Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs (Classi LM-62/ LM-78)-Enrolled from 2019/2020 Academic Year

Inter-university
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
Course type
Master programme
120
ECTS
Access
Open with entry requirements examination
2
Years
Language
English
The master degree in Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs (PPPA) is an advanced interdisciplinary programme offering high-level competences in political science and philosophy. The program provides both a solid theoretical background and a practical sense of the challenges and opportunities connected to current political and social-economic phenomena and trends.

The study plan includes a common core of courses addressing cutting-edge topics in political science, in moral and political philosophy - topics which are specifically selected for their relevance within public debates. Core courses also provide accurate historical competences, apt to rigorously frame similar debates, as well as advanced training in empirical methodologies and argumentative strategies, which will strengthen students' analytical capacities and their ability to assess and defend normative and policy proposals.

The second year of the programme offers the opportunity to study in depth a wide array of topics organized into two main areas. The first area - "Technology, science and society" - includes courses critically addressing the import and the ethical implications of scientific and technological development, with a special emphasis on pressing questions concerning environmental studies, bioethics, neuroethics, biopolitics, on the challenges of the information society and on the new dynamics of media systems. The second area - "Prosperity, peace and international affairs" - comprises courses focusing on current socio-economic and political developments and their effects on individual life chances and rights, social policies and schemes of distributive justice as well as courses addressing the dilemmas connected to new forms of war and conflict. Within these two main areas, students will have the chance to autonomously define their study plan according to their interests and based on the professional profile they intend to develop.
PPPA is designed to prepare students for a broad range of careers. Students will indeed acquire a variety of competences and will master a differentiated set of methodological tools that will enable them to be successfully employed in: 1. public or private research institutes; 2. local, national or international institutions as policy analysts; 3. firms operating in the global market and looking for professionals capable to understand and interpret political, social and economic trends and to devise long-term strategic plans; 4. media, journalism, publishing and the cultural industry. The master programme also provides a solid academic background that will allow students to continue their education through Ph.D. programmes in social sciences and philosophy, both in Italy and abroad.

Employment statistics (Almalaurea)
Applicants should have a bachelor's degree or equivalent; a strong interest and/or previous studies in political science or philosophy or related subjects; a sound knowledge of spoken and written English.

More specifically, eligible candidates must meet the following requirements:

1. Applicants who obtained their bachelor's degrees from Italian Universities are eligible for admission if they hold a "laurea" degree belonging to any one of the "classi di laurea" (degree classes) listed below under the heading "Note 1".

Applicants who completed their undergraduate studies in foreign Universities are eligible for admission if they hold a bachelor's degree in philosophy, political science or other broadly related subjects, provided that their bachelor's degree may be regarded as equivalent to one of the Italian "laurea" degrees listed below at "Note 1".

The eligibility of applicants holding bachelor's degrees in fields not included in the list of "classi di laurea" indicated below at "Note 1" is subjected to the approval of the board of the master program. The board's decision will rest on the evaluation of the applicant's academic record, of his/her motivation, and his/her performance during an interview aimed at ascertaining whether his/her background training and competences are appropriate for being fruitfully enrolled in the programme.

2. Applicants must be able to certify their knowledge of English either by showing they have at least one year of university studies at institutions where English is the language of instruction, or
by providing evidence, through appropriate documentation, of possessing language skills in English equivalent to level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference.

Applicants meeting the above requirements will be invited to an interview.
Interviews, which may be held on-site or by videoconference, are intended to ascertain the applicants' level of competence in the relevant disciplinary fields and to provide indications on how to fill possible gaps in these fields.

When enrolling in the first year of the programme, each student will be required to specify whether he/she intends to obtain the master degree either in Political Science (Italian "classe di laurea" LM-62 Scienze della politica) or in Philosophy (Italian "classe di laurea" LM-78 Scienze filosofiche). Students will finalize their choice between the two options at the moment of enrolling in the second year.

Note 1:
L-5 Filosofia; L-14 Scienze dei servizi giuridici; L-18 Scienze dell'economia e della gestione aziendale;
L-20 Scienze della comunicazione; L-33 Scienze economiche; L-36 Scienze politiche e delle relazioni internazionali; L-37 Lauree in Scienze Sociali per la Cooperazione, lo Sviluppo e la Pace; L-40 Sociologia; L-42 Storia
Highly recommended.
First trimester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Society, Politics and Institutions: Stability and Change 12 80 English SECS-P/01 SPS/04
Second trimester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Conflicts and Political Legitimacy 12 80 English SPS/01
Facts, Principles and Hard Choices 6 40 English M-FIL/03
The Western Tradition: Moral and Political Values 12 80 English M-FIL/06 SPS/02
Third trimester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Economy and Society: Past, Present and Perspectives 6 40 English SECS-P/04
Migrations, Diversity and Non-Discrimination 12 80 English IUS/07 SPS/07
Second semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
The Information Society: the Epistemology of Big Data 6 40 English M-FIL/02
First trimester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Governing the Future: Goals and Tools 9 60 English SPS/04
Optional
Biopolitics: Bodies, Health and Food 6 40 English M-FIL/05
Communications Technology and Society 6 40 English SPS/08
Dirty-Hands Politics: War, Terrorism, Torture 6 40 English SPS/01
Neuroethics and Human Enhancement 6 40 English M-FIL/03
Second trimester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Differences, Inequalities and the Politics of Law 6 40 English IUS/20
Global Political Economy and Social Policy 6 40 English SPS/04
Human Development and Mobility in a Changing World 6 40 English M-DEA/01
Justice and International Affairs 6 40 English SPS/01
Media Ethics 6 40 English M-FIL/03
Third trimester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Bioethics 6 40 English SPS/01
Ethics and Ecosystems 6 40 English M-FIL/03
Wars of Images 6 40 English M-FIL/04
Conclusive activities
There are no specific sessions for these activities (e.g. open online courses).
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Final Exam 21 0 English
Optional activities and study plan rules
1 - Students must earn 18 credits/ects by selecting 3 courses/activities among those listed below.

Please note, for facilitating students' choice, the courses/activities are organized into two thematic areas as follow:

Technology, science and society:
Bioethics
Biopolitics: bodies, health and food
Ethics and ecosystems
Neuroethics and human enhancement
Society, media and digital ethics
The information society: the epistemology of big data

Prosperity, peace and international affairs
Differences, inequalities and the politics of law
Dirty-hands politics: war, terrorism, torture
Global political economy and social policy
Human development and mobility in a changing world
Justice and international affairs
Wars of images
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Bioethics 6 40 English Third trimester SPS/01
Biopolitics: Bodies, Health and Food 6 40 English First trimester M-FIL/05
Communications Technology and Society 6 40 English First trimester SPS/08
Differences, Inequalities and the Politics of Law 6 40 English Second trimester IUS/20
Dirty-Hands Politics: War, Terrorism, Torture 6 40 English First trimester SPS/01
Ethics and Ecosystems 6 40 English Third trimester M-FIL/03
Global Political Economy and Social Policy 6 40 English Second trimester SPS/04
Human Development and Mobility in a Changing World 6 40 English Second trimester M-DEA/01
Justice and International Affairs 6 40 English Second trimester SPS/01
Media Ethics 6 40 English Second trimester M-FIL/03
Neuroethics and Human Enhancement 6 40 English First trimester M-FIL/03
The Information Society: the Epistemology of Big Data 6 40 English Second semester M-FIL/02
Wars of Images 6 40 English Third trimester M-FIL/04
Presidente del Collegio Didattico
Prof.ssa Francesca Pasquali
Contacts