23899 - Law of Cultural Heritage

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have acquired a solid understanding of Italian state legislation on the protection and valorisation of cultural heritage, with particular focus on the organisation of the Ministry of Culture and on the provisions of the Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code (Legislative Decree No. 42 of 22 January 2004).

Course contents

The course consolidates and deepens the legal knowledge acquired during the undergraduate program, with particular focus on the practical application of cultural heritage law and on the competencies required in competitive examinations for positions within the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC). An initial realignment during the first two classes ensures that all students acquire a shared terminology and conceptual framework [see: Readings and Bibliography].

The course is structured in two parts:

(I) National administrative framework and selective, functional reading of the Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code (Legislative Decree No. 42/2004).

The first part concludes with a mid-term assessment: a multiple-choice quiz modeled on MiC’s official examination tests, designed to verify the students’ mastery of the legal framework.

The result of the quiz will affect both the evaluation of the oral exam and the scope of the syllabus each student will be required to cover.

[see: section Assessment methods and evaluation criteria]

(II) Advanced cases and the international dimension.

The second part applies the legal institutions studied to recent case law, and addresses the international framework, with particular attention to intangible cultural heritage.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students and working/athlete students
For the final examination these students may rely on:
• the notes taken during lectures;
• the lecture slides;
• any supplementary files (PDF, Kindle format) uploaded to the course page on virtuale.unibo.it.

To complement the above materials the following textbook is strongly recommended:
• C. BARBATI, M. CAMMELLI, L. CASINI, et al. (2025), Diritto del patrimonio culturale, Il Mulino, Bologna.

Non-attending students
Students who do not attend classes must prepare the examination on the same textbook:
• C. BARBATI, M. CAMMELLI, L. CASINI, et al. (2025), Diritto del patrimonio culturale, Il Mulino, Bologna.


Preparatory reading
Students who—whether they attend the course or not—did not pass a Cultural-Heritage Law exam during their Bachelor’s degree are strongly advised to read in advance:
• A. ROCCELLA (2025), Legislazione dei beni culturali, Cacucci, Bari.

Teaching methods

Lectures are always accompanied by slide presentations to facilitate learning and to reinforce key concepts as they are introduced. Attendance is not compulsory, yet students who are present are encouraged to engage actively in class through discussion and debate on the practical cases explored during each session.

During the course a mock examination modelled on the Ministry of Culture recruitment tests is organised. The exercise consists of multiple-choice questionnaires in cultural-heritage law identical in format to those used in the official competition.

The course also includes practical simulations and in-depth sessions featuring contributions from professionals working in the cultural sector.

Assessment methods

Attending students

Students who attend at least 70 % of the classes (i.e. 11 out of 15 two-hour sessions) are classified as attending and may follow a simplified assessment path.

During the course they sit an intermediate test that reproduces the multiple-choice quiz used in recent MiC competitions: 30 questions to be completed within a two-hour lecture slot. One point is awarded for each correct answer; omitted or incorrect answers score zero. The pass threshold is 18/30 (18 correct responses).

Score ≥ 18/30 – at the final oral examination the student is required to discuss only Part II of the syllabus (Advanced case-law and international dimension), prepared on the basis of lecture notes and the material uploaded to Virtuale.

Score < 18/30 – the student must cover the full syllabus (Parts I + II) at the oral exam, using the resources made available on-line. The same applies to an attending student who chooses not to sit the intermediate test.

The final assessment for attending students therefore consists of an oral interview focused on the topics listed under “Programme/Contents”, modulated according to the result of the quiz described above.

 

Working or athlete students

Students recognised as working professionals or elite athletes agree the assessment format with the course instructor (e-mail, Teams, office hours). Two alternatives are available:

Option A – Case-law paper + reduced oral

An 8-page written paper on an international case (e.g. restitution of looted artefacts, safeguarding intangible heritage) is submitted by e-mail one week before the examination date. If the paper is approved, it becomes part of the oral discussion together with Part I of the syllabus, which must be prepared with the materials posted on Virtuale.

Option B – Comprehensive oral

The student may waive the written paper and study all the material on Virtuale (Parts I + II), taking an oral examination on the complete syllabus.

In both options, working/athlete students base their preparation exclusively on the teaching resources available on Virtuale (slides, templates of administrative acts, case-law files, editorial guidelines).

 

Non-attending students

Students who do not attend classes and do not fall within the working/athlete category prepare the examination on the textbooks and readings indicated under “Texts/Bibliography”.

 

Students with DSA/BES

Candidates with specific learning disorders or other special educational needs follow the procedures outlined in the section “Teaching-support tools”.

 

General grading criteria

For attending and working/athlete students

Fail – serious gaps in basic knowledge; inability to interpret sources or solve problems (including an inadequate written paper, where applicable).

Pass (18-22/30) – minimal but acceptable knowledge; generally correct interpretation with inaccuracies and limited autonomy.

Good (23-27/30) – intermediate knowledge; correct interpretation, though not always precise or independent; limited analytical depth; chiefly mnemonic learning.

Excellent (28-30 with honours) – organic, critically argued understanding of the topics discussed in class; fluent use of specialised legal language.

For non-attending students

Fail – conceptual gaps, insufficient terminology, inability to navigate the prescribed bibliography.

Pass (18-22/30) – essential understanding of the readings; interpretation mostly correct but imprecise or insufficiently autonomous.

Good (23-27/30) – largely mnemonic knowledge; limited synthesis and analysis; language correct though occasionally inappropriate.

Excellent (27-30 with honours) – coherent and comprehensive grasp of the bibliographic material, critical evaluation skills and accurate, discipline-specific language use.

Teaching tools

Additional teaching material and lecture presentations will be available on the online course web page.

Students with a specific learning profile or a temporary or permanent disability, may get in touch with the Student Disability and DSA Office as soon as possible: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students . They will help identify any accommodations they may need.

To ensure any adjustments can be implemented in time, please submit your requests at least 15 days before the exam date to the course instructor. The instructor will assess the requests in light of the learning objectives and confirm the appropriate arrangements.

Students are warmly encouraged to contact the course instructor as early as possible—ideally at the start of the term—to co-design effective strategies for engaging with class activities and course materials.

 

Office hours

See the website of Federica Botti