Course units and programme of study

The programme of study is the set of compulsory and elective course units that the student must take in order to graduate.

Submission of the programme of study for your year of enrolment is compulsory and it is required, in particular, in order to register for examinations and complete the teaching evaluation questionnaires.

All current students must submit their programme of study online via the Esse3 system.

To see the list of course units that can be included in the programme of study, select the academic year of enrolment and, if available, the curriculum.

Search the curriculum

List of courses



Programme of Study and curriculum choice

When enrolling in the first year of the degree course, students are asked to express their choice of the curriculum they wish to attend (Health Biology, Neurobiology or Nutrition Biology). However, the student may possibly change curriculum during his or her university curriculum, upon request to the Course President.

Within the framework of the learning activities 'at the student's choice', the Course Council, at the beginning of each academic year, announces the activities arranged/organised with the University of Parma, without prejudice to the student's possibility of autonomously choosing other activities, consistent with the training programme.

The Programme of study is completed online and each year the university indicates the time frame within which it can be submitted. Several options are offered in order to allow students to obtain 12 ECTS credits and nothing prevents them from achieving a higher number, up to a maximum of 24 ECTS credits. Course units included in the programme of study contribute to the average determination.

The student may choose freely a course unit from all the course units offered by the University, with the following restrictions for Second-cycle degree students:

  • it is not allowed to choose course units which had already been chosen during their previous First-cycle degree career;
  • it is not permitted to choose course units whose content is already included in other course units which are part of the student's programme of study.

The student may apply for ECTS credits recognition for free participation activities, i.e. activities carried out in the sporting, cultural or social sphere for a cumulative maximum of 6 ECTS credits.

The Programme of Study may differ depending on the academic year of enrolment ('cohort').

Credits for free participation activities

The University recognises, for students on degree courses who request it, university credits for free participation activities, i.e. activities carried out in the sports, cultural and social spheres that involve the student in the operational context in which the activities are carried out.

Compulsory workplace safety training

Students of the degree course are obliged to participate to the workplace safety course.

Information can be found at the following link

Soft skills - Cross-curricular activities for 2022-2023 academic year

These training activities are aimed at providing students with an initial set of knowledge, skills and qualities that come into play when translating a competence into behaviour, responding to a need in the organisational environment, as well as implementing and improving the development of so-called soft skills for greater integration into the world of work. 

Soft skills - Cross-curricular activities for 2022-2023 academic year