Colleges and are divided into two sections, depending on the qualification acquired at the end of the university course: section A is accessed with a master's degree, while section B is accessed with a bachelor's degree.

To facilitate entry into the world of work, universities also carry out orientation activities that must be mandatorily provided for in the university regulations. Within the framework of guidance activities, universities activate various initiatives, both internal and external, aimed at facilitating entry into the world of work, such as, for example, the promotion of consortia and agreements with companies that provide scholarships, internships and apprenticeships, etc.

Traineeships must be carried out within the framework of guidance and training projects and based on agreements concluded between universities and private companies or associations of companies, in some cases with the involvement of other parties, such as professional associations, local authorities and public bodies.

In addition, trainees must be insured (civil liability and accidents at work), there must be a tutor as the didactic-organisational manager of the activities, and it must be possible to give the activities carried out a value as credits.

Many universities have set up a special office to rationalise the offer of traineeships and disseminate information more effectively among students on the different types of traineeships on offer.

Alongside the internship offices, student associations specialised in offering internships also operate in many locations. These are mainly international associations that bring together students from certain subject areas (economics, engineering, law, medicine, etc.) and operate through a network of local offices. Many graduate associations are also involved in creating links between the university and companies and in facilitating the transition from university to the world of work also through the promotion of internships.

Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica – AFAM)

Activities carried out by AFAM institutions to facilitate the access of students to the labour market depend on the type of profession taught in each institute. Therefore, it is not possible to provide an overall description.

In general, initiatives recall those put in place by universities (please see above).

Student Assessment

Procedures and methods for students' assessment are established by each university and AFAM institutions and in their own teaching regulations. 

At central level, it is established that grades assigned at periodic examinations are calculated on a scale out of 30th, being 18 the minimum mark required for passing the exam. Marks assigned at the final examination are calculated on a scale out of 110th, being 66 the minimum mark required to graduate. In both cases, it is possible to pass the exam and to graduate with honours (30 with honours; 110 with honours).

Both universities and AFAM institutions apply a credit system for the recognition of students' learning workload. University students are assigned 'university formative credits' (crediti formativi universitari – CFUs), whereas AFAM institutions assign 'academic formative credits' (Crediti formative accademici – CFAs). CFUs and CFAs have the same following characteristics:

• a credit corresponds to 25 hours of study,
• one year of study for a full-time student corresponds conventionally to 60 credits,
• the total or partial recognition of credits acquired by a student for the purposes of continuing studies is the responsibility of the teaching establishment receiving the student,
• didactic regulations may provide for forms of periodic credit verification and for the minimum number of credits to be acquired by the student within predetermined time limits,
• universities may recognise as university credits, in accordance with predetermined criteria, the professional skills and abilities certified pursuant to the relevant legislation in force, as well as other skills and abilities acquired in post-secondary training activities, to the design and implementation of which the university has contributed.

CFUs and CFAs correspond to ECTS credits. Each institution, in its own regulations, establishes a specific conversion table to facilitate the conversion between the national marks and the ECTS grading.

To obtain the second-cycle qualification either at university or at an AFAM institution, students must sit for a final test in front of the examination committee. The test foresees the submission of a final work developed by the student under the guidance of a supervisor. To be admitted to the final test, students must have passed all the exams foreseen in their study plan and been awarded a total of 120 credits, corresponding to the two years of study, or 300-360 credits, corresponding to 5-6 years of study in case of single-cycle programmes.

Certification

University education

To obtain the final certification (laurea magistrale), students must complete the master's programme, with the assignment of 120 credits (or 300-360 for single-cycle programmes), and successfully pass the final test, which consists of the discussion of an original thesis written under the guidance of a supervisor.

The rector, as legal representative of the university, is responsible for issuing the qualifications. The qualifications awarded have academic value and give access to State examinations that qualify for enrolling in the relevant register of the regulated professions. 

The didactic regulations of universities lay down the methods and procedures for awarding the certification and the Diploma Supplement. The latter, following models in line with those adopted in European countries, provides information on the student's curriculum completed for obtaining the degree. 

Based on special agreements, the institutions may also award the degrees jointly with other Italian and foreign institutions of a corresponding level, authorised to award degrees recognised in the Italian system in accordance with Community and international law (joint degrees).

Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM)

To obtain the final certification (diploma accademico di II livello), students must complete the master's programme, with the assignment of 120 credits, and successfully pass the final test, which consists of the discussion of an original thesis written under the guidance of a supervisor.

The director of the AFAM institution, as legal representative, is responsible for issuing the qualifications. 

The didactic regulations of AFAM institutions lay down the methods and procedures for awarding the certification and the Diploma Supplement. The latter, following models in line with those adopted in European countries, provides information on the student's curriculum completed for obtaining the degree. 

Based on special agreements, the institutions may also award the degrees jointly with other Italian and foreign institutions of a corresponding level, authorised to award degrees recognised in the Italian system in accordance with Community and international law (joint degrees).