Final Examination (Thesis)

The final examination (degree thesis) is the result of a project, preferably individual, or carried out by a maximum of two candidates. It consists of a presentation before a committee appointed by the Study Programme, illustrating an original work developed by the candidate, related to one of the numerous fields of application within industrial design competencies. The thesis topic must be agreed upon with a faculty member (Supervisor) who accepts the responsibility of supervising the thesis.

Procedures and instructions for REGISTRATION for the degree thesis

Guidelines for the Final Examination

The Final Examination aims to assess the graduating student's critical capacity, acquired communication skills, mastery of the knowledge provided by the educational path, and the ability to apply this knowledge to innovative projects and research within the Textile and Fashion Design sectors, as well as to manage specialized and complex competencies. These abilities must be demonstrated through the presentation, discussion, and illustration of a degree thesis originally developed by the student, concerning a design or critical path on a specialized topic traceable to one or more fields of application of the competencies learned during the course of study. The degree thesis, which is the result of work to be carried out individually or by a maximum of two candidates, must be presented before a committee appointed by the course of study, illustrating an original work developed by the candidate.

The thesis is normally written in Italian. It may be written in another European language, subject to authorization by the Study Programme (CdS) Board, provided that the thesis supervisor is proficient in the foreign language chosen by the student. However, a thesis written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a summary in Italian.

To be admitted to the final degree examination, the student must have completed all university credits (CFU/ECTS) related to the disciplines included in the degree course, with the exception of the credits assigned to the final examination itself.

Requests to modify the study plan cannot be submitted either simultaneously with or after the thesis application. Before submitting the thesis application, students must ensure that their final and definitive study plan has been approved.

The graduation application can only be submitted if the student has no more than 12 CFU (ECTS) left to acquire, excluding the credits for the final examination. If these conditions are not met, the application will not be considered.

Supervisor (Relatore)

The thesis topic must be agreed upon with a faculty member who takes on the responsibility of the Supervisor (Relatore). There is only one official Supervisor, who must be a tenured professor, researcher, or contract lecturer of the Degree Programme (in the current or previous academic year). The supervisor may be assisted by one or more co-supervisors (correlatori) or by "experts" on specific topics, who may also be external to the School or University.

Please note: Students who choose a supervisor from another study programme within the University must present their thesis topic to the Study Programme (CdS) Board for approval at least 90 days prior to the thesis defense session.

Degree Examination

The examination consists of presenting the following materials, to be agreed upon with the supervisor:

• A thesis book containing the entire research and design process related to the degree thesis, along with relevant sources.
• A summary presentation of the thesis (digital, video, and/or hard copy).
• A summary deliverable: poster, prototypes, video, etc. (optional).

At the supervisor's discretion, the presentation may be integrated with technical drawings, booklets, research documents, models, etc. The written report consists of a detailed critical text aimed at documenting the entire process, research phases, design, and production of the degree thesis. In addition to including relevant sources and bibliographical references, it must demonstrate that the project is the result of in-depth research and that its execution allowed the student to apply and test the skills acquired during the course of study.

The work must demonstrate the student's maturity both in the methodological approach to the project and in the acquisition of the technical and cultural tools specific to the Study Programme. The student must provide the Committee with at least one (1) copy of the thesis book, in addition to any extra copies requested by the supervisor. In the case of theses carried out in pairs, the contribution of each individual candidate must be clear and explicitly stated.

Obligations of the Graduating Student

The final thesis is the result of the student's personal work. Students are required to use sources correctly, citing them adequately within the text and in the final bibliography. In cases where plagiarism is detected, disciplinary actions may be taken against the student, without prejudice to civil and criminal liability arising from personal conduct. Graduating students must submit their application for registration for the Final Examination in accordance with the procedures and deadlines set by the University.

Evaluation and Calculation of the Final Graduation Grade

The following criteria contribute to the evaluation of the final examination:

• The weighted average score, expressed out of 110, of the grades obtained in individual exams (how the average is calculated);
• The evaluation of the final examination (relating both to the overall preparation demonstrated during the defense and to the quality of the thesis and its presentation) assigned by the Graduation Committee, expressed with a score ranging from 0 to 8 points (out of 110).

This sum will be rounded to the nearest whole number (0.50 rounds up to 1.00) and capped at 110. The minimum passing grade for graduation is always 66.

The Graduation Committee may also award honors (lode). The lode (cum laude), which can also be proposed by the Supervisor, signifies a special appreciation by the Graduation Committee for the preparation and maturity achieved by the student, for their brilliant academic record (curriculum studiorum), as well as for the style of delivery, argumentation skills, and the quality and originality of the degree thesis. Honors (lode) can only be awarded if the score calculated before rounding is greater than or equal to 111 points. The lode is awarded by the unanimous decision of the members of the Graduation Committee.

Please Note:

• Requests to modify the study plan cannot be submitted either simultaneously with or after the thesis application. Before submitting the thesis application, students must ensure that their final and definitive study plan has been approved.
• The graduation application can only be submitted if the student has no more than 12 CFU (ECTS) left to acquire, excluding the credits for the final examination. If these conditions are not met, the application will not be considered.
• Conduct of the Final Examination: Final examination committees consist of at least three faculty members for Bachelor's degrees (lauree) and at least seven faculty members for Master's degrees (lauree magistrali/specialistiche). The grading is expressed out of 110.
• Calculation of the Weighted Average: This refers to the sum of the products of each exam grade multiplied by its corresponding credits (CFU/ECTS), divided by the total number of credits. Honors obtained in individual exams (lodi) are not taken into account for this calculation.