To be admitted to the final degree examination, students must have earned all the credits required by the degree programme regulations, with the exception of those awarded for the final examination. They must also be up to date with the payment of university fees and have obtained approval from their thesis supervisor.

The subject area in which students intend to write their thesis must be included, unless an exception is authorised by the Degree Programme Board, among the courses listed in their approved study plan. Adjunct lecturers may act as thesis supervisors only if a professor of the School agrees to take over the supervision should the adjunct lecturer’s contract with the School come to an end.

The final examination of the Master’s degree programme in Politics, Institutions and Markets is designed to assess the student’s maturity, independence and ability to carry out original, high-quality work. Its purpose is to demonstrate the skills acquired during the degree programme through the in-depth study of a specific topic, applying theoretical knowledge, research methods, data and source analysis and, where appropriate, comparative approaches.

The final examination is worth 15 ECTS credits, with the possibility of being divided into 9+6 ECTS credits, where the 6 credits may correspond to an internship in preparation for the thesis or to thesis preparation abroad.

The final examination consists of the preparation of a thesis written independently by the student under the guidance of a lecturer responsible for one of the courses included in the student’s study plan. If the thesis work is carried out externally, at a company or institution as part of a thesis-related internship, the university supervisor may be supported by an external expert acting as tutor.

In the thesis, students must demonstrate command of the subject, independent judgement, research skills and an appropriate level of communication. The thesis may be written in English, particularly when the work has been developed as part of an internationalisation programme.

The thesis is assessed through a public discussion before a committee composed of faculty members from the Degree Programme and the “Cesare Alfieri” School of Political Science. During the discussion, students must present their work, demonstrate competence in the topic addressed and answer the committee’s questions.

Further information