Educational goals

The master's degree program in Economics, Development, and Innovation is offered to students, including foreigners, who hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent, mainly, but not exclusively, in economics-related subjects, where disciplines such as economic theory and quantitative analysis have played a significant role. The master's degree program in Economics, Development, and Innovation aims to train professionals with a high level of mastery in analyzing complex economic systems, characterized by development induced by digital technologies, the pervasiveness and speed of such innovations, strategic behaviors of firms in regulated contexts, as well as sustainable development issues and development cooperation. The program is designed within the framework of full internationalization of educational activities, where the current use of the English language is indispensable. Moreover, conducting the course in English significantly enhances its attractiveness to foreign students, including those from non-EU countries, beyond opportunities for Erasmus exchanges and double degree programs with prestigious partner universities in Europe. Graduates will be capable of addressing complex issues in the international reality using appropriate techniques and models for analyzing the interdependence among economic, political, and social entities operating in European and global contexts. They will manage concrete issues affecting both industrial sectors and public administration in light of the growth of digital markets and the challenges posed by such growth to traditional competition and monopoly regulation. They will also address sustainable development and energy transition issues, learn to tackle problems of international cooperation in the context of the evolving new development economy, and interpret innovation phenomena with particular reference to the digitalization of the economy. To achieve these goals, the educational path spans four semesters and is conducted entirely in English within the curricula where the educational offer can be structured based on teaching availability and labor market trends. The curricula include differentiated teachings in industrial economics, development economics, mathematical and statistical disciplines, business economics, legal subjects, as well as linguistic subjects. Within this context, training is structured with specific reference to different thematic areas corresponding to established research traditions of the Department: industrial organization, market regulation, and the study of international cooperation issues. Additionally, training will benefit from new research skills emerging within the department, both regarding innovation economics and microeconomic and micro-econometric analysis of poverty issues in underdeveloped areas and the appropriate policies to address them. The proposed educational path will enable students to develop both specific skills and an orientation towards interdisciplinary problem understanding by interacting with macroeconomic and microeconomic aspects, business phenomena, and legal disciplines, aiming particularly at the professional integration of graduates into corporate and institutional contexts corresponding to the received training. This will also allow students to continue their studies within third-level training initiatives. The proposed educational path also includes, alongside the characteristic teachings considered most suitable for the pursued training, specific related and integrative activities aimed at properly complementing students' specialized preparation and acquiring indispensable computer skills for entering the job market. The educational path concludes with the preparation and discussion of a thesis elaborated by the candidate under the supervision of one or more teachers. In summary, the pursued training within the disciplinary field of the degree program can be succinctly described as follows: - Economic teachings include courses particularly focused on globalization issues, such as international economics and economic policy, applied macroeconomics, international cooperation economics, development economics, and health economics, along with courses oriented towards industrial economics themes, such as competition economics, innovation economics, digital markets economics, regulation economics, and energy sector economics. - Quantitative teachings include courses in theoretical and applied micro-econometrics, advanced statistics as data science, and teachings in decision theory and game theory. - Business teachings include courses aimed at deepening the institutional structure and internal operational mechanisms of companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with particular reference to organizational issues, learning business plan construction, and managing financial aid to developing countries. - Legal teachings include courses aimed at deepening the knowledge already acquired in first-level education and aimed at understanding competition law and intellectual property rights, corporate law, as well as public law in the European Union. The educational process concludes with the elaboration and discussion of a thesis through which the student's analytical skills, ability to express themselves in English, and ability to tackle complex problems using the theoretical and quantitative tools offered by the degree program will be assessed. The thesis may also involve the development, within a multinational company, an international institution, or a national and/or international research organization, of a project previously agreed upon between the Department-appointed supervisor and the responsible party at the hosting institution.

Career opportunities

Applied Economist. The master's degree in Economics, Development, and Innovation prepares for employment in: - Research offices within territorial bodies - National and international research institutions - Authorities and various bodies responsible for market regulation - National and international consulting firms - Public administration bodies affected by processes of international market opening and corporate competition - Trade unions and professional organizations - Multinational companies or small and medium-sized enterprises with European or international activities - Research and consulting firms - Data analysis companies

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the master's degree program, students must hold a bachelor's degree under DM 270/2004 (including degrees obtained under the previous system outlined in DM 509/1999 and subsequent amendments and integrations) or a three-year university diploma, or another foreign academic qualification recognized as suitable by the competent authorities of the University. Admission also requires meeting the specified curricular requirements and demonstrating adequate initial preparation, which may be assessed through appropriate entrance exams, the procedures for which are defined annually in the Study Program Regulations. As the master's degree program is conducted entirely in English, candidates are required to have a proficiency in English equivalent to level B2 according to the European classification. Specifically, to be admitted to the master's degree program, candidates must meet the following minimum curricular requirements: - At least 21 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas in economics: SECS-P/01, SECS-P/02, SECS-P/03, SECS-P/05, SECS-P/06; - At least 15 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas in statistics and mathematics: SECS-S/01, SECS-S/02, SECS-S/03, SECS-S/05, SECS-S/06, MAT/06; - At least 9 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas in business administration: SECS-P/07, SECS-P/08, SECS-P/09, SECS-P/10, SECS-P/11; - At least 6 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas in law: IUS/01, IUS/02, IUS/04, IUS/05, IUS/07, IUS/08, IUS/09, IUS/10, IUS/12; - At least 3 ECTS credits in the field of computer science; - At least 6 ECTS credits in English language courses, corresponding to a proficiency level of B2 according to the European classification. A tolerance margin of up to 10% is allowed regarding the fulfillment of the above-mentioned minimum curricular requirements, up to a maximum of 6 ECTS credits, which can be applied to one or more of the subject area groups listed above. However, no tolerance margin is allowed for minimum curricular requirements consisting of ECTS credits in English language courses or equivalent substitute certifications.