This degree program, part of the Department of International Human and Social Sciences, offers students the opportunity to explore, understand, and analyze the complex challenges of sustainability, delving into its environmental, social, economic, and cultural dimensions. The program is based on an innovative educational model that combines theoretical and experiential learning, research, project development, and internationalization.
The program provides students with knowledge, skills, and methodologies from the social sciences, supplemented and complemented by in-depth study of technical and scientific disciplines. This approach ensures a transdisciplinary perspective on sustainability, essential for understanding and analyzing complex contemporary challenges at the international, national, and local levels.
The curriculum is designed to strengthen core areas and foundational knowledge (including history, economics, philosophy, and law), before progressively equipping students with more specialized and sector-specific skills through courses and workshops covering multiple aspects of sustainability and international cooperation, including courses taught in English.
The international nature of the degree programme, fostered by an extensive network of established collaborations with institutions, public and private organisations, 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), allows students to enhance their educational experience through international mobility opportunities for study, research, and internships abroad.
The programme covers a range of topics, with particular emphasis on peace, the circular economy, globalisation, digital transition, the environment and climate change, as well as social and intercultural relations.
Course Information
- consolidate and deepen knowledge and skills in anthropological, social, legal, institutional, and scientific-technical disciplines related to sustainability, development, and international cooperation
- provide appropriate methodologies for critical analysis of phenomena such as globalization, intercultural and gender dynamics, cooperation, environment and climate change, and social and political change at local, national, and international levels
- ensure fluency, both written and spoken, not only in Italian but also in two additional foreign languages (English and Spanish)
- develop soft skills, particularly aimed at enhancing abilities in design and project development at both micro and macro levels, also within interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and international contexts
The programme offers employment opportunities across a wide range of professional fields, from international relations to science diplomacy, from the protection of human rights to environmental safeguarding, from emergency management to peace promotion, through:
- the autonomous application of the knowledge acquired during the course of study, enabling immediate entry into institutional, entrepreneurial, and private non-profit sectors engaged in sustainability, cooperation, and peace (public administration, educational institutions, international, institutional, governmental and non-governmental organisations, and third sector bodies at local, national, and international levels)
- further in-depth study in the fields of sustainability and international cooperation as part of advanced training, which the University for Foreigners notably offers through its master’s degree programme in International Relations and Development Cooperation
The course offers employment opportunities across a wide 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 academic program, enabling immediate entry into the workforce in institutional, entrepreneurial, and non-profit sectors engaged in sustainability, cooperation, and peace (public administrations, educational institutions, international, institutional, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and entities in the third sector at local, national, and international levels)
- further in-depth study of sustainability and international cooperation, particularly within the framework of advanced degree programs, such as the master's degree in International Relations and Development Cooperation offered by the University for Foreigners
| 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 Groups (6 ECTS) and Migration Law Module (3 ECTS) | 9 |
| INF-05/A | Cyber Security and Sustainability (6 ECTS) and IT 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 | Geoglobal 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 completed with a native speaker language assistant.
Students can check in their study plans which courses are compulsory, optional, or elective.
First Semester
Philosophy of Sustainability - prof. Flavio Orecchio
Contemporary History - prof. Valerio De Cesaris
Economic History and Development - 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 Informatics for Sustainability Module - Prof. Valentino Santucci - Prof.ssa Lucia Ballerini
International Law and Promotion of Peace - 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
- Changes 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 programmes 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 First Semester Timetables, Academic Year 2026-2027
The first semester schedules are available online.