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| Master's degree (Italy) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Master's degree (Italy) |
| Native name | Laurea magistrale |
| Type | Second-cycle degree |
| Established | 1999 |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Credits | 120 ECTS |
| Awarding body | Università degli Studi |
Master's degree (Italy) is the second-cycle academic qualification awarded by Italian universities following the Bologna Process reforms. It succeeds the first-cycle Laurea (Italy) and aligns with European standards used across the European Union, Council of Europe, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and other international bodies. The degree prepares graduates for advanced professional roles and doctoral studies within frameworks exemplified by institutions such as the European University Institute, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, and Politecnico di Milano.
The Master's degree is regulated by national laws including provisions from the Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca and statutory frameworks influenced by the Bologna Declaration and subsequent communiqués involving the European Higher Education Area, European Commission, European Higher Education Ministers, and agencies like the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education. Major universities offering the degree include the Università di Bologna, Sapienza – Università di Roma, Università degli Studi di Padova, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Università degli Studi di Milano, Università degli Studi di Torino, Università di Palermo, Università di Pisa, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and academies such as the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera.
Program structure follows the three-cycle model established after the Bologna Process: first-cycle Laurea (Italy), second-cycle Master's, third-cycle Dottorato di Ricerca. Typical duration is two years, totaling 120 ECTS credits, with variations for professional Laurea magistrale a ciclo unico in fields linked to institutions such as the Ordine degli Ingegneri, Consiglio Nazionale Forense, Ordine dei Medici Chirurghi e degli Odontoiatri and regulated professions. Technical and artistic programs may involve partnerships with polytechnics like the Politecnico di Torino and conservatories including the Conservatorio di Musica Santa Cecilia.
Admission generally requires a first-cycle degree (Laurea) from an Italian university or an equivalent qualification recognized under procedures coordinated by the Centro Nazionale di Credential Evaluation and university international offices. Entry may include assessment by departmental committees, reference to university statutes such as those at Università degli Studi di Genova, language certification from bodies like British Council or Instituto Cervantes for programs in English or Spanish, and recognition processes involving the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) Italy and consular authorities of the Italian Republic.
Curricula combine coursework, seminars, laboratory work, internships, and a final dissertation (tesi di laurea magistrale) evaluated by a commission appointed by departments such as Dipartimento di Informatica or Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche. Assessment uses ECTS and quality assurance through agencies like the Agenzia Nazionale di Valutazione del Sistema Universitario e della Ricerca and adheres to standards promoted by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Program examples span faculties in institutions such as Bocconi University, Università Luigi Bocconi, IUAV University of Venice, Scuola Sant'Anna, Università di Trento, Università di Siena, and professional schools like the Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna.
Successful graduates receive the title "Laurea magistrale" and may use academic abbreviations similar to those at Università Bocconi or Politecnico di Milano. Degrees in fields tied to regulated titles interact with professional bodies such as the Ordine degli Avvocati and Conferenza dei Rettori delle Università Italiane. Diplomas include information compatible with the Diploma Supplement format recommended by the European Commission and Council of Europe to facilitate international recognition.
Recognition for professional practice involves procedures with regulatory authorities like the Ministero della Salute for healthcare professions, the Ministero della Giustizia for legal professions, and sectoral orders including the Ordine degli Architetti Pianificatori Paesaggisti e Conservatori. Academic recognition for doctoral access is governed by university senate regulations and national frameworks exemplified by the Dottorato di Ricerca programs at the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Università di Milano-Bicocca, and international agreements with institutions such as the University of Oxford, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, Yale University, and University of California, Berkeley for joint or exchange initiatives.
The Master's degree in Italy is a cornerstone of mobility schemes like Erasmus Programme, Erasmus Mundus, Jean Monnet Programme, and bilateral agreements between universities such as Università di Padova with the University of California system and collaborations with the UNESCO and World Health Organization. The Bologna Process harmonization has enabled credit transfer, mutual recognition, and participation in networks including the European University Association, League of European Research Universities, Conférence des Présidents d'Université, and initiatives involving the Council of Europe and European Commission.