Thesis

Degree Programme Regulations

Thesis Regulations

Class LM-53 Material engineering

For anything not covered in these regulations, reference is made to Article 29 of the University Teaching Regulations.
These Regulations shall come into force for all students enrolled in the Master's Degree Course in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials, Italian Ministerial Decree 270/04, as of the 2022/2023 academic year.
These Regulations were approved by the Council of the Department of Molecular Science and Nanosystems during the meeting of 15/05/2018.

Art. 1

The Thesis entails carrying out experimental work on a specific topic assigned to the candidate by the supervisor and approved by the Academic Board.
The Thesis entails a Final Examination (18 CFU) and a possible Internship (6 CFU).

Art. 2

The experimental activity envisaged in the thesis is carried out during an internship.
Two types of Internship are possible:

1. 'internal' – to be carried out in the laboratories of Ca' Foscari University of Venice and/or at the University of Verona;
2. 'external' – to be carried out at an external Body, Research Laboratory or Company that has entered into an agreement with the University.

In order to be admitted to the internship, students must have obtained all the credit points for the first year courses (57 credit points) and must have submitted an application by filling in the relevant form, which must be handed in to the Scientific Campus Secretariat. The Thesis period officially starts at the date of commencement of the experimental work, which must be indicated in the application.
The Academic Board of the Master's Degree Course in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials approves the Thesis project on the basis of the submitted application, and assigns to the student either one supervisor, or two supervisors, or one supervisor and one co-supervisor:

• in the case of an 'internal' Internship, the supervisor must be a tenured Lecturer or a Researcher of the Master's Degree Course in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials, or of the Bachelor’s Degree programme or Master’s Degree programme in Sustainable Chemistry and Technologies, with possible support from a second, “external” supervisor, or from a short-term Lecturer;
• in the case of an 'external' Internship, there must be at least two supervisors - one internal (a tenured Lecturer or a Researcher of the Master's Degree Course in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials, or of the Bachelor’s Degree programme or Master’s Degree programme in Sustainable Chemistry and Technologies) and one external, presented by the Body, Research Laboratory or Company outside the University.

In the case of experimental activities carried out outside the University, please refer to the University regulations for the necessary fulfilments.
Students working on their thesis while abroad, as part of a University exchange project, must submit to their internal supervisor a report on their activities every two months (for a total of two reports plus the final thesis).

Art. 3

The supervisor is responsible for guiding and coordinating the work carried out by the candidate and for promoting all the fulfilments provided for in these Regulations, except those for which it is otherwise provided.

Art. 4

For each student, the Academic Board appoints a Thesis Committee, which must comprise the supervisor(s), two tenured Lecturers or Researchers and an alternate member. The latter shall take the place of the supervisor(s) only if the supervisor(s) is (are) unable to attend.
In the case of an 'external' Thesis, the external supervisor is entitled to be a member of the Thesis Committee. In this case, the two supervisors will jointly manage the assessment and evaluation.
The Thesis Committee assesses the candidate's work by means of an interview. The interview consists of a presentation and discussion of the work carried out by the candidate during the Thesis period.

Art. 5

If a member of the Committee is unable to attend the interview for legitimate reasons, he/she must arrange to be replaced by a substitute and inform the President of the Academic Board.

Art. 6

The dissertation must be delivered in digital form to each member of the Thesis Committee at least four working days before the presentation.
Final papers and theses may also be written in multimedia form and in languages other than Italian or English, subject to the approval of the Academic Board.
The final exam in the study curriculum must be taken by the deadline set by the University for each session.

Art. 7

The Thesis is assessed taking into account the results achieved and their presentation. At the end of the interview, the Thesis Committee formulates a brief evaluation of the work carried out by the candidate and writes it on the relevant form. The Thesis evaluation must be attached to the records in order for the Master's degree grade to be appointed.
The Thesis Committee can award a maximum score of 8 points. A maximum of three out of the overall 8 points are decided by the Supervisor, the remaining points are at the Committee's discretion.

Art. 8

In order to take the Final Examination, the student must have obtained all the credits envisaged in the regulations for the Master's Degree Course (102), except those allocated for the Final Examination itself (18).

Art. 9

The Final Examination consists in the presentation to the Final Examination Committee of an original thesis written by the student and submitted exclusively in digital form.
The Final Examination Committee is convened by the Scientific Campus Secretariat.

Art. 10

The Final Examination Committee, consisting of 3 to 7 Lecturers, the majority of whom are chosen among the University’s faculty (lecturers holding a contract or entrusted position or experts in the subject may also be members), is appointed by the Director of the Department and is normally chaired by the President of the Academic Board. 1 or 2 substitute members are also appointed, and must be present before the beginning of the graduation session to step in for members who are unable to attend.

Art. 11

On the basis of the marks obtained by expressing in one-hundred and tenths the average of the exam marks weighted by the respective credit points assigned to each course and the points awarded by the Thesis Committee, the Final Examination Committee shall award a mark out of one-hundred and ten.
The Final Examination Committee can round up the final mark to the next higher unit on the basis of the candidate's presentation of the thesis work.
The Commission can award additional points to the graduating student in accordance with current University regulations.

Art. 12

The request for honours must be submitted in writing to the Thesis Committee by the supervisor. A necessary condition for submitting a request for honours is that the mark, as expressed in one-hundredth and tenths, obtained from the weighted average of the marks acquired during examinations plus other bonuses and the final Examination score is equal to or higher than 110/110.
Honours are awarded unanimously by the Final Examination Committee on the unanimous proposal of the Thesis Committee.