Degree programme choice orientation
The SOrT is Sapienza's integrated orientation service. The service has a central office in the University City and counters located in the Faculties. At the SOrT students can find more specific information on Faculties and degree courses and support in making choices. The central office and the Faculties' lecturers coordinate incoming orientation and tutoring projects, handle relations with secondary schools and teachers responsible for outgoing orientation, propose support actions in the delicate phase of transition from school to university and support for current students, provide information on the educational offer and the administrative procedures for accessing courses.
Orientation initiatives and projects:
1. 'Open doors at Sapienza'
The initiative, which is held every year at the University City, is the most important event dedicated primarily to new freshmen: during the three orientation days, it is possible to meet lecturers and other students, receive information, and attend lectures in the Aula Magna presenting the educational offerings of all the Faculties of the University. The initiative is aimed at all those who intend to enrol in the Bachelor's, Combined Bachelor's and Master's degree courses at Sapienza, with a particular focus on students in the last classes of secondary schools. The event is an opportunity for each stakeholder to get to know Sapienza, its educational offerings, places of study, culture and meeting places, and the many services available to students (libraries and study rooms, museums, university residences, sports facilities, the University Theatre). In addition to information on teaching, during the meetings and at the Faculty stands along the University's avenues, but also at the virtual stands, it is possible to obtain information on the administrative process both of a general nature and, more specifically, on the enrolment procedures for the various study courses and to acquire specific information on the calls for participation in the admission tests for the courses.
Furthermore, in order to promote the development of inclusive contexts and access to university education, the sector for relations with students with disabilities and with DSA promotes spaces for discussion on career management through personalised and individualised study plans with the activation of didactic and/or economic and/or logistical support available for frail students. Lastly, the sector guides students on the procedures to follow in order to request support, indicating the clinical certifications to be presented.
2. "Sapienza Orientation" Portal
To help students choose a course of study, the University has set up an online portal (https://orientamento.uniroma1.it/index.html), which provides an immersive and early experience of university life: enter the campus, lecture halls and laboratories, libraries, theatre, music and sports facilities with navigable and filmed images; use online teaching modules on the main topics covered by the courses; assess and improve one's preparation for entrance tests or knowledge tests.
Moreover, the portal is the main point of contact for being informed about the orientation events that the various Faculties and Departments schedule throughout the year and hosts presentation videos of the Faculties, single-cycle degree courses and Master's degree courses, particularly the newly established courses. All orientation initiatives are promoted on the University's social channels in order to capture the attention of potentially interested students.
The portal also includes an English language version to promote orientation also among international students.
3. Project "A Bridge between School and University"
The project was created with the aim of promoting a better transition of students leaving high schools to the university world and facilitating their subsequent integration into the new reality.
The project is divided into two initiatives
a) La Sapienza si presenta - Meetings to present the Faculties and model lessons held by Sapienza lecturers and addressed to secondary school students on topics related to each teaching area;
b) La Sapienza degli studenti - Talks in schools aimed at presenting the services offered by Sapienza and recounting the university experience by specially trained "mentor" and "senior" students.
4. Self-evaluation tools (developed by Sapienza experts and scientifically tested)
a. "Know yourself": effective in accompanying the decision-making process aimed at choosing an educational pathway. Once completed, the tool returns a personality profile, an academic profile and a professional profile.
b. "Me, Myself and Others": allows you to measure your soft skills, i.e. the aptitudes relevant to fitting into society and the world of work.
5. "Networked orientation" project
This is an orientation and realignment project on the minimum knowledge required to best tackle the entrance tests for courses in the biomedical and psychological area. The initiative envisages the development of a preparation course, characterised by a first phase with distance learning and a second phase realised through intensive in-presence courses, for access to the Faculties with programmed numbering in the biomedical, health and psychological area, intended for students in their final years of secondary school.
6. "Pathways for transversal skills and orientation -- PCTO" (formerly alternating school-work)
This is a teaching method that, through practical experience, helps high school students consolidate the knowledge acquired at school and test their aptitudes in the field while enriching their training and guiding their studies.
7. "Next Generation Orientation (NGO)".
This is the joint project of all the Universities in the Lazio Region, financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, designed to help students in our Region to make an informed choice of their post-school training pathway and to define their personal and professional trajectory.
The project envisages the provision, by Sapienza teachers, of a training course of a total of 15 hours, which can be used in presence and in curricular mode, structured in 5 modules of 3 hours provided in 5 preferably consecutive days, subject to different agreements with the schools, concerning the following contents by way of example
- Module A - Why is studying needed?
- Module B - How do I study at university?
- Module C - How can I best prepare myself for university study?
- Module D - Who am I and who will I be when I grow up?
- Module E - What professions can I aspire to?
8. Preparation for admission tests
Sapienza provides for the use of the CISIA OnLine Entrance Tests (TOLC), which can be taken by upper secondary school students through the CISIA portal, which allows test training through the Student Placement Tests (PPS). The PPS are real tests, which allow students to get immediate feedback on their level of preparation, based on a comparison with the answers given and the score achieved on the same questions by participants in the same TOLC in previous years.
9. "Minimum Knowledge"
The project dedicated to the realignment of minimum knowledge, i.e. the basic knowledge required to attend the chosen degree course in the best possible way, provides for the use of lessons recorded by university lecturers with the specific aim of strengthening entry-level knowledge and enabling a more informed and motivated university career.
10. "Of@Sapienza"
In order to increase the level of preparation for entrance tests and prevent the assignment of OFAs (Additional Educational Obligations) in the subjects Italian and Mathematics, there is the Of@@Sapienza e-learning channel: students can find here useful tools to train themselves independently and reinforce the minimum knowledge required by degree courses in the humanities, engineering and architecture.
11. "Orientation events"
On the page https://www.uniroma1.it/it/node/347362 are collected in chronological order all orientation events organised by the University, Faculties, Departments and CAD/CdS.
In addition, in order to support the choice of study path and illustrate the services available to students with disabilities and DSA Sapienza organises meetings with schools and individual orientation meetings with secondary schools.
The University then supports students with disabilities and students with DSA in the delicate and extremely important process of orientation, assessment and selection at entry.
The 'Disabled and DSA Student Sector' assesses which individualised methods of carrying out entrance tests are necessary in view of the certifications presented by the students.
For enrolment on courses with a local or national number of places on which there is a selective entrance test, people with disabilities may request a series of compensatory measures (e.g.: dedicated classroom; additional time; Tutor-reader; Tutor-accompanying person; LIS interpreter; calculator) following the application procedures indicated in the notices of admission to the courses. Similarly, for enrolment on study courses that envisage TOLC-type admission tests managed by the CISIA Consortium, both in the face-to-face and distance modes in the TOLC@CASA mode, people with disabilities and/or with DSA may request support measures in compliance with the methods and deadlines set out in the administrative procedures for enrolling for the tests.
Finally, the 'Students with disabilities and DSA Sector' takes care of welcoming new freshmen who are in a vulnerable condition with the support of specialised tutors, peer tutors and LIS interpreters.
***Activities of the Degree Programme***
Orientation activities specific to the Degree Programme are always carried out in close coordination with the Faculty's CORET. In this regard, the tutor appointed by Linguistic and Intercultural Mediation with responsibility for orientation/tutoring participates regularly in orientation activities at schools in the capital. The members of the Degree Programme Council, the tutors, the student tutors assigned by the University and the president of the Degree Programme participate in the annual “Open Doors” initiative promoted by the University.
Every year, the CGAQ of the Mediation Degree Programme updates and supplements the “Enrolment” section of the website (https://corsidilaurea.uniroma1.it/it/corso/2023/ 29950/iscriversi) of the audiovisual files intended to present the entire structure of the educational programme to future freshers, and then the individual subjects of the basic and core exams. In the last week of September, a public presentation of the degree programme to new students, attended by lecturers representing the individual subject areas, is held in the Aula Magna of the Marco Polo Building, attracting a large audience.
With the ‘Saperi minimi’ (Minimum Knowledge) project, the University also provides future freshmen with lessons recorded by university professors with the specific aim of strengthening their knowledge before they start their studies. Italian lessons are a useful tool for strengthening knowledge before starting the course of study.
All students interested in enrolling can also contact the Sort office using the contact details provided on the degree programme website and on the Faculty and Sort pages.
Finally, the Sapienza Orientation Portal (also available in English) offers an immersive and advance experience of university life through videos and photos of the facilities, including a video presentation of the degree programme https://youtu.be/wdpEIh-xK3A.
Finally, it should be noted that, once the Admissions Department has received the list of students enrolled with OFA assignments, they are carefully guided in order to fulfil, as quickly as possible and in any case within the first year of the course, in accordance with the procedures described in detail in the enrolment notice and further detailed in the dedicated section of the SUA-CdS form.
The programme chair, designated tutors, academic advisor, and all academic administration staff are always available—either in person or via email—to respond to any requests for assistance and/or clarification received directly from enrolled students and/or through their representatives.
The incoming orientation activities falling within the specific competence of the Degree Course are always carried out in close coordination with CORET of the Faculty of Humanities. In this regard, the tutor designated by Linguistic and Intercultural Mediation with the task of orientation/tutoring punctually participates in orientation activities at schools in the Capital. Course Council members, tutor teachers, tutor students assigned by the University and the Course President participate in the annual "Open Doors" initiative promoted by the University.
Every year, the CGAQ of the Degree Course in Mediation updates and integrates, in the "Enrolment" section of the website (https://corsidilaurea.uniroma1.it/it/corso/2023/29950/iscriversi), audiovisual files intended to present the entire structure of the training pathway to prospective freshmen, i.e. the individual disciplines of the basic and characterising examinations. In the last week of September, a public presentation of the Course of Study to freshmen, with the presence of lecturers representing the individual subject areas, is held with a large audience in the Aula Magna of the Marco Polo Building.
With the "Minimum Knowledge" project, the University also makes lessons recorded by university lecturers available to future freshmen with the specific aim of reinforcing their incoming knowledge. The Italian lessons are a useful tool for strengthening incoming knowledge for the course of study.
All male and female students interested in enrolling can also contact the Sort office, via the contacts on the course website and on the Faculty and Sort pages.
Finally, the Sapienza Orientation Portal (also in English) provides an immersive, early experience of university life through videos and photos of the facilities, including the video presentation of the CdS https://youtu.be/oB71j4jdXgU
Lastly, it should be pointed out that, once the Access Assessment Section has received the list of students enrolled with OFAs, they are scrupulously guided in order to fulfil, as quickly as possible and in any case by the end of the first year of the course, these educational obligations, in accordance with the procedures described in detail in the enrolment notice and further detailed in the dedicated section of the SUA-CdS form.
The President of the Degree Course, the appointed tutors, the didactic contact person and all the staff of the Didactic Secretariat are always available - by means of in-person meetings or by e-mail - to satisfy all requests for help and/or clarification received directly from the enrolled students and/or through their representatives.