During the development of Study Programme, the students will get the chance to take part in different academic activities. The activities organised by the Accademia pursue different goals through different methods: this section of the Handbook intends to lay out their main aspects.

The first division under the academic activities is defined by the Ministerial Regulations, that divide teachings between theoretical and cognitive-practical. Theoretical courses mainly focus on historical, critical, or theoretical subjects - such as History of art, Semiotics, Cultural Anthropology, etc. In general, these courses are held as lectures, where the professors cover complex topics encouraging discussions and/or research also after the class itself. In accordance with the ministerial dispositions, 1 credit (Credito Formativo Accademico, CFA=ECTS) is granted every 6-8 hours of theoretical teaching.

The cognitive-practical courses, that make up the majority of the classes, combine similar theoretical elements to a strongly project-oriented approach. Subjects such as Design, Project Methodology, Direction, Art direction, etc. are taught through project-based classroom work. Mostly, the professors introduce a topic or theme with a brief theoretical presentation, and spend the rest of the time revising the ongoing projects. For this reason, cognitive-practical based classes are often longer, and 1 CFA is granted every 10-12 hours of teaching.

Given this preliminary remark, regardless to the kind of teaching, each professor, in agreement with the Course Leader, will choose the most suitable activities for their classes, alternating the following ones.

This is probably the best-known and most common activity. During a lecture, the professor presents different topics under a theoretical, historical, conceptual, critical or reflective perspective. It usually covers theoretical content, and the students’ contribution can be requested in a subsequent discussion/analysis phase. Lectures require great efforts on the professor’s side, both for the preparation and for the delivery of the class, but also great concentration on the students’ side. For this reason, lectures are usually short, and the professor normally allows a break - especially if the class is over 1,5 - 2 hours long. Lectures are very common for theoretical teachings, but are also used in cognitive-practical courses.

Exercises and revisions are, on the other hand, the most common activities in cognitive-practical courses. Exercises consist in project activities to let the students experience some specific aspects of the professions they are studying for. They can be limited to one class, or carry on over more classes depending on their complexity. On the most advanced courses, the students develop actual, complex projects that often span over the entire semester.

Alongside the exercises you will always see revisions, that is the checking on the ongoing work by the professor. During a revision, the professor observes the work of individual students or groups (in case of team work) and gives them advice, feedbacks and support, guiding them towards the goal of their projects. While the professor is busy assisting a student or group, the others keep working until their turn comes. In a class, a professor can carry out one or more revisions, depending on individual necessities.

It is well-known that some theoretical skills, in particular the ones involving analytical and critical abilities, can better develop when the students’ participation is active. Engagement can take place in different ways, such as discussions, presentations and peer assessment. It is very important for the students to learn and take part in these activities - a fundamental part of the learning process - and to do their best in terms of quantity and quality of their contribution. Courses that involve high levels of participation often see among their assessment criteria the students’ engagement in the activities - penalizing the ones who don’t actively participate.

In some cases, especially in courses that use software applications, professors rely on multimedia supporting materials. Such materials can be produced by the professors themselves or otherwise acquired, often online or from the software manufacturers themselves, who often provide video tutorials. In other cases, students might be requested to view films, documentaries, fashion shows, advertisement, theatre plays or performances on multimedia supports.

Viewing the materials recommended by the professors is fundamental to follow and profitably take part to the didactic activities, and should be done by the deadline given by the professors, without delay.

Some classes are held in specific laboratories because they involve the use of dedicated areas and machinery. During laboratory classes, it is very important for all the students to keep a safe attitude, avoiding all potentially hazardous behaviours. Some of the machinery is for industrial use and requires the use of personal protective equipment. It is absolutely mandatory to abide by the teachers’ and laboratory technical staff directions.

This kind of activity consists in meetings with artists, professionals or industry representatives of national and international prominence. This kind of lectures are excellent occasions to listen to first-hand testimony of artistic and/or professional careers, and to ask questions to important personalities in the field of interest.

The meetings can be organized during or outside curricular hours. In any case, some previous preparation is advisable: finding information about the lecturers, their work and their methods allows to ask consistent questions and make the most out of the opportunity.

On some occasions, NABA organises series of intensive workshops around transversal topics. These workshops usually span over two-four days, reflect the multidiscipline character of the Department and are organised so that the students can gather experience in fields that are not necessarily linked to their main discipline. Strongly, but not exclusively, project-oriented, these intensive workshops can be held during the week or at weekends, admissions are limited and require previous signing-up. Work teams are usually very small, in order to allow a very intensive development of the activities. Several sessions are organised throughout the year, usually in November and July.

For further information: workshop.naba.it or IG: matterofidentity

Studying in a city such as Milan enables a plunge in many creative industries, and professors might organise trips or visits related to the professional field of interest. For example, to museums, art galleries, companies, places of architectural interest, etc. Preparation for field trips is recommended, as researching about the destination place enables the students to make the most out of the experience.

A relevant part of the learning activity is carried out outside class hours. In particular, but not only, theoretical courses require a more in-depth study of the covered topics through individual or group study and research. What professors explain during their lectures is only a small part of what is needed in order to master the subjects and, consequently, score high at the exams. Students who limit their work to repeating what they have heard in class don’t show suitable levels of preparation.

The need for individual work is also reflected in the ratio between classroom hours/CFA of the theoretical courses. According to the european standard university regulations, one CFA corresponds to about 20-25 total hours of work. The ministerial regulation recommends to spend 6-8 out of these 20-25 hours in class, leaving the rest for individual research and study.

Beside a certain amount of individual study and research, cognitive-practical subjects require time to carry on the work started in class. In this kind of activity, the time spent in class with the teacher is longer than in the theoretical courses - about 10-12 hours per CFA -, so the time to be accounted for in order to carry on projects and in-depth study is about 10-15 hours per CFA.

The Departments encourage individual revision or tutoring in case of necessity. The majority of the professors, in particular the core faculty, is available upon appointment to further support the students who need it, and among the tasks of the Academic Assistant there is support to the students in project-related activities. Students who need an appointment with the faculty are kindly invited to contact their professor or Academic Assistant via e-mail.

Students also have the opportunity to carry out elective activities that are labelled as “other”, and obtain extra CFAs. These activities can include include the participation to online courses which are coherent with the topics of the programme of the Master of Arts, the participation to workshops or extra-curricular events, such as conferences, trade fairs, conventions, as well as work experiences, projects, internships, professional experiences.

The fundamental condition is for these activities to represent an occasion for learning and training. It is recommended to check the eligibility of the activities for the acknowledgement of credits in advance.

NABA has adopted a system of hybrid (or remote) teaching and learning based on the integration of different digital platforms and applications. All of them can be reached by a unique Onelogin access portal. Since several years ago, NABA has been equipped with a Learning Management platform called Blackboard. Thanks to the platform the Academy can structure the main framework of its courses - contents, calendars, programs, contacts with lecturers - in blended mode, that is in a combination of traditional classroom activities and more innovative practices of Digital Teaching and Learning. Classes, exams and Diploma Sessions are supported by Zoom. This specific part of the educational programme depends, for each course, on the learning goals and on the typology of the course itself (theoretical, project-based, lab), as well as on the national and regional laws to which the Academy needs to comply.