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EuroThesis

Studying in Italy

Academic support for students in Italy

The Italian system is distinctive in how the final mark is built. Examination marks accumulate across the degree on a scale out of 30, and the thesis and its discussion contribute points to a final degree mark out of 110. That arithmetic makes the thesis worth understanding in advance.

01Terminology

What the terms actually mean

The words that mean something specific in the Italian system, and that are easy to misread from outside it.

Tesi di laurea
The thesis of a laurea triennale, the three-year first-cycle degree.
Tesi magistrale
The thesis of a laurea magistrale, the second-cycle degree.
Dottorato di ricerca
The doctoral programme and its research thesis.
Relatore / correlatore
The supervisor and the second reader who also assesses the work.
Discussione
The oral discussion of the thesis before a commission.
110 e lode
The highest degree mark, awarded with distinction by the commission.

02Study context

How the Italian system works

General national practice. Individual institutions set their own regulations, and where they differ, theirs are the ones that count.

  • Individual examinations are marked out of 30, with 18 the pass mark and 30 e lode the top result. The final degree mark is out of 110, built from the weighted examination average plus points awarded for the thesis and its discussion.

  • Because the thesis contributes points to the final mark, its weight is concrete rather than symbolic — and the number of points available varies by faculty.

  • A distinction is often drawn between a compilative thesis, which synthesises existing literature, and a research thesis presenting original work. The second is normally worth more points and is expected at magistrale level in many faculties.

  • The relatore’s role is central. Italian supervision is typically close, and the relatore’s view carries substantial weight with the commission.

  • English-taught programmes have expanded considerably, particularly in economics, engineering, design and international programmes at the larger universities.

03Worth knowing

Things students routinely get caught out by

  • Ask your relatore early how many points the thesis can contribute in your faculty, and whether a compilative thesis limits that number. It affects how much effort is worth investing.
  • Formatting requirements — frontispiece, declaration, binding and deposit format — are set by the individual university and are usually published as a template.
  • Where a thesis is written in English, an Italian abstract is commonly required for deposit.
  • Citation practice varies widely by faculty: footnote-based styles dominate in law and the humanities, author–date in the social sciences, IEEE in engineering.

Referencing commonly required

Chicago
History, theology, art history and parts of the humanities
APA 7th edition
Psychology, education, health and much of the social sciences
IEEE
Engineering, computer science and information technology
MLA 9th edition
Literature, languages, cultural and film studies

04Services

Most requested by students in Italy

Dissertation & thesis

Full-length Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral projects, delivered chapter by chapter.

Literature reviews

A synthesised argument built from sources you can retrieve and defend, not a summary list.

Presentations & defence

Slides built to be presented, plus preparation for the questions you will be asked.

Editing & proofreading

Three levels of intervention, so you get the one your document actually needs.

05Questions

Studying in Italy

What is the difference between a compilative and a research thesis?
A compilative thesis synthesises and organises existing literature. A research thesis presents original work — new data, new analysis or an original argument. Faculties usually award more points for the second, and many magistrale programmes expect it.
How long is an Italian thesis?
It varies substantially by faculty and by thesis type. Triennale theses are often relatively short, magistrale theses considerably longer. Your faculty’s guidance is the operative rule, so send it and we work to it.
Can you prepare me for the discussione?
Yes. We build the presentation to your time limit and prepare you for questions from the commission, focusing on the choices in your work that a panel is most likely to probe.
Start here

Get a quote for a project in Italy

Send your programme’s regulations and assessment criteria — including in Italian. We would rather read the original than a translated summary that has lost a requirement. We reply within a few hours on working days.

What to have ready

  • The assessment criteria or handbook
  • Your deadline and word count
  • Anything already written or approved

Not sure which service you need? Describe the project and we will tell you — including when the cheaper one is enough.

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