The Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics

The Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics is designed to prepare professionals capable of managing businesses operating in international markets, regardless of their size (small, medium, or large) or sector (manufacturing, commercial, or service).

The program is characterized by:
• The professional profiles it develops: Graduates are equipped to support the strategic management of companies by designing, implementing, and evaluating economic and business strategies. They may also take on roles as specialists who ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of administrative and managerial processes.
• A balanced focus on four core areas of knowledge—economics, business, law, and quantitative disciplines—ensuring alignment with the program’s professional objectives.
• Significant emphasis on practical experience, including workshops, internships, and the final thesis.
• A strong focus on soft skills, promoted through teaching methods designed to foster their development.

In particular, mandatory courses in the business area provide a solid foundation in accounting and management control, as well as approaches to developing competitive, organizational, and marketing strategies. Students also explore the dynamics of relationships with financial intermediaries.
In the economics area, the curriculum offers essential knowledge of both macroeconomics and microeconomics. It develops the analytical and critical thinking skills necessary to interpret markets, policies, and the organizational and institutional cultures that shape the contexts in which international businesses operate.
Legal courses offer strong preparation in the areas of law most relevant to business. 
Students gain a clear understanding of the company’s role within broader regulatory and institutional frameworks, with particular focus on public, private, and commercial law at national, European, and international levels.

In the quantitative area, the program builds strong analytical skills essential for supporting business operations. It also emphasizes the importance of digitalization and the role of data analysis in managing and controlling business projects and programs.
The program allows for individual customization through the acquisition of additional language skills, the selection of elective courses, and the option to participate in workshops or internships—often conducted in collaboration with business partners. The academic journey concludes with the preparation of a final report.
The curriculum delivers both theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to manage, monitor, and evaluate business strategies and plans in an international context. It enables students to achieve their objectives according to principles of effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability.
The teaching methodology emphasizes the development of analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and project-based and collaborative working abilities. These skills are essential for understanding complex business environments and for building strong management and leadership capabilities.

Junior manager

• Role in a work context:
  Graduates in Business and Economics operate in one of the areas of business management, either as internal resources or as external consultants, primarily supporting more experienced professionals, performing functions such as:
  - accounting and administrative tasks;
  - commercial and marketing activities;
  - treasury and finance functions;
  - procurement management.
  
  Competencies associated with the role:
  Graduates in Business and Economics possess the basic skills necessary to:
  - analyze economic systems, sectors, markets, and the competitive positioning of companies;
  - prepare and analyze financial statements;
  - plan and contribute to management control;
  - research, acquire, and process company and market data;
  - act in compliance with the regulatory aspects governing business activities;
  - analyze and manage sales and customer relationships;
  - analyze and manage purchasing and supplier relationships;
  - manage company relationships with financial and credit markets.
  
  Employment opportunities:
  Graduates in Business and Economics can carry out their professional activities in all productive sectors, particularly in companies that engage with international markets—whether as target markets, sources of supply, or locations for production sites—regardless of the size or legal nature of the organizations.
  Additional career opportunities include entrepreneurial roles in family businesses or one’s own ventures, and access to regulated professions such as becoming a certified public accountant/legal auditor, subject to completion of the required internship and passing the relevant state examination.
   

The Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics (BE) aims to train professionals dedicated to managing companies active in international markets, of various sizes (micro, small-medium, large) and sectors (manufacturing, commercial, services).

The BE degree program is characterized by:
- The profiles developed: the variety of professionals who can be trained includes those capable of supporting strategic management in designing, managing, and evaluating economic and business strategies, as well as specialists able to verify the correctness and effectiveness of managerial and administrative processes;
- The consistency of the weight assigned to the four areas of knowledge (economics, business, law, and quantitative disciplines) aligned with the targeted professional profile;
- The significant role assigned to laboratory activities, internships, and the final thesis (a total of 10 ECTS out of 180);
- The focus on transversal skills (so-called soft skills) through teaching methods designed to facilitate their acquisition.

In particular, the mandatory business courses ensure adequate knowledge of accounting principles and management control; approaches to defining organizational, competitive, and marketing strategies; and the management of relationships with financial intermediaries.
In the economic area, the curriculum provides essential knowledge of macroeconomics and microeconomics, as well as analytical and critical skills needed to interpret markets, policies, and organizational and institutional cultures that define the contexts and help understand relevant scenarios for international companies.

The mandatory legal courses guarantee solid preparation in business-relevant legal areas to integrate company functions and mandates within the broader framework of regulatory and institutional governance, with particular attention to categories provided by public, private, and commercial law at the national, European, and international levels.

Finally, in the quantitative area, the program provides adequate quantitative skills for business operations and raises awareness of digitalization processes and the role data analysis plays in supporting the management and control of business projects and programs.
The study program is individually completed by acquiring additional language skills, choosing elective courses, selecting among workshops and internships offered often in collaboration with business partners, and preparing a final report. For foreign students, mandatory activities aimed at achieving proficiency in the Italian language are provided.

The overall educational offer provides the theoretical and practical skills necessary for managing, monitoring, and evaluating business strategies and plans in an international operating context, enabling students to achieve their objectives based on effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability criteria.
Teaching is focused on developing analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work on projects and in teams, allowing students to acquire strong contextual understanding and to mature management and leadership skills for leading workgroups.
 

Admission Requirements

To enroll in the Bachelor’s Degree program in Business and Economics, a secondary school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification recognized as valid under current regulations is required.
Additionally, a B2 level proficiency in English according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required, demonstrated by possession of one of the certifications specified in the Study Program’s Academic Regulations.

The possession of the prerequisites necessary for successful attendance of the degree program is assessed at the beginning of the first year through a specific test aimed at verifying students’ preparation.

The knowledge required to successfully pass this test corresponds to that acquired at the end of secondary school education.

The methods for assessing this knowledge are detailed in the Study Program’s Academic Regulations, which also indicate additional educational obligations to be fulfilled if the test outcome is not positive. These obligations must be satisfied within the first year of the program.

Admission Procedures

To enroll in the Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics, a secondary school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification recognized under current legislation is required. Furthermore, a B2 level English proficiency according to the CEFR must be demonstrated by possession of one of the certifications approved by the CCSA and listed at the following link: https://www.unibs.it/it/certificazioni-linguistiche.

Exemptions from submitting an English language certification apply to:

• Students holding a qualification obtained after attending a degree program taught entirely in English;
• Native English-speaking students from the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, USA.
  Verification of these requirements will be carried out by the International Student Admission Office.

The possession of the required mathematics prerequisites for successful attendance of the degree program is assessed through a mandatory entrance test administered in English, the English TOLC-E (Test Online CISIA for Economics), which can be taken at any university participating in the CISIA Consortium that offers it. The English TOLC-E aptitude test is orientative and non-selective; its purpose is to evaluate whether the basic mathematics preparation is adequate and aligned with the requirements necessary to successfully attend the program. The knowledge required to successfully pass this test corresponds to that acquired at the end of secondary school education. The English TOLC-E must be taken before enrollment or within a deadline set by the CCSA of the Department of Economics and Management of the University of Brescia.

To pass the English TOLC-E, a score equal to or above a threshold in the Mathematics section of the test is required. This threshold is established by the CCSA of Economics and Management at the University of Brescia. A failing result, i.e., a score below the minimum threshold in the Mathematics section of the English TOLC-E, does not prevent enrollment in the degree program or attendance of classes, but entails the assignment of Additional Educational Obligations (OFA) in Mathematics. These obligations are also assigned to those who enroll without having taken the English TOLC-E.

The fulfillment of the Mathematics OFA can be achieved by passing the Mathematics exam and the first in-course test (if provided) according to the indications set by the CCSA. Alternatively, to fulfill the Mathematics OFA, first-year students may retake the English TOLC-E during certain periods of the academic year, as established by the CCSA.

First-year students, until they fulfill the Mathematics OFA, will not be allowed to take the Microeconomics exam (SECS-P/01).

Students who do not fulfill the Mathematics OFA by the end of the first academic year will be admitted to the second year (and subsequent years) but will not be allowed to take exams in the mathematical, statistical, and economic-political areas, i.e., exams for courses in the scientific disciplinary sectors SECS-S/06 (except for the Mathematics exam), MAT/09 (except for the Digital Skills Lab exam), SECS-S/01, SECS-P/01, SECS-P/02, SECS-P/03, SECS-P/05 until the OFA are fulfilled.

Admission of foreign students is governed by the “Rules for the Admission of Foreign Students to University Courses” issued by the Ministry of University and Research (https://www.universitaly.it/studenti-stranieri). These rules also establish procedures for verifying knowledge of the Italian language when required and the conditions for exemption.

Incoming Orientation

The Degree Program participates in incoming orientation initiatives managed both at the macro-area level and university-wide, which are detailed on the dedicated page of the University portal. This page also provides access to specific initiatives organized by macro-areas. These initiatives are coordinated by a working group composed of the Rector’s Delegate for Orientation, the Department Orientation Delegates, and staff from a dedicated organizational unit (Orientation Unit – U.O.C. Orientamento). The planning and delivery of orientation activities, developed by the U.O.C., are certified according to the UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 standard.

Regular activities, news, and updated initiatives can be consulted on the dedicated

Orientation page.

Ongoing Orientation

Tutoring initiatives are organized at the university level according to the annual tutoring plan, which is defined each year by the University Tutoring Committee and approved by the Academic Senate. The Tutoring Service contributes to ongoing orientation with the aim of increasing the regularity of study careers and identifying critical issues that contribute to student dropout. The administrative management of the student tutoring service is certified according to the UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 standard and provided within the framework of student welfare services by a dedicated organizational unit.

Tutoring

Characteristics of the Final Exam

The final exam consists of the preparation of a written thesis in English under the supervision of a faculty advisor, according to the provisions of the Degree Program’s Academic Regulations.
The thesis requires the collection and critical analysis of bibliographic material and/or data related to the cultural and professional content of the degree course or within internships or training projects promoted inside or outside the university.
The preparation of the final thesis may also be carried out, under the guidance of a supervisor, in public or private institutions with which appropriate agreements have been established.

Final Exam Procedure

The final exam consists of the preparation and presentation of a written report in English, called the Final Project, which grants four university credits (CFU). This report can be completed either in Italy or abroad, as provided by the regulations for preparing theses or final reports abroad.
The report may concern internships carried out at companies or institutions, participation in specific training projects promoted inside or outside the University, or the in-depth study of topics covered in the courses followed by the student.
For the balanced distribution of workload among faculty members in the Department, carrying out the internship does not automatically entitle the academic tutor to assign the final thesis.

Students who have earned the credits required by the degree program, excluding those assigned to the final exam itself, must submit a graduation application to the Student Office following the procedures established by the Aggregate Degree Programs Council.
To be admitted to the final exam, the candidate must:
a) at least one month before the start date of the session in which they intend to take the exam, submit online both the graduation application and the title of the thesis previously agreed upon with the supervisor;
b) at least fifteen days before the final exam:

• pass all exams required by their study plan;
• upload the final version of the thesis in PDF format;
• upload the authenticity declaration, available on the University website, together with a copy of a valid identity document.

Both the thesis title and the final thesis uploaded online must be approved by the supervisor within the deadlines set by the Student Office.
Deadlines, procedures, and documentation required for admission to the final exam are published on the University website.

The topic of the final thesis is assigned, upon request by the student, by a faculty member or researcher of the Department who acts as supervisor. The acceptance of the request depends on the student’s acquisition of credits related to the supervisor’s scientific-disciplinary sector and the supervisor’s availability, ensuring a balanced distribution of workload to maximize the use of the Department’s expertise.
The workload distribution among faculty members, with reference to final theses supervised in the previous academic year, is published annually.

Final Exam Committee

The committee for the final exam discussion, pursuant to Article 27 of the University Academic Regulations, consists of at least five members, including the supervisor, and is appointed by the Department Director. The majority of committee members must be tenured faculty, according to Article 27, paragraph 2.
The committee is chaired by the tenured faculty member with the longest seniority, or by the Department Director, or by the Chair of the Aggregate Degree Programs Council, if present. The Chair ensures the proper conduct of the exam and the adherence of the final evaluations to the criteria established by the Aggregate Degree Programs Council.
The committee meets in a public session as per Article 27, paragraph 7 of the University Academic Regulations. After considering the supervisor’s initial evaluation, the committee proceeds to evaluate the thesis presented by the candidate.
Graduation sessions are held according to the schedule approved annually by the Aggregate Degree Programs Council.
If a committee member cannot attend due to serious and exceptional reasons, they must immediately notify the Department Director with specific reasons. If the absent member is the supervisor, a brief evaluation and a proposed score of the candidate’s thesis must accompany the notice.

Final Evaluation

For the final evaluation, the committee must verify the overall maturity level achieved by the candidate. The final grade is expressed out of 110 and is calculated as the sum of:
a) the weighted average of the grades obtained in exams taken by the candidate, where weights correspond to the credits assigned to each exam, excluding courses up to 18 credits with the lowest grades (for degree courses under DM 270/04 and reorganization under DM 17/2010). Credits earned without a grade or extra-curricular exams are not included in the final average;
b) the committee’s evaluation based on the thesis, the discussion, and the entire academic record according to the criteria established by the Aggregate Degree Programs Council.

The final score is rounded down if the decimal part is less than 0.5, and rounded up if it is 0.5 or higher.
If the resulting score is 110, the committee may unanimously award honors (cum laude) on the supervisor’s proposal and if the requirements are met.

The examination committee deliberates the final grade in secret at the end of the discussion. Only members present at the discussion may vote. Decisions are made by majority; in the event of a tie, the Chair’s vote prevails. The final grade is expressed out of 110 regardless of the number of committee members. The exam is passed with a minimum score of 66/110.

The outcome of the final exam and the final grade are communicated to the candidate during the graduation session.
The electronic recording of the exam results is done by the digital signature of the committee Chair. In exceptional cases of justified impediment, the recording may be done on paper signed by the committee members. The Chair is solely responsible for the exam recording process.

Graduation