Final Exam

The final examination

In preparation for the final examination, the student independently undertakes the in-depth study and critical analysis of an advanced topic, choosing the most appropriate methods and techniques and drawing on the knowledge and skills acquired during the Master's Degree programme. The topic of the thesis is identified in collaboration with the supervisor, chosen by the student, who guides the work and the subsequent drafting of the manuscript. A referee is also appointed who reviews the thesis, takes part in its evaluation and attends the final defense. The final examination consists of the public presentation and discussion of a final thesis: on this occasion the student demonstrates their scientific maturity and their ability to understand and evaluate open problems in physics and its applied fields, to study independently, to deepen and organize the contents coherently and to present them clearly. The activity may also be carried out within a traineeship at other institutions or companies.

The final thesis documents the work carried out and reports its results. It is written and presented in English and must include a summary in Italian.

The final examination is worth 45 ECTS credits: 35 ECTS for the preparatory activity and 10 ECTS for the discussion of the thesis.

The discussion and the graduation session

The discussion takes place in a public session, in classroom C412 (block C) of the Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, in via Saragat 1, Ferrara, and lasts 20 minutes. Co-supervisors and referees are invited to join the committee for the discussion of their respective candidate's thesis.

Unless explicitly denied by the candidate, the presentations are subsequently published online on the website of the Master's Degree course in Physics.

After the proclamation, newly graduated students, relatives and friends are kindly asked not to linger noisily in the corridor, so as not to disturb the discussion of the next candidate.

Criteria and calculation of the final grade

A final grade out of 110, with the possibility of honors, is awarded for the final examination. The Graduation Committee assigns a score of up to 8 points, which is added to the candidate's weighted GPA, also expressed on a 110-point scale. The evaluation takes into account both the quality of the thesis and its presentation, and is based on the scientific maturity demonstrated by the candidate, on the basis of the results presented, and on the consistency between the expected and achieved learning objectives throughout the entire degree programme.

Honors (lode) are awarded unanimously and may only be granted when the candidate's weighted GPA exceeds 103.

Should the student have obtained, during their Master's career, 9 or more honors (lodi) and maintain a weighted average of 29 or higher, the Graduation Committee may award a Mention of Honor, in recognition of an academic path of particular excellence.

The final thesis is an opportunity to study an advanced topic independently, to explore it in depth and to organize its contents in a clear and well-structured text. It is advisable to arrange the work in sections and chapters that guide the reader from the context to the objectives, the methods and the conclusions, to always cite sources correctly, distinguishing the contributions of the literature from one's own elaborations, and to favor a rigorous yet clear style, taking care over the final revision. The thesis is written in English and must include a summary in Italian. A reference template is available for the title page (frontespizio): title page template.

The presentation should be prepared in electronic format, to be projected in the classroom. To ensure its legibility, it is preferable to use standard fonts, such as Arial or Times New Roman, and to take care of the contrast between text and background; it is also advisable to keep animations and effects to a minimum and, in graphs, to keep lines, points and colors clearly legible against the chosen background. Finally, it is recommended to save the presentation both in PowerPoint (.pptx) and PDF format on a USB drive, so that it can be uploaded without difficulty onto the computer available in the classroom.

All information on the documentation to be submitted and on the procedures for graduating is available on the University website, on the page Apply for graduation.

The dates and deadlines of the graduation sessions are published on the Graduation Session Noticeboard (Bacheca Appelli di Laurea).

Graduation sessions A.Y. 2025-26:

• July 23, 2026
• October 15, 2026
• December 17, 2026
• March 18, 2027