Courses available to international students on semester, year-abroad or full exchange programmes. Visiting students choose from the International Curriculum (English-taught) and, with sufficient language proficiency, the Academic Curriculum (Italian-taught). All courses award ECTS credits and a Unicollege transcript.
International Curriculum (English)
English-taught courses open to all incoming students. No Italian language prerequisite is required. Courses are grouped thematically and map to the academic areas of our degree programmes.
| Course | Area | ECTS | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Language & Culture (A1–B2) | Languages | 6 | All levels |
| Made in Italy: Fashion & Luxury | Business | 6 | Intermediate |
| Heritage & Cultural Tourism | Humanities | 6 | Intermediate |
| International Affairs & Diplomacy | Political Science | 6 | Intermediate |
| Marketing Communications | Business | 6 | Intermediate |
| Italian Cinema & Society | Humanities | 6 | Intermediate |
| European Union Politics | Political Science | 6 | Advanced |
| Introduction to Criminology | Applied / Legal | 6 | Intermediate |
| Sustainability & Italian Gastronomy | Humanities | 6 | Intermediate |
| Translation & Intercultural Communication | Languages | 6 | Advanced |
| International Business Strategy | Business | 6 | Advanced |
| History of Italian Art: Renaissance to Baroque | Humanities | 6 | All levels |
Italian Language & Culture
Students are placed after a short entry test. Classes cover grammar, conversation and cultural content; B1 and B2 streams integrate Italian press and current-affairs discussion.
Made in Italy: Fashion & Luxury
An integrated look at how Italian fashion and luxury brands are built, scaled and protected. Case studies span heritage brands and emerging labels. Company visits are scheduled in Milano.
Heritage & Cultural Tourism
Examines how Italy's UNESCO-rich territories design, market and protect heritage tourism. Topics include over-tourism, digital promotion and community-based models.
International Affairs & Diplomacy
The institutions, tools and professional practice of contemporary diplomacy. Students complete a negotiation simulation and a policy brief on an assigned country dossier.
Marketing Communications
From strategy to channel mix: brand positioning, integrated campaigns, content marketing and measurement. Teams build a full communications plan for an assigned Italian brand.
Italian Cinema & Society
Neorealism to contemporary auteurs. Weekly screenings with critical readings; students write a short comparative essay on two films of their choice.
European Union Politics
Institutions, policy-making and current debates in the EU: single market, migration, climate policy, enlargement. Culminates in a simulated Council of the EU negotiation.
Introduction to Criminology
Core theories of crime and deviance, the Italian criminal justice system, forensic science basics, and investigative methods, with a field visit to the Carabinieri Scientific Investigations Department.
Sustainability & Italian Gastronomy
Terroir, Slow Food, protected designations, and the sustainability debates shaping Italian food chains. Includes tastings and producer visits in Piemonte and Toscana.
Translation & Intercultural Communication
Translation theory and practice across English and Italian, with a focus on cultural transfer, register and style. Weekly translation workshops and a short portfolio project.
International Business Strategy
Competitive analysis, internationalisation strategy, and cross-border partnerships, with Italian and European case studies. Culminates in a group consulting project.
History of Italian Art
A Renaissance-to-Baroque survey delivered partly in situ in Firenze and Mantova. Students keep a visual journal and write a short analytical essay on a chosen work.
Academic Curriculum (Italian)
Italian-taught courses drawn from our regular degree programmes. Open to exchange and free-mover students with B2 or higher Italian proficiency. Course numbering refers to the Italian degree-class system (LM, L, etc.). Workloads align with Italian degree courses (6 to 9 ECTS).
| Corso | Area | ECTS | Sede |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linguistica Italiana | L-12 | 9 | Milano / Mantova |
| Interpretazione Consecutiva (EN<>IT) | LM-94 | 9 | Milano |
| Criminologia Forense | Applied | 6 | Torino |
| Marketing Strategico | Business | 6 | Milano |
| Diritto Internazionale | LM-52 | 6 | Milano |
| Storia della Lingua Italiana | L-10 | 6 | Firenze |
| Comunicazione Istituzionale | Business | 6 | Milano |
| Letteratura Italiana Moderna | L-10 | 6 | Firenze |
| Psicologia Investigativa | Applied | 6 | Torino |
All Italian-taught courses require presentation of a B2-level Italian language certificate at application, or a successful placement test during orientation week.
Course Load & Grading
- Full-time visiting students take 24–30 ECTS per semester (4 to 5 courses).
- Year-long visiting students take 50–60 ECTS.
- Italian degree students follow their home programme load.
- Grading uses the Italian 30-point scale (18 = pass, 30 = excellent, 30 e lode = excellent with distinction). Conversion tables to US letter grades and ECTS grade distributions are published on the Grade Conversion page.
Language of Instruction & Placement
Every incoming student takes an Italian placement test during orientation week, regardless of the language of the chosen courses. Students enrolled in Italian-taught courses must demonstrate B2 reading and listening competence; those enrolled only in English-taught courses still receive a short Italian-for-daily-life module included in the Italian Language & Culture course.
Change of Enrolment
Course changes are possible during the first two weeks of the semester, subject to availability and to the visiting student's learning agreement with the home institution. Requests are submitted through the International Office in writing.
Plan with your home advisor. Before finalising your course list, confirm credit recognition with the international office at your home university. The Learning Agreement page explains the process in detail.
Questions about a specific course?
Detailed syllabi — with weekly topics, readings, assessments and the language of instruction — are available from the International Office. Final course availability for each academic year is confirmed six weeks before the start of the semester.