Other activities

For students enrolled on the degree programme between 2017 and 2024 
Two of the four credits allocated to ‘other knowledge’ must be obtained by passing a B2-level foreign language examination, chosen from English, French, Spanish or German.

For students enrolled on the degree programme from 2025
The Study Programme specifies that in the 1st year 3 CFU to be obtained by passing a B2-level foreign language examination, chosen from English (with the option of a language assistant), French and German (with a self-study CLAT course), or Spanish (without support or tutoring). The degree programme recognises certifications of an equivalent or higher level.

In the 2026/2027 academic year, the English language course will be taught by Prof. Justin Rainey (go to course description).
Alternatively, you can take the online self-study course offered by the University’s Language Skills Development Unit (CLAT) and sit the final test (which consists of a computer-based exam). For the purposes of academic credit, you must submit the certificate of completion issued by CLAT to the lecturer responsible for course code 108657 (Prof. Rainey).
Information regarding access to the online course is made available each year around mid-October on Aulaweb under ‘Notices and useful documents for students – HISTORICAL SCIENCES’.
Information regarding the final test and the procedure for issuing the language proficiency certificate is available here: https://clat.unige.it/TestENB2 

If, on the other hand, you intend to sit the B2 level test in a language other than English (choosing from French, Spanish or German), you can undertake the online self-study course of your choice – either French or German – offered by the University’s Language Skills Development Unit (CLAT). As regards Spanish, there is no B2-level online course available at the University, but you can sit the equivalent-level test in the same way as for French and German.
Information regarding access to online courses is made available each year around mid-October on Aulaweb under ‘Notices and useful documents for students – HISTORICAL SCIENCES’.
The B2 test will be held at the same time as the B1 test, in accordance with the timetable set by the humanities degree programmes, namely:
- a date in early January
- a date between late April and early May
- a date in early June
- a date in the first half of September
The exact dates are specified on the portal for booking exam sessions.
The test consists of a computer-based exam.
PLEASE NOTE: remember to contact the relevant lecturer one week before the exam to specify the language in which you intend to sit the B2 level test. You must bring your own headphones from home to sit the test.
The lecturers responsible for the tests, who will also ensure the results are recorded in your academic record, are:
- Prof. Giaufret for the French test
- Ms Sanfelici for the Spanish test
- Prof. Gerdes for the German test

LANGUAGE CERTIFICATES (or level certificates issued by CLAT)

The degree programme recognises certificates of an equivalent or higher level. If you hold a valid certificate attesting to your knowledge of a foreign language, you may submit it to the French/Spanish/German language lecturer (see above) or, in the case of English, to the lecturer responsible for course 108657 B2 ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
The language certificates accepted for all languages are listed each year at this link https://clat.unige.it/CertificazioniRiconosciute.

1–3 CFU

The IT skills test is an exam for which you must prepare independently. All information regarding the exam schedule and study materials can be found on Teams.

Teams code: qinypdm

To book the test, simply send an email to corrado.fumagalli@unige.it and then join the Teams channel at the time of the test.

The subject line of the email must be “IT skills test” and the email must include your first name, surname, student ID number, course of study.

max 2 CFU
(1 CFU for the basic course, 1 CFU for the intermediate course, 2 CFU for both)

Introduced in the wake of the Italian State’s recognition of Italian Sign Language (LIS) and Tactile Italian Sign Language (LISt), this course aims to introduce participants to the world of LIS and LISt; a world in which communication takes place through a channel different from the one we usually associate with (spoken) languages: the visual/tactile-gestural channel. 

Course coordinator: Danilo Monteverde

Further information on lesson timetables and classrooms will be published in due course in the ‘News’ section of this website.

max 1 CFU

The Citizenship Education course is open to all students enrolled on the University’s bachelor’s, master’s, single-cycle master’s and PhD programmes, regardless of the department offering the course or the degree programme in which they are enrolled. The aim of the course is to promote the development of active and responsible citizenship through the acquisition of personal, social, entrepreneurial and digital skills.

The degree programme recognises, under ‘Other Knowledge’ (code 73206), only one 1-credit seminar module to be chosen from the following:

• Marginalised Groups and Rights (DAFIST – contact: Prof. Langella)
• Multiculturalism and Citizenship (DLCM – contact: Prof. Pusillo)
• Religions in the public sphere (DAFIST – contact: Prof. Colagrossi)

PLEASE NOTE: the range of modules on offer may vary from year to year; please wait for the annual notice containing the list of modules offered in the current academic year.

2 CFU

Lecturer: Matteo Caponi

Start date: The workshop will take place in October–December 2026–27

Schedule of sessions: 

From 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm on the following dates

23 October, Room 2-Balbi 2

30 October, Room 2-Balbi 2

6 November, Room 2, Balbi 2

13 November, visit to the State Archives of Genoa, led by Dr Luca Filangieri

27 November, lecture and visit to the Humanities Library, led by Dr Monica Galletti and Dr Simona Basso

4 December, Lecture Theatre 2-Balbi 2

Duration: 6 sessions of 3 hours each, totalling 18 hours, comprising 4 seminar-style lectures and 2 educational visits (library and archive). In addition to the face-to-face sessions, there will be independent study aimed at producing a final assignment.

For further information and to enrol: please send an email to matteo.caponi@unige.it, specifying your degree programme and year of study.

The workshop’s Aulaweb is available at the following link: https://2026.aulaweb.unige.it/course/view.php?id=6503

Contents
The workshop aims to provide students with the tools to complete their Master’s thesis, covering everything from the main research methodologies and the collection of sources through to the drafting and revision of the text. The following topics will be covered:

1. What a dissertation is and what it is for; how to choose a dissertation topic; the thesis as an argumentative text.
2. The use of vocabulary and the argumentative style specific to the discipline of history.
3. Locating sources and bibliography (research in archives and libraries; databases and online digital resources).
4. The organisation of a structured text (abstract, division into chapters and paragraphs).
5. Critical apparatus and editorial standards.

Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Select sources, identifying their type and hierarchy (documentary; primary printed sources; secondary; digital);
• Write an abstract of the dissertation project and derive keywords from it;
• Create a table of contents, with a provisional division into chapters;
• Apply appropriate editorial standards (format footnotes correctly and know how to cite sources);
• Compile the bibliography and list of websites.

Students are required to attend and participate actively.

Reference texts
Fabio Rossi, How to Write a Degree Thesis Today: A Practical Guide to Theses, Dissertations and Other Academic Papers, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 2025.

Assessment methods
Preparation of a final paper comprising a title, abstract, keywords, provisional table of contents and bibliography for the dissertation project.

Granted by the Bachelor's Degree Course in Conservation of Cultural Heritage

1 or 2 CFU depending on the type of participation

Lecturers: Anna Maria Stagno, with the support of Drs.Ms Laura Moro, Ms Laura Gago Chorén, Ms Ylenia Paciotti, Ms Eltjana Shkreli and Ms Giorgia Frangioni 

Period: 1st semester

Start: will be announced later

Time: will be agreed with the students

Mode: in presence. To enrol send an email to the mailbox anna.stagno@unige.it starting from 1st September, taking care to indicate as subject "ASTRALAB ENROLLMENT" and to specify first name, surname, matriculation, course of study, curriculum, year of course. A presentation of the Laboratory's activities is planned for September.

At the AstraLab - Laboratory of Archaeology and Rural and Landscape History of DAFIST  it is possible to carry out practical activities related to the research and projects on environmental archaeology and history and rural and landscape archaeology and history underway in the European mountains. Sources and methods of rural and landscape history and archaeology will be explored through educational outings, seminars and workshop activities. The surface reconnaissance (lasting one day) will alternate with workshop activities dedicated to the analysis of current and historical cartography on a GIS platform, re-elaboration of documentation and excavation and reconnaissance data, analysis of finds, consultation of archives of field surveys and private archives held at the LASA and the LASA library.

Participation in 25 hours of workshop activities or 15 hours of workshop activities and the writing of a paper on the work carried out will allow the acquisition of 1 CFU.

2 CFU

Lecturer: Giuseppe Rocca (The lecturer holds office hours in the office at Via Balbi 2, on the third floor, shared with Davide Arecco and Rebecca Dossche. The telephone number is as follows: 01020951430).

Start date: to be confirmed

Timetable: to be confirmed

Duration: 36 hours of contact teaching plus 14 hours of independent study

For further information and to enrol: Prof. Giuseppe Rocca giurocca@lingue.unige.it

The following topics are proposed, to be covered in sessions of two hours each, twice a week (totalling 30–36 hours, equivalent to 2 cfu):

1. The term ‘Mediterranean’: from its origins to its invention
2. The ‘Mediterranean’ in the thought of Conrad Malte-Brun, Élisée Reclus and Vidal de la Blache
3. The Mediterranean world in German, French and Italian geopolitics of the interwar period 4. The ‘Mediterranean’ in the historical-environmental thought of Fernand Braudel
5. The ‘Mediterranean’ in geo-literature
6. The “Mediterranean” as a geographical region in the strict sense
7. The territories that best symbolise the Euro-Arab culture of the Mediterranean 8. The world’s “major Mediterranean regions” from a geopolitical perspective 9. The “enlarged Mediterranean” and the “disputed Mediterranean”: a geopolitical perspective

At the end of the module, there will be a written or oral assessment.

The assessment of the level of learning achieved by the student during the final assessment is considered:

• commendable, excellent or very good if the student demonstrates conceptual mastery, clarity of expression and a thorough understanding of the topics covered during the workshop sessions;
• good or satisfactory, if the student uses correct but not always appropriate language, revealing a superficial understanding of the topics covered;
• sufficient, if the student’s mode of expression is neither appropriate nor clear, revealing a generally superficial level of preparation.

at the Historical Archives of the City of Genoa

1 CFU

Lecturer-tutor: Stefano Gardini - Enrico Isola

Start date: The workshop will take place during the second semester of the 2026/27 academic year, in April and May. The exact dates will be announced at a later date.

Schedule of sessions: The workshop will be held at the Historical Archives of the Municipality of Genoa, in the afternoons (Tuesdays – Thursdays), with sessions lasting 2 hours each.
Total duration: 25 hours.

For further information and to register: please send an email to enricoisola[at]gmail.com

Content
The workshop aims to introduce students to archival work and historical research through the direct analysis of documents held at the Historical Archives of the Municipality of Genoa.
The sessions will consist of practical exercises designed to:

• Understanding the structure and history of the Historical Archives;
• Analysing the archival collections produced by the city administration from the 15th to the 20th century;
• Reconstruct the administrative process of a documentary file;
• Use archival research tools;
• Gain a deeper understanding of research methodology for primary sources;
• Reflect on the relationship between documentary sources and the construction of historical discourse.

Particular attention will be paid to significant collections such as those of the Magistracies of the Republic of Genoa, the Ligurian Republic, the French Empire, the annexed municipalities, family archives (Brignole Sale, De Ferrari Galliera), as well as those of associations and prominent figures of the 20th century (Ligurian Centre for Social History, CGIL, FLM).

Learning objectives
By the end of the workshop, the student will be able to:

• Recognise and describe the main types of archival documents;
• Use reference tools and inventories to navigate their research;
• Reconstruct the institutional and administrative context of the documents analysed;
• Develop independent skills in reading, interpreting and contextualising primary sources;
• To reflect critically on the relationship between documents and historical narrative.

Attendance and active participation in the practical sessions are required.

Reference texts
Working materials will be provided during the workshop. Further reading for in-depth study will be recommended by the lecturer-tutor.

Assessment methods
Submission of a final paper documenting the research carried out on one of the collections analysed, including:

• A description of the collection
• Research objective
• Method and tools used
• Analysis of sources
• Any concluding remarks

Master's Degree Course in Archaeology: Profession and Knowledge (ArcheoPeS)

1 or 2 CFUs depending on the type of participation

Period: 2nd semester

Lecturer: Anna Maria Stagno, with the support of José Abellan Santisteban (post-doctoral fellow), Nathan Brenu (post-doctoral fellow), Lucia Vanacore (post-doctoral fellow)

Start and Times: will be agreed with participants.

Where: at DAFIST

For more information and registration contact the lecturer.

1–2–3 CFU depending on the type of participation

Attendance at half the sessions, together with the completion of an equal number of reading reports on the proposed reading list, entitles students to 1 CFU (for a total of 25 hours). Attendance at the entire course and the submission of an individual assignment entitles students to 2 CFU; participation in the research project proposed by the seminar entitles students to 3 CFU

Lecturers: Anna Maria Stagno, Denise Bezzina, Valentina Ruzzin

Start date: provisional start date: mid-November 2026

Timetable: to be confirmed

For information and to register please send an email to anna.stagno@unige.it, denise.bezzina@unige.it, valentina.ruzzin@unige.it  from 1 September 2026

Description

The Permanent Seminar on Local History is a well-established initiative (launched in 1992–1993) with the explicit aim of integrating teaching and research activities with a strong focus on local analysis. It seeks to provide an opportunity for dialogue on topics of common interest that characterise the work of those currently engaged in historical research, drawing on both documentary and field sources.   The seminars are normally held on Mondays according to a set timetable, published in the second half of October. The series of sessions also provides participants with the opportunity to undertake individual research projects. By the end of February, students undertaking this exercise will prepare a personal research proposal, which must include an abstract and a bibliography (drawing, where appropriate, on suggested sources and topics provided by the lecturers). From February onwards, some of the sessions will be devoted to discussing these individual research projects. The seminar is open to undergraduates and PhD students from the Universities of Genoa and Eastern Piedmont, and is organised by the environmental history streams of the PhD programmes at the University of Genoa and the Historical Sciences module of the PhD programme in Ecology of Cultural and Institutional Systems at the University of Eastern Piedmont, in collaboration with the research group at the Laboratory of Archaeology and Environmental History (LASA – Unige) and the G. Casalis Inter-University Centre for Territorial History (Uniupo–Unige–Unito).
Each year, the seminar focuses on a specific theme.  The theme for the 2026/2027 academic year will be finalised during the final sessions of the 32nd cycle
 

Attached is the poster, featuring the seminar programme and details on how to take part.

1 CFU

Lecturers: Francesca Ferrando

Start date: to be confirmed

Timetable: to be confirmed

Duration: 8 hours of lectures plus independent study

For further information and to register please contact the lecturer

This workshop, reserved for students on the three-year degree programme in History, aims to provide the fundamental analytical tools needed to contextualise the legal, economic and social position of women in the modern era. The course will consist of four sessions, each lasting two hours, during which participants will explore various topics through the analysis of documentary sources produced primarily in the Genoa area.

The topics covered will include: the dowry system, women’s work, gender-based violence, and the role of women in the welfare sector.

At the end of the workshop, there will be a final assessment: each participant may choose either to transcribe and comment on a document provided by the lecturer or to answer three questions in writing.