Music Information Science

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Music Information Science
Course sheet
A.Y. 2024/2025
Bachelor
L-31 - Computer science
Bachelor
180
ECTS
Access
Limited enrolment with admission test
3
Years
Course location
Milan
Language
Italian
The degree is organized in a single learning path, which guarantees homogeneity and cultural coherence of the graduates, both when entering the job market after graduation and when continuing with a subsequent degree programme, with specific reference to the master degrees belonging to the LM-18 Informatica class.
The main learning goal of the degree is to provide solid general cultural skills aimed at in-depth disciplinary competences of the main areas of information technologies for musical heritage, multimedia, internet and databases, complemented by elements of semiotics and formal linguistics, and on thorough practical and theoretical mastering of multidisciplinary methodologies and technologies related to the multifaceted aspects of music informatics. The objective is to ensure that graduates have a solid cultural and methodological background aimed at both continuing academic studies and providing skills and the tools to assimilate scientific and technological advancements and to tackle at an advanced level problematics related to the applications of computer science and information technologies to music.
An equally important learning goal of the degree is to provide specific vocational education, focused on solid competences as well as on applicative and operating abilities, which are immediately expendable in the job market, with specific reference to the transfer and application of scientific and technological know-how to music. Vocational learning goals are aimed at forming graduates that have technical-operating competences, experts in specific application domains (communication, publishing, musical and multimedia production and post-production, new media, e-commerce, television, wired and mobile telecommunications, advertising, cultural heritage, pedagogy).
Expert of information technologies for music in the publishing and recording industry, web, and new media.
Role in a professional context.
Professional figures in this category manage activities related to design and development of services and systems based on integrating technological solutions for music publishing, such as processing, retrieval, and preservation of music information.
Associated competences.
They have in-depth knowledge of methodologies and technologies related to musical heritage, music and multimedia production and post-production, social and economic implications related to the development of web and multimedia systems as well as the effects of their adoption by user communities.
Employment opportunites.
They are able to work individually as consultants, or in a team within public or private enterprises, in a job market that is rapidly evolving regarding both technological and communication aspects.

Expert in information technologies for the analysis, processing, and synthesis of sound and music information.
Role in a professional context.
Professional figures in this category manage activities related to design and development of services and systems based on integrating technological solutions for:
- digital processing of audio signals and music symbols in the field of recording, production, post-production, reproduction, visualization, restoration of supports and contents;
- classification and retrieval of audio and music contents
Associated competences.
They have in-depth knowledge of methodologies and technologies related to representation, processing, automatic recognition of features of music information (audio, audio-video, sheet music, catalogues, music structures, MIDI, ...), with specific reference to fields related to human-computer interaction, and web and multimedia systems.
Employment opportunities.
They are able to work individually as consultants, or in a team within public or private enterprises, in a job market that is rapidly evolving regarding both technological and communication aspects.

Employment statistics (Almalaurea)
The education program can be enriched by educational activities abroad both to deepen some topics and as socialization experience in international environments. Within the Erasmus+ program study periods can be taken in over 50 universities in Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey. Courses will be recognized in the personalized study plan. These periods abroad are typically 5-month long and include courses for about 30 CFU, in the area of information and communication technology and related applications. Recognition of these educational activities will be based on the Learning Agreement, to be defined in advance by the student and the Erasmus coordinator at the Computer Science Department before starting the period abroad: course in the learning agreement with passed exams will replace the educational activities of the study plan ("manifesto"), either by covering the same topics or complementing the acquired basic competences. The Erasmus Committee at the Computer Science Department will perform the recognition of CFU obtained abroad and the definition of the personalized study plan. Similarly, stages to prepare the final dissertation are allowed in the same foreign universities. Recognition will be performed by the Department Erasmus Committee.
Erasmus: the coordinator for the Department of Informatics is Prof. Fabio Scotti
International Programs: the coordinator for the Department of Informatics is Prof. Vincenzo Piuri.
More information are available at the following link: http://www.di.unimi.it/ecm/home/didattica/international-studies
Attendance is strongly recommended for both courses and laboratories.
Enrolment
Qualifications and knowledge required for admission
In order to be admitted to the Bachelor's degree programme in Music Information Science, you must have e high-school diploma or equivalent foreign qualification pursuant to Ministerial Decree no. 270 of 22 October 2004.

Admission assessment
Admission into this programme is capped in order to meet high-quality teaching standards relative to the available resources.
The required admission test is a TOLC CISIA Online Test. There are 150 places available for the first year of the programme.
You may sit for the TOLC test at the University of Milan or any other member university of CISIA (Consortium of Inter-University Integrated Access Systems). Register to the TOLC test on the CISIA website (https://www.cisiaonline.it/).
The test providing access to the degree programme is TOLC-S, consisting of the following sections: Basic mathematics (20 questions - 50 minutes), Reasoning and Problems (10 questions - 20 minutes), Reading comprehension (10 questions - 20 minutes), Basic sciences (chemistry, physics and geology - 10 questions - 20 minutes).
Each question has 5 answer options, of which only one is correct.
Score: +1 for a correct answer, -0.25 for a wrong answer, 0 for a no answer.
Students who take the TOLC-S test and apply for admission to the programme will be included in a merit ranking based on the test score. The score will be weighted, for each section, according to the criteria set out in the call for applications. The winners may enrol within the deadlines.
The selection is divided into several time windows beginning in February and ending in early September.
Students who have not achieved at least 10 points in the Basics mathematics module will have to fulfil additional learning requirements (OFA).

The TOLC test includes an additional English section, consisting of 30 questions to be answered in 15 minutes. This section does not count toward the overall test score.

Detailed information, registration procedures, dates, deadlines and other information are published in the
call for applications and at the following addresses:
https://www.unimi.it/en/study/enrolment
https://www.unimi.it/en/study/bachelor-and-master-study/degree-programme-enrolment/enrolment-first-degree-programme

Remedial activities and tests.
Students with additional learning requirements will have to carry out remedial activities organised by the University in the period October-December, and then take a test to prove they have filled their gaps. Otherwise, they may not take any second-year exams before passing the Continuum mathematics exam.
For information: https://informaticamusicale.cdl.unimi.it/it/studiare/le-matricole

Transfers and second degrees
Students who are already enrolled in a degree programme of the University of Milan or another University, as well as graduates, will be waived from the test requirement only if they meet the following requirements, based on academic records assessments:
- if, following academic records assessments, the student is awarded at least 30 credits of which 12 for Continuum Mathematics, he/she will be admitted to Year II with a waiver from the test requirement and with no additional learning requirements (OFA);
- if the student is awarded less than 30 credits, he/she student must register for the test.
To this end, they will have to submit a specific request for prior assessment of their academic records using the online service as shown in
the call for applications.
These candidates must provide a full transcript of records (listing exams, subject areas, credits, grades) and attach the course syllabi.
For more details, please refer to the call for applications.
The application for academic records assessment must be submitted within the deadline stated in the call for applications.
The assessment outcome will be notified by email by the date stated in the call.
Students admitted to years subsequent to the first must enrol in compliance with the deadlines and procedures specified in the call for applications.
Students admitted to the first year will be required to take the test and register for the call.

Places available: 150 + 5 reserved for non-EU citizens

Call for applications

Please refer to the call for admission test dates and contents, and how to register.

Session: 1

Application for admission: from 14/03/2024 to 30/05/2024

Application for matriculation: from 06/06/2024 to 20/06/2024

Read the Call

Session: 2

Application for admission: from 24/06/2024 to 15/07/2024

Application for matriculation: from 18/07/2024 to 01/08/2024

Read the Call

Session: 3

Application for admission: from 05/08/2024 to 12/09/2024

Application for matriculation: from 18/09/2024 to 25/09/2024

Read the Call

Programme description and courses list
First semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Computer Programming 12 120 Italian INF/01
Continuum Mathematics 12 112 Italian MAT/01 MAT/02 MAT/03 MAT/04 MAT/05 MAT/06 MAT/07 MAT/08 MAT/09
Music Semiotics 6 48 Italian M-FIL/05
Second semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Acoustics 9 72 Italian FIS/01 FIS/02 FIS/03
Computer Architecture I 6 48 Italian INF/01
Elements of Musical Goods Economics 6 48 Italian SECS-P/07
Models of Music Perception 6 48 Italian M-PSI/01
Open sessions
There are no specific sessions for these activities (e.g. open online courses).
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
English Assessment B1 (3 ECTS) 3 0 English
be activated by the A.Y. 2025/2026
First semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Algorithms and Data Structures 6 48 Italian INF/01
Computer Networks 6 48 Italian INF/01
Computer Programming Ii 6 48 Italian INF/01
Signal Processing 12 96 Italian INF/01
Second semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Artificial Intelligence for Music 6 48 Italian INF/01
Fundamentals of Sound and Digital Music 12 96 Italian INF/01
Operating Systems 6 48 Italian INF/01
Statistics and Data Analysis 6 60 Italian INF/01
be activated by the A.Y. 2026/2027
First semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Databases and Web 12 96 Italian INF/01
Elements of Musical Information Law 6 48 Italian IUS/01
Methods and Technologies of Music Publishing 6 48 Italian SPS/08
Conclusive activities
There are no specific sessions for these activities (e.g. open online courses).
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Training 15 0 Italian
Final Exam 3 0 Italian
First semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Cryptography I 6 48 Italian INF/01
Digital Image Processing 6 48 Italian INF/01
Information Systems 6 48 Italian INF/01
Multimedia Information 12 96 Italian INF/01
Multimedia Publishing 6 48 Italian INF/01
Programming Languages 6 48 Italian INF/01
Scientific Visualization 6 48 Italian INF/01
Security and Privacy 6 60 Italian INF/01
Second semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Declarative Programming 6 48 Italian INF/01
Development of Music Production Technologies 6 48 Italian INF/01
Discrete Mathematics 6 56 Italian MAT/01 MAT/02 MAT/03 MAT/04 MAT/05 MAT/06 MAT/07 MAT/08 MAT/09
Languages and Compilers 6 48 Italian INF/01
Midi Protocol and Applications 6 48 Italian INF/01
Operations Research 6 48 Italian MAT/09
Optional activities and study plan rules
1 - Table 1. Students must obtain 6 credits from the following courses for the guided choice.
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Development of Music Production Technologies 6 48 Italian Second semester INF/01
Discrete Mathematics 6 56 Italian Second semester MAT/01 MAT/02 MAT/03 MAT/04 MAT/05 MAT/06 MAT/07 MAT/08 MAT/09
Midi Protocol and Applications 6 48 Italian Second semester INF/01
Multimedia Publishing 6 48 Italian First semester INF/01
2 - Free choice courses.
Students will have to achieve 12 free cfu as follows:
- among the courses of the previous tables
- among all the courses activated by the university
- among the following courses activated by the Department (see table 2)
- among the following courses activated by Conservatorio
- specific complementary training activities as detailed below
It is not possible to choose courses activated by old study degrees.

Complementary training activities
Of particular note is the Steinberg Cubase certification (3 CFU), obtainable by attending the cycle of seminars "Audio Production Framework Steinberg Cubase" organized by the Department.
Students can request the recognition of credits for training activities at external institutions, presenting a certification. Each certification can give rise to a maximum of 3 credits, and up to 2 certifications can be recognized. The students who intend to request the recognition of the certifications must complete the "application" form available on the page https://www.unimi.it/en/study/student-services/welcome-desk-infostudenti/general-forms and send ver to the secretary of his / her degree together with a copy of the certifications achieved.
The evaluation will be carried out by a special commission based on the following parameters:
- Validity: the certification must have been obtained for a maximum of 5 years.
- Specificity: the object of the certification must be those referable to those required by the degree course in which the student is regularly enrolled.
- Specialization: the certification must concern specialized and / or professional skills.
- Level: the certification must attest to skills of a medium or advanced level. Basic and entry level certifications are excluded.

Free choice courses, Conservatorio (they must be included in the study plan and the plan must have been approved):
- 1 semester, Informatica Musicale e Musica Digitale, 3 cfu (COME/05)
- 2 semester, Informatica Musicale, 3 cfu (COME/05)
- 2 semester, Campionamento, Sintesi ed Elaborazione Digitale dei Suoni, 3 cfu (COME/05)
- 2 semester, Sistemi e Linguaggi di Programmazione per l'Audio e le Applicazioni Musicali 1, 3 cfu (COME/05)
- 1 semester, Sistemi e Linguaggi di Programmazione per l'Audio e le Applicazioni Musicali 2, 3 cfu (COME/05)

Free choice courses, table 2 (Computer Science Department):
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Cryptography I 6 48 Italian First semester INF/01
Declarative Programming 6 48 Italian Second semester INF/01
Digital Image Processing 6 48 Italian First semester INF/01
Information Systems 6 48 Italian First semester INF/01
Languages and Compilers 6 48 Italian Second semester INF/01
Multimedia Information 12 96 Italian First semester INF/01
Operations Research 6 48 Italian Second semester MAT/09
Programming Languages 6 48 Italian First semester INF/01
Scientific Visualization 6 48 Italian First semester INF/01
Security and Privacy 6 60 Italian First semester INF/01
The compulsory prerequisites between the courses are as follows:
Prescribed foundation courses
Learning activityPrescribed foundation courses
Algorithms and Data Structures Computer Programming (compulsory)
Computer Programming Ii Computer Programming (compulsory)
Signal Processing Continuum Mathematics (compulsory)
Statistics and Data Analysis Continuum Mathematics (compulsory)
Learn more
Location
Milan
Course locations
IT course venues: via Celoria 18 - Milan.
Other course venues: Teaching sector, via Celoria 20; Teaching sector, via Golgi 19; Teaching sector, via
Venezian 15.
Laboratory locations
Computer laboratory (Silab) at the Department of Computer Science, via Celoria 18, Milan.
Music Information Science Laboratory at the Department of Computer Science, via Celoria 18: http://www.lim.di.unimi.it/
Head of study programme
Quality Assurance Delegate

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).

Learn more