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Academics

Fields of Study: Social Sciences

At Bocconi University, you can take university courses taught in English that focus on business and economics in a global context. The university has excellent course offerings in accounting, decision sciences, finance, law, marketing, management, policy analysis, and public management. It is also a great option for anyone double majoring in political science and economics.

Unique study opportunities

  • Live and learn in downtown Milan, the heart of commerce, finance, and arts in northern Italy.
  • Access courses in innovative areas such as management of arts, culture, and communication and international institutions management.

Language

Language of Instruction: English, Italian

Italian Language Study: Required during ILP and optional during term

Courses are available in English and Italian. If you have completed two years of university-level Italian before departure, or equivalent, you can take some or all of your courses in Italian.

Intensive Language Program

This program begins with a two-week intensive language program (ILP) from beginning to advanced levels to help you get familiar with the Italian language and academic culture at your knowledge level. 

Fall and Spring Semester

Throughout the term, you may be able to continue Italian language study by enrolling in a continuation of the Italian Follow-Up Course. This course is not considered an academic course and does not offer UC credit. It is offered in the evenings and comes with a certificate of participation for attending at least 75% of the classes.

Courses and credit

Requirements While Abroad

To successfully complete this program:

  • Take a full-time course of study:
    • One course during the mandatory ILP for 4 quarter/2.7 semester UC units, pass/no pass only.
    • Three to four courses for a total of 18-24 quarter/12-16 semester UC units per semester; courses are worth 6 quarter/4 semester units each.
  • You can take one course per semester pass/no pass.

Current Program Courses

Bocconi University offers courses in English in their Economics, Management, Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Law, Decision Sciences, and Social and Political Sciences Departments.

Most courses on this program are at the upper-division level. Before you enroll in courses, review the prerequisites for all courses to ensure that you have the appropriate background.

Research and independent study are typically not available on this program.

MBA Students:

As a UCEAP exchange student, you will be placed in a Master of Science (MSc) program. There are no MBA courses available, you will enroll in MSc Business courses.

Catalogs and resources

To see the classes available at this university, use the following resources:

  • Bocconi University Course Catalog: Follow these instructions to search the course catalog for courses taught in English and in Italian.
  • UCEAP Course Catalog: See a list of courses UC students have taken on this program. This is not a current representation of course offerings on this program. Reference the above link to review recent course offerings. 
  • Campus Credit Abroad: Learn the types of credit (major, minor, general education, elective) students from your campus received at this location.

Academic culture

The University of Commerce Luigi Bocconi is a rigorous university. You can expect the workload to be comparable to work at UC, with a significant amount of time required for studying.

At the start of the term, professors may hand out detailed syllabi and reading lists. Many professors also provide readers with important articles and excerpts. In order to ensure you get the appropriate UC credit for the coursework you take abroad, it is critical that you retain all such information, as well as lecture notes and any papers or projects you produce for your courses.

Exams

Final exams cover the entire semester’s work and are mostly written. Listen closely at the Bocconi orientation for information on signing up for exams, as following the university’s procedure is critical to your success.

There is a special exam period at the end of the fall semester created specifically for international students that runs from mid-to-late December and will allow you to return to your home campus in time for the winter quarter or spring semester. 

There are two exam periods at the end of the spring semester. You can choose to take your exams in the first period which runs from mid-to-late May, or you can choose to take your exams in the second period which runs from early to late June.

Grades

You will earn direct UC credit and grades for all coursework. Grades for the fall semester are typically available by March and grades for the spring semester are typically available by September.

Tip: If you intend to put yourself on your campus degree list for graduation while on UCEAP, consult your campus advisors before departure about possible delays in the degree verification process.