Differences between a specialization course and a postgraduate program

Postgraduate programs and specialization courses have some common features:

• They are postgraduate courses
• They aim to develop high-quality professional skills
• They allow students to deepen knowledge already acquired either during their studies or through work experience
• They are aimed at both those who wish to continue their studies and those who are already working and wish to grow professionally or retrain.
• The differences concern:
• Duration and university credits (CFU): specialization courses last for a limited period of time and cannot provide more than 60 university credits; Postgraduate programs are more complex, last at least a year, and provide at least 60 university credits.
• Final qualification: specialization courses issue a final certificate of attendance, postgraduate programs issue a first or second level specialization course qualification in line with the Ministerial Decree 509/99.
• Qualification required for enrolment