Degree Types in Italy
New Degrees
Laurea Specialistica (LS)
This is a second level degree that accords with what Australians understand as a Master’s Degree. The Laurea Specialistica (LS) has as its entry requirement a three year undergraduate degree. In some cases candidates may also be asked to sit an entry test. The degree is characterised by a strong theoretical content and specialist studies in its given subject field. The degree runs two years full time and confers at the end the title of Dottore Magistrale
(Diploma di) Dottorato di Ricerca (DR)
This third level degree is the one that most closely accords with what Australians understand as a Doctoral or PhD Degree. Access requires a Laurea Specialistica, or in the case of foreign degrees, one considered equivalent. Admission is made via public competition organised by the university. The minimum length for this degree is three years full time. Upon completion the title of Dottorato di Ricerca is conferred.
There are also a number of other postgraduate degrees that are available one has a completed a Master’s degree, or the Laurea Specialistica. These are:
Diploma di Specializzazione di 2° livello (DS2)
This third level degree aims to train postgraduates for highly qualified and specialist professions. They require a LS or foreign equivalent for admission and the course run for two to six years full time. Subject sectors for the degree are: specialistic fields in dentistry, human medicine & surgery, veterinary medicine; training to legal professions (lawyers, notaries public, magistrates); secondary teachers' training. Upon graduation cndidates receive the title: Specialista in… (specialist in ) [with the specialisation field following].
Diploma di Master Universitario di 1° livello (MU1)
This second level degree, which requires a standard undergraduate degree to qualify for entry, is most closely equal to an Australian graduate diploma. It can be to provide students with either advanced scientific knowledge in a given field or with further profession education and training. Admission is often via selective proceedures of the university or sometimes on the decision of the director of the programme. The course takes a minimum of one year full time. Upon completion the candidate is given the title Master Universitario di 1° livello (University Master-1st level)
Diploma di Master Universitario di 2° livello (MU2)
This is a third level degree that will not be familiar to many Australian students, consisting of one year full time but requiring a Laurea Specialistica (LS), or a comparable foreign degree, for entry. Admission is often by selection procedures of the institution or by decision of the programme director. The aim of this degree is to provide postgraduates with a higher level of academic education in a given field, or with higher professional education and training for better occupational opportunities. The degree confers the title Master Universitario di 2° livello (University Master-2nd level).
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Old Degrees
At first glance many of these degrees will seem similar to the new degrees but the most obvious difference is often a longer period of full time study required.
(Diploma di) Laurea (DL)
Classification: 2nd level university degree, strongly academic in nature.
Aim: provide students with adequate knowledge of cultural and scientific fields at an advanced degree of theoretical complexity; besides, supply them with research methods so that they may subsequently take up significant professional responsibilities, up to the highest managerial positions.
Access: by the Italian school leaving qualification (or a foreign comparable one) or by a related 1st degree (Diploma SDAFS or DU)
Admission: selective procedures due to numerus clausus limitations; or entrance tests may be autonomously introduced by individual institutions
Length: 4-6 years full time
Degree name: (Diploma di) Laurea (di Dottore) in ….(the subject field follows). The DL is normally an academic, non-professional qualification.
Title: Dottore/Dottoressa, to be shortened to Dott./Dott.ssa.
Further university studies: admission to 3rd level programmes, i.e. DR programmes, DS courses, and such programmes as Corsi di Perfezionamento-CP (advanced courses) or Master courses.
(Diploma di) Dottorato di Ricerca (DR)
Classification: 3rd level university degree, fully academic in nature (established by law in 1980).
Aim: train postgraduates to carry out independent advanced research (at a higher level than that required for the Laurea dissertation).
Access: By the Italian 2nd level degree (4/6-year Laurea) or a comparable foreign degree in a related subject area.
Admission: By public competition organised at national level.
Length: Min. 3 or 4 years
Course structure: DR programmes mainly consist in independent research projects of a high quality standard to be carried out by individual postgraduates under the supervision of a university teacher who is specifically appointed to act as a tutor; sometimes the attendance of seminars or of a few subject courses may be required; transition from one year to the next depends on the tutor's positive assessment of the doctoral student's performance.
Degree name: Dottorato di Ricerca
Title: Dottore di Ricerca
Academic professional openings: Academic career within a university; research doctors start as a researchers and by means of subsequent public competitions may progress up to the juridical status of full professors (professore ordinario)
Further university studies: Participation in post-doctoral research projects.
(Diploma di) Specializzazione (DS)
Classification: 3rd level university degree characterised by strong professional features; it also implies additional theoretical studies in the chosen speciality, and some research.
Aim: Train postgraduates for highly-qualified, specialistic professions.
Access: By a DL (4/6-year Laurea) or a comparable foreign degree in a related subject field; in some cases, additional professional qualifications may be required.
Admission: By public competition organised locally by individual institutions.
Length: 2-6 years full time
Subject sectors: Specialistic fields in dentistry, human medicine & surgery, veterinary medicine; also quite a number of sectors covered by the 5 great subject areas
Degree name: Diploma di Specializzazione (DS)
Title: Specialista in … (the specific subject field follows).
Degree Relevant Subject Areas
The 5 subject areas apply to most of the degrees above, if not otherwise cited: health, humanities, sciences, social studies, technology. Each area is subdivided in the following main subject sectors:
Health: Dentistry, Pharmacy, Human Medicine & Surgery, Midwifery, Nursing, Physio-and-rehabilitation Therapy, Preventive care, Technical Sanitary Assistance;
Humanities: Arts (performing, visual, fashion, music), Cultural Heritage, Education, Geography, History; Italian and Classical/Oriental studies, Language mediation (applied foreign languages, interpreting, translating), Modern Languages and Cultures (glottology, linguistics, literature, philology, etc.),
Sciences: Agriculture, Animal Production & Husbandry, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Food Industry & Forestry, Maths, Natural Sciences, Physics, Statistics, etc.
Social studies: Administration, Business, Communication, Cooperation & Development, Defence & Security, Economics, Law, Physical Education & Sports, Pyschology, Political Science and International Relations, Social Service & Sociology, Tourism;
Technology: Architecture & Building, Engineering, Design (Industrial), Engineering (Civil, Industrial, Information), Regional & Environmental Planning, Urban planning
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