Student's Guide

Customizing the study plan

Within the 6 credits for extracurricular activities, students may freely choose from a selection of laboratory activities held within the Department of Economics and Statistics. The following are in line with the contents of the study program;

“MATLAB”, which aims at introducing students to the use of the homonymous statistical calculation and analysis software. In addition to providing the basic notions of the programming language in Matlab, some applications will be shown for solving and simulating models of economic growth and development, household consumption and saving decisions and business investment policies.

“Methods for economic analysis”, which focuses on showing the application of the main econometric analysis tools for the identification of causal effects on economic issues, such as the definition of the effects on the labor market of recent reforms, migration flows and policies for gender equality.

 LMEF stimulates international cooperation and students’ mobility, both outwards and inwards. Students are expected to spend one full semester in a European university during their second year.  

Further information on the Erasmus program

LMEF also offers the opportunity of participating in a double degree program, either with the Universidade Catolica Portuguesa or the Università della Svizzera italiana Students who complete this program spend the second year of LMEF at the affiliated university and obtain two diplomas:  the national Italian diploma of Laurea Magistrale in Economics and Finance (LMEF) and a foreign diploma of MSc in Economics. 

The final thesis consists in the discussion of an original paper aimed at providing a theoretical or practical solution to a problem of significant interest with particular attention to frontier issues in the scientific debate. The paper concludes a research project carried out under the guidance of a teacher who acts as a supervisor. The final evaluation takes into account the student’s entire career. 

Students will have to develop a critical approach to the analyzed topic. 

It is essential to insert notes in order to  

• Indicate the author of a fully “reported” expression (Author “Book title” Publisher, Place, date)
• Indicate the author of a “concept” reported in the text (Author “Book title” Publisher, Place, date)
• Clarify and specify with ancillary (or additional) considerations a concept presented in the text
• Add “interesting” considerations which, however, placed in the text, could weigh down or lead the drafting off topic

For each table and figure included in the thesis, it is necessary to indicate the title and source.

Student orientation includes meetings with teachers in order to discuss the contents of the course and learning methods. These meetings also aim to guide students in choosing the more suitable academic path and to prepare them to face the most frequent problems typically encountered during the program. 

Inbound orientation activities are also provided during the “Presentation of the master’s degree courses”, event organized at the facilities of the Monte Sant’Angelo complex and by the implementation of yearly fellowships directly targeted at strengthening the CV and the skills of students who want to pursue a research or academic career (hence continue their studies with a PhD in Economics or Finance). 

The fellowship program follows students in their second year of the course and in the gap year before starting a Ph.D.  

Each student is matched with a CSEF researcher (mentor), according to research interests. The mentor will advise him/her throughout the year. The mentor will not necessarily be the thesis supervisor, but will be able to write an informed recommendation letter for the PhD (or research institution) application process. The student may be involved in the mentor’s research as Research Assistant.  

The student attends advanced or PhD-level courses based on his/her research interest to strengthen the CV.  These courses can be converted into elective courses in the study plan of the Laurea Magistrale, after agreeing with the Course Coordinator. Students will attend the CSEF seminars series. Participation to research seminars will stimulate interest and exposure to the frontier of academic research. It is also a great opportunity to identify topics for a successful master thesis. Students will be encouraged to meet with speakers with close research interests. Students will also attend the PhD Seminar series, where Federico II PhD students present their progress to their peers and faculty. This is meant to show the early stages of development of a research project, and to get in touch with PhD students in Naples.   

Students also have the opportunity to present their own research project or, alternatively, an academic paper decided with the mentor during the PhD seminar series. Enhancing presentation skills is an objective of the initiative.   

In addition to the above listed activities, the mentor will guide students throughout the PhD application process or study-work transitions. Students will be encouraged to apply to Research/Teaching Assistantship positions to fund– at least partially– the gap year between the master and the PhD. The mentor will support the mentee’s application. 

LMEF provides a tutoring service aimed at guiding and assisting students throughout the entire program. The objective of on-going orientation is to allow enrolled students an easier life within the University’s organizational context and to help them during the program providing the necessary indications and offering different opportunities for constructive confrontation with the Job Market which includes presentations and seminars by professionals in the sector. 

For the purposes of on-going orientation, the main institutional reference is the Course Coordinator and for administrative procedures, the LMEF student office.

Job opportunities for graduates are continuously advertised on the DISES website. 

LMEF also organizes meetings with representatives of public and private institutions and companies who illustrate the natural job opportunities for graduates and prepare them for the Job Market. In order to integrate theoretical learning with practical testimonies, the course offers meetings with representatives of the Bank of Italy every year, professionals employed in banks, financial institutions and consulting firms, and economists.  

Students also have the opportunity to enroll in the “Thank you, we will let you know” seminars which illustrate how to write a curriculum and how to prepare for a job interview. The seminars, are organized by the IPE Business School and aim to prepare students for specific interviews in the economic-financial sector. The meetings aim at providing a detailed overview of scenarios and perspectives with particular emphasis on CV preparation, personal presentations, logical-mathematical test, motivational questions and group assessments. 

The LMEF program also offers several meetings with alumni who have the opportunity to describe their personal post-LMEF experience in order to help students make a more informed choice.

Enrollment usually takes place between 1 September and 31 October. Detailed information will be found on a specific guide to registration and fees. 

Further deadlines (deadlines for submitting study plans, deadlines for submitting ERASMUS applications, etc.) are indicated on the Department website 

The academic year is structured in three terms: 

• I Term (September-December) 
• II Term (January-March) 
• III Term (April-June) 

Exams are held at the end of each term.  

A detailed class schedule will be provided by the LMEF student office. 

All classes are held Monday through Friday at the Monte Sant’Angelo complex in Fuorigrotta.  

There is a week break in the middle of term 1 and 2. There is always a week break before exam week. 

A detailed class schedule will be provided by the LMEF student office. 

Graduation sessions usually take place in July, October, December, February, March and end in April.  

Detailed and updated information on the sessions.