CFUs measure the workload required of students, divided into lessons, exercises, laboratories, internships, and other recognized activities. One credit corresponds to 25 hours of overall effort; conventionally, 60 credits are obtained in one year. Knowledge and certified professional skills (such as those of a foreign language) can also be recognized as credits.

The Italian university system is structured into three cycles:

• the first cycle is the Laurea, a Bachelor's Degree course, which can be accessed with a high school diploma or a comparable foreign qualification. In this case, the courses last for three years, and to obtain the Bachelor's degree - and therefore the academic qualification of "Doctor" - you need to collect 180 CFUs (ECTS). Each exam taken in Italy, as well as in other European countries, corresponds to a number of CFUs (which can vary depending on the exam). Once you have earned the necessary credits and having completed all the curricular activities (such as exams, labs, curricular internships...), you will have to defend your dissertation. Only then, you can choose whether to move on to the next cycle or enter the workforce.
• With a high school diploma or a comparable foreign degree, you can also access the Single-Cycle Master's Degree programs, Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico (i.e. programs where the first and second cycle are integrated). This kind of program has a duration of 5 years - 300 CFU (as in the case of veterinary medicine, pharmacy, architecture, law, primary education sciences, conservation and restoration) or 6 years - 360 CFU (as in the case of medicine and dentistry). To get the degree, it is necessary to obtain the required CFUs (300 or 360) and to write and present a Single-Cycle Master's dissertation.
• The second cycle is the Laurea Magistrale, which correspond to a Master’s Degree, Access to Laurea Magistrale courses requires a 1st cycle degree or a comparable foreign degree. By attending this succession of studies, you can obtain a more specific and in-depth training, and therefore a higher qualification in the chosen subject. To achieve the title of "Dottore Magistrale," you will need to acquire 120 CFUs, obtained by passing all curricular exams and by presenting and defending a Laurea Magistrale dissertation.

The Laurea Magistrale and the Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico, provide access to the third cycle courses. The 3rd level of education includes Specializing Masters and Postgraduate Degree (PhD),

• The PhD (Dottorato di ricerca), Through these courses, that represent the highest level of university education, you can acquire the correct method for working in advanced scientific research. To be admitted to a PhD, you need a Laurea Magistrale or Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico (or a comparable foreign degree) and to pass an admission examination. The third cycle lasts at least 3 years, and the majority of these programs provide a monthly scholarship. At the end of this cycle of study, you will be required to develop an original research thesis and discuss it during the final exam in order to obtain the title of "Dottore di ricerca”.
• The Specializing Master, Its aim is to provide knowledge and skills and qualify people to perform highly qualified professional activities in the healthcare and veterinary fields, in the area of cultural heritage, and in the legal professions. To be admitted you need to have a Laurea Magistrale or Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico (or a comparable foreign degree) and the pass an exam. The duration of specialization courses varies, depending on the disciplinary sector, from a minimum of two years to a maximum of six years; the production of a final thesis is also expected.

Academies of Fine Arts, le Accademie di Belle Arti, offer courses in visual arts (painting, sculpture, decoration, and graphics), design and applied arts (set design, graphic design, fashion design, photography, restoration, and new art technologies), as well as communication and art teaching. All courses include a first and a second level, like universities (link), except for restoration courses, which are a single-cycle programs (five years) and courses that qualify for teaching (which are exclusively second level).

The Higher Schools of Design, Istituti Superiori per le Industrie Artistiche (ISIA), were the first institutions to deal with training in the design sector in general, for products, communication, graphics, and publishing, and they train professionals specialized in the research and design of objects and services with a theoretical practical, broad, and multidisciplinary vision. The teaching staff of the ISIA is mostly composed of professionals in their respective fields, and the training model follows the tradition of the great European design schools, from Bauhaus to the Ulm School, both renowned schools of graphic design and industrial design that made history. The academic diplomas issued by ISIA are equivalent to L4 degrees for the three-year period and LM12 for the two-year period.

State Conservatories of Music and legally recognized private Music Institutes offer courses in singing, instrument performance, musical composition, orchestra conducting, choir conducting, musical informatics, sound technicians, and music teacher training. The repertoire varies from classical music to jazz, contemporary music, pop, and ethnic music. An admission exam is required for all courses. In every conservatory, students participate in ensemble activities in various formations of different sizes: from duos to chamber ensembles, orchestra and choir. Production activities are a consequence of the didactic and research actions that are carried out during the programs. Ordinary courses in Music Therapy started as well, which have progressively increased from the year 2022-2023.

There is only one National Dance Academy in Italy located in Rome and it is divided into four schools: classical dance, contemporary dance, choreography and dance teaching. Passing an admission test is required to access.

There is also only one National Academy of Dramatic Art in Italy that trains actors and directors and awards university-level qualifications.

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