This degree programme, offered by the Department of International Human and Social Sciences, provides students with the opportunity to explore, understand, and analyse the challenges related to sustainability, delving into its environmental, social, economic, and cultural dimensions through an innovative educational model that combines theoretical and experiential learning, research, project development, and internationalisation.
The programme equips students with the knowledge, skills, and methodologies typical of the social sciences, complemented by in-depth study of technical and scientific disciplines. This ensures a transdisciplinary approach to sustainability, facilitating the understanding and analysis of complex contemporary challenges at international, national, and local levels.
The curriculum aims to consolidate foundational areas and knowledge (history, economics, philosophy, law), and then progressively build more specialised and sector-specific skills through courses and workshops on diverse sustainability and international cooperation topics, including those delivered in English.
The international character of the degree programme, fostered by an extensive network of established partnerships with institutions, public and private entities, and university institutes committed in various ways to sustainability and international cooperation (including UNESCO, the Community of Sant'Egidio, and the International Committee of the Red Cross), offers students the opportunity to enrich their educational experience through international mobility programmes for study, research, and internships abroad.
The course particularly focuses on issues such as peace, the circular economy, globalization, digital transition, environment and climate change, as well as social and intercultural relations.
Course information
- to consolidate and deepen knowledge and skills in anthropological, social, legal, institutional, and technical-scientific fields related to sustainability, development, and international cooperation
- to provide appropriate methodologies for critical analysis of the phenomena of globalization, intercultural and gender dynamics, cooperation, environment and climate change, and social and political change, at local, national, and international levels
- to ensure fluency, both written and spoken, not only in Italian but also in two additional foreign languages (English and Spanish)
- to develop soft skills, particularly those aimed at enhancing abilities in both micro and macro project design and management, including in interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and international contexts
The program offers career 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 ability to independently apply the knowledge acquired during the program, enabling graduates to enter the workforce immediately in institutional, entrepreneurial, and non-profit sectors dealing with sustainability, cooperation, and peace (public administrations, educational institutions, international, institutional, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and third sector entities at the local, national, and international level)
- the possibility to further specialize in the areas of sustainability and international cooperation through advanced study, in particular by enrolling in 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 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 | Geoglobal Changes and Human Resilience (Integrated course): Change 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 for foreign language courses include 3 ECTS taught by a native-speaking language instructor.
Students can check their study plan to see which courses are compulsory, optional, or elective.
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. Federica Guazzini
Cyber Security and Sustainability and Module on Digital Skills for Sustainability - Prof. Valentino Santucci - Prof. Lucia Ballerini
International Law and Peace Promotion - Prof. Maura Marchegiani
International Relations - Prof. Carlo Belli
Second semester
Human Rights, Protection of Vulnerable Groups and Module on Migration Law - Prof. Paolo Morozzo della Rocca
Political Economy - Prof. Filippo Sbrana
Spanish Language and Culture - Prof. 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
Geo-global Changes and Human Resilience - Integrated Course
- Human Change and 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.
Would you like more information about the courses?
Fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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 A.Y. 2026-2027
The timetable for the first semester is available online.