The Licentiate is a two-year program of four semesters. This second-cycle degree is offered in three areas of study, including Sociology, Social Communication, and Catholic Social Teaching and Public Ethics. This program offers the opportunity to acquire more knowledge as well as to improve research skills. By combining theoretical aspects of social sciences and fieldwork practices, the student learns to collect, process, analyze, and interpret research data. In order to be awarded the degree, students need to meet all the programme requirements, including final oral exams. Each student benefits from the supervision of a thesis moderator with regard to the writing of the thesis.

SOCIAL COMMUNICATION

Social communication is a set of very diverse phenomena and realities. Starting from an ecclesial and therefore ethical perspective, the goal of this educational path is to offer general and basic skills in the field of communication sciences and media studies.

Particular attention is given to the meaning of various media products, the specific characteristics of the several means of communication, and the ability to express concepts and messages in a clear, transparent, and truthful way. It also provides an in-depth analysis of heterogeneous aspects of communication such as narrativity, image, and sound as well as media management and the production/interpretation of contents. This training prepares students to analyse the effects of communication on people, communities, and society as a whole.

This specialization provides the student with the skills needed to carry out the following professional and research activities::

• management of institutional communication offices (ecclesial and non-ecclesial) using management, production, and leadership skills in the media sector;
• teaching communication sciences, through both the old and the new media (Internet and web).

ADMISSION

Candidates to this program are requierd to have a certain level of kowledge of the Italian language and the Baccalaureato (Bachelors degree) in Social Sciences or an equivalent degree with at least a cum laude. The School of Social Sciences reserves the right to validate degrees awarded by other institutions.

PROGRAM

The Licentiate degree is a two-year program of four semesters that amounts to 120 ECTS credits subdivided as follows: 46 ECTS of required courses; 50 ECTS of specialization courses; 12 ECTS of various sorts of training including one annual conference, guided reading, and two intensive courses; 12 ECTS of Licentiate examination, including a thesis presentation (8ECTS) and comprehensive oral exams (4ECTS). Final exams are taken only after having passed all the scheduled exams.

Afer completing all the tests, the student is awarded a Licentiate in Social Sciences with the mention of the student’s area of specialization.