COURSE PRESENTATION
The three-year Degree Course in Sciences and Technologies of Animal Production (STPA) can be accessed with a Higher Secondary School Diploma. The training activities take place at the Department of Veterinary Sciences (DVS) at the site in Viale delle Piagge n.2 and at affiliated external facilities.
The teachers of the Degree Course are Full Professors, Associate Professors and Researchers generally belonging to the DVS.
The objective of the course, open to access in the academic year 2020/21, is to train three-year graduates with specific technical-scientific skills necessary to carry out technical and managerial tasks and professional activities to support production and control activities in companies, laboratories and services of the various sectors of animal production. For this purpose, during the course, particular attention is paid to the genetic, technical, nutritional and hygienic-sanitary aspects, as well as to those of an agronomic and economic-managerial nature. Basic skills are also provided to operate in the agro-food chain, from production to processing and marketing of products.
Possible employment opportunities are: agro-zootechnical companies, feed industries, agro-food industries, services, trade associations, public bodies with expertise in planning and coordination of agricultural and environmental policies, and non-governmental organizations. Graduates can continue their studies in related master’s degrees.
TO SIGN UP
To help choose a Degree Course, orientation activities are organized by the Department and by the University.
With regard to orientation initiatives for students of Higher Secondary Schools and for the schools themselves, STPA is also a member of the POT project (Orientation and Tutoring Projects), coordinated by the Department of Agricultural, Food and Agri-environmental Sciences (Prof. Lucia Guidi). The activities are described at the following link: agr.unipi.it/piani-di-oriento-e-tutorato.
Access is free for students wishing to enroll in the three-year Degree Course in STPA, but they must have some initial knowledge, which aims to ascertain students’ specific needs in particular disciplines. Access details for the Degree Course are on the page Access Modalities.
The organizational aspects of the Degree Course and the educational offer are described in the Regulations and in the study plan.
(History of Teaching Regulations for enrolled cohorts)
Starting from the Academic Year 2012-2013, the institution of forfeiture applies to students who have not acquired a defined number of credits within the first Academic Year of enrollment.
Students who intend to move on to the three-year Degree Course in STPA from another Degree Course of the University of Pisa or move from another University, can find the relevant information at the following link.
ORGANISING STUDIES
The training activities of the Degree Course are reported in the study plan.
During their career, alongside the specific activities of the training in which they are enrolled, the student must acquire computer and linguistic CFUs (ECTS) and CFUs in training activities chosen by the student (ECTS of choice). The recognition of 0.5 CFU is possible by presenting the certificate of participation in at least 4 seminars organized by ASPA (see ASPA SEMINAR CALENDAR program). Participants will be able to request a certificate of participation from the secretariat of the ASPA presidency (mariangelazarbo23@gmail.com). The student in STPA can also carry out practical pre-professional training activities. There is also the possibility of acquiring CFUs abroad (studying abroad).
The teaching activities are organized according to a timetable and, for all courses, the relative programs are available. Registration for exams takes place through the University portal, where the sessions and dates of the exams are indicated.
The Teachers of the Degree Course receive students by appointment to be agreed by e-mail.
Throughout the course of study, students can take advantage of the tutoring service, which guides and assists students.
According to the University Teaching Regulations, the status of working student (Article 27) and parent student (Article 23, paragraph 9) can be recognized, for which concessions are provided. The application for the recognition of the status of working student must be submitted to the Teaching Unit using the appropriate forms.
GRADUATION
To be admitted to the degree exam, the student of the Degree Course must have acquired the CFUs relating to all the training activities provided for in the Study Plan. In particular, the student must have passed the English language proficiency test and acquired the computer credits required by the Degree Course Regulations.
All information about the application and the procedures for carrying out and evaluating the final exam are described in the Procedure for the final project assignment.
All information about the application and the procedures for carrying out and evaluating the final exam are described in the Procedure for the final exam. The application for the final exam session must be submitted by the student according to the forms and deadlines set. The student must verify the approval of the degree application and the appointment of a co-supervisor.
For each graduation session, the list of candidates and thesis commissions are published.
POSTGRADUATE STUDY
Graduates in the three-year Degree Course in STPA can enroll in a Master’s Degree Course, among those that provide access to the L38 degree class.
At the Department of Veterinary Sciences there is the Master’s Degree Course in Sciences and Technologies of Animal Production.
Graduates in the three-year Degree Course in STPA can take the state exam for the professional qualification of graduate agro-technician (National College of Agro-technicians and graduates Agro-technicians).
New graduates can carry out a non-curricular internship aimed at direct knowledge of the world of work and managed at the University level, which offers them additional support services.
Graduates in the three-year Degree Course in STPA can enroll in the Trade Association – Italian Federation of Doctors in Animal Production Sciences (FIDSPA)
APPROACHING THE WORLD OF WORK
Pre-professional Training
In order to complete the theoretical-practical and professional training, the student can carry out pre-professional training activities. The curricular pre-professional training is optional and consists of participation in practical teaching activities to be carried out at Italian or foreign University or external structures. The pre-professional training must be carried out in companies affiliated with the Department.
To carry out the curricular pre-professional training, in Italy or abroad, students must follow the instructions in the pre-professional training procedure.
For pre-professional training abroad, the student can use the ERASMUS mobility program, remembering that the ERASMUS membership application and the pre-professional training application are different and must be completed in parallel.
The internship application must be completed following the forms and deadlines set by the procedure.
Professional opportunitiesOrientation to the world of work and job placement
In the Department of Veterinary Sciences, graduate job orientation is facilitated by the Job Placement Working Group. At the University level there is also an orientation activity and support for entering the world of work (Career Service).
For the purpose of orientation to the world of work, the Degree Course organizes specific professional seminars.
INSTITUTIONAL BODIES
The activities of the degree course are coordinated by its Head, elected by the Degree Course Council from among the Professors of the degree course, who remains in office for three years and oversees the activities of the degree course as per the Statute of the University of Pisa.
The Degree Course Council, composed of the teachers responsible for the educational activities of the degree course and the student representatives, ensures the appropriate performance of the activities of the degree course, according to the Statute and regulations of the University of Pisa.
The Joint Faculty-Students Committee (Regulations), composed of an equal number of teachers and student representatives and chaired by the Head of the degree course, is a permanent observatory of teaching activities, providing indications or proposals to the Degree Course Council.
The Review Group (Regulations), appointed by the Head of the degree course and composed of the Head and teachers of the degree course, a student representative, the Head of the Teaching Unit of the DVS and at least one representative of the world of work, has the task of carrying out a periodic and planned process of revision of the degree course.
The Pre-Professional Training Committee (Regulations), composed of professors from the degree course, has the task of managing the activities connected with the pre-professional training.
The Year Coordinators are appointed by the Head of the Degree Course from among the professors of the Degree Course and have the task of collaborating in the organization of the teaching activity of each year of the course.
Quality Assurance System
In order to ensure the quality of teaching and facilities, the Degree Course is committed to continuous improvement through discussions with students and representatives of the world of work.
In 2005 it joined the “CampusOne” project developed by the CRUI (Conference of rectors of Italian universities), and is aimed at improving teaching activities and coordinating with the local area and the world of work. Before the review activities and the drafting of the Scheda Unica Annuale of the Degree Courses (SUA-DC) form became mandatory, the three-year Degree Course was already carrying out a self-assessment activity highlighting its own potential and weaknesses and setting well-defined objectives for improvement.
Relations with the world of work are maintained thanks to the pre-professional training activities, the practical activities provided for in the degree course and professional seminars, in which professional figures coming from several productive fields participate. All contacts and interactions continuously facilitate regulatory reviews.
For five years, the degree course has set up a Review Group (Regulation) which, in addition to managing the procedure for AVA ministerial accreditation (compilation of the SUA-DC form, elaboration of review reports and annual monitoring form, etc.), has initiated a reflection in order to improve the definition of professional profiles and employment opportunities for the future. The results of the review activity and any other activity relating to the degree course are discussed in the Joint Commission and by the Council of the degree course, thus ensuring the involvement of the DVS community.
The SUA-DC is the functional document for the design, implementation, management, self-assessment and redesign of the Degree Course. It collects the information useful to make known post-graduation profiles, the objectives of the training, the training path, the learning outcomes, the roles and responsibilities that pertain to the management of the QA system of the Degree Course, the conditions for the periodical review of its system, any corrections identified and possible improvements. This information is published on the Universitaly Miur Portal, in the SUA-DC form.
The SUA-DC form is flanked by the annual monitoring form and the cyclical review report, which have the purpose of periodically verifying the appropriateness of the learning objectives that the Degree Course has proposed, the correspondence between the objectives and the results and the effectiveness of the way the Course is managed.
A summary report of the results relating to the evaluation of courses by students of the previous academic year of the Degree Course is visible on the University website at http://www.unipi.it/index.php/lauree.