Academic life
Schedule
The schedule for your courses may be found here.
Please, note that the pre-semester crash courses (Italian Language and Introduction to International and EU Law) start always two weeks earlier than the ordinary courses.
While we try our best to avoid overlaps, especially in the case of courses in English, it is not always possible to accommodate all needs. In the event of any difficulties, you may discuss possible options with your professors – although adjustments tend to be difficult.
Admission to Courses and Seminars
Our courses typically do not have a maximum number of students. You will not have any difficulty in being admitted to courses. However, you may need to register in advance for some courses (pre-semester courses, Moot Court, Legal Clinics and in other cases where this is specified).
Attendance is usually not mandatory at the Department of Law, although it is highly recommended for incoming students.
Please note that some courses (Moot Court, Legal Clinics, Italian crash courses, and others when specifically mentioned) do require active participation in class and that different study programmes may be envisaged for non-attending students.
Exams
For regular courses (6 ECTS or more), there will be opportunities to take exams just after the end of each course, and several times thereafter. The exam calendar is published around 15 November every year. In the case of shorter seminars by Visiting Professors there will be one opportunity to sit the exam at the end of the course. There is usually a possibility to resit an exam in the case of difficulties.
Each lecturer freely chooses how to assess students. While most exams at the Department of Law are oral, written exams, presentations in class, personal research and essays or a combination of the above are also possible.
Grades are expressed on a scale of 0 to 30 (with the passing grade being 18/30 and the best grade being 30/30 with honours).
Transcript of records and end-of-stay certificates
Once you have taken your exams, the grades will be automatically recorded in your transcript of records. In order to get this document, you should fill in the online form available here (paragraph "At the end of your stay").
With regard to your end-of-stay certificate, however, you will need to make an appointment with the Orientation, Welcome and Incoming Office before you leave. Academic Coordinators do not issue any end-of-stay certificates.
For other administrative issues concerning your stay, please contact the Orientation, Welcome and Incoming Office of the University of Ferrara.