Educational goals

The Master's degree programme in Geosciences for Sustainable Development provides a solid scientific foundation in the interdisciplinary study of the dynamics and management of the Earth system, i.e. a set of complex relationships that regulate interaction between geological, environmental and human systems. The programme sets out to train advanced experts who are capable of dealing with the theoretical and practical aspects of scientific investigation, data analysis, modelling techniques, and the integration of land management processes for environmental research and the sustainable use of resources. The course of study is designed to constantly combine the theoretical basic knowledge delivered with practical exercises to develop the graduates' operational capacity. Teaching activities are carried out through classic lectures, supplemented by extensive practical laboratory drills and fieldwork, with special reliance being made on state-of-the-art technologies in the relevant fields adopting an interdisciplinary and project-oriented approach. Teaching activities are complemented by a compulsory teaching internship for all students, to be organised through specific agreements. This can be carried out at public bodies or industry companies, at university laboratories, with training periods abroad also being an option. Students are also encouraged to carry out their Curricular traineeship activities abroad for the Final examination within the framework of international mobility programmes such as the Erasmus+ Traineeship programme, which is geared exclusively towards traineeship and Thesis activities in Europe. The training programme includes a set of compulsory courses as part of the core type of training activities in both the first and second years, with a view to defining the following areas: A) Geomorphological and geological application area. This part of the course is closely related to sustainable land management and the prevention of its risks in various contexts. It includes advanced course subjects in applied geology, dealing in depth with, among others, geological design, slope stability, applied hydrogeology, geotechnics and GIS and remote sensing, and geochemistry of environmental contamination. B) Geological and paleontological area. It provides the geological skills essential for the study of rocks, both exposed and underground, and features compulsory courses covering the analysis of sedimentary basins and the energy resources they contain, as well as deformation mechanisms and applied sedimentology. The core course subject is Advanced Geological Surveying, which provides technical mapping skills on various geological aspects. C) Mineralogical, petrographic and geochemical area. This field of study is closely related to the study of geological materials, both terrestrial and extraterrestrial, and features courses with a clear practical and industrial focus. Teaching is focused on the use of mineral resources in specific contexts, the geochemistry of environmental contamination, and regional and environmental petrology. With regard to subjects in related and supplementary course types, students can select them in both the first and second years from a list of options covering the in-depth study of topics related to climate change, mathematical modelling of natural events and the subsoil, energy transition and strategic minerals. Other significant topics to complete the professional profiles include applied geophysics, geological subsurface exploration, advanced geological surveying, environmental mineralogy, and applied petrography. The course also includes free-choice course subjects, a compulsory Curricular traineeship in the 2nd year and the Final examination. The internship, which is carried out at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences or at affiliated institutions and companies or professional firms, aims to introduce students to the most current issues in the geological field and provide them with useful expertise to help them enter the labour market. The training programme can then be divided into curricula. On the one hand, these are aimed at training professionals focused on working in the field, in collaboration with engineers. Their role will be to ensure the sustainable contextualisation of any human intervention and for the management of recurring or extreme natural events linked to different geological situations in a context of climate change. On the other hand, the curricula are aimed at specialising experts in the sustainable sourcing and management of energy resources. These are fundamental for the development of a constantly evolving society with increasingly urgent needs. The course also includes English-taught classes, as the profession of geologist and the companies and businesses operating in the geological field are increasingly active on an international level. This is an inevitable consequence of global economic dynamics and the evolution of the labour market. Therefore, it is imperative that students improve their understanding and use of the English language, especially in a professional context, by learning subject-specific vocabulary. Graduates will acquire the skills to become professionals, technicians and specialists who can take on responsibilities in the design, planning, management, testing and monitoring of geological works. They will also be able to process, analyse, model and manage data relating to geo-environmental processes and land management, risk management and the sustainable use of resources. The course offers career opportunities in a wide range of private and public sectors, including research. In the industrial sector, geologists will apply their exclusive skills to geological, hydrogeological, geochemical, geophysical, mineralogical and petrographic investigations. These investigations are aimed at: - Monitoring and mitigation of natural and anthropogenic pollution; - Sustainable management and use of land and its resources; - Prevention, monitoring and mitigation of geological hazards (such as hydrogeological, volcanic, seismic, environmental, hydraulic, erosion, subsidence, etc.) in a context of climate change; - Research and sustainable management of groundwater resources; - Research and sustainable management of deposits of minerals and rocks of industrial interest; - Research and sustainable management of traditional and innovative energy sources to achieve decarbonisation targets. Students are guided to think innovatively about issues that are crucial for the future of society, such as land-use planning and environmental management, exploration and sustainability in the use of georesources and geomaterials, cultural heritage protection, and planetary exploration. Collaboration with other academies and companies engaging in geological exploration and resource management is encouraged through specific partnerships with public and private institutions, universities and local and multinational private companies.

Career opportunities

Geologist. Graduates of the Master's degree course can find employment in: - Professional firms (geological, engineering, naturalistic); - Civil engineering companies; - Local Authorities (Regions, Provinces, Municipalities, Mountain Communities, Natural Parks, Department of Civil Protection); - Companies engaging in the energy supply and renewable energy sector (e.g. geothermal energy); - Service companies for underground exploration and drilling; - Firms engaging in environmental remediation; - Mining and geological materials processing industries (cement production, ceramics, glass). - Service and consultancy companies engaging in geological activities that involve planning-related responsibilities, with special reference to geological and environmental problems); - Public research organisations (e.g: National Research Council, National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, National and Regional Environmental Agencies (e.g. ARPA)). - Scientific institutes and private research organisations. -Universities, Ministries (e.g. “Environment and Land Protection” and “Sea, Economic Development and Infrastructure”) and insurance companies.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the Master's Degree programme in Geosciences for Sustainable Development, students must hold a Bachelor's Degree (including degrees obtained under the system in force prior to Ministerial Decree 509/1999, as amended from time to time) or a three-year university degree, or another academic title obtained abroad and recognised as eligible by the relevant offices of the University. Students are also required to meet certain curricular requirements and to have an adequate background. Curricular requirements include a university degree obtained in class L-34 (Geological Sciences) pursuant to Ministerial Decree 270/04 or in class 16 (Earth Sciences), established in accordance with the previous system pursuant to Ministerial Decree 509/99, or in another class with such an educational path as to enable students to obtain at least 33 university credits in the GEO-related SSDs/*, as set out in the Teaching Regulations of the course. The Regulations also defines the procedures for assessing the student's background. To be admitted to the Master's degree programme, students must demonstrate fluency in written and spoken English (level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), including technical vocabulary.