Adapted from extensive interviews of Dr Deragna conducted in 1999 by Nigel Bradley

Preface: In 1996, the Italian Minister of University, Education and Scientific and Technological Research, issued a decree authorizing Italian Universities to grant diplomas in graphology, provided that the curriculum proposed were found acceptable. Earning a university diploma in graphology is not possible anywhere else in the world in the year 2000, not even in France or Switzerland, the two countries where graphology is held in the highest esteem (In Spain, it is now possible to take a three-year graphology course in a university (Valencia) but the diploma is granted by the university's Faculty of Legal Medicine ). How did this most extraordinary event take place? How is it that one can study graphology today in two Italian universities, Urbino and Lumsa (In Rome) and earn a diploma?

The Story starts in the early 1950s when a medical student, Sergio Deragna, happened to read a handbook entitled, “Treatise on Graphology" by Father G. Moretti, the most renowned figure in Italian graphology in the 20th century. Intrigued, Deragna sent a sample of his handwriting to Fr. Moretti who did his graphological portrait.

Deragna continued to study graphology on his own, while in medical school. After graduation, he went on to specialize in paediatric medicine. Eventually, he qualified to teach medicine in a university. But he never lost his interest in graphology .

In 1990, Dr. Deragna published a paper entitled, “Study of Psychosomatic Sterility and Personality Profiles” in a prestigious medical journal, Minerva Ginecalogia . This was the first time that a graphological study in the field of medicine had been accepted and published in a medical journal in Italy.

By this time, Dr. Deragna had solid academic standing and had developed important academic and professional connections throughout Italy. He had become Professor of Medicine at “La Sapienza” State University, Rome, and had written for numerous medical journals and had done considerable medical research. He was the only academic in Italy who was also active in graphology.

In the late 1980s Dr. Deragna decided that it was time to start trying to get the study of graphology accredited as a regular course of study et the university level. He was aware that an attempt had been made previously by the University of Urbino (Urbino is where the Moretti Institute is located) to obtain approval from the Ministry of University Education and Scientific and Technological Research, for the university to offer a three-year course leading to a diploma in graphology, but nothing happened.

Dr. Deragna then decided to propose that Lumsa offer a curriculum which would lead to a diploma in graphology. Consequently, he was suggested he should present a graphological curriculum to the Faculty of Training Sciences which might be a suitable place for graphology.

Dr. Deragna then wrote up the proposal which was for a three-year program. It specified the number of students to be admitted, the subjects to be studied and the number of examinations to be given. The proposal then went before the Faculty Council.

The Faculty Council approved Dr. Deragna's proposal which then went before the Academic Senate of the university. Here again, the proposal won approved.

Next, the proposal went before the Administration Council which had to evaluate know much it would cost to offer this program. The Council approved.

Thus, Lumsa had now approved the addition of a course in graphology. Amazingly, this process took only a month and a half but far longer time did the proposal take to go through the Ministry of University Education and Scientific and Technological Research for final approval. As a matter of fact, the proposal had first (before the final approval from the Ministry) to get past another bureaucratic hurdle, the National university Council (CUN). This council is made up of elected academics from various Italian universities from all over Italy. These individuals serve in different committee which examine different issues. Graphology ended up before a five-professor committee, made up of professors of philosophy, of sociology, of anthropology and of literature. Matters were complicated because graphology had the lowest priority of all issues pending committee action.

In the meanwhile, Dr. Deragna learned that the Urbino proposal had been stalled there because, under the committee's rules, a proposed new university course had to include disciplines which were already

recognized by the proposing university. It just happened that Dr. Deragna's proposal included courses in two disciplines being taught at Lumsa University, psychology and neuropsychology. Since the Lumsa proposal qualified for consideration, the committee decide to review it.

Finally, there came a day when the approval was finally granted. But there was still one obstacle in the way The National University Council made up of all university professors, had to approve it did, which cleared the way for consideration by the Minister of University Education and of Scientific and Technological Research. In due course, the Minister signed a decree, modifying the National University Statute to permit the granting of a university diploma in graphology.

Although in theory any other Italian university can set up a course leading to a university diploma in graphology, the chances of their succeeding at this time are slim for several reasons.

Mention should be made of one more problem at least – it costs much more to offer a comprehensive curriculum in graphology than in some other discipline. This is because in the third year of study, students must select one of four graphological areas in which to specialize; children's handwriting, expert witness (that is questioned documents expert), recruiting consultation and compatibility. A special professor is needed to instruct each of those specialties and the classes are very small. That adds considerably to the cost of maintaining a proper graphology teaching staff.

In the present academic year (2000-2001) almost one hundred students (out of 170) have been allowed in (46 at Lumsa – 50 at Urbino).