Master in Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs (PPPA)

The Master's programme in Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs (PPPA), jointly awarded by the University of Milan and the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, is a highly interdisciplinary programme that offers advanced and comprehensive training in both political science and philosophy. This training is specifically intended to provide students with the analytical tools needed to critically interpret complex public matters and address the political questions these raise. The programme provides solid academic preparation, as well as awareness of the challenges and opportunities connected to current political and social trends. Moreover, it gives students the knowledge and skills needed to understand social processes and propose effective and ethically appropriate interventions to deal with the political problems resulting from such processes.

At the end of the programme, students will have become familiar with political and social science methods used to investigate and explain political and social trends, as well as with the philosophical methods of conceptual, logical and argumentative analysis and critical evaluation.

In order to achieve these learning objectives, the study plan for the first year includes a common core of courses that provide advanced knowledge of the fundamental concepts, methods and theories of political science and political, moral and social philosophy, together with an understanding of some contemporary economic, legal and social challenges. First-year courses combine different disciplinary perspectives and approaches, thus providing the common background required to attend second-year courses, while helping students develop strong argumentative skills. Second-year courses address a wide range of topics that are at the centre of public discussion and raise important political questions. These topics include: the regulation of scientific and technological developments in the fields of biomedicine, information technology and neuroscience; climate change and its impact; transformations of democracies and welfare systems and the related challenges; communication and media regulation; the protection of basic freedoms; the promotion of social justice; migration policies; international relations and conflicts.

Political consultant Function in a work context: The political consultant: analyzes political and socio-economic phenomena, highlighting their dynamics and paying attention particular attention to their medium or long-term developments and their regulatory implications; examine central issues in public debate and highlights the factors to bear in mind when addressing them; make assessments comparison between the various lines of intervention available, taking into account both feasibility criteria and considerations of regulatory nature; develops intervention proposals and provides advice on the development of strategies medium and long term in the light of the opportunities or problems associated with current trends in the political sphere, social and economic.

Skills associated with the function: To carry out the functions indicated, the following are required: multidisciplinary skills, which concern both disciplines philosophical, both the social and political sciences; ability to critically examine political and socio-economic phenomena complex and to grasp both the dynamics and possible developments, and the implications of a regulatory nature; ability to analysis and interpretation of empirical data; argumentative skills; transversal relational skills, communication, organization and management.

Employment opportunities: Local, national and international institutions and public bodies; study center of political parties and political organizations, of interest groups and trade associations, non-governmental organizations and the Italian third sector e international.

Political science specialist Function in a work context: The specialist in political science: carries out research on political and socio-economic phenomena; process research projects; formulates interpretative and explanatory hypotheses; collects and critically examines empirical data; draws up research reports and produces informative and scientific publications; coordinates projects at national level, European or international research groups and activities aimed at disseminating research results.

Skills associated with the function: To carry out the functions indicated, the following are required: specialist knowledge in political science, sociology and economic; ability to interpret complex political and socio-economic phenomena from one perspective multidisciplinary, capturing its specificity, dynamics and implications with respect to issues of public importance; ability to analyze and interpret data through qualitative and quantitative methodologies; ability to process research designs that are rigorous and consistent with the topics addressed; transversal relational skills, communication, organization and management.

Employment opportunities: Organizations, institutions and research centres, public or private, which operate at a local, national or international level. Furthermore, graduates who will obtain credits in sufficient numbers in appropriate groups of sectors will be able, according to the legislation currently in force, participate in the admission tests for secondary education training courses.

Philosophy specialist Function in a work context: The specialist in philosophical disciplines conducts research in the philosophical field; elaborates research projects; formula interpretative hypotheses regarding the regulatory implications associated with political and socio-economic phenomena and/or scientific and technological developments; comparatively examines the lines of intervention available with respect to problems of public relevance and formulates arguments and criteria to discriminate between them; draws up research reports; accomplish informative and scientific publications; coordinates projects at national, European or international level, research groups and activities aimed at disseminating research results.

Skills associated with the function: To carry out the indicated functions, the following are required: specialist knowledge in the philosophical field and a preparation multidisciplinary approach that allows for the interpretation of complex political and socio-economic phenomena, capturing their regulatory implications; logical and argumentative skills; skills with respect to the methods of analysis philosophical; ability to develop rigorous research designs consistent with the topics addressed; transversal skills of relational, communicative, organizational and managerial character.

Employment opportunities: Organizations, institutions and research centres, public or private, which operate at a local, national or international level. Furthermore, graduates who will obtain credits in sufficient numbers in appropriate groups of sectors will be able, according to the legislation currently in force, participate in the admission tests for secondary education training courses.

Specialist of companies, organizations and public and private entities Function in a work context: The specialist in companies, organizations and public and private entities holds positions that involve high responsibilities of a strategic, managerial and operational nature; coordinates working groups; carries out activities in the design sector, of work planning, communication and marketing.

Skills associated with the function: To carry out the functions indicated, the following are required: multidisciplinary skills that allow both to design wide-ranging strategies, which take into account a multiplicity of factors, and to effectively coordinate groups of work trained by professionals with diversified skills; critical analysis and interpretation skills political, social and economic trends; forecasting and adaptive capacity; transversal character skills relational, communicative, organizational and managerial.

Employment opportunities: Public administration; public and private bodies, non-governmental organizations and the third sector that need figures able to deal with strategic, managerial and communication aspects; private companies inserted in national contexts e international or in the global market.

Cultural manager Function in a work context: The Cultural Manager develops and coordinates cultural projects and initiatives; analyze the characteristics and trends of the cultural question; researches and manages resources for the organization of cultural initiatives; plans and manages courses training, also aimed at a non-specialist public, aimed at disseminating culture and related topics to current events; collaborates in the preparation of training and information material and in the realization of editorial projects.

Skills associated with the function: To carry out the indicated functions, the following are required: multidisciplinary preparation which facilitates the development of a specific sensitivity regarding the cultural sphere and which allows the acquisition of skills to frame phenomena cultural backgrounds of social and political trends; analysis, forecasting and planning skills; skills transversal of a relational, communicative, organizational and managerial nature.

Employment opportunities: Companies operating in the communication, publishing and journalism sector and, more generally, in the sector of the cultural industry; foundations, institutes and public and private bodies engaged in the realization of cultural projects and involved in scientific and cultural dissemination activities.

The University of Milan is a public teaching and research university, which - with 8 faculties and 2 schools and a teaching staff of more than 2000 professors - is distinguished by its wide variety of disciplinary fields. A leading institute in Italy and Europe for scientific productivity, the University of Milan is the largest university in the region, with approximately 64,000 students; it is also an important resource for the socio-economic context of which it is a part. Milan is, in fact, the capital of Lombardy, one of the most dynamic and international regions in the European Union, a leader in the national economy that stands at the Italian forefront of research and development investments and commitment to technological innovation.

The University of Milan also possesses a remarkable artistic and cultural heritage that includes important historic buildings, inherited and acquired collections, archives, botanical gardens and the old Brera Observatory commissioned by Maria Teresa of Austria. The University’s departments are housed in important historic edifices in the center of Milan and in modern buildings in the area known as Città Studi (the City of Studies). Among the palazzos that house the University’s facilities are the old Ca' Granda (the big house) – a monumental complex from the 15th-century in the heart of the historical city centre - the 18th-century Palazzo Greppi designed by Giuseppe Piermarini – who built the Scala Theatre in Milan – and the 17th-century Sant’Alessandro College commissioned by the Arcimboldi family. The book collection , which is one of the richest in the region, is preserved in 47 libraries, while the APICE Centre collects rare and valuable book stocks and archives. The University also has a Choir and its own Orchestra, which actively contributes to the cultural life of the city and receives international acknowledgments on an increasingly frequent basis.