THIRD CYCLE: Only those students who have successfully obtained the Licentiate degree with an overall minimum grade of 8.5/10 may register in the Third Cycle. The grade point average of the Licentiate is based on the exams and the seminars of the second cycle, the thesis and the De universo Iure Licence comprehensive exam. Potential students in the Third Cycle also have to prove their capability to carry out research and to produce a scientific piece of work. The Dean will decide, case by case, who is entitled to register in the third cycle. Students coming from other universities will have to provide all the documentation proving they have all the necessary academic requirements for admission. Once accepted, the student can register for the course (please consult the faculty for information on registration formalities).
During the first semester, students follow courses that go into more detail on specific questions. They will have to choose a subject and present it to the professor who will be their Moderator. The Moderator will help the student to prepare a paper of at least ten pages (thesis project), in which they will briefly explain their personal and scientific reasons for their choice of topic. This is the Status Quaestionis: i.e. the topic of the thesis, the methodology that will be adopted and the bibliography that will be used for the work.
The thesis project will be delivered to the Secretary of the Faculty along with the application form that has to be filled out and signed both by the student and by the Moderator. Then the thesis project should be presented to the Office of the Dean (please consult the Faculty for information on how to proceed).
Once approved, the thesis project will be valid for five years. If the student does not complete his/her thesis or the defense within this time limit, the work already produced will no longer be valid and the student will have to restart his or her project, or modify the previous one (please consult the Faculty for information on how to proceed).
In this case, the student will have only to pay the required fees and receive the PLACET of the Dean.
Once the thesis project is approved, the student will start writing his or her dissertation (please consult the Faculty for information on how to proceed).
At the completion of the writing of the thesis, in order to defend it the student needs to pay the exam fees, fill out the appropriate form and deposit it in the Faculty Secretariat. He must also present three copies of the doctoral thesis duly bound in compliance with the instructions of the Secretary General of the University. Within a week of filling out the form and the delivery of the thesis the date will be scheduled for the defence and duly communicated to all interested parties. It is obligatory that there be an interval period of one month from the filing of the form and the defence of the thesis.