Educational goals

The degree course in 'Communication, Innovation and Multimedia' aims to train professionals (consultants, technicians, middle managers) in a rapidly evolving sector, not only to keep up with the continual emergence of new skills and the evolution of technological processes connected to the world of communication, but also for the continuous transformation, in a communicative sense, of pre-existing professions, taking into account new communication requirements both in the community and among professionals that that community wishes to employ. On the other hand, given the significant propensity of graduates to continue towards a second-cycle degree course, and taking into account the supply chain activated at the University of Pavia with the presence of second-cycle and master's degree courses in areas of communication, the course also has the aim of preparing graduates to continue on to second level studies. To this end, both general and practical preparation is necessary, which allows students (1) to adapt to the ever-changing needs of different branches of the economy and society, both in the public sector and particularly in the private sector; and (2) to be prepared, if desired, for a successive, more advanced course of study. Graduates, therefore, are first of all provided with a broad spectrum of knowledge that is considered necessary both for dynamic intermediate-level professionalism and for the continuation in second-cycle degree courses, in Italy and abroad. It is therefore important for the various Departments of the University to participate in the educational offer (political and social sciences, industrial and information engineering, law, humanities, economic and business sciences), a characteristic that distinguishes this degree course compared to those offered at other universities. In line with what has been stated above, the course is organized in two learning directions: 1) a direction oriented towards theory and methods; 2) a direction oriented towards techniques and practices. The main objective of the degree course in 'Communication, Multimedia and Innovation' is the acquisition by students of adequate scientific knowledge and basic technical skills useful for analysing, managing and evaluating communication phenomena, as well as the formation of a critical awareness of the various aspects of these phenomena. At the end of the course of study, graduates in 'Communication, Multimedia and Innovation' must therefore be able to: (a) effectively produce texts in different formats for different media and using different communication platforms, making use of the most innovative digital techniques; (b) be able to relate, even orally, to different types of public, both in the private and public sectors; (c) collaborate in the design and management of multimedia communication tools; (d) understand and evaluate the implications and regulatory and ethical limits of the activity conducted by communicators. To achieve the objectives of the course, the educational offer is divided into the following four main subject areas (A-D), each declinable according to the learning directions (1-2) identified above and depending on the choices made by the students; the degree course, in fact, does not provide for differentiated curricula, but offers, while maintaining a common training core, a personalised training path that allows students to enhance and develop individual aptitudes, choosing between disciplinary specializations through different subjects or modules that are directed towards differentiated professionalism or skills. A) The area of IT, information processing and digital publishing. (A1) In addition to the use of the principal multimedia systems and technologies and the creation and management of online multimedia containers (websites), students will learn the use of the main technologies for the production and distribution of information on digital media (text, image , sound). (A2) The three years of the course see a progression from the definition of the basic elements (architecture, digital production, formats), to the basics of internet technology and the implementation of websites, to the elements of digital publishing (images, graphics , video). The topics of big data, digital publishing and digital communication in different contexts (for example that of the museum) are also proposed. B) The area of Linguistics. (B1) The course proceeds from general problems of semantics and pragmatics in language, even in different media, to the knowledge of the different forms of language that characterize the media in different ways. (B2) Subsequent insights are aimed at the dissemination of information in the present day, including different writing techniques, amongst them creative writing. As regards the two foreign languages studied, in addition to grammatical and syntactical elements, the course aims at their correct and effective use for communication purposes. C) The Social and political area, including elements of economics. (C1) In order to induce a clear awareness of the social mechanisms of communication, the course initially offers the elements of sociological theory together with those of the methodology of social research, and then continues by examining the themes of the sociology of communication in general and of political communication in particular, up to (C2) the mechanisms underlying the evolution of public opinion, including the analysis of data on the circulation of information in the media. In terms of economics, tools are provided for understanding behaviour and the communication / perception of economic signals, together with the principles and techniques of marketing. D) The area of law, ethics, and oratory. Starting from (D1) the foundations of private law relationships, the course provides knowledge relating to intellectual property law and the protection of personal data, essential elements in the world of communication. The important issues of ethics and deontology are not overlooked (D2), and public speaking techniques are also taught. The course is accompanied by workshops in which students are given the opportunity to experiment through projects, some of them group projects, the most innovative relational and digital communication techniques; these are aimed at providing participants with a testing ground to develop their personal inclinations and aptitudes. There is a compulsory internship that makes use of the network of collaborations activated throughout the duration of the degree course. Finally, various free-choice activities are proposed, including some that are oriented towards preparation in a historical perspective (history of TV, radio and cinema). The educational path ends with a final exam consisting in the preparation of a written thesis or a report that is the result of an internship or projects.

Career opportunities

Communications expert Career opportunities and professional activities envisaged by the degree course are to be found in public and private organizations, both national and international, in positions of responsibility involving communication and relations with the public, or as experts in multimedia and distance education, and professionals in publishing companies and advertising agencies. As mentioned above, another possible opportunity is the continuation of studies in second level university courses.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the bachelor's degree program, the student must hold a high school diploma required by current regulations, or another qualification obtained abroad, recognized as suitable according to the laws in force. Additionally, admission requires the following adequate initial preparation: basic knowledge of the English language; basic knowledge of some computer tools; proficiency in the Italian language (written and oral) and the ability to comprehend texts. The methods for verifying the adequacy of the initial preparation and for addressing any gaps or educational deficits of the student are governed by the Didactic Regulations of the bachelor's degree program.