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5.3 Education

2 min readjanuary 9, 2023

K

Kallie Hoffman

K

Kallie Hoffman

Education

Education is free in Italy for all students and is divided into 5 stages: kindergarten, primary school, lower secondary school, upper secondary school, and university.

Kindergarten (scuola dell'infanzia)

  • 3 years of nursery school

  • Ages 3-6; American preschool

  • American preschool

Primary School (scuola primaria/scuola elementare)

  • 5 years

  • Ages 6-11; American elementary school

  • The curriculum is the same for EVERYONE: Italian, English, mathematics, natural sciences, history, geography, social studies, and physical education

Lower Secondary School (scuola media)

  • 3 years, 8 AM - 1 PM

  • Ages 11-14; American middle school

  • Students stay in the same classroom for most of the day

Upper Secondary School (scuola superiore)

  • 5 years, 8 AM - 4 PM

  • Ages 14-19; American high school

  • Students move from classroom to classroom

  • Every grade level has an exam at the end of the year (esame di maturità) ✍🏾 📝

  • Same curriculum structure for the first 2 years and then... specialization

Liceo

  • Theoretical knowledge, specializing in a specific field (humanities, science, languages, art)

  • Normally students would then proceed to a university

Istituto Tecnico

  • Theoretical knowledge, specializing in a specific field of study, integrated with a 3-6 month internship at a company, business, or university

  • Normally students would then get a technical job

Istituto Professionale

  • Practical subjects (engineering, agriculture, technical assistance, handicrafts), enabling students to find a job immediately after graduation

University (università)

  • Network of public and state-affiliated universities

  • Some of the oldest universities in the world: the University of Bologna, the University of Padua, and the University of Naples Federico II

  • Offer MANY potential subjects — popular areas include international business, art history, literature, fashion, and Italiano :)

  • So-called 3+2 system

    • - 3 years of school, "Bachelor Degree"

    • - + 2 years of specialization, "Masters Degree"

    • - unique 5 years of school for certain programs such as Law, Arts, and Music

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-9O3Aih7qvM4S.jpg?alt=media&token=f86bd61d-6dd2-4c32-8c34-8c3e1dfba855

University of Bologna, Image Courtesy of uceap

Italy vs USA: Education Edition

  • Italy—five years in high school, school on Saturdays, number grades 🔢, fewer extracurriculars

  • USA—4 years in high school, weekends off, letter grades 🔠, extracurriculars are very popular (sports, clubs, theater, etc.)

  • BOTH—balance between group and individual work, English is taught, students receive more responsibility with age

Key Terms to Review (6)

Laurea Magistrale

: A graduate degree obtained after completing two additional years of study beyond the Laurea Triennale at a university.

Laurea Magistrale Quinquennale

: The Laurea Magistrale Quinquennale is an Italian academic degree that corresponds to a Master's degree. It is a five-year program that follows the completion of a three-year Bachelor's degree.

Laurea Triennale

: An undergraduate degree obtained after completing three years of study at a university.

Liceo

: A liceo is a type of high school in Italy that focuses on providing a broad and general education, with an emphasis on humanities, sciences, and foreign languages.

Scuola Media

: Scuola Media refers to the middle school level of education in Italy, typically attended by students between the ages of 11 and 14. It is a mandatory educational stage that prepares students for higher levels of education.

Università

: A higher education institution where students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in various fields of study.

5.3 Education

2 min readjanuary 9, 2023

K

Kallie Hoffman

K

Kallie Hoffman

Education

Education is free in Italy for all students and is divided into 5 stages: kindergarten, primary school, lower secondary school, upper secondary school, and university.

Kindergarten (scuola dell'infanzia)

  • 3 years of nursery school

  • Ages 3-6; American preschool

  • American preschool

Primary School (scuola primaria/scuola elementare)

  • 5 years

  • Ages 6-11; American elementary school

  • The curriculum is the same for EVERYONE: Italian, English, mathematics, natural sciences, history, geography, social studies, and physical education

Lower Secondary School (scuola media)

  • 3 years, 8 AM - 1 PM

  • Ages 11-14; American middle school

  • Students stay in the same classroom for most of the day

Upper Secondary School (scuola superiore)

  • 5 years, 8 AM - 4 PM

  • Ages 14-19; American high school

  • Students move from classroom to classroom

  • Every grade level has an exam at the end of the year (esame di maturità) ✍🏾 📝

  • Same curriculum structure for the first 2 years and then... specialization

Liceo

  • Theoretical knowledge, specializing in a specific field (humanities, science, languages, art)

  • Normally students would then proceed to a university

Istituto Tecnico

  • Theoretical knowledge, specializing in a specific field of study, integrated with a 3-6 month internship at a company, business, or university

  • Normally students would then get a technical job

Istituto Professionale

  • Practical subjects (engineering, agriculture, technical assistance, handicrafts), enabling students to find a job immediately after graduation

University (università)

  • Network of public and state-affiliated universities

  • Some of the oldest universities in the world: the University of Bologna, the University of Padua, and the University of Naples Federico II

  • Offer MANY potential subjects — popular areas include international business, art history, literature, fashion, and Italiano :)

  • So-called 3+2 system

    • - 3 years of school, "Bachelor Degree"

    • - + 2 years of specialization, "Masters Degree"

    • - unique 5 years of school for certain programs such as Law, Arts, and Music

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-9O3Aih7qvM4S.jpg?alt=media&token=f86bd61d-6dd2-4c32-8c34-8c3e1dfba855

University of Bologna, Image Courtesy of uceap

Italy vs USA: Education Edition

  • Italy—five years in high school, school on Saturdays, number grades 🔢, fewer extracurriculars

  • USA—4 years in high school, weekends off, letter grades 🔠, extracurriculars are very popular (sports, clubs, theater, etc.)

  • BOTH—balance between group and individual work, English is taught, students receive more responsibility with age

Key Terms to Review (6)

Laurea Magistrale

: A graduate degree obtained after completing two additional years of study beyond the Laurea Triennale at a university.

Laurea Magistrale Quinquennale

: The Laurea Magistrale Quinquennale is an Italian academic degree that corresponds to a Master's degree. It is a five-year program that follows the completion of a three-year Bachelor's degree.

Laurea Triennale

: An undergraduate degree obtained after completing three years of study at a university.

Liceo

: A liceo is a type of high school in Italy that focuses on providing a broad and general education, with an emphasis on humanities, sciences, and foreign languages.

Scuola Media

: Scuola Media refers to the middle school level of education in Italy, typically attended by students between the ages of 11 and 14. It is a mandatory educational stage that prepares students for higher levels of education.

Università

: A higher education institution where students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in various fields of study.


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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.