Student's Guide

The curriculum structure is based on five defined tracks, each with a pre-approved study plan: 

• A – Advanced and Smart Mechanical Design  

• B – Advanced and Smart Manufacturing  

• C – Road Vehicle Design  

• D – Technological Processes  

• E – Mechatronics  

Additionally, there is a specific Curriculum in Railway Mechanics and a Curriculum in Sustainable Development (in English). 

Students have significant flexibility to customize their study plan between the first and second years. 

In the first year, each track includes 4 mandatory courses, each worth 9 CFU, chosen from a restricted list of options: 

• Assisted Design of Mechanical Structures  (Progettazione Assistita di Strutture Meccaniche) 

• Mechanical Vibrations (Dinamica dei Sistemi Meccanici)  

• Logistics and Operation Management (Gestione della Produzione Industriale) 

• Digital Modeling and Simulation for Industrial Engineering (Modellazione Geometrica e Prototipazione Virtuale) 

• Advanced and Resource Efficient Manufacturing (Tecnologie Speciali) 

The first year for each track is completed by: 

a) curricular elective courses chosen from a dedicated list, totalling between 0 and 18 CFU

b) elective courses chosen from a dedicated list of related and supplementary subject areas, totalling between 0 and 12 CFU

c) free-choice elective(s) selected by the student, totalling between 0 and 9 CFU

d) foreign language proficiency (e.g., English B2 level certification or equivalent), 3 CFU.

In the second year, building upon the first year, each track includes: 

a) curricular elective courses chosen from a dedicated list, totalling between 0 and 18 CFU

b) elective courses chosen from a dedicated list of related and supplementary subject areas, totalling between 0 and 12 CFU

c) free-choice elective(s) selected by the student, totalling between 0 and 9 CFU

d) Internship, 9 CFU

e) Final Thesis, 15 CFU

The Curriculum in Railway Mechanics is structured as follows: 

Year 1 

Three mandatory courses, each worth 9 CFU: 

• Railway Vehicle Dynamics (Dinamica del veicolo ferroviario) 

• Railway Construction (Costruzioni ferroviarie) 

• Product Management and Maintenance for Railways (Elementi di gestione e manutenzione del prodotto ferroviario) 

Two mandatory courses, each worth 6 CFU: 

• Electric Drives for Railway Traction (Azionamenti Elettrici per la Trazione Ferroviaria) 

• Hybrid Diesel-Electric Propulsion (Propulsione Ibrida Diesel-Elettrica) 

One elective course worth 9 CFU chosen from: 

• Digital Modeling and Simulation for Industrial Engineering (Modellazione Geometrica e Prototipazione Virtuale) 

• Advanced and Resource Efficient Manufacturing (Tecnologie Speciali) 

The first year is completed by: 

a) curricular elective courses chosen from a dedicated list, totalling between 0 and 18 CFU

b) free-choice elective(s) selected by the student, totalling between 0 and 9 CFU

c) foreign language proficiency (e.g., English B2 level certification or equivalent), 3 CFU

Year 2 

Two mandatory courses, each worth 9 CFU: 

• Organization and Safety of Railway Network Operations (Organizzazione e sicurezza dell’esercizio delle reti ferroviarie) 

• Railway Construction Techniques (Tecnica delle costruzioni ferroviarie) 

To complete the requirements from Year 1: 

a) Curricular elective courses chosen from a dedicated list, totalling between 0 and 18 CFU.

b) Free-choice elective(s) selected by the student, totalling between 0 and 9 CFU.

c) Internship, 9 CFU.

d) Final Thesis, 15 CFU

The Curriculum in Sustainable Development (in English) is structured as follows: 

Year 1 

Four courses, each worth 9 CFU, chosen from: 

• Advanced and Resource Efficient Manufacturing 

• Advanced Structural Mechanics 

• Digital Modeling and Simulation for Industrial Engineering 

• Logistics and Operation Management 

• Mechanical vibrations 

Completing the first year: 

a) curricular elective courses chosen from a dedicated list, totalling between 0 and 18 CFU

b) elective courses chosen from a dedicated list of related and supplementary subject areas, totalling between 0 and 12 CFU

c) free-choice elective(s) selected by the student, totalling between 0 and 9 CFU

d) foreign language proficiency (e.g., English B2 level certification or equivalent), 3 CFU.

In the second year, building upon the first year, each track includes: 

a) curricular elective courses chosen from a dedicated list, totalling between 0 and 18 CFU

b) elective courses chosen from a dedicated list of related and supplementary subject areas, totalling between 0 and 12 CFU

c) free-choice elective(s) selected by the student, totalling between 0 and 9 CFU.

d) Internship, 9 CFU.

e) Final Thesis, 15 CFU.

For detailed information, please refer to the following link:

https://meccanica.dii.unina.it/en/manifesto-lmpp-en

Curricular Internship Activities

Students have access to a wide selection of agreements with companies and public and private institutions, aimed at carrying out internships outside the University. These agreements are signed by the University based on survey and promotion activities undertaken by the University Service Center for the Coordination of Special Projects and Organizational Innovation (COINOR), the SPSB, and the Department the Degree Program is affiliated with.

The competent Teaching Area Offices of the SPSB collect students’ requests for curricular internships (both internal and external), consisting of the training project signed by the student and potentially by the host company/institution, which is also signed by the Head of the Department or the Coordinator of the Teaching Coordination Committee or the faculty member responsible for internships designated by the Committee. They then provide the student with the internship logbook and the forms for the final evaluation by the university tutor. Furthermore, they collect requests for the stipulation of external internship agreements from faculty members affiliated with the department and handle the transmission of internship agreements already signed by companies to the University’s Student Internship Office for subsequent signing by the Rector or their delegate.

The procedure for activating the internship is managed through the platform:

https://collabora.unina.it/tirocinistudenti/SitePages/Pagina%20iniziale.aspx;

for viewing the Agreements signed with companies, please refer to the website:

https://www.unina.it/it/didattica/tirocini/tirocini-studenti

Details on the procedures for carrying out a curricular internship are available at the link:

https://meccanica.dii.unina.it/en/internship

The Degree Program provides assistance for undertaking study periods abroad, both within the scope of Erasmus mobility for study purposes, utilizing funds made available to the University by the National Erasmus Agency, and within the framework of international mobility initiatives based on specific non-Erasmus agreements. 

For Erasmus mobility for study purposes, the selection call is issued centrally by the University’s International Relations Office (https://www.unina.it/didattica/opportunita-studenti/erasmus/programma), which annually prepares a list of available grants for each degree program or groups of degree programs based within the Department. Selection is carried out by a committee appointed by the Head of the Department, which compiles one or more rankings for each degree program or groups of degree programs based on the general criteria outlined in the call. 

For mobility carried out under international agreements that involve student exchanges, the same procedures adopted for Erasmus are followed (Erasmus-like procedure). 

International mobility initiatives are also activated for undertaking traineeships and internships abroad, both within the scope of Erasmus mobility for traineeships (Placement), in which case the student receives a scholarship using funds made available to the University by the National Erasmus Agency (limited, however, only to EU countries participating in the Erasmus project), and within the framework of other specific programs also valid for other non-EU countries (e.g., Vulcanus in Japan), also with a scholarship. 

It is also possible to carry out internships at foreign companies/entities/institutions with which the University has stipulated an internship agreement, following the normal procedure adopted for internships in Italy. In this case, the student does not receive a scholarship but may receive a small salary/reimbursement of expenses offered by the host company/entity/institution. 

More detailed information is available at the following link. 

Minor in Applied Machine Learning  

Students can further personalize their study path by choosing the Minor in Applied Machine Learning. Developments in the broad field of data science have generated methodologies based on artificial intelligence that are of great interest in the fields of engineering and applied sciences. The Minor in Applied Machine Learning aims to supplement the training of a professional profile with a solid foundation in the use of these AI/ML-based methodologies, capable of providing qualified support for the implementation of effective, safe, and sustainable solutions through the application of the most advanced analysis methodologies and enabling technologies. 

The curriculum includes 27 CFU, of which at least 6 are reserved for extra-curricular activities, divided into 4 courses and training activities for the development of transferable skills, organized into three groups: 

Foundational Alignment Activities 

Courses that provide basic knowledge on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies. For this reason, these activities should be undertaken at the beginning of the Minor program. 

Applied Training Activities 

Courses that present the implementation of Machine Learning technologies in specific application domains. 

Training Activities for the Development of Transferable Skills 

Seminars, Soft Skills, Internships at qualified public or private institutions. 

Students are required to select at least two courses related to the Asymmetric Alignment Activities and at least one course related to the Applied Training Activities. 

For detailed information and regarding the procedures for submitting the study plan for admission to the Minor, please refer to the link:

https://meccanica.dii.unina.it/en/manifesto-lmpp-en.

The Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering for Design and Manufacturing is awarded upon successful completion of a final assessment, consisting of the evaluation by an academic committee of the Master’s thesis. This thesis is prepared by the student under the guidance of one or more university supervisors and with the potential contribution of experts, including those external to the University. The thesis should involve theoretical, methodological, numerical, or experimental work. Activities carried out at research laboratories external to the university, as well as at Italian and foreign companies and entities, may contribute to the thesis preparation, provided they are part of a training path guided by the university supervisor. External tutors (i.e., not university faculty) who assisted the student in the specific aspects of effective use of IT tools. of the developed work may be invited to the final defense session in the role of co-supervisors without being members of the Master’s degree examination committee. The written thesis and the defense may be presented in English and must demonstrate the work undertaken, command of the subject matter, acquired maturity, the ability to work independently, and a good level of communication skills, including the effective use of IT tools. 

The final assessment is publicly defended by the Candidate before a Committee chaired by the Program Coordinator (or, in case of their unavailability, by a faculty member designated by them). It consists of the presentation of the work carried out under the guidance of a faculty Supervisor and the subsequent discussion with the Committee members. During the session, the candidate will discuss the thesis, which must be available in the examination room; they are permitted to use audio-visual support to project a summary of the work carried out, or, alternatively, to prepare a summary booklet, providing a copy to each member of the Committee. At the end of the presentation, each faculty member may address observations and questions to the candidate, pertaining to the topic of the thesis work. The presentation normally lasts up to 15 minutes. 

Prospective students can obtain information by interacting directly with university staff responsible for orientation, through online and in-person events that take place throughout the year.

The calendar of individual events is available on the University website at the portal www.orientamento.unina.it which is also provided on the website of the SPSB, www.scuolapsb.unina.it/en/ in the orientation section.

Specifically, the Degree Program organizes various admissions orientation initiatives coordinated at the Departmental, School, and University levels.

Each year, the event Magistrali@SPSB is organized, showcasing the program offerings for Master’s degrees, career opportunities, and thesis and internship opportunities. YouTube recordings of these events are also subsequently available through the SPSB website mentioned in previous sections.

During the period March-July, ‘Open Days’ events are organized for in-person visits to facilities or attending specific events. The dates for these events are provided during the Magistrali@SPSB event, and participation details can be found on the website of the Department of Industrial Engineering (www.dii.unina.it/?&lang=en).

The Degree Program organizes ongoing orientation initiatives, in close coordination with the other degree programs of the Department and in collaboration with the SPSB. These initiatives aim to facilitate students in defining a study plan suited to their aptitudes, providing detailed information on the knowledge and competencies related to each course.  

The Degree Program organizes outbound orientation activities in coordination with its Department, the  SPSB, and the University. 

A list of opportunities for extra-curricular internships (i.e., postgraduate) and job offers is available on the University website at www.orientamento.unina.it. Furthermore, the SPSB manages a dynamic job placement platform at www.jobservice.unina.it. The platform is aimed at students and companies to facilitate the matching of supply and demand for curricular internships (pre-graduation), extra-curricular internships (post-graduation), and employment.  

To reduce placement time and make career choices more informed, in the spring, the degree program contributes to the SPSB’s “Career Day@SPSB” event, generally held in person. During this event, students and recent graduates have the opportunity to learn more in person about the business areas of individual companies and the job profiles offered. 

Furthermore, the presentation of professional opportunities and career and research prospects is also promoted through thematic seminars organized by the Degree Program throughout the year. 

Finally, specific soft-skills training events (e.g., communication and interpersonal skills and competencies, preparation for entering the workforce) are organized periodically. 

The terms and deadlines for enrollment and registration for subsequent years are set by the University, with procedures made known through a specific Guide to Enrollment and Fee Payment published at the URL:

https://www.unina.it/documents/d/guest/guida_rapida_studente_2026-27-pdf-1

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

https://meccanica.dii.unina.it/en/info-lmpp-en

Details on the academic calendar and exams are available at the link:

https://www.scuolapsb.unina.it/calendario-delle-attivita-didattiche/

The detailed and dynamically updated Exam Calendar can be consulted at the link:

https://meccanica.dii.unina.it/en/info-lmpp-en

Class Schedule 

The detailed and dynamically updated Class Schedule can be consulted at the link:

https://easyacademy.unina.it/agendastudenti/index.php?view=rooms&include=rooms&_lang=en

Graduation Session Calendar 

The detailed and dynamically updated Graduation Session Calendar can be consulted at the link:

http://www.scuolapsb.unina.it/index.php/laurea-ingegneria