The Educational Model of the Luiss Graduate School
The Luiss Graduate School's educational model combines knowledge and skills to help students interpret complexity, make decisions, and navigate constantly changing environments.
Developed in close collaboration with businesses, institutions, and an international faculty, the Graduate programme combines academic rigour, personalised learning, digital technologies, and real-world experience.
Teaching, engagement with the professional world, and application in real-world contexts all contribute to building a profile that can evolve over time and make an impact.
SMART: The Five Pillars of the Educational Model
The learning journey in the Graduate School is guided by the SMART Educational Model, a teaching framework based on five key principles that inspire and inform the design of courses and educational activities.
| Student-Centricity | Multidisciplinarity | Academic Rigor | Readiness | Tech Enhancement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Personalised learning pathways, designed in line with each individual's goals, interests, and aspirations. | The integration of knowledge and perspectives from different disciplines to interpret and tackle complex challenges. | A solid academic foundation, complemented by innovative teaching methods to develop knowledge, analytical skills, and a methodical approach. | Applying knowledge and skills in real-world contexts to tackle complex and changing professional situations. | The targeted integration of digital technologies to enhance learning, experiment with new approaches, and develop skills for technology-driven professional contexts. |
Structure of the Graduate School's Degree Programmes
During their time at the Luiss Graduate School, students take part in courses structured around two key components: Core Activities, which provide a solid grounding in both academic and applied knowledge, and Bridge Activities, cross-disciplinary experiences designed as a direct "bridge" to the world of work.
Core Activities
BUILD, EXPLORE, and CREATE activities, which ensure a solid grounding in both theoretical and applied disciplines.
The programme establishes the academic foundations of the discipline and enables students to progressively develop advanced knowledge in their chosen area of specialisation.
Essentials
The Essentials modules provide the theoretical and methodological foundations of the degree programme, exploring the key concepts, frameworks, and analytical approaches of the discipline in depth. They are shared by students on the same degree programme.
Major
Where applicable, the Major sets out a pathway of advanced specialisation through courses focused on a specific subject area, enabling students to deepen their knowledge and skills in their chosen field.
Students have the opportunity to broaden their perspectives and tailor their educational path by exploring complementary disciplines and developing additional skills in line with their interests and professional goals.
Profile
Elective courses that enable students to supplement their curriculum with subjects complementary to their main field of study, fostering connections between different disciplines and helping them build a distinctive academic and professional profile.
The final stage of the training programme enables students to consolidate and apply the knowledge and skills they have developed throughout the programme.
Final Dissertation
The final assessment takes the form of an individual project, which culminates in the writing and presentation of a dissertation. This work enables students to explore a topic in depth using appropriate methodologies, developing research skills, critical analysis, and autonomy under the supervision of the faculty.
Field Experience
Internships and other field-based activities enable students to apply their knowledge and skills in professional settings, gain insight into how organisations operate, and strengthen the transition from academic study to the world of work.
Bridge Activities
A set of activities designed to enrich the academic experience by developing skills that are useful for navigating professional contexts.
Certificates are a distinctive feature of the Graduate School's educational model. Integrated into the curriculum, they allow students to choose two practically oriented pathways, co-designed and delivered in collaboration with Corporate and Institutional Partners. Each Certificate links academic knowledge, real-world business challenges, and direct engagement with professionals, fostering skills that complement subject-specific expertise and are applicable in evolving professional contexts. Upon completion of the activities, a digital certificate, notarised on the blockchain, is issued. This certificate attests to the skills acquired and can be shared on professional platforms such as LinkedIn.
- Life Skills: cognitive, interpersonal, and personal skills for navigating complexity and leading effectively in dynamic professional environments. These include critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, leadership, adaptability, creativity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to make ethical decisions.
- STEM Readiness: Digital and analytical skills for working in technology-driven environments, including AI literacy, data literacy, computational thinking, digital fluency, an understanding of technologies, and the ability to use emerging technologies.
- Career Path: Professional skills for entering the job market and progressing in your career, including career planning, personal branding, networking, interview techniques, professional communication, workplace readiness, and long-term employability.
An educational model for understanding complexity and driving change
A progressive learning journey
The Learning Journey in the Graduate School unfolds along a progressive academic and experiential path: from acquiring the knowledge and skills that underpin the students' chosen subject areas to increasingly advanced levels of specialisation, personalisation, and application.
During the first year, the programme consolidates subject-specific knowledge and introduces elements of personalisation and application through Majors (where available), Certificates, and various experiential activities.
In the second year, there is more scope for specialisation and for pursuing individual interests through optional courses, internships, and research activities, which helps facilitate the transition from study to professional practice. The programme is enhanced by ongoing opportunities for career guidance and for taking part in a variety of international experiences.
A strong foundation of subject knowledge, practical skills, hands-on experience, and professional connections all come together to build a robust profile, ready to take on global and ever-changing contexts.
Learning beyond the classroom
At the Luiss Graduate School, learning also takes place through direct engagement with companies, institutions, and professionals.
Company projects, challenge-based learning, simulations, collaborations with businesses, international experiences, guest lectures, and company visits enable students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems and contexts, including through discussions with alumni and professionals.
The continuous interplay between knowledge and application enables you to put what you have learned to the test, develop decision-making skills, and interpret complex professional situations.
Academic Regulations
Rules applicable to students enrolled from the 2025–2026 academic year onwards
The Graduate School model combines academic rigour, active participation, and continuous learning. Assessment takes place throughout the semester through participation in lectures, Continuous Assessment, and examinations.
Attendance is a fundamental component of the Graduate School programme.
Without prejudice to the obligation set out in the University's Academic Regulations, students are considered:
- Students who attend, with active participation in at least 70% of the lectures.
- Non-compliant, with an attendance rate of less than 70%.
- Exempt from the attendance requirement in the following cases: documented health conditions, documented professional commitments – including internships –, competitive sports activities recognised by the University, or participation in international mobility programmes.
The assessment measures learning over the course of the semester and the achievement of the intended learning outcomes for each module.
For students who attend classes, the final grade is made up of:
- Continuous Assessment – 1/3 of the final grade. This encompasses activities carried out during the semester, which may include individual or group assessments, presentations, project work, or other activities specified in the course. Participation is compulsory, and the marks awarded cannot be declined.
- Final examination – 2/3 of the final grade. It may take the form of a written test, an oral test, or a written test followed by an oral test. The mark awarded cannot be declined.
For students who are non-compliant or who have been formally exempted from the attendance requirement, the grade is based solely on a final examination, which accounts for 100% of the assessment and covers additional learning outcomes.
If a student is absent from or withdraws from a single Continuous Assessment test, that test will be marked as 0 and will be included in the calculation of the final grade.
The specific arrangements for each course are set out in the relevant syllabus.
For each course, the following are provided:
- Two exam sittings in the session immediately following the semester in which the course is taught.
- One exam sitting in each subsequent session (retake session).
If an exam is taken during a retake session, the results of the Continuous Assessment are no longer valid. The final grade is therefore based entirely (100%) on the final exam and cannot be declined.
Students cannot refuse the grade they receive in the Continuous Assessment and/or the final exam.
However, it is possible to withdraw from an exam before the final grade has been formally communicated, in accordance with the following procedures:
- Oral examination: students may withdraw from the examination until the lecturer has communicated the final grade.
- Written examination: students may withdraw at any point during the examination, up until it concludes.
- Written examination followed by an oral examination: students may withdraw either during the written examination or during the oral examination, provided that the final grade has not yet been communicated. If a student withdraws during the oral examination, the result of the written examination will not remain valid for subsequent examination sessions.
Students enrolled in years subsequent to the first year in the academic year 2025–2026 will continue to follow the academic rules that were in force at the time of their initial enrolment, except for courses required to make up academic deficiencies if these courses are offered again in the academic years 2025–2026 or 2026–2027.
Students taking part in transfer pathways or international programmes, including Double Degrees and other structured partnerships, follow the rules applicable to the academic year in which the course is delivered.
