International Relations

• Overview
• Admission criteria and requirements
• Enrollment and application form
• Syllabus and program
• Timetable
• Final thesis and graduation
• Employment and career opportunity
• Faculty
• Other information
• Degree title in Italian and European regulation
• Tuition fee and scholarship
• FAQ and contact

Overview

The Master Degree in International Relations aims to provide students with specific and qualified skills in the field of International Relations. In fact, only by mastering these tools will they be able to analyse, interpret, assess and manage the global scope of political phenomena and their relative policies, as well as general economic and social aspects inherent to the relations among countries, public and private institutions and national and international, governmental and non-governmental organizations. Thanks to its multidisciplinary approach, the course intends to equip students with the essential elements to engage in decision-making and problem-solving activities in complex, changing contexts that are radically different from their own.

Graduates in International Relations will acquire specific languages and basic tools for the theoretical and empirical analysis of every discipline and an advanced preparation in the classical disciplines of International Relations (law, history, economics, politics and language). They shall develop excellent, both written and oral skills in a European language and a second European language or a good competence in a non-European language. They shall gain the necessary knowledge to understand the perspectives of their interlocutors and to critically analyse the socio-economic and socio-cultural processes of today's international society. At the same time, graduates shall follow a multidisciplinary and crosswise approach to acquire essential conceptual, methodological and analytical tools and an advanced level of historical, political and legal knowledge, integrated with a preparation focusing on the main technological and geopolitical changes introduced by the digital age. They shall propose innovative IT solutions and decision-making processes often based on information extracted from large amounts of data.

Admission criteria and requirements

Applicants are selected based on their curriculum vitae (CV), possibly supplemented by an entrance test and or interview with the director of the program (for international applicants). Requirements:

• A university bachelor degree containing a minimum of 50 ECTS , of which at least fourteen (14) in the disciplinary area hereinafter referred to as historical, at least six (6) in the disciplinary area of law, at least six (6) in the disciplinary area of economics, at least fifteen (15) in the disciplinary area of political-sociological and at least nine (nine) in the disciplinary area of languages.
• Foreign students are also required to have at least B2 level knowledge of the Italian language.
• In order to be able to attend the course of study profitably, however, is required knowledge of the English language at least equal to level B2 and the knowledge of a second language (European or non-European) from at least a good basic level.
• For the admission of students from foreign universities, the director of the degree course (or her delegate) will reserves the right to proceed with the assessment of access requirements, either by examining the curriculum vitae of studies achieved by the student (supplemented by more detailed information on the course programmes) or by other means (e.g. example by means of an interview that can also take place electronically), in order to ascertain the possession of the knowledge and skills essential for access to the Master's Degree Course.
  Methods of admission
  The verification of the adequacy of the personal preparation for the degree course is carried out on a curriculum basis, possibly supplemented by an entry test and/or interview with the director of the degree course or her delegate. The purpose of this test is to put the student in the best possible position to carry out the course of study and to facilitate the achievement of the title within the prescribed timeframe.
  Your knowledge of languages will be tested before you register:
• by verifying that appropriate certification has been obtained (see http://www.miur.gov.it/enti-certificatori-linguestraniere)
• (in the absence of certification): by means of an appropriate test and, where necessary, by means of an interview. During the interview, the director of the degree course (or her delegate) reserves the right to ask the student for additional information to that presented in the assessment questions, in order to verify the adequacy of his preparation. Any educational deficiencies must be filled before enrolment in the Master's Degree Course.

Enrollment and application form

To be admitted must have:

• The entrance visa for study purposes issued by the competent Italian Diplomatic authorities
• Certified true copy of the final academic qualification achieved, which entitles the student to have access to the following level of academic education. Duly legalized by the Italian Diplomatic Authorities in the country of reference, provided with consular legalization, the Dichiarazione di valore in loco and with an official translation into Italian;
• Transcript of exams issued by the competent University – approved by the Italian Diplomatic Authority in the country of reference  – with the name of each passed exams and the detailed syllabi of each course attended, required to achieve the final title in question;
• ID Card /Passport.

Syllabus and program

The Master’s Degree in International Relations (Laurea Magistrale Classe LM-52) is a two-year program taught in English for 120 credits (ECTS/CFU), internationally open, practice-oriented and job-market driven.

Academic year 2019-2020 (First Year)

Academic year 2020-2021 (Second Year)

Timetable

Classes are organized in two semesters during each year of study. Usually first semester starts in October and ends at the end of December; while second semester starts at the end of February and ends by May.
After the course has ended, respecting the course structure provided, students may take an examination; Master’s Degree in International Relations holds three exam sessions a year, in winter, summer and autumn and offers at least seven date of exams during year.

This the timetable scheduled for 2019-2020 academic year is:

Final thesis and graduation

Master degree is awarded to students who have gained 120 ECTS/CFU credits and satisfied all curricular requirements, including the production and public defence of an original dissertation. The thesis is worth 12 ECTS.

To be admitted to the graduation session students must earn all the credits provided for in the program structure except for those credits of the thesis and must not have any pending financial obligations to LUMSA University. The thesis is evaluated on contents, presentation and defence.

For final assessment of the entire degree, a 110-point scale is used. Students pass the final degree exam if they obtain a mark of at least 66 (if student has an average of 18 on 30). The Board can unanimously award "lode" (cum laude) as a special distinction.

Employment and career opportunity

• Diplomat (initial grade through public contest)
• Official in international or national bodies and institutions
• Company manager
• Expert in international relations in editorial offices, press offices, agencies, think tanks, solidarity association and national and international NGOs

Faculty

The faculty Is highly qualified and includes both scholars and professionals. Students will be exposed to a variety of teaching and learning methods including traditional and interactive lectures, case studies, seminars, presentations, and group project works. Teaching methods are designed to create a stimulating and highly pratical learning environment.

Here's the list of all active LUMSA professors teaching in master degree in International Relations. For further info click on the professors' name:

• Francesco Bonini, full professor History of Political Institutions
• Sheila Chapman, full professor of Economics
• Tiziana Di Maio, Associate professor of History of the international relations and Chair of the Master’s Degree and Chair of the Master’s Degree in International Relations
• Anna Isabella Squarzina, Associate professor of French language and translation

Other information

LUMSA University promotes international exchange and offers to enrolled students several mobility opportunities for study and traineeship abroad through up to 242 agreements with universities from Europe, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico and USA.
Moreover students can take part to one of double degree program developed with the Université de Lille (France) as part of the Master in Langues Entrangères Appliquées (Affaires et Négociation Internationales).

Degree title in Italian and European regulation

The Diploma Supplement was developed by the European Commission, Council of Europe and by UNESCO/CEPES. The purpose of the supplement is to provide sufficient independent data to improve the international transparency and fair academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates etc.). It is designed to provide a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were pursued and successfully completed by the individual named on the original qualification to which this supplement is appended. It is free from any value-judgements, equivalence statements or suggestions about recognition. Information is provided in eight sections. Where information is not provided, an explanation will give the reason why. (more information).
The legal value of the degree is recognized in Europe as a second title cycle degree (Diploma di Laurea Magistrale).

Tuition fee

Participation costs have been set at 3.500 euro per year. These costs cover tuition fees, examination and administrative services provided by each academic institution.
The payment must be made by bank transfer: LUMSA, UBI Banca Popolare di Bergamo
IBAN: IT 57 B 03111 03226 000000005620 - BIC/SWIFT: BLOPIT22

FAQ and contact

The Welcome Office is at your disposal for any kind of assistance.

• Location: Via delle Fosse di Castello, 7 - Rome, Italy
• Email: international.admissions@lumsa.it
• Phone: +39 06 68 42 22 19 (Monday and Thursday 3PM - 5PM)