Classes

For UCSD students, you are required to take the Intensive Language Progam (ILP) for Pass/No Pass credit which can vary between 2-6 units of your choice. The classes at Bocconi mainly consist of Business, Economics and Law classes. It is important if you want to have your classes count for your major to keep in constant contact with your major department. At UCSD, the economics department is very good at letting you know if a class will count just by the course description (but no guarantees). I know other schools have issues with this, cause my fellow classmates experienced problems. But do not wait til after you get back to ask about classes, just cause you think it will count or there is a class like it at your school. It might not count for any number of reasons. An example at UCSD is there is a Marketing class under Economics that can be used for elective credit; however, the Marketing class at Bocconi would not count for it.

Classes generally meet twice a week for about an hour and twenty minutes. Some classes have mandatory attendance, some do not. You can take classes there as "Non-Attending" which I'm pretty sure UCSD frowns upon but you could technically not go to class and learn on your own. If you are attending, then there can be homework, but generally most classes just have a midterm and a final or just a final. The class teaching style is similar to that of the US, but there are some differences that you can't really explain but you have to experience.

Note: There is a 2 week break in the middle of the semester, so if you don't have any midterms that's two weeks of traveling, partying, whatever.

The class size is generally smaller than the size of a typical UC lecture. They run from about 20 students to at most a 100.

Typical classroom in the New Building

Finals

You have to register for your exams (for both midterms and finals). You can do this at the Punto Blu stations on campus or you can do it by accessing your Bocconi account. For international students, there is a special exam time for Fall students because Finals normally take place during January and February when most quarters and semesters at home universities already have started. There is an option to withdraw from an exam, generally during the beginning part of the exam where you can leave the test with no penalty and take it again another time. Normally this does not apply to International Students because you won't be able to fly back just for an exam, but it is technically possible. Be aware finals may fall during your other classes because classes continue even during the time you are taking finals.

Recommendation: For UC students, only classes that are on your Study List come back to California. Most people sign up for 6 classes and then put only 3 classes on their Study List. You will technically fail 3 classes but it will only be on Bocconi's record. So long as you don't plan on going back to Bocconi, you'll be fine.

Grades

Bocconi Grades to UC Grade Conversion

30 e lode A+

30 A

29 A

28 A-

27 A-

26 B+

25 B

24 B-

23 B-

22 C+

21 C

20 C

19 C- (Director determines letter grade)

18 D

17>= (Director determines letter grade)

For Pass/No Pass classes you need to obtain a C like at any UC, 20 or above.