What Is a Laurea Magistrale in the Italian University System?

A laurea magistrale is a second-cycle university degree in Italy — the equivalent of a Master's degree in most international systems. It follows a first-cycle laurea (Bachelor's) and typically takes two years of full-time study, carrying 120 ECTS credits. It is distinct from a first-level or second-level professional Master's programme and from a PhD, and it is the standard qualification for continuing to doctoral study or entering regulated professions that require a Master's-level degree.

Where the laurea magistrale sits in the Italian framework

Italian university qualifications are organised in cycles under the Bologna structure. The main steps are:

The key point is that the laurea magistrale is a full degree, not a short postgraduate certificate. It sits one level above the laurea and one below the dottorato.

How it differs from other options

Versus the laurea (Bachelor's). The laurea is the first-cycle entry degree and normally lasts three years (180 ECTS). The laurea magistrale builds on it with two more years of advanced, more specialised study. You cannot normally enrol in a laurea magistrale without holding a laurea or an equivalent foreign qualification.

Versus a professional Master's programme. Italian universities also offer "Master's" programmes (often called master universitari), which are postgraduate but not part of the three-cycle degree structure. They are shorter, professionally oriented, and classified as first-level (open to laurea holders) or second-level (open to laurea magistrale holders). A laurea magistrale is a degree; a professional Master's is a specialised course.

Versus a PhD. The dottorato di ricerca is the third-cycle research qualification. A laurea magistrale is normally the prerequisite for applying to a PhD, not an alternative to it.

Duration, credits, and admission

• Duration: two years for most programmes, though some are structured differently; single-cycle degrees such as medicine or law follow a different path and are not laurea magistrale.
• Credits: 120 ECTS in total, including coursework, seminars, and a final thesis.
• Admission: requires a first-cycle degree (laurea or foreign equivalent). Many programmes also set specific curricular requirements — a minimum number of credits in certain subject areas — and may require an entrance test, an interview, or a language certificate. Admission is therefore programme-specific, not automatic with any Bachelor's degree.

Because requirements vary by programme, always check the individual programme's admission rules rather than assuming eligibility from the degree title alone.

Recognition compared with international Master's degrees

The laurea magistrale is designed to align with the Bologna second cycle, so it is generally comparable to a Master's degree awarded in other European countries. For formal recognition — for employment, further study, or regulated professions — the relevant mechanisms are the Diploma Supplement (issued with the degree) and, where needed, a recognition or equivalence procedure. Recognition decisions rest with the receiving institution or authority, so the comparison is a general framework rather than an automatic equivalence in every jurisdiction.

Where to find laurea magistrale programmes

Individual universities list their laurea magistrale offerings within their degree programme catalogues. At the University of Verona, for example, degree programmes are grouped under a "Degree Programmes" section that separates Bachelor's and Master's degrees from professional Master's programmes and PhDs — so a laurea magistrale appears under the Master's-level degree offerings, not under the postgraduate professional courses. To identify a specific programme, use the university's degree programme search and read the programme page for its duration, credits, curricular requirements, and admission procedure.

Practical checklist before applying

1. Confirm the programme is a laurea magistrale (second-cycle degree), not a professional Master's.
2. Check the curricular requirements — which Bachelor's credits you need and in what areas.
3. Verify any entrance test, interview, or language requirement and its deadline.
4. Note the ECTS structure and thesis requirement so you can plan the two years.
5. If you hold a foreign degree, ask the programme office how your qualification will be evaluated and whether a Diploma Supplement or declaration of comparability is needed.