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Academics

Field of Study: Social Sciences

Immerse yourself in regular University of Padua courses taught in English at the bachelor and master's degree levels. Courses are especially suited to students advanced in their major.

Unique Study Opportunities

  • Explore psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience courses taught in English at the top university in Italy for psychology.
  • Take an Italian language course to help you integrate into the local culture.

Language

Language of Instruction: English, Italian

Italian Language Study: Optional

You have the option to take an Italian language course at the University of Padua Language Centre during the semester. This course is graded pass/no pass only. The University of Padua Language Centre limits exchange students to enrolling in one Italian course per year. If you participate in the year program, you may only take one Italian language course during one of your semesters.

Most psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience courses are taught in English. If you have two or more years of Italian language study and enough background knowledge in the course's subject area, you may be able to enroll in Italian-taught psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience courses as well as courses in other fields.

Courses and Credit

Requirements While Abroad

To successfully complete this program: 

  • Take a full-time course of study:
    • With the optional Italian language course: a minimum of 18.5 quarter/12.3 semester UC units for the semester.
    • Without the optional Italian language course: a minimum of 19.5 quarter/12.9 semester UC units for the semester.
  • Take at least two courses in the field of psychology, cognitive science, and/or neuroscience per semester.
  • You may take one course per semester pass/no pass (in addition to the Italian language course).

Current Program Courses

You will take courses in psychology, cognitive science, and/or neuroscience. Select from courses including social psychology, genes and behavior, cognitive science, neurology, and more. Courses in other fields are also available during the year and spring if you have a strong academic background in the subject.

As a UCEAP student you can enroll in bachelor's (Laurea / First Cycle Degrees) or master's (Laurea Magistrale / Second Cycle Degrees) level courses. Master's courses are at an advanced level and are cataloged as upper-division undergraduate credit; you should have a strong background in your field of study in order to be successful in these courses.

Most courses will be upper-division, however, there may be a few lower-division introductory level courses.

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

Graduate Students

Graduate students studying abroad through UCEAP at the University of Padua will earn undergraduate credit for any master level coursework taken on the program.

Catalogs and Resources

  • University of Padua Course Catalog: Follow these instructions for browsing English-taught courses at the University of Padua.
  • UCEAP Course Catalog: See a list of courses students have taken on this program. This is not a current representation of course offerings on this program. Reference the above links 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. There are currently no listings for this program in the database.

Academic Culture

Italian bachelor's degree programs are split into a three-year introductory program, Laurea Triennale or First Cycle Degree, followed by an optional and more specialized two-year program, Laurea Magistrale or Second Cycle Degree, which is similar to a master's program in the US. Many courses taught in English are at the advanced Laurea Magistrale level, so you should have a strong academic background in psychology, cognitive science, or neuroscience to study in Padua.

Exams

Most classes at Padua do not have written assignments throughout the semester, therefore your performance is often graded only on the final exam. You will need to maintain self-discipline and work regularly, pacing yourself throughout the term.

Course examinations can be written exams, oral exams, or both.

Grades

You will earn direct UC credit and grades for all coursework.

Grades for the fall semester are typically available by early April and grades for the spring semester are typically available by late 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.