This degree programme, offered by the Department of International Human and Social Sciences, provides students with the opportunity to explore, understand, and analyse the complex challenges related to sustainability, delving into its environmental, social, economic, and cultural dimensions. The programme features an innovative educational model that integrates theoretical and experiential learning, research, project development, and internationalisation.
The course equips students with knowledge, skills, and methodologies characteristic of the social sciences, complemented by technical and scientific disciplines. This ensures a transdisciplinary approach to sustainability that facilitates the understanding and analysis of complex contemporary challenges at the international, national, and local levels.
The learning pathway is designed to strengthen fundamental knowledge areas (history, economics, philosophy, law) and then gradually provide more specialised and sector-specific skills. This is achieved through a variety of courses and workshops addressing multiple aspects of sustainability and international cooperation, including offerings in English.
The international character of the degree programme, supported by an extensive network of established collaborations with institutions, public and private entities, and universities engaged in various aspects of sustainability and international cooperation (including UNESCO, the Community of Sant'Egidio, and the International Committee of the Red Cross), provides opportunities to enhance the educational experience through international mobility programmes for study, research, and internships abroad.
Key topics addressed during the programme include peace, the circular economy, globalisation, digital transition, environment and climate change, and social and intercultural relations.
Course Information
- strengthen and deepen knowledge and competencies in anthropological, social, legal, institutional, and technical-scientific disciplines related to sustainability, development, and international cooperation
- provide appropriate methodologies for critical analysis of phenomena such as globalization, intercultural and gender dynamics, cooperation, the environment and climate change, and social and political transformation at local, national, and international levels
- ensure fluent use, in addition to Italian, of two other foreign languages (English and Spanish), both in written and oral form
- develop soft skills, particularly aimed at enhancing abilities in project design and implementation at both micro and macro levels, including in interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and international contexts
The programme offers employment opportunities across a broad range of professional fields, including international relations, science diplomacy, human rights protection, environmental safeguarding, emergency management, and peace promotion, through:
- the independent application of the knowledge and skills acquired during the programme, enabling immediate employment in institutional, entrepreneurial, and non-profit contexts engaged in sustainability, cooperation, and peace (public administrations, educational institutions, international organizations, governmental and non-governmental institutions, and third sector organizations at local, national, and international levels)
- further in-depth study of sustainability and international cooperation, particularly through advanced academic programmes, such as the University’s master's degree in International Relations and Development Cooperation
| SSD | Courses | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| First year | ||
| HIST-03/A | Contemporary History | 9 |
| STEC-01/B | Economic and Development History | 9 |
| GSPS-04/B | Theory and History of Global Politics | 6 |
| GIUR-11/B | Institutions of Italian and Comparative Public Law | 9 |
| ANGL-01/C | English Language and Culture | 9* |
| GSPS-02/A | Comparative Politics | 9 |
| PHIL-05/A | Philosophy of Sustainability | 6 |
| Elective courses | 3 | |
| Total first year | 60 | |
| Second year | ||
| ECON-01/A | Political Economy | 9 |
| GSPS-04/C | Africa and Globalization | 9 |
| GIUR-09/A | International Law and Peace Promotion | 9 |
| GIUR-01/A | Human Rights, Protection of Vulnerable Individuals (6 ECTS) and Migration Law Module (3 ECTS) | 9 |
| INF-05/A | Cyber Security and Sustainability (6 ECTS) and ICT for Sustainability Module (3 ECTS) | 9 |
| GSPS-02/A | International Relations | 6 |
| SPAN-01/C | Spanish Language and Culture | 9* |
| Total second year | 60 | |
| Third year | ||
| ECON-01/A | Green and Circular Economy | 9 |
GIUR-09/A CEAR-/B | Disaster Risk Reduction (Integrated Course): Disaster Risk Reduction (6 ECTS) Disaster Risk Reduction (3 ECTS) | 9 |
| GSPS-/A | Sociology of Migration Processes | 6 |
| GSPS-/A | Democracy, Social Rights and Public Health | 6 |
SDEA-01/A GEOG-/A | Geo-global Changes and Human Resilience (Integrated Course): Changes and Human Resilience (6 ECTS) Geography for Sustainability (3 ECTS) | 9 |
| Elective courses | 9 | |
| Internship | 6 | |
| Final examination | 6 | |
| Total third year | 60 |
* The 9 ECTS credits for foreign language courses include 3 ECTS assigned to native-speaker language instructors (CEL/Lettore).
Students can check in their study plans which courses are compulsory, elective, or optional.
First semester
Philosophy of Sustainability - Prof. Flavio Orecchio
Contemporary History - Prof. Valerio De Cesaris
Economic and Development History - Prof. Alessandro Albanese Ginammi
Second semester
Institutions of Italian and Comparative Public Law - Prof. Francesco Duranti
English Language and Culture - Prof. Marco Bagli - Dr. Bridget Clare Collins
Comparative Politics - Prof. Emidio Diodato
Theory and History of Global Politics - Prof. Federico Niglia
First semester
Africa and globalization - Prof.ssa Federica Guazzini
Cyber security and sustainability and Computer Science for Sustainability - Prof. Valentino Santucci - Prof.ssa Lucia Ballerini
International Law and Peace Promotion - Prof.ssa Maura Marchegiani
International Relations - Prof. Carlo Belli
Second semester
Human Rights, Protection of Vulnerable Groups and Migration Law Module - Prof. Paolo Morozzo della Rocca
Political Economy - Prof. Filippo Sbrana
Spanish Language and Culture - Prof.ssa Giovanna Scocozza - Dr. Maria Luisa Sevilla Garcia-Montiel
First semester
Democracy, Social Rights and Public Health - Prof. Alessandro Simoncini
Environmental Vulnerability: Science and Law - Integrated Course
- International Law and Emergency Situations - Prof. Ottavio Quirico
- Disaster Risk Reduction - Prof. Chiara Biscarini
EU Law and Diplomacy for Sustainability Lab -Prof. Ottavio Quirico
Soft Skills for Sustainability Lab - Prof. Maura Marchegiani
Renewable Energy Sources Lab - Prof. Chiara Chiatti
Sociology of Migration Processes - Prof. Stefania Tusini
Second semester
Geoglobal Changes and Human Resilience - Integrated Course
- Change and Human Resilience - Prof. Piero Ciccioli
- Geography for Sustainability - Prof. Chiara Biscarini
Green and Circular Economy - Francesco Asdrubali
International Security and Sustainable Development Lab - Prof. Federico Niglia
Water Diplomacy and Science Lab - Prof. Tommaso Pacetti
The syllabi from the previous academic year are available in the archive.
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Notices
Cyber Security and Sustainability, Information Technology module for Sustainability - SOCI II - Prof. Santucci - postponed start of classes
Classes will begin on October 6, 2026
Publication of Timetables for the First Semester, Academic Year 2026-2027
The timetable for the first semester is available online.