Objectives
Globalisation, the development of information and communication technologies (ICT), and the profound social changes witnessed in recent years have rendered societies increasingly complex and interdependent. These phenomena generate new demands for skills and competencies within the labour market. The field of legal studies is no exception: there is a growing need to offer degree programmes that are firmly interdisciplinary in nature, encompassing law, economics, history, and international relations.
The challenges posed by interconnected societies have accelerated the pace of legal evolution within both European and national systems. In response to this context, the Master’s Degree Programme in European Studies (LM-90) aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of current institutional and legal structures in both Italy and Europe, and more broadly, of European and Italian legal cultures. The programme is designed to train professionals capable of combining legal and economic expertise with knowledge specific to international relations and cooperation, in order to analyse, interpret, evaluate, and manage the political, economic, and social issues affecting the European Union.
From this perspective, the course seeks to produce graduates equipped with a solid, advanced, and interdisciplinary knowledge base—spanning theoretical, methodological, cultural, and professional domains—enabling them to address the emerging challenges of today’s European and global landscape. The programme is specifically tailored for students interested in pursuing advanced studies in European affairs and aspiring to high-level careers in public and private institutions, non-governmental organisations, and interest representation bodies operating at national, European, and/or international levels.
The degree programme is designed to train graduates capable of conducting interdisciplinary analysis of national, European, and (more broadly) international legal systems, with a particular focus on economic, legal, political, and historical dimensions. In this regard, the course provides students with the scientific knowledge and methodological tools essential for understanding the institutional arrangements of the European Union, including an awareness of the behaviour and choices of institutional actors, the management and oversight of political and regulatory processes, and the impact of recent reforms and judicial developments.
Entirely taught in English, the programme also aims to develop professionals with good command of legal and economic English, enhancing their ability to enter work environments of supranational relevance.
The programme is structured around three curricula, each designed to meet the specific objectives outlined above through distinct educational trajectories.
The first curriculum provides advanced specialisation in the interdependence between emerging challenges and European institutional and legal frameworks. Key topics include European convergence processes, the green transition, EU economic policy, competition law, and state aid. It promotes an understanding of the importance of economic analysis of law as a tool to interpret legal developments and devise independent responses to emerging social challenges.
This path is characterised by a strong emphasis on economics, particularly economic analysis of law and European integration. It also includes significant legal content—both public and private law from a European perspective—and a more limited presence of historical studies.
The second curriculum offers in-depth specialisation across the core disciplines of private, public, European, and international law, approached from a comparative perspective. It also addresses the economic implications of international legal and institutional frameworks.
The curriculum is designed to equip students with the skills needed to understand and resolve legal issues involving multiple jurisdictions—including national, EU, international, and foreign legal systems—in key social sectors such as trade, competition, artificial intelligence, migration, fundamental rights, globalisation, and religion in international contexts.
This path is distinguished by a strong legal focus, incorporating EU law as well as private, public, comparative, and historical law. It includes a more limited range of modules in economics and history.
The third curriculum is designed to address some of the most pressing challenges faced by national and European policymakers, including artificial intelligence, the green transition, and digital markets. It focuses on developing students’ ability to critically assess both the potential and the risks posed by technological innovation to contemporary legal systems and to understand the role of EU-level policy in responding to these developments.
This track provides a balanced focus on legal and economic content.
The final examination for the Master’s Degree in European Studies consists of the preparation and defence of a dissertation, which must also be written and presented in English.