Master's Degree in International Relations and Development Cooperation (RICS)

• develop specialized training in contemporary international relations, global governance arenas and actors, major geopolitical issues, the spread of democratization processes, institutions in emerging countries, the cooperation policies of international institutions, economic development policies, and the dynamics of international journalism
• possess specific expertise in the functioning of international economic institutions, issues of debt and sustainable growth, bilateral, multilateral, decentralized and non-governmental cooperation policies, relations between emerging countries, processes of regionalization and decentralization, techniques for conflict transformation and regulation, political doctrines of global development, and the role of the media and international public opinion
• develop interdisciplinary knowledge and acquire methodological tools essential for designing, coordinating, and implementing international cooperation initiatives in the fields of economic development, institutional strengthening, environmental sustainability, and human rights protection
• achieve a high level of proficiency in at least two foreign languages

Graduates find employment in organizations, public and private entities, both national and international, economic enterprises and non-profit organizations operating in Italy and abroad, which, for various reasons, are engaged in the international arena and with developing countries.

Graduates may also assume positions of responsibility and leadership within organizations representing collective interests (political parties, business and labor unions, associations for the protection of the environment and human rights), as well as national or supranational associations with a humanitarian, cultural, or scientific focus.

The Master's degree program provides training suitable for the following professional roles:

• ambassador, executive, and officer within the diplomatic service
• designer, consultant, and practitioner in the development cooperation sector
• head of internationalization for small and medium-sized enterprises
• expert in humanitarian emergency programs
• manager in communication, public relations, research and development departments
• junior officer in international governmental and non-governmental organizations
• internal and external communications manager in multinational companies and international groups
• public relations specialist
• political science specialist and international analyst
• expert in institutional communication
• manager in national and international environmental protection agencies
• specialist in cooperation and environmental projects
• disaster manager, environmental risk manager
• consultant in environmental economics and policy for public and private institutions

Students enrolled in the RICS program may choose to pursue a double degree by attending one semester at Dalarna University in Falun, Sweden, or by spending their second year at Jagiellonian University in Krakow.

*The 9 ECTS credits for foreign language courses include 3 ECTS taught by a native-speaker language instructor.
** Elective courses are chosen independently by the student among master’s level programmes. The study programme 

Students can check their study plans to see which courses are compulsory, optional, or elective.

To be admitted to the Master's Degree Programme in International Relations and Development Cooperation, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or a three-year university diploma or another qualification obtained abroad and deemed suitable. In addition, to enrol in the above programme, students must:

• meet the required curricular prerequisites
• participate in an admission interview. Candidates may take the interview only if they meet the curricular prerequisites.

Curricular prerequisites

To enrol in the programme, students must demonstrate prior curricular knowledge corresponding to a total of 51 ECTS credits in the following subject areas:

Any additional credits obtained beyond the 180 ECTS required for the bachelor’s degree may be included in the calculation, provided they were earned in courses related to the specified areas and sectors. Similarly, relevant language certifications and internship experiences may be counted towards fulfilling these requirements, if they were not already recognised for the bachelor’s degree.

Any additional credits (ECTS) needed to meet the curricular requirements must be acquired before enrolling in the master’s degree programme and before the assessment of individual preparation, at any university, by completing “single subject courses” within first-level degree programmes.

For information on enrolling in “single subject courses” at this University, please consult the academic regulations.

The fulfilment of curricular prerequisites will be verified by the Degree Programmes and Teaching Administration Office, to which students may send their documentation by email to segreteria.laurea@unistrapg.it or submit it in person at the office (Palazzina Orvieto, Viale C. Manuali, 9 - 06123 Perugia).

For the assessment of curricular prerequisites, students must provide:

• a copy of the degree certificate (for graduates), including the list of exams passed with the corresponding number of credits and relevant scientific-disciplinary sectors
• a copy of the list of exams already passed and those still to be passed (for graduating students), indicating earned and pending credits and the relevant scientific-disciplinary sectors.