Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History

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Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History
Course sheet
A.Y. 2024/2025
Master programme
LM-84 R - Scienze Storiche
Master programme
120
ECTS
Access
Open with entry requirements examination
2
Years
Course location
Milan
Language
English
The Master's Degree in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History, delivered entirely in English, aims to provide students with a solid preparation that combines historical knowledge from antiquity to the contemporary age, rigorous method, critical thinking and familiarity with digital technologies. The focus on cultural studies allows them to acquire specific interpretive keys in the analysis of reality, in its diachronic and synchronic, national and transnational dimensions: you will study the ideas and artifacts, institutions and practices, beliefs and behaviors that have contributed to forming and transforming the cultural physiognomy of societies, especially European ones, in their variety and distinctiveness, from antiquity to the present, together with the factors, material and intellectual, that have helped to delineate, in different times and places, different ways of interpreting associated life, in the articulation of roles and identities.
The course is divided into two years of 60 ECTS each, and involves the "mixed" mode - that is, with remote lectures for about 50 percent of the total. The first year will be entirely carried out at the university site in Milan, with exclusively in-person classes (the only exception will be the language course for the achievement of the C1 English level delivered remotely by the SLAM University Language Center). Instead, the online mode will be reserved for the second year, with the exception of specific activities that will remain in-presence and will be delivered in concentrated periods of time, i.e. laboratories, possible meetings with the thesis supervisor, tutoring activities, and educational trips.
The main professions that graduates of the MA in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History will be able to access can be grouped into the following professional profiles:

1. Museum communicator and cultural heritage manager
Function in a working context: The highly qualified training of MA graduates in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History allows them to collaborate in the development of programmes for the promotion of cultural heritage and external communication of public and private administrations active in the field of cultural heritage, using all the advanced technological tools deemed appropriate to reach different target groups. The graduate will also be able to take care of internal communication within organisations and institutions and relations with private and public partners, collaborate in promoting cultural venues and events, and managing relations with the media and citizens.
Skills associated with the function: Operators in the sector have organisational and communication skills; they are able to assess the potential of enhancing cultural heritage (tangible and intangible), defining and monitoring the appropriate strategies to be implemented, also through the use of information technologies; they have skills for the preparation of a communication plan and its implementation (drafting of press releases; maintenance and implementation of mailing lists; creation of images and content for social media and other web platforms, etc.). They can contribute to the creation of multimedia and multisensory cultural itineraries and installations suitable for communication and use also by people with disabilities.
Career possibilities: they work in the public and private sector, holding positions of responsibility, such as those of museum communicators and documentary heritage managers. Specifically, they work in archives and libraries, museums, private foundations and public administrations in charge of the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, especially as promotion and communication managers.

2. Author of historical content
Function in a working context: Production of historical content for popular texts, school texts, television programmes, stage sets, documentaries, multimedia productions.
Skills associated with the function: Qualified knowledge of historical processes and mastery of the subject; high level of writing ability in relation to the different registers required (scientific, didactic, popular); critical ability to link events and to interpret the available sources; ability to elaborate digital content and to communicate through various types of media.
Career possibilities: writer; editor of critical and didactic texts in the historical area; editor in historical magazines, both print and web; TV author for documentaries and historical programmes; author for multimedia productions.

3. Corporate heritage manager
Function in a working context: Management and communication of corporate heritage within companies, banks, corporate foundations, organisation and management of corporate museums and archives; management of relations with the public and institutional stakeholders, at national and international level; organisation of events and cultural initiatives; management of internal communication and enhancement of corporate culture.
Skills associated with the function: language and communication skills; high-profile historical education; the ability to analyse, classify and relate historical sources of various kinds (industrial projects and objects, administrative and accounting documents); the ability to convey the contents of cultural history in a globalised context; social media management; the ability to understand and mediate between different cultural contexts.
Career possibilities: head of corporate archives and museums; head of corporate heritage, corporate image, identity and communication; institutional relations.

4. Researcher in cultural institutions
Function in a working context: Cataloguing, inventorying and studying documentary heritage; research activities and dissemination of results to different audiences; fundraising activities through the elaboration of research projects for the participation in national and international competitive tenders.
Skills associated with the function: Advanced level historical training applicable to the preservation and management of documentary heritage and to the elaboration of autonomous historical research contributions, mainly in the fields of cultural, intellectual and visual history; project skills suitable for participation in national and international competitive calls; organisational skills in relation to events for the dissemination of research results both scientific and educational.
Career possibilities: Research activities and dissemination of results at foundations, research and training centres, documentation centres, especially those endowed with image and photographic archives.
A concise vademecum on Erasmus is available on the degree course website, in the student notice board.
The agreements, on a reciprocal basis, provide for the annual incoming and outgoing mobility of students and lecturers between the University of Milan and universities in numerous countries, including: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Hungary.
The specific list of universities of possible destination for students of the degree course in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History can be found in Annex A of the call for applications on this page: https://www.unimi.it/it/internazionale/studiare-allestero/partire-con-erasmus.
With the annual Erasmus+ call for applications, the University of Milan also allocates study trips to the Swiss Confederation which derive from the bilateral agreements with Swiss universities stipulated as part of the SEMP- Swiss European Mobility Programme.
Students enrolled in the Master's degree programme in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History may spend a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 12 months during the two-year course of study at the partner universities. The average stay abroad is generally 5/6 months.
The work carried out abroad (course attendance, examinations, possible research for the thesis) is recognised on return with a number of ECTS that takes into account the activities carried out in relation to the duration of the stay. The work programme, set out in a Learning Agreement, is drawn up on departure, based on the courses, examinations and activities that the student decides to take at the partner university according to the requirements of his/her Italian study plan. The attention paid by the lecturers in charge in identifying a broad and precise correspondence between the University of Milan and the partner universities' courses on offer allows the student to profitably enter the foreign course and acquire the necessary credits to complete his/her Italian course of study. The fields of study that can be developed are essentially the historical ones, but it is also possible to acquire credits in other fields of humanistic studies.
The degree course has a permanent contact person for internationalisation through Erasmus.
Each year, specific meetings are organised for outgoing students of the degree course in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History in order to provide them with information on the various locations and useful contacts.
The Department of Historical Studies is also active in the Erasmus Plus-Placement programme, which envisages mobility also for recent graduates (within 12 months of graduation), providing information on the relevant calls for proposals on its website and taking steps to identify international partners (archives, libraries, publishing houses, cultural institutes and universities) that can host interns for professional training.
Attendance is strongly recommended but not compulsory.
Enrolment
Admission requirements
Admission to the Master's degree course in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History is open to graduates from the degree classes listed below, as well as from the corresponding classes relating to Ministerial Decree 509/99:

- L-1 Cultural Heritage
- L-3 Disciplines of the Figurative Arts, Music, Performing Arts and Fashion
- L-5 Philosophy
- L-10 Humanities
- L-11 Modern languages and cultures
- L-20 Communication sciences
- L-36 Political Science and International Relations
- L-40 Sociology
- L-42 History.

In order to guarantee an adequate homogeneity of the enrolled students, the achievement of at least 36 credits among the following scientific-disciplinary sectors is required to access the programme: L-ANT/02 (Greek History); L-ANT/03 (Roman History); M-STO/01 (Medieval History); M-STO/02 (Modern History); M-STO/03 (History of Eastern Europe); M-STO/04 (Contemporary History); SPS/05 (History and Institutions of the Americas); SPS/13 (History and Institutions of Africa); SPS/14 (History and institutions of Asia); IUS/19 (History of medieval and modern law); M-STO/05 (History of science and technology); M-STO/06 (History of religions); M-STO/07 (History of Christianity and churches); SECS-P/12 (Economic history); SPS/02 (History of political doctrines); SPS/03 (History of political institutions); L-ART/01 (History of medieval art); L-ART/02 (History of modern art); L-ART/03 (History of contemporary art); L-ART/06 (Cinema, photography and television); M-FIL/04 (Aesthetics); L-FIL-LET/10 (Italian literature); L-FIL-LET/11 (Contemporary Italian literature); L-FIL-LET/14 (Literary criticism and comparative literatures); SPS/07 (General sociology); SPS/08 (Sociology of cultural and communicative processes).
Candidates who have completed their first level university studies abroad may be admitted to the degree course if they hold a Bachelor's degree in History, Arts, Classics, Literature, Philosophy or related disciplines, provided that their qualification is recognised as suitable on the basis of the regulations in force; the acquisition of the minimum 36 ECTS and their correspondence with the above-mentioned disciplines will be verified through the assessment of the diploma supplement and, if necessary, an additional interview will be held online.
All candidates for admission must prove that they have acquired an adequate knowledge of the English language. Knowledge of the English language will be ascertained by possession of official certification, at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), not more than three years prior to the submission of the application.
Alternatively, for candidates who hold a university degree, or an equivalent qualification issued abroad, related to a course of study delivered in English, knowledge of the English language will be ascertained by means of an oral interview.

Admission Procedures
Before enrolling in the master's degree program in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History you must first submit an application for admission by the deadlines published in the admission notice on the course of study website ("Application" page).
Applications for admission will be assessed by a special Commission.
As far as knowledge of the English language is concerned, the required level will be attested by the submission of a language certificate obtained no more than 3 years prior to the date of submission of the application, of level B2 or higher (for the list of language certificates recognised by the University, please refer to the website: https://www.unimi.it/it/node/39322). The certificate must be uploaded when submitting the online application. In the case of candidates who do not hold an official certificate of English language proficiency, but who do hold a degree, or an equivalent qualification issued abroad, relating to a course of study delivered in English, candidates will be invited to an interview to ascertain their adequate knowledge of the language.
With regard to previous academic experience and the knowledge and skills acquired in the above-mentioned subject areas, in the case of applications for admission accompanied by a qualification obtained abroad, if the documentation submitted does not provide sufficient information, candidates will be invited to an interview to ascertain the consistency of their previous academic experience with the characteristics of the course of study, by verifying their knowledge and skills in the main subject areas that characterise the degree course. In particular, the interview aims to ascertain that candidates for admission have sufficient knowledge and skills to ensure that they can undertake and successfully follow the course of study.
All interviews will be conducted remotely in accordance with a timetable and through arrangements that will be communicated to each candidate in good time.
For the admission of undergraduates, the minimum number of credits required at the time of application is set at 130. The Commission reserves the right to consider any requests for validation of additional credits, up to a maximum of 36, certified by the candidates themselves.
The degree course also reserves the right to consider the possibility of setting a quota (maximum number of students), determined from year to year by the competent academic bodies, after assessing the structural, instrumental and personnel resources available for its operation.

Admission

Application for admission: from 18/03/2024 to 31/10/2024

Application for matriculation: from 08/04/2024 to 15/01/2025


Attachments and documents

Admission notice

Learn more:
Programme description and courses list
Compulsory
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Advanced Language Skills: Anglo-American (3 ECTS) 3 0 English Open sessions
Ancient Documents in Their Visual and Performative Context 9 60 English First semester L-ANT/02
Computational Methods and Techniques for Historical and Cultural Studies 9 60 English Second semester INF/01
Cultural History of the Modern Period 9 60 English First semester M-STO/02
Intellectuals, Popular Culture, Collective Identities: Italy and Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries 9 60 English Second semester M-STO/04
Workshop: Iconology and Iconography 3 20 English
Optional activities and study plan rules
a - Two exams (9 ECTS + 9 ECTS) to choose among:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Cultural History of Law 9 60 English First semester IUS/19
Global Intellectual History 9 60 English Second semester SPS/02
Representations of Value: Money and Capital from Clay Tablets to Cryptocurrencies 9 60 English Second semester SECS-P/12
be activated by the A.Y. 2025/2026
Compulsory
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Printed Books: a Cultural History of Publishing, Reading, and Preserving 9 60 English M-STO/08
Words, Rituals, and Images: Cultures and Media in the Middle Ages 9 60 English M-STO/01
Finale Examination 18 0 English Open sessions
Optional activities and study plan rules
b - One exam (9 ECTS) to choose among:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Image Theories and Visual History 9 60 English M-FIL/04
Wars of Images 9 60 English M-FIL/04
c - Elective course (9 ECTS)
d - One activity (3 ECTS) to choose among:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Internship 3 0 English Open sessions
Workshop: Clothing and Costume in the Sources. from the Early Middle Ages to the Modern Age 3 20 English
e - One activity (3 ECTS) to choose among:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Additional Language Skills: Italian (3 ECTS) 3 0 Italian Open sessions
Workshop: Forenames and Surnames as Sources of Cultural History 3 20 English
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Location
Milan
Erasmus and international mobility tutor 
Internship tutor
Master's degree admission tutor
Reference structures
Contacts

The tuition fees for students enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's and single-cycle degree programmes are divided into two instalments with different calculation methods and payment schedules:

  • The amount of the first instalment is the same for all students
  • The amount of the second instalment varies according to the ISEE University value, the degree programme and the student status (on track / off track for one year or off track for more than a year) 
  • An additional fee is due for online programmes

The University also offers:

  • Concessions for students meeting high merit requirements
  • Diversified tuition fees according to the student's home country for international students with assets/income abroad
  • Concessions for international students with refugee status

Scholarships and benefits

The University provides a range of financial benefits to students meeting special requirements (merit, financial or personal conditions, international students).

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