Elective classes

As provided on the Rules and Regulation of the study programme, elective classes are scheduled during the second year of the Master's Degree Course. Students can choose elective classes among the following:

  • Metagenomics
  • The Law and Ethics of A.I.-driven biomedical innovation
  • Molecular Genetics and Molecular Medicine in the AI-era
  • Focused lab training

As optional credits, Students can also freely choose classes offered by any Master’s Degree of Biology and Biotechnology that are not mandatory for their own curriculum, without any further authorization. The only requirement is that the chosen elective class must be taught in English.

Here is a list of elective classes available for academic year 2024/25.

Students interested in one or more elective class(es) must contact directly the Lecturer within one week from the beginning of the lessons. Students may find the email address and phone number of the Lecturers on the search engine of the University of Pisa (UNIMAP). 

NOTICE: an elective class will be shown on the timetable of the lessons only if the Teacher has been contacted by the Students who have expressed their interest to participate to the course.

To choose any other course, Students must submit a motivated request following the procedure given on the following page. The form to be used is the “Autorizzazione esami” form.
The form should be sent to the contact person for the degree program in the student secretary's office.
NB: It is necessary to wait for authorization from the Council of the Master’s Degree (we advise to send the request even before starting to attend the course). 

COURSES HELD AT THE SCUOLA NORMALE SUPERIORE
Starting from a.y. 2023/2024, it is possible to take courses taught at the Scuola Normale Superiore in three different ways:

  • take a course as an auditor/hearer (without taking the corresponding exam), with the issuance of a certificate of attendance. In this case, it is NOT necessary to seek prior permission from the Course of study Council;
  • taking a course, taking the related examination and requesting its recognition in the career as a supernumerary CFU. In this case, it is NOT necessary to seek prior authorization from the Course of study Council;
  • take a course, take the relevant examination and request its recognition in the career exclusively as an activity of the student's choice.
    In this case it is necessary to request prior authorization from the Course of study Council.
    For the request it is necessary to follow the procedure given on the following page. The form to be used is the “Autorizzazione esami” form.
    The form should be sent to the contact person for the degree program in the student secretary's office.
    NB: It is necessary to wait for authorization from the Course of study Council before taking the exam.
    ONLY after passing the exam, to request recognition in your career as a supernumerary activity or as an elective activity, you must follow the procedure given on the following page.
    The form to be used is the “Riconoscimento crediti” form to which the certification produced by the teacher or institution proposes must be attached.
    The form should be sent to the contact person for the degree program in the student secretary's office.

PLEASE NOTICE: By resolution No. 36 of 20/10/2023, prot. 5618/2023 - repertory 86/2023, the Aggregate Council in Biotechnologies established that the maximum number of CFU that can be earned at the Scuola Normale Superiore as a choice activity is 6 CFU. 

PLEASE NOTICE: Any credits acquired for exams taken without prior authorization from the Course of study Council cannot be recorded in the student’s university career as credits for elective classes.

COURSES HELD AT THE SCUOLA SUPERIORE SANT'ANNA DI PISA
Information is available on this page.

CAREER LABS - CONTAMINATION LAB - SUMMER/WINTER SCHOOL
The Board of Studies provides the following recognitions in the area of free choice:

- Career Labs: no more than 1 CFU is recognized (at least 25 hours of activity)
- Contamination Lab: no more than 1 CFU is recognized (at least 25 hours of activity)
- Summer/winter school: no more than 1 CFU is recognized, regardless of whether the S/W school is fee-based or not (at least 25 hours of activity).

To apply it is necessary to follow the procedure given on the following page.
The form to be used is the “Riconoscimento crediti” form to which the certification produced by the teacher or institution proposes must be attached.
The form should be sent to the contact person for the degree program in the student secretary's office.

PF24 / PF60: percorso formativo 24 CFU / 60 CFU
The Course of study Council does not recognize AFS (Attività Formative Specifiche), carried within PF24/PF60, as part of elective classes (AFS pedagogia, pedagogia speciale e didattica dell’inclusione - 6 CFU (acronym: AFS-ped) s.s.d. M-PED/01; AFS psicologia – 6CFU (acronym: AFS-psi) s.s.d. M-PSI/01; AFS antropologia - 6CFU (acronym: AFS-ant) s.s.d. M-DEA/01; AFS metodologie e tecnologie didattiche – 6CFU (acronym: AFS-met) s.s.d. M-PED/03).