University of Bologna - Alma Graduate School

The University

The University of Bologna was founded in 1088 and it is the oldest university in the Western World. In spite of its age, the University of Bologna has always been educating its students with innovative academic programs. Alma Graduate School, the Business School of the University of Bologna, combines twenty years of renowned experience in delivering MBA programs with a well established tradition of cooperation with leading Italian and international companies.

The Business School

Alma Graduate School is the Business School of the University of Bologna. It was founded in 2000 as a consortium between Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, the Cassa di Risparmio Foundation in Bologna, the Guglielmo Marconi Foundation and Profingest, which involves many of the most important economic actors of the Emilia-Romagna region, such as Lamborghini, Ducati, or Max Mara. The school adopts an innovative interdisciplinary approach to build up its programs, also thanks to the involvement of several Departments of the University of Bologna and of many relevant Italian companies.

Alma Graduate School provides on-campus facilities for students, faculty, and staff: the reading rooms, the computer labs, the Aula Magna, the multimedia and conference rooms, not to mention the restaurant and gym. Alma Graduate School’s state of the art computer labs and technological equipments are always available to students, as well as Alma’s protected wireless network, which fully covers Villa Guastavillani and its premises. A shuttle bus connects the school with major bus stations in downtown Bologna in less than 10 minutes. Public parking is available on campus as well.

The Program

UNICREDIT MBA RETAIL IN THE BANKING AND FINANCIAL INDUSTRY

The UniCredit MBA Retail in the Banking and Financial Industry is a challenging, intensive 12-month full-time international program entirely taught in English.

The UniCredit MBA Retail in the Banking and Financial Industry is designed to enhance management knowledge and skills, setting solid foundations for a career in the banking and the financial industry. The program offers a unique opportunity to blend theory with experience and provides students with a high quality mix of analytical and problem-solving skills required to succeed in the retail sector.

The program is divided into three main areas. General Management is intended to provide the basics to successfully manage a business organization. Finance and Banking and Service and Retail Management aim at presenting the tools enabling the understanding of financial markets and financial instruments, as well as enrich participants with the expertise needed in the field of the retail industry and financial organizations.

Other program features are: the internship, career development activities, and a business English course. Intensive Italian classes are offered free of charge to international participants who wish to improve their language skills during their stay in Italy. Italian classes are scheduled in September 2010, prior to the beginning of the MBA activities.


MBA DESIGN, FASHION AND LUXURY GOODS

The MBA Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods is a challenging, intensive 12-month full-time international program entirely taught in English.

The MBA Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods is designed to enhance management knowledge and skills together with competences specific to the sector. The program offers a unique opportunity to blend theory with experience and provides students a high quality mix of analytical, creative, and problem-solving skills required to succeed in the design, fashion, and luxury goods business world.

The curriculum of the MBA Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods is divided in three main parts: General Management (core MBA courses) and International Markets, which are designed to provide students with the necessary management and business skills; and a Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods concentration, designed to provide an opportunity for specialization and in-depth focus on both traditional and cutting-edge issues in the design, fashion, and luxury goods world.

Alma Graduate School, together with leading companies and managers of the sector, will provide participants with a first-hand full immersion in the design, fashion, and luxury goods world. Open discussions and meetings with professionals from the sector will also give students an opportunity to discuss specific issues, and learn from actual testimonies and experiences of the real business world. Students will also achieve a considerable first-hand experience by participating in other curricular activities, such as: field trips, in-company day visits, wine and food tasting, etc.

Other program features are: the internship, career development activities, and a business English course. Intensive Italian classes are offered free of charge to international participants who wish to improve their language skills during their stay in Italy. Italian classes are scheduled in September 2010, prior to the beginning of the MBA activities.

The Faculty

Faculty members at Alma Graduate School work together offering outstanding teaching standards. A joint team of distinguished national scholars, visiting professors, and top-level managers guarantees an international and interdisciplinary approach.

Each year, Alma Graduate School invites leading experts from around the world, both from academia and business, to share their experience. These lectures are open to all students and are intended to supplement and stimulate classroom discussion.

Entry Requirements

INTERNATIONAL MBA PROGRAMS: UniCredit MBA Retail in the Banking and Financial Industry and MBA Design, Fashion and Luxury Goods

Admissions requirements for the 2010 intake are:

* Undergraduate degree (or higher)
* Three years of qualified work experience (minimum)
* TOEFL/IELTS*
* GMAT/GRE**
* Two reference letters (professional and/or academic)


* The Test of English as a Foreign Language is required of all candidates whose native language is not English. The IELTS is acceptable as an alternative. Waivers may apply. There is no minimum TOEFL/IELTS score required.

** There is no minimum GMAT/GRE score required. Instead of the GMAT/GRE, candidates may sit for the Alma Admissions Test - which will take place at Alma Graduate School on July 5th, 2010 - in case they do not have sufficient time to enroll and take the GMAT or the GRE (round III candidates in particular).


The admissions process begins in January and finishes in July. Submissions will be accepted from January until June 2010. Admissions notifications will be sent out at the beginning of July. Admitted candidates will be required to confirm their participation in the program by the end of July.

There are three submissions deadlines: submitting the application early will increase a candidate's chance of being accepted into the program.

* Round I submissions deadline: March 7th, 2010
* Round II submissions deadline: May 2nd, 2010
* Round III submissions dealine: June 28th, 2010 (final deadline)


The admissions committee, made up of Alma Graduate School faculty members, reviews the applications on a rolling basis. Candidates will be contacted by an admissions team member as soon as their application has reached Alma Graduate School. Selected candidates will be invited to attend a personal interview at Alma Graduate School or via Skype.

* Applications deadline: June 28th, 2010
* Admissions day at Alma Graduate School: July 5th, 2010
* Admissions notifications by: July 9th, 2010

Application Procedure

Please, download the application form at the School's website.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition Fee for Alma Graduate School international MBA programs is € 25,000 (+ VAT if abblicable). The tuition fee includes study materials, tutoring for selected courses and the use of Alma Graduate School facilities. The course fee does not include travel or living expenses.

Financial Aid

Every year, thanks to the support of its partners, Alma Graduate School offers full and partial merit-based scholarships.
Thanks to an agreement between Alma Graduate School and UniCredit, ourinternational MBA students are also eligible to apply for student loans. These low-interest and long-term (up to 10 years) loans, offer attractive repayment options. Loans will cover the full amount of the tuition fee (€ 25,000) or the portion of it that is not covered by the scholarships (in the case of partial scholarships). In addition to this, all participants – including those without scholarship – can benefit from a € 10,000 loan, designed to help them cover their living expenses in Bologna during the academic year.

Location

Villa Guastavillani, a XVI century residence located at the foothills of Bologna, is less than 10 minutes away from the city centre, where history, tradition, and technology live side by side in a framework of natural beauty.

Bologna is a city well known for its ancient university, its medieval towers, rich cultural and social life, a strong tradition of hospitality towards students, its well-preserved city center, and its cuisine. Almost 100,000 university students live in Bologna and this makes of Bologna the most famous and most lively university town in Italy. Participants will fall in love and remain forever fond of the culture, the art, and the incredible scenery of this area. Bologna and its privileged location, set in a prime position in the North of Italy, is only one hour away from Florence and Milan, two hours from Venice and Rome.

Accommodation

Alma Graduate School provides special services for international participants in order to facilitate their arrival and stay in the city of Bologna. For example, as an incoming student, you will receive all necessary support in terms of administrative and immigration matters in order to ensure you have health insurance coverage, visa, and residence permit.

Student Life

An academic year spent at Alma is an unforgettable experience. Life at Alma is characterized by its vibrant community. This community is made up of students from different countries, professors of various academic backgrounds and managers from our Business Network. A network of Alumni is very active in the school environment and highly influential in the business community.

Pre-MBA Course

An intensive Italian language course are available for international students who wish to become involved in the Italian business world and lifestyle, improving their language skills during their stay in Italy. The intensive Italian language course is scheduled in the weeks immediately preceding the beginning of the first term. Business English classes will be offered to all students thoughout the year.