Departments were set up by Presidential Decree No 382/80 as an organisation of one or more research sectors that are homogeneous in terms of purpose or method; the same Presidential Decree identified their bodies.

The Director. He is endowed with the legal competences and substantial power of representation; he is elected by the members of the Department Council from among the full-time tenured professors and holds office for three years, renewable once.

• He convenes and chairs the Department Council and Board and implements their resolutions;
• He supervises the observance of laws and regulations and the regular management of accounts;

 The Council. It includes, with the right to vote, all tenured professors, all researchers - including researchers on fixed-term contracts - and equivalent personnel pertaining to the Department; the Administrative Secretary with a deliberative vote and the function of secretary; representatives of the technical-administrative staff in a number of no less than 15% of the teaching staff and equivalent; an equal number of student representatives according to the procedures established by the Department regulations. Up to three representatives of the holders of scholarships or research grants or multi-year research contracts working in the Department also participate in the Department Council, with the right to vote.

The Department Council normally meets on a quarterly basis.

The Council is responsible for approving the budget and the balance sheet. The Council is responsible for adopting the Regulations.

The Board. Is chaired by the Director and is composed of two (or more than two as long as the proportionality of the components is maintained) representatives for each of the following categories

first-rank professors; second-rank professors; researchers; technical-administrative staff and students, elected from among those who are members of the Council; the Administrative Secretary, acting as secretary, is part of it by right. The Council has, in any case, investigative functions on all matters within the competence of the Department Council.

          The Department Director is assisted in the management of the Department's activities by the Administrative Secretary, who is in charge of the Administrative Secretariat and coordinates the administrative-accounting activities, assuming responsibility, jointly with the Director, for the consequent acts.

 Departments enjoy organisational, administrative and financial autonomy within the limits set by the Statute and the University Regulations.

The Department may be divided into sections