# The Italian education system

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- [Indietro](https://www.unipd.it/en/studying-padova-courses)[The Italian education system](#)

## The Italian education system

*[Versione italiana](https://www.unipd.it/sistema-universitario)*

The **“3+2” university reform** has changed the traditional framework of Italian university qualifications and now prospective undergraduates have a wider range of degree courses to choose from. \
The reform enables students to personalise their own university career according to their cultural and professional expectations. \
This organisation, according to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System), introduces the “credit” (**CFU**) as the unit of measurement which defines the student workload, including time spent attending lectures, seminars, independent study, examinations, etc. One credit corresponds to 25 hours of study.

### Bachelor's degrees

*Laurea*\
This degree gives students basic theoretical preparation and an adequate command of general scientific methods and contents, in addition to the acquisition of specific professional know-how. It requires 180 credits, which can generally be accumulated within three years. The *laurea* (1st cycle degree) grants access to competitions for the Italian civil service, state-regulated and non-state-regulated professions, and to 2nd cycle degree courses. Graduates are awarded the qualification of *dottore*.\
The corresponding qualification, not only in English-speaking countries, but now also in the whole area of the Bologna Process, is **Bachelor’s level degree**.\
[See more...](https://www.unipd.it/en/courses/catalog?ss360Query=%2A&bachelor_%2F_master=bachelor%E2%80%99s_degrees)

### Single-cycle degrees

*Laurea magistrale a ciclo unico*\
This degree course runs as a single cycle; the degree is awarded at the end of five or six years and requires 300-360 credits. These courses are one-tier degree courses, without intermediate exit, and are in alternative to the two-tier degree course scheme. They are usually adopted in order to prepare for EU regulated professions (e.g., medicine and surgery, veterinary medicine, pharmacology). The *laurea magistrale a ciclo unico* grants access to competitions for the Italian civil service, state-regulated and non-state-regulated professions, research doctorate programmes and all other degree courses of the 3rd cycle. Graduates are awarded the qualification of *dottore magistrale*.\
[See more...](https://www.unipd.it/en/courses/catalog?ss360Query=%2A&bachelor_%2F_master=single-cycle_degrees)

### First-level short specialisation degrees

*Master universitario di primo livello*\
These courses lead to an out-of-mainstream university qualification; they can be accessed after a 1st cycle degree course or a comparable foreign degree. They last at least one year and involve the acquisition of at least **60 credits**.\
The corresponding qualification does not give access to 2nd or 3rd cycles. The latter degree course is also clearly different from the usual master degree, which – not only in English-speaking countries but also in the whole area of the Bologna Process – corresponds to the Italian *laurea magistrale*.\
[See more](https://www.unipd.it/en/node/143)...

### Master's degrees

*Laurea magistrale*\
This qualification is open to graduates with a Bachelor's degree or equivalent and requires *120 credits*, which can be accumulated over an average of two years. Previous specific curricula in the Bachelor's degree are required for admission. Second-cycle studies aim at providing students with an advanced level of education for highly qualified work in specific areas. Graduates are awarded the qualification of *dottore magistrale*. The *laurea magistrale* grants access to competitions for the Italian civil service, state-regulated and non-state-regulated professions, research doctorate programmes and all other degree courses of the 3rd cycle. The corresponding qualification, not only in English-speaking countries but now also in the whole area of the Bologna Process, is **Master’s level degree**.\
[See more...](https://www.unipd.it/en/courses/catalog?ss360Query=%2A&bachelor_%2F_master=master%27s_degrees)

### Second-level short specialisation degrees

*Master universitario di secondo livello*\
These courses lead to an out-of-mainstream university qualification and can be accessed after a 2nd cycle degree course, single cycle degree course or comparable foreign degree. They consist in quite advanced scientific courses or studies in life-long learning programmes, last at least one year, and involve the acquisition of at least **60 credits**.\
This degree-course is therefore clearly different from the usual master degree, which – not only in English-speaking countries but also in the whole area of the Bologna Process – corresponds to the Italian *laurea magistrale*.\
[See more...](https://www.unipd.it/en/node/143)

### Doctoral degrees - PhD Programmes

*Dottorato di ricerca*\
This doctorate confers the skills required to undertake research in universities as well as within the private and public sectors. Applicants must be in possession of a 2nd cycle degree (*laurea magistrale* or *laurea magistrale a ciclo unico*). They are also required to pass an entrance examination. The whole degree course generally lasts three years, and corresponds to the Doctoratein English-speaking countries.\
[See more](https://www.unipd.it/en/node/123)...

### Specialisation Schools

*Scuole di specializzazione*\
These schools enable graduates to practice chosen professions and to use the title of *specialista* (specialist). Admission usually requires students to obtain a specific *laurea magistrale* or *laurea* *magistrale a ciclo unico* (or a comparable foreign degree) and to pass a selective examination. Course length varies in relation to subject fields. They are devised to provide students with knowledge and abilities required for highly qualified  the professions (e.g., cardiology, oncology).\
[See more](https://www.unipd.it/en/node/169)...

## Out of mainstream education

### Professional courses

*Corsi di perfezionamento*\
These are geared towards students with a degree who wish to engage in further training. At the end of the course students receive a certificate of attendance.\
[See more](https://www.unipd.it/en/node/207)...

### Higher training courses

*Corsi di alta formazione*\
These courses are geared towards people who already work, or who have embarked on a career. To take these courses students must have a degree (a traditional five-year degree or a newer “3+2” degree) or a high-school diploma.\
[See more](https://www.unipd.it/en/node/209)...

### Download

- [The Italian education system (PDF)
  Download](https://www.unipd.it/en/sites/en.unipd.it/files/Italian%20education%20system2019.pdf "The Italian education system (PDF)")