In order to take the final exam (which carries 21 ECTS), the student must have passed all other exams in their study plan (no less than 99 ECTS).

The final exam consists in the two following steps.

Step 1: Writing a thesis on a topic which is relevant for the MSc, under the supervision of a professor of the MSc whom the student can choose. The thesis needs to prove the student's ability to analyze relevant issues using the appropriate methods/tools, in a scientifically rigorous way. Moreover, the thesis needs to include some original contributions. The School of Economics and Management suggests here a template for the cover page of the thesis.

Step 2: Defending the thesis in front of a commission of professors of the MSc, which ordinarily includes the thesis’ supervisor.

The student's final grade is obtained through the following steps.

• (a) The ECTS-weighted average of the grades earned by the student at all exams they passed is determined, excluding the exams for which the possible grades are just Pass/Fail, and excluding the grade of the thesis.
• (b) The average determined at point (a) is multiplied by 11/3.
• (c) To the result determined at point (b) the fraction 1/3 is added for each exam which received grade 30 cum laude (For an integrated exam, 1/3 is added if and only if the grade is 30 cum laude for each of the modules making up the integrated exam). The result is rounded to its closest integer number, with rounding by excess if the decimal part is 0.5.
• (d) To the result determined at point (c) is added the grade of the thesis, not greater than 7, as determined by the commission at Step 2.
• (e) The sum determined at point (d) is the final grade for the MSc in Economics and Development, with the following exception. If the sum determined at point (d) is at least 110, and the thesis has received a grade of 7, and the commission at Step 2 unanimously agrees, then the final grade is 110 e lode, i.e. 110 with distinction.

There are five sessions per year in which the thesis defence can occur, and precisely in the months of February, April, July, October, December. Please click here for administrative information on the thesis defence, and here, here for information on steps and deadlines for the next sessions.