Objectives

Program Overview and Educational Objectives
Graduates of the Master's Degree Program in Design, Management and Evaluation of Social Services (ProSS) are expected to acquire advanced knowledge in the social sciences—namely sociology, anthropology, and social psychology—as well as in social work, statistics, economics, and political-legal studies. These areas are explored through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, providing students with the ability to interpret and represent social phenomena and problems at the micro, meso, and macro levels.
The program fosters strong competencies in:

  • the implementation of local social policies;
  • the coordination of integrated social services;
  • and advanced technical skills for managing research, action-research, and evaluation activities within the field of personal social services.

Furthermore, students are expected to develop effective and autonomous decision-making and leadership capacities in various intervention sectors.
This educational profile must be understood in the context of the ongoing evolution of social policy in Italy, particularly in light of the reform process initiated by Law 328/2000 and the revision of Title V of the Italian Constitution. The program defines a specific academic path focused on the understanding of:

  • social policy frameworks and regulations;
  • the structure and functioning of public and private social services;
  • the organizational configurations of service providers;
  • the economic implications and costs of social services;
  • and the psychological dimensions of individual and collective behavior.

The curriculum is built around theoretical and methodological tools that allow students to acquire these bodies of knowledge. Central to the learning process is the analysis of service user needs and the organization of services, including the integrated network structures that characterize contemporary social services. Consequently, students are expected to master conceptual tools and analytical techniques necessary for organizing their knowledge—both experiential and theoretical—within a critical understanding of the capabilities and limitations of welfare systems in their various forms.
Core Knowledge Areas
The program is structured through a range of courses and modules, each contributing to the development of methodological and critical competencies, organized around foundational themes that reinforce both disciplinary specialization and cross-disciplinary integration. Students are expected to acquire:

  • Principles and methodological techniques for the analysis of social phenomena;
  • Knowledge of European welfare models, including the Italian model, in terms of composition, goals, strategies, key stakeholders, and institutions;
  • Awareness of policies and regulations at the European, national, regional, and local levels;
  • Understanding of the functioning of public administrations and services;
  • Insight into the interactions between public, private, and third sector entities;
  • Knowledge of local partnership mechanisms (e.g., outsourcing, accreditation);
  • Familiarity with processes of civic participation and consultation, including associative forms.

Competency Framework
In relation to Social Policies:

  1. Ability to recognize and analyze social phenomena through multiple disciplinary lenses (legal, sociological, psychological);
  2. Ability to contextualize social phenomena in their historical development and institutional settings;
  3. Ability to formulate solutions based on the opportunities offered by diverse welfare systems and configurations.

In relation to Organizations, Public Administration, and Social Service Providers:

  1. Understanding of the legal frameworks governing organizations in the social and health services sectors, including tools for formalizing cooperation (e.g., programmatic agreements between public entities);
  2. Knowledge of outsourcing mechanisms and public contracting models, as well as the regulatory systems governing the social services market (e.g., accreditation procedures), and the legal standards—national and EU—that govern financial relationships between public and non-profit/private entities;
  3. Capacity to manage partnerships and co-design service interventions among various institutions and agencies (e.g., municipalities, provinces, local health authorities);
  4. Ability to address organizational issues, staff training, and human resource management.

In relation to the Evaluation of Social Policies and Interventions:

  1. Ability to situate a given policy tool (measure, plan, project) within the broader strategic framework of the pursued social policy;
  2. Capacity to select appropriate methods and approaches for specific evaluation targets;
  3. Competence in evaluating the performance of social and health services and in developing assessments of social plans and strategies.

Internship Component
The degree program includes a structured internship experience designed to:

  1. Offer practical learning opportunities through which students acquire knowledge about the organizational and managerial roles within social services;
  2. Develop competencies in the creation and evaluation of social, institutional, and community networks, and in the design and implementation of social programs and projects;
  3. Provide students with the opportunity to participate as members of professional social work teams, enabling them to engage in a guided learning process alongside practicing professionals.

The amount of time allocated to independent study is determined by the Academic Regulations of the degree program.