Study regulations/faculty of sciences

Internal obligations (SNS)
Study plan and courses

Students are required to follow the lessons, practice exercises and workshops relating to the internal courses envisaged by their study plan. They are also required to pass the related examinations by 31 October 2024 which, although they may envisage mid-year tests, consist of a single exam date. In the tests students must obtain a grade of at least 24/30 in each test.

Subject Areas and Compulsory Courses

CHEMISTRY AND GEOLOGY

1st year
Complements of classical mechanics and thermodynamics
Seminars on the frontiers of chemistry
Complements of Mathematics (for Chemistry and Biology students) 

2nd year
Classical electrodynamics I and II
Mathematics for Biology and Chemistry students
Complements of Chemical Physics 

3rd year
Theoretical Chemistry 1
Molecular Spectroscopy

4th and 5th years
Two courses (for a total of at least 80 hours, consisting of one or more modules) chosen from:
- internal courses foreseen in the syllabus for the third, fourth and fifth years of the course (or for PhD courses) in the subject area Chemistry and Geology;
- internal courses foreseen in the syllabus for the third, fourth and fifth years of a different area.
- upon motivated request, one exam out of the four that are required for the two-year period may be chosen from within the teaching syllabus of the master's and PhD courses of the University of Pisa.
During the two-year period, at least one course of a subject area other than Chemistry and Geology must be chosen from the syllabus.
 
PHYSICS

1st year

Complements of classical mechanics and thermodynamics
Complements of mathematics (for Mathematics and Physics students) 
 
2nd year
Classical electrodynamics I and II
Complex analysis and surface theory I 

3rd year
Quantum mechanics
Statistical Physics
A 20-hour module of choice 

4th and 5th years
Students admitted at the first year: For each year, two courses (for a total of at least 80 hours, consisting of one or more modules) must be chosen among those included in the internal syllabus (including postgraduate courses) and in the syllabus relating to the master’s and doctorate degree courses offered by the University of Pisa and of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. During the two-year period at least two of the four courses must be chosen from within the internal syllabus of the undergraduate Physics course.
Students admitted at the fourth year: For each year, two courses (for a total of at least 80 hours, consisting of one or more modules) must be chosen among those included in the internal syllabus (including postgraduate courses). During the two-year period at least one course must be chosen from within the internal syllabus of a disciplinary area different from that of Physics and at least two of the four courses must be chosen from within the internal syllabus of the undergraduate Physics course.

MATHEMATICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

1st year
Complements of classical mechanics and thermodynamics
Complements of mathematics (for students of Mathematics and Physics) 
 
2nd year
Classical electrodynamics I
Complex analysis and surface theory I and II 

3rd year
Elliptical and modular functions
Theory of information

4th and 5th years
Students admitted to the first year: for each year, two courses (for a total of at least 80 hours, consisting of one or more modules) must be chosen among those envisaged by the internal syllabus (including postgraduate courses) and from the syllabus of the master’s degree course and doctorate degree offered by the University of Pisa and by the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. During the two-year period at least two of the four courses must be chosen from within the internal syllabus.
Students admitted to the fourth year: for each year, two courses (for a total of at least 80 hours, consisting of one or more modules) must be chosen among those envisaged by the internal syllabus (including postgraduate courses). During the two-year period at least one course must be chosen from within the internal syllabus of a disciplinary area different from their study course of appurtenance.

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

1st year
Biology seminar
Complements of mathematics (for Chemistry and Biology students)

2nd year
Biology laboratory I
Complements of Physics for Biology students
Mathematics for Biology and Chemistry students

3rd year
Introductory quantum physics
Thermodynamics and statistical physics
Neurophysiology OR Bioinformatics
Biology laboratory II

4th and 5th years
For each year, two courses (for a total of at least 80 hours, consisting of one or more modules) must be chosen as a rule from among all the internal courses offered.

MATERIALS AND NANOTECHNOLOGIES
For each academic year, two courses (for a total of at least 80 hours, consisting of one or more modules) must be chosen from among all the internal courses offered (including postgraduate courses). During the two-year period at least one course must be chosen from within the internal syllabus of a disciplinary area different from that of their principal study course.
Admission to subsequent years and interviews
During the academic year, students take specific tests necessary to qualify for admission to the subsequent year, during which they must obtain an eligibility assessment. These tests may consist of an exam relating to internal courses or an interview. 
For the first and second years there is an oral exam relating to all the internal courses, on a date established by the Faculty Council.
For the third year, with the exception of mathematics students, there are no specific tests; students are required to take the mid-year and final tests required for the internal courses of their study plan.
For the fourth year, and for the third and fourth years of mathematics students, an interview  is scheduled, on a date established by the Faculty Council, in which students present an advanced research topic.
For the fifth year there are no specific tests; students are required to take the mid-year and final tests required for the internal courses of their study plan.
 
Foreign languages
In the first three years, students are required to attend the English language course and a second course among those offered by the Scuola Normale Superiore in other languages; they must pass the final tests, with the aim of achieving, in the third year, level III in English and at least level II in the other language. The foreign language tests must be passed by the end of the third year. Those students who have enrolled in the fourth year must attend the English language course and a second course among those activated by the Scuola Normale Superiore, and pass the relevant final tests, to achieve level III in English and level II in the other language. These objectives must be achieved by the end of the fifth year. In the first year of their course at the SNS all students must attend at least one language course and pass the relevant examination. Those who consider themselves as having adequate knowledge of English and / or of another language among those envisaged by the SNS can be exempted from attendance but must pass a special exam. In the first year of the degree course at the Scuola Normale Superiore all students must attend at least one language course taught by a mother tongue language assistant and pass the relative test.
 
External obligations (University)
By the 31st October 2024 students must pass the university exams foreseen by their study plans. They must obtain a grade of at least 24/30 in each exam and maintain an overall average, also taking into account the grades obtained in the internal courses, of at least 27/30. 

Weighted average
The grades obtained in the individual exams are weighted to contribute to the composition of the overall average. For university exams, the weight is given by the number of credits relating to the course (CFUs). The weight of the internal courses (excluding the language courses taught by a mother tongue language assistant), which is attributed solely for the purpose of obtaining the average, takes into account the total number of hours of the course or modules that constitute it (excluding the hours of supplementary teaching), according to the following scheme:

From 20 to 24 hours> Weight: 8
From 25 to 29 hours> Weight: 9
From 30 to 34 hours> Weight: 10
From 35 to 39 hours> Weight: 11
From 40 to 44 hours> Weight: 12
From 45 to 49 hours> Weight: 13
From 50 hours on> Weight 14
In addition:
For the Physics-Mathematics Seminar for the students of Mathematics and Physics of the first two years there is only one grade and the total weight is 27.
For the Mathematics and Physics courses for Chemistry students of the first two years there is only one grade and the total weight is 27.
For the Mathematics and Physics courses for 2nd year Biology students there is only one grade and the total weight is 16.
For the two 3rd year Physics courses for Biology students there is only one grade and the total weight is 13.
To calculate the average of grades for the internal third year Physics exams, the grades  for the individual courses (the two obligatory ones, plus a third one chosen by the student) are weighted only for the purposes of calculating the average, with the following weights: 
Course chosen by the student Weight 5
Quantum Mechanics Weight 7
Statistical Physics Weight 8

Award of degrees
3rd year: students must complete the number of credits envisaged by the university undergraduate course and graduate by October 31, 2023, save for justified exceptions approved by the Faculty Council (taking into account in particular attendance at off-site schools and study stays) and in any case no later than the first available session at the University of reference.
5th year: students must complete the number of credits envisaged by the master's degree course to obtain a master's degree, and must pass their internal exams by October 31, 2023, save for justified exceptions approved by the Faculty Council (taking into account in particular attendance at other schools and off-site study stays) and in any case no later than the first available session at the University of reference.
In order to obtain the degree diploma, students must have obtained their master's degree by 30 November of the year subsequent to the conclusion of the undergraduate course and have then passed the final examination in accordance with the terms established by  the Teaching Regulations.
 
Study plans and lecturers of reference

Undergraduate students are required to submit a study plan for each academic year, relating to internal and university courses, for the approval of the Faculty Council. The study plan, which must be drawn up in compliance with the course obligations foreseen by the Faculty, must be submitted on the online portal Ser.Se by the 30th November. 
The topic of the yearly interview (for the 3rd and 4th years) and the title of the three-year undergraduate  or master’s degree course thesis are submitted at a later date. The topic of the interview and the name of the supervisor must be submitted by February 28, 2023. Any changes to study plans must first be discussed with the lecturers of reference and then submitted by March 31, 2023 for approval by the Faculty Council. The latter deadline is valid for submitting the title of the three-year undergraduate or master’s degree course thesis.
For the preparation and submission of study plans, students are invited to contact their respective lecturers of reference.