Educational goals

The educational objectives of the Master's Degree are: acquisition of the traditional methodological heritage of a historical and philological type, in relation to the history of the arts from Greco-Roman antiquity to the modern age, with specific skills (in the Cremona curriculum) in the palaeographic and archival fields; linguistic ability (written and oral) in a language of the European Community – preferably English, but without excluding German, recommended by disciplinary needs – with full mastery of the vocabulary of the historical-artistic disciplines; maturation of general scientific skills (both theoretical and operational) in relation to the knowledge, enhancement and conservation of the archaeological and historical-artistic heritage, with a diversified curricular connotation, also aimed at research activities. The thesis, which concludes the course of study and consists of an original paper, aims to lead the student to deepen, according to rigorous scientific methodology and under the guidance of a reference professor, aspects and problems of the cultural heritage of a specific historical period. The internship, with a high professional value, puts students, according to their curricular option, in contact with realities in the world of the protection of archaeological, historical-artistic and archival heritage. The range of courses taught at the university, profoundly differentiated from each other but pertaining to SSDs present among the characterizing subjects, has led to the inclusion of these sectors also among the related subjects, in order to offer students the possibility of further in-depth study and/or methodological consolidation. The training course is therefore divided into three distinct curricula: one archaeological (based in Pavia) and two historical-artistic (Pavia and Cremona campuses). All three courses of study have in common a solid educational base, which ranges chronologically from classical art (L-ANT/07) to medieval art (L-ART/01) and modern art (L-ART/02), and also includes historical-cultural aspects preparatory to specific professionalism such as those attributable to museology, artistic literature and art criticism (L-ART/04); to which is added basic information on the most technologically up-to-date methods of reconnaissance and selection of the specialist bibliography (M-STO/08). All three curricula are mainly intended to respond to the need for an adequate historical-cultural contextualization and therefore for an in-depth knowledge of the artistic phenomenon in the contexts, respectively, of the ancient Greco-Roman world and of medieval, modern and contemporary Europe. The curricula therefore tend to be parallel and provide, for the curriculum of classical archaeology, the acquisition of advanced skills in the field of antiquity and of a general and institutional nature in the medieval and modernistic ones; vice versa and specularly, for the curriculum of art history, the acquisition of advanced skills in the medieval, modernistic, contemporary fields, and of a general and institutional nature in the antiquity one. In the third curriculum (based in Cremona), basic skills in the field of ancient art history and advanced skills in medieval and modernistic art are complemented by a greater in-depth study of methodological disciplines functional to archival research, librarianship, codicology, with the possibility of useful deviations in the (similar-integrative) areas of Byzantine and music history. In the three curricula, the first year is essentially dedicated to the intensive acquisition of the characterizing disciplinary skills; while the second provides, in addition to a limited number of mainly integrative courses, the internship and obviously the elaboration and drafting of the degree thesis. In the archaeological curriculum, the area of archaeology and history of ancient art is aimed at the critical and specialized study of the historical development of the figurative arts, craft production and architecture in classical antiquity (of the Greek, Etruscan-Italic and Roman contexts). This same area, in the two art-historical curricula, is aimed at the acquisition of the basic and indispensable cognitive elements for a correct reading of the multiple continuist or revivalist phenomena of antiquity, which recur in the experiences of medieval, modern and contemporary art. At the end of the two-year specialist course, it is reasonable to expect from all graduates a consolidated and not superficial acquisition of the historical framework of ancient art; and, in particular by those of the archaeological curriculum, a high degree of autonomy in the stylistic classification and historical-critical evaluation of artifacts produced in antiquity. In the art-historical curriculum, the learning area of art history is aimed at the critical and specialized study of the historical development of the figurative arts and architecture of the medieval, modern and contemporary West; or - for students of the archaeological curriculum - at the acquisition of an adequate degree of the related basic knowledge, for the purpose of understanding the process of transformation of the late Roman artistic language into the medieval one, modern and contemporary. At the end of the two-year specialization, it is reasonable to expect from the graduates of the art-historical curriculum a consolidated and not superficial acquisition of the historical framework of medieval, modern and contemporary art, and a high degree of autonomy in the analysis and historical-critical evaluation of paintings, artifacts and monuments. The learning area of art literature includes various methodological aspects. In terms of frontal teaching, it is aimed both at the study of modern artistic literature, considered in the dual descriptive-documentary and historical-critical value; and the understanding of the main theoretical aspects of the musealization of works of art and the knowledge of a wide range of related examples. At the end of the two-year specialist course, graduates are expected to be able to orient themselves autonomously and critically in artistic literature. The learning area of archival studies aims at the knowledge of the methods of sedimentation, ordering and conservation of documentary complexes, from the Middle Ages to the twenty-first century. The exercises conducted directly at the archival collections allow you to become familiar with their organization, with the problems related to their management, as well as with the dynamics of documentary research. At the end of the two-year specialist course, graduates are expected to acquire a conscious approach to archival sources and, with it, the ability to evaluate documentary collections in a historical-critical sense and to use them for research purposes.

Career opportunities

Expert in Ancient Art The preparation acquired allows the master's degree graduate: - to work in collaboration with and to be part of companies and cooperatives of archaeological services; - to be part of study and research bodies and units, engaged in the conservation of the archaeological, artistic, documentary and monumental heritage, in both public (but not state: Municipalities, Provinces, Regions) and private (foundations) bodies and institutions; - to participate in archaeological research on the ground (surface prospecting and excavations) with the authorization and on behalf of the bodies responsible for protection, also in the context of professional associations; - to carry out scientific communication activities in the field of archaeological themes, both in the press and through multimedia tools; - to participate in competitions for the exercise of the profession of tourist guide; - to access the Specialisation School, a PhD and a Master's Degree. As already noted above ("function in a work context"), it should be noted that the positions of archaeologist officer, in (state) inspection and managerial roles, museums and protection of archaeological sites and monuments, require in Italy, in addition to the master's degree, also a specialization and/or doctoral diploma in the archaeological field. The latter is also essential for access to a possible academic career in the sector. Art Historian In the public administration, the art historian works in institutions aimed at the conservation of artistic and historical heritage, superintendencies, museums, galleries, art galleries, after obtaining post-graduate specialization diplomas and/or PhDs. In the private sector, he finds employment in publishing and auction houses, galleries, tourist agencies, companies or foundations in charge of preserving, cataloguing and studying works of art, artists' archives. Graduates will be able to continue their studies with the third level of university education (Specialisation School or Doctorate or II Second Level Master's Degree). Graduates who have a sufficient number of credits in appropriate groups of sectors will be able, as required by current legislation, to participate in the admission tests for training courses for secondary education. Art Expert He works as an art critic, figurative arts expert and art historian, as a freelancer, for evaluation, communication and dissemination of artistic events. Curator and curator of museums Museum curator, museum curator, museum director, gallery owner in public and private institutions. Researchers and technicians with degrees in the sciences of antiquity, philology, literature and art history In the university environment, the researcher is the first stage of the university career. The current legislation only provides for the figure of the fixed-term researcher (who can be accessed after passing a competition), with a three-year contract, which may be extended. There are also researchers at research institutions (e.g. CNR) and in companies where research activities are promoted to encourage innovation.

Admission requirements

To access the Master's Degree Course, students must have a bachelor's degree, a three-year university diploma (including those obtained according to the regulations in force prior to Ministerial Decree 509/1999 and subsequent amendments and additions), or another qualification obtained abroad, recognized as suitable by the competent bodies of the University. Admission is also required to meet the curricular requirements specified below and to have an adequate basic, methodological and historical preparation, acquired in the previous course of study in the linguistic, literary, historical-philosophical, and historical-artistic fields. The Didactic Regulations of the degree programme define procedures aimed at verifying the adequacy of the student's initial preparation. To be admitted to the Master's degree course, students must have a bachelor's degree in one of the following classes: pursuant to Ministerial Decree 270/2004: L-1 Cultural heritage L-3 Disciplines of Fine Arts, Music, Performing Arts and Fashion L-10 Letters DAPL10 (First Level Academic Diplomas, Art Education, Equivalent Degree Class L-3) pursuant to Ministerial Decree 509/1999 5 Letters 13 Cultural Heritage Sciences 23 Sciences and Technologies of the Fine Arts, Music, Performing Arts and Fashion 41 Technologies for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage - or in the degree of the old system (prior to Ministerial Decree 509/99) in: Arts, Music and Performing Arts Letters History and conservation of cultural heritage For students who have obtained a Bachelor's degree in classes other than those indicated, in order to enrol in the Master's Degree Course, the possession of an adequate level of general culture in the historical-literary and historical-artistic fields is required, proven by corresponding curricular requirements in a minimum of 36 credits accrued in the following SSDs: 24 CFU L-ART/01 History of Medieval Art L-ART/02 History of Modern Art L-ART/03 history of contemporary art L-ART/04 museology and art criticism and restoration L-ANT/07 Classical Archaeology L-ANT/08 Christian and Medieval Archaeology 12 CFU L-FIL-LET/10 (Italian Literature) and/or L-FIL-LET/11 (Contemporary Italian Literature) L-ANT/02 (Greek History), L-ANT/03 (Roman History), M-STO/01 (Medieval History), M-STO/02 (Modern History), M-STO/04 (Contemporary History), M-STO/08 (Archival Studies, Bibliography and Librarianship), M-STO/09 (Palaeography) L-ART/05 performing arts L-ART/06 cinema, photography and television L-ART/07 musicology and history of music L-ANT/06 Etruscology and Italic Antiquities M-FIL/04 Aesthetics ICAR/18 History of Architecture ICAR/19 Restoration At least 3 foreign language credits are also required in the following scientific-disciplinary sectors: L-LIN/04 (Language and translation - French language); L-LIN/12 (Language and Translation - English); L-LIN/14 (Language and Translation - German Language); L-LIN/07 (Language and Translation - Spanish).