Training Activities and Regulation of the Course
Training Activities
The Master of Science in Physics is organized into five curricula (clicking on the Curriculum name below you can access the webpage describing each Curriculum) :
The first year can include teachings in common among the five curricula, structured so as to complete the basic training that students have acquired during the three-year Bachelor's Degree in Physics.
Other specialistic and related courses (all characterized by 6 ECTS; ECTS = European Credit Transfer System) are organized to provide students with skills relevant to each specific curriculum.
In each Curriculum, students have the option to choose between some of the teachings, usually characterizing the Curriculum, which are also referred to as optional (indicated by green character in the tables relating to each training course, as shown in Course Plans).
It is also possible to present personalized study plans. The replacement of one or more subjects included in the curriculum, respecting the legal constraints, is considered as a personalized study plan. The personalized study plan request, together with the cultural motivations that inspire it, shall be submitted in the manner and time foreseen in the Academic Regulations of the University, to the Council of the Master of Science for possible approval .
Moreover, the students should supplement their curriculum with the training activities referred to as "student choice", for a total of 12 ECTS. To do this, the student can make a choice between all the teachings scheduled in the University, provided they are consistent with the educational plan and adequately motivated. The validation of the choice of the training activities will be decided by the Council of the Master of Science.
Teaching Organization
The Master Course lasts two years. Teaching is organized every year in two semesters. The achievement of the final Master Degree takes place with the acquisition of 120 ECTS (credits). For teachings consisting only of lectures each credit corresponds to 8 hours of lectures (7 hours starting from the Academic Year 2016-2017) and 17 hours of individual study (18 hours starting from the Academic Year 2016-2017). For teachings (or parts of them) consisting of exercises or laboratory activities, each credit (ECTS) corresponds to 12 hours in the classroom or laboratory and 13 hours of individual study and personal elaboration (15 and 10 hours respectively starting from the Academic Year 2016-2017). For the preparation of the final exam and internship each credit corresponds to 25 hours of individual activities.
The credits are acquired by passing the corresponding exams.
During the academic year, some courses can foresee so-called in itinere (in progress) tests. The exams are conducted in oral form with a possible written test. To achieve the final educational objectives of the Master course, among other things, laboratory activities devoted to learning of experimental procedures, measurements and data processing can be foreseen.
Also planned are support activities and internships, particularly aimed at preparing the final dissertation, at laboratories and research institutions, government agencies and industries, including in the framework of national and international agreements, seen as highly qualifying elements for the preparation of the Master graduates in Physics.
Course attendance is usually compulsory. In addition to the cases already foreseen by the University Statute, partial or total exemptions of the frequency can be recognized by a special resolution of the Council of the Master Course, on presentation of a motivated request and recognized as such by the Council and if the conditions exist, agreed with the teachers holders of the concerned teachings, to enable the necessary forms of supplementary teaching aid, designed to still ensure adequate preparation of the student.
The lessons, if agreed with the students, or in the presence of foreign students, will be provided in English.
It is permitted to subscribe to the 2nd year to all students who have acquired at least 24 of the credits required in the 1st year. The part-time students follow a curriculum specifically defined by the Academic Board, on proposal of the students.
The credits earned by more than six years are considered fully valid if there have not been changes in the content of the teachings to which they relate. Only if not, the Council of the Master of Science will have to comment on the adequacy of the knowledge acquired and on the new educational objectives of the course teaching to which the credits are referred.
Criteria for recognition of studies carried out abroad
The recognition of credits obtained at foreign Universities within the framework of Mobility Agreements should be based on a specific student's application, in which the student indicates at which University intends to go and what lessons will follow, providing all the information needed to prior approval of these lessons.
The resolution indicates the correspondence between the activities that the student intends to carry on abroad, and the lectures for which is asked the exemption. Failure to recognize one or more of the activities that the student intends to follow must be properly motivated .
The recognition is not based on the more or less perfect match between curricular activities and those that the student will follow abroad, but only in relation to the cohesion of the latter with the program objectives of the Master Course.
The grade assigned to activities carried out abroad is determined ex officio, upon registration in the student's career, based on a specific conversion table .
Under Article 26, paragraph 4, of the Academic Regulations of the University, this registration is done by the competent secretarial office on the basis of the documents transmitted from the host University and the prior approval of the Council of the Master Course, as specified in the previously cited paragraph .
The recognition of any activities other than those previously recognized is resolved with the same criteria as in the preceding paragraphs.
The training activities attended abroad for which no match is recognized are listed in the certification of the student's academic career .
Criteria for the recognition of professional knowledge and skills and of knowledge and skills acquired through educational activities of post-secondary level realized with the University partnership
The Council of the Master of Science in Physics can recognize as University credits (ECTS) the professional knowledge and skills certified in accordance with the current legislation. The approval of these credits is competence of the Council of the Master of Science in Physics, based on the verification of the consistency of the activities with the objectives of the Master of Science Degree. Activities already approved for the purposes of the allocation of credits as part of Bachelor Degree Courses cannot be re-recognized as credits within the Master of Science.
The Council of the Master of Science in Physics may also recognize as University Credits the knowledge and skills gained through educational activities of post-secondary level to which design and realization the University has contributed. The recognition of such knowledge and skills is based on checking the consistency of the activities with the objectives of the Master of Science in Physics.
The maximum number of credits recognized for these reasons is 12 (document MIUR 1063 of 29.04.2011).
