The PhD represents the third cycle of education in the Italian academic system and provides advanced expertise for conducting high-level research in universities, public bodies or private organizations. It is also aimed at facilitating access to careers in public administration and enhancing highly innovative professional paths (Ministerial Decree 226/2021).
Doctoral training:
- pursues the advancement of knowledge through education in both basic and applied research
- promotes opportunities for interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary training
- contributes to strengthening transnational and international collaborations in research
- includes the development of transferable skills to foster their application and further growth in academic and professional contexts
Master’s degree or equivalent qualification obtained abroad, recognized as suitable.
For certain PhD programmes, additional admission requirements may apply, as specified in the call for applications.
Admission to PhD programmes is granted through a dedicated selection process.
Candidates who hold a Master’s degree or equivalent, including degrees awarded under the pre-D.M. 509/1999 system or a suitable foreign qualification, may apply for admission regardless of age or citizenship.
The call for applications is issued annually by Rector’s decree and published on this website, on the European EURAXESS portal and on the Ministry's website.
The selection process is based on qualifications and examinations. The examinations consist of a written test and an interview. Candidates are also required to demonstrate proficiency in one or more foreign languages. Each PhD programme allocates a number of positions with scholarships and others without scholarships.
The academic programme concludes with the preparation of a doctoral thesis conducted according to scientific methods. Upon passing the final examination, which consists of the thesis defense, the candidate is awarded the title of Dottore di Ricerca ("Dott. Ric." or "Ph.D."). The academic programme concludes with the preparation of a doctoral thesis conducted according to scientific methods. Upon passing the final examination, which consists of the thesis defense, the candidate is awarded the title of Dottore di Ricerca ("Dott. Ric." or "Ph.D.").
The University issues, upon request, the standard Diploma Supplement for all doctoral programmes.
Minimum 36 months.
PhD in Linguistic, Philological and Literary-Artistic Studies
The doctoral program offers training in the areas of historical, theoretical, descriptive, and applied linguistics, as well as glottodidactics and Italian linguistics, including the use of digital technologies. Other significant fields include the study of the Italian linguistic, textual, and literary tradition from its origins to the present day, and philology, which encompasses research into paraliterary, documentary, and editorial forms. These thematic pathways are part of a broader initiative to promote the heritage of the Italian language worldwide, integrated with the study of its artistic and audiovisual expressions from the Middle Ages to the present.
Coordinator: Prof. Francesca Malagnini
PhD Programme in "Frontier Sciences in Sustainability, Diplomacy and International Cooperation"
The PhD programme offers an educational and research pathway with a transdisciplinary approach to strategic issues for contemporary society. Areas of specialisation include research topics spanning the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental), aligned with the goals of the 2030 Agenda, with particular focus on diplomacy, international cooperation, and conditions of vulnerability.
Coordinator: Prof. Francesco Asdrubali