Biogeosciences: Analysis of Ecosystem and Science Communication, MSc

Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Italy

Study options for this course

The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
MSc	Full-time	2 years	September	find out	find out

About Biogeosciences: Analysis of Ecosystem and Science Communication, MSc - at Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra

In line with the qualifying learning objectives of the corresponding degree class, the Master?s degree programme in Biogeosciences: Analysis of Ecosystem and Science Communication aims to provide an in-depth, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge of the structural and functional components of ecosystems in the current and past natural environment, also in relation to the human presence, to outline the conceptual tools for the conservation, protection and management of the environment, as well as to provide knowledge and methodologies for the dissemination, communication and teaching of natural sciences.

The programme is addressed to students who want to extend and deepen their knowledge in the field of natural sciences, maintaining the traditional balance between abiotic and biotic factors, in order to gain an organic and synthetic understanding of nature and its issues. The degree programme also has a specific curriculum aimed at providing students with a solid and wide-ranging knowledge base that will enable them to work in the areas of training, communication and teaching. The programme is especially designed with the following objectives:

- Provide a solid knowledge base to study the structure and functioning of ecosystems from a spatial as well as diachronic perspective, with an approach based on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary integration;
- Prepare graduates that are able to analyse biodiversity at multiple levels, from genetic diversity to specific and environmental diversity, and to study the geological components of natural environments, as well as the role they play in the functioning of ecosystems and the services such ecosystems provide;
- Prepare graduates that are able to address environmental issues with a rigorous scientific approach and to work with a high degree of autonomy, taking on responsibilities for projects and organisational units, even in a managerial and directive capacity;
- Provide tools for the communication and dissemination of natural sciences;
- Prepare graduates in terms of subject matter contents, methodologies and technologies required to teach in upper secondary schools;

The degree programme encompasses educational activities in the fields of: a) mathematics/statistics, informatics, chemistry and physics, to provide advanced knowledge and skills instrumental to the analysis and monitoring of ecosystems and the teaching of sciences; b) agriculture, management and communication, to build up a solid knowledge base regarding environmental law and management and provide students with an understanding of communication methodologies and the psycho-pedagogical and sociological aspects of teaching; c) biology, ecology and geology, to cover various aspects of life sciences (biosciences) and earth sciences (geosciences) with a highly integrated approach. All of this will enable students to deepen their background knowledge and become highly skilled in the analysis and monitoring of ecosystems, as well as to master the fundamental skills, methodologies and technologies required to disseminate and teach natural sciences. Moreover, the programme includes several additional activities to integrate knowledge in other related domains, and requires students to demonstrate oral and written proficiency in English.

For more information about this course, please see the program leaflet.

Learn more about Biogeosciences: Analysis of Ecosystem and Science Communication, MSc - at Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra

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Entry requirements

The curricular requirements for admission to the Master's degree course in BioGeosciences: Analysis of Ecosystems and Communication of Sciences are fully satisfied by graduates of the degree class in Sciences and Technologies for the Environment and Nature (L-32) and of the corresponding class relating to Ministerial Decree 509/99. Graduates with a degree from another class, as well as those holding another qualification obtained abroad and recognised as suitable are also eligible for admission to the Master's degree course, providing they can demonstrate that they meet the curricular requirements and the adequacy of their personal preparation necessary to successfully pursue their studies, as specified below.
Students with a degree obtained abroad will be assessed by the Admission Committee for the Master's degree on the basis of their curriculum (type of bachelor degree, bachelor study programme) and through an interview (also online) aimed at verifying whether they meet the specific curricular requirements and the adequacy of their personal preparation for admission to the Master's degree. The date of the interview is the one indicated in the Manifesto degli Studi for all other students.
For students who have obtained a Bachelor's degree in Italy in classes other than L-32, the curricular requirements for access to the Master's degree imply having acquired at least:
- 6 CFU in mathematical disciplines (MAT/01 Mathematical Logic, MAT/02 Algebra, MAT/03 Geometry, MAT/04 Complementary Mathematics, MAT/05 Mathematical Analysis, MAT/06 Probability and Mathematical Statistics, MAT/07 Mathematical Physics, MAT/08 Numerical Analysis),
- 6 CFU in physics (FIS/01 Experimental physics, FIS/02 Theoretical physics, mathematical models and methods, FIS/03 Physics of matter, FIS/04 Nuclear and subnuclear physics, FIS/05 Astronomy and astrophysics, FIS/06 Physics for the Earth system and the circum-terrestrial medium, FIS/07 Applied physics (cultural heritage, environmental, biology and medicine), FIS/08 Physics education and history),
- 6 CFU in chemical disciplines (CHIM/01 Analytical chemistry, CHIM/02 Physical chemistry, CHIM/03 General and inorganic chemistry, CHIM/06 Organic chemistry),
and having acquired at least 60 CFU in the following characterising disciplines of class L-32:
- Agricultural disciplines (AGR/01 Rural economics and valuation, AGR/02 Agronomy and herbaceous cultivation, AGR/03 General arboriculture and tree cultivation, AGR/04 Horticulture and floriculture, AGR/05 Forest management and silviculture, AGR/06 Wood technology and forestry, AGR/07 Agricultural genetics, AGR/08 Agricultural hydraulics and hydraulic-forestry systems, AGR/10 Rural construction and agroforestry, AGR/11 General and applied entomology, AGR/12 Plant pathology, AGR/13 Agricultural chemistry, AGR/14 Pedology, AGR/16 Agricultural microbiology, AGR/19 Special zootechnics, AGR/20 Zoocultures),
- biological disciplines (BIO/01 General botany, BIO/02 Systematic botany, BIO/04 Plant physiology, BIO/05 Zoology, BIO/06 Comparative anatomy and cytology, BIO/08 Anthropology, BIO/10 Biochemistry, BIO/11 Molecular biology, BIO/16 Human anatomy, BIO/18 Genetics, BIO/19 Microbiology)
- ecological disciplines (BIO/03 Environmental and applied botany, BIO/07 Ecology, GEO/04 Physical geography and geomorphology),
- Earth science disciplines (GEO/01 Palaeontology and palaeoecology, GEO/02 Stratigraphic and sedimentary geology, GEO/03 Structural geology, GEO/05 Applied geology, GEO/06 Mineralogy, GEO/07 Petrology and petrography, GEO/08 Geochemistry and volcanology, GEO/09 Mineral resources and mineralogical-petrographic applications for the environment and cultural heritage, GEO/10 Solid Earth Geophysics, GEO/11 Applied Geophysics, GEO/12 Oceanography and Atmospheric Physics).
Of these 60 CFU, the student must have acquired at least 6 CFU in biological disciplines, 6 CFU in ecological disciplines and 6 CFU in Earth Sciences disciplines.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships at Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra

Università degli Studi di Milano offers different opportunities for financial support to Italian and foreign students, as described at the financial support web page.

In particular scholarships and exemptions from tuition fee are provided to the best new students who got a degree from a foreign university and are enrolled in the first year of a Master's degree programme. See the web page on International scholarships for further details.