Frequently Asked Questions about Law Study at Prato

Will the subjects I do at Prato affect my GPA?

If you are doing Law, most of the subjects are elective units that do contribute to your overall GPA. There are exceptions of course like the Introduction to Italian Legal Culture which was a pass/fail.

How harsh is the grading?

Usually, the lecturers understand that you are here to do a study experience. Grading seems to be bordering on lenient-just normal really, as long as you have shown that you put effort into your work. Moreover most of the assignments are essays so everything is subjective. That being said, if you decide to not do any work at all and not come to class, lecturers will frown upon this and it will affect your grades.

What is the class schedule like?
Classes are done intensively in 3 hour blocks with morning, mid afternoon and late afternoon classes.

Typically there will be classes running
9:30am-12:30pm
12:30pm-3:30pm
3:30pm-4:30pm

Most subjects will run 3 days a week so most of us had long weekends.

How many subjects should I do at Prato?
We all did variations on the number of subjects we took a Prato. Most of us did 3 so that we could take time to explore the rest of Italy.

Can I do 4 subjects at Prato?

Yes, yes you can. You can do 6 subjects if you are inclined. Doing 4 subjects in Prato does mean that you will be doing more than 1 subject in 1 block. Take note that all classes are taught intensively, 3 hours at a time. So if you do intend to do more than one subject in each month, you will be sitting in class for 6 hours straight (with breaks ofcourse)

Is doing more than one subject a month manageable?

Doing more than one subject in one block as mentioned above with involve being in class for long periods of time. Added to that is double the essays that you will have to do. I did 2 subjects in one of the block and found it quite manageable even with weekend trips away. However I suggest you be a bit tactical in the subject combinations, check the subject essay deadlines and see which ones will be the most conducive to travelling. Ofcourse if you are planning to stay in Florence and not go anywhere, then you can do 3 subjects a block no problem.

Will doing a Prato Exchange affect the length of my degree?

The Prato Exchange is designed to fit into your degree and should not adversely affect the length of your degree. Depending on the number of subjects you take, you probably will have to take a summer unit to cover for under-loading (or you could do 4 subjects and not skip a beat). Keep in mind that you will be burning electives, so if there are electives back home you would really like to do, pick the number of units done at Prato accordingly