Structure and contents
The Master’s in Public Management and Policy program spans two academic years: three semesters of coursework followed by a fourth semester devoted to writing the master’s thesis and, optionally, completing a professional internship.
The curriculum (120 ECTS) is organized into three components: core courses (60 ECTS), Specialization (30 ECTS) and, research thesis (30 ECTS) or a combination of internship (10 ECTS) and thesis (20 ECTS).
In the first year, the core courses—offered mainly in Italian, but also in English —cover the following fields: political science, public management, law, public economics, and methods & interdisciplinary approaches. Within the public economics and methods & interdisciplinary modules, students may replace core courses with advanced courses taught in English. After completing the core studies, each student selects one of the specializations offered by USI or by our partner universities in Lausanne and Bern. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the PMP inter-university mobility scheme, which provides access to a wide range of specialized courses.
In accordance with the PMP regulations, students who complete one or more study blocks at a partner institution will receive their degree from the Università della Svizzera italiana, with the chosen specialization explicitly noted.
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Study programme 2025-2027
The study plans from previous academic years up to 2025-2026 are available here.
1st year: Core courses (main tuition language: Italian)
Course ECTS, Semester Language Prof. MODULE: POLITICAL SCIENCE Comparative Public Administration 6, Autumn EN Villeneuve / Angélico Argumentation in Public Communication 3, Autumn EN Greco Fundamentals in Public Communication 3, Autumn EN Villeneuve / Angélico Public Policy Analysis 3, Spring EN Caron MODULE: PUBLIC MANAGEMENT Management ed innovazione nella pubblica amministrazione e nel non profit 6, Autumn IT Barreca Gestione delle finanze pubbliche: principi di contabilità e strumenti operativi 3, Autumn IT Fontana-Casellini / Schmiedgen Gestione e sviluppo del personale nella PA 3, Spring IT Sancino / Crugnola MODULE: LAW International Law 3, Autumn EN Espa Public Law 6, Spring IT Hanni / De Rossa / Ferrario Integrity in the Public Sector and Law 3, Spring IT Astrologo MODULE: PUBLIC ECONOMICS International Macroeconomics or Macroeconomics I 3, Autumn IT / EN Beretta / Pica Public Economics or Population Aging and Sustainability of the Welfare State 3, Spring IT / EN Jametti / Galasso Microeconomics or Microeconomics I 3, Autumn IT / EN Mazzonna / Immordino MODULE: METHODS AND INTERDISCIPLINARY Quantitative research in PA or Econometrics I 3, Autumn EN Mugellini / Benfratello Qualitative Research in PA 3, Spring EN Mugellini E-Government 3, Spring EN Angélico/ Picco-Schwendener Challenges and Opportunities in PA 3, Spring EN Bolgiani/Villeneuve TOTAL ECTS 60 -
Specialisations
At the end of the first year—during the third semester—students have the opportunity to choose their specialization from among the offerings of the programme’s partner universities.
At USI, the available track is PUBLIC POLICY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
The Public Policy and Sustainability specialization explores how governments at various levels, public institutions and international organizations design, implement and evaluate strategies and public policies aimed at promoting long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability. The curriculum delves into approaches for joining economic growth, social equity and environmental protection, ensuring sustainable governance models capable of adapting to an ever-evolving global context. Particular emphasis is placed on adaptive governance, understood as the ability to integrate real-time feedback and recalibrate public-management and policy systems in response to ongoing changes, alongside anticipatory governance, which focuses on the use of foresight tools and strategic planning to identify emerging trends, risks and opportunities at the international, national and local levels—and to design proactive rather than merely reactive public interventions. This dual approach equips future PMP graduates with the conceptual and methodological toolkit needed to cultivate a strategic mindset, capable of addressing increasingly complex challenges—such as climate and geopolitical shifts, urbanization processes, natural-resource management and the sustainable digital transition—not only by reacting to events but by anticipating their trajectories and shaping their outcomes.
Upon completion of the programme, participants acquire advanced expertise in public-policy analysis, strategic planning and the formulation of sustainable-development strategies, preparing them for leadership roles in public administrations, international organizations, NGOs and consulting firms.
Year 2 (3rd semester): Public Policy and Sustainability
(in English)
Course ECTS, Semester Language Prof. MANDATORY COURSES (18 ECTS) Accountability in the Public Sector: tools and experience 3, Autumn EN Villeneuve / Barreca Public Policy and Sustainability 3, Autumn EN Barreca Current issues in international affairs 3, Autumn EN Villeneuve / Angélico Social Marketing 6, Autumn EN Suggs Diversity and Inclusion 3, Autumn EN Drzewiecka ELECTIVE COURSES (12 ECTS) Management and economics courses: Project Management 3, Autumn EN Gonçalves Social Innovation 3, Autumn EN Gonçalves Sustainable Management 3, Autumn EN Hoffman Economics of the Non-Profit Sector 3, Autumn IT Crivelli Corporate Social Responsability 3, Autumn EN Lock Energy and Climate Policy for Sustainable Developments 3, Autumn EN Filippini Communication courses: Argumentation in Conflict Resolution 3, Autumn EN Greco Social Media Management 6, Autumn EN Benecchi Fundamentals in Global and Public Health 3, Autumn EN Albanese Business Ethics 3, Autumn EN Beschorner Event Management 3, Autumn EN Davidson Fundamentals in public communication (Suggested course for UNIL and UNIBE students) 3, Autumn EN Villeneuve SPECIAL COURSES MEM (Middle East Mediterranean Summit) 3, Autumn EN/FR Seminars SSPH+ (Swiss School of Public Health) 3 * EN Summer School TOTAL ECTS 30 Specialisations in Lausanne (UNIL):
- Public Finance and Economics
- Transformation and Innovation in the Public Sector
- International Governance and Public Administration
For further information: PMP UNIL
Specialisations in Bern (UNIBE):
- Öffentliches Recht – Public Law
- Politikwissenschaft – Political Science
- Management der öffentlichen Verwaltung - Public Management
- Volkswirtschaftslehre – Public Economics
For further information: PMP UNIBE
Fourth Semester ECTS Thesis 30 or Internship*
Thesis10
20*Although not mandatory, the internship in the PMP program is particularly encouraged by the Master’s Scientific Committee.
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Thesis and internship
Research thesis: 30 ECTS
The Master's thesis consists in a research work in the area of one of the different sectors of the Public Administration. The work, supervised by one or more master's professors, may focus in particular on theoretical or empirical aspects: in any case, students have to demonstrate to be able to apply appropriate concepts, methods, and tools acquired during the programme.
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Internship thesis: 20 ECTS (thesis) + 10 ECTS (internship)
Students have the opportunity to combine an internship with the thesis, which has to be developed on the same subject.
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Teaching
Academic Directors
- Mario Jametti Co-director ECO
- Jean-Patrick Villeneuve Co-director COM
- Manuela Barreca - Coordinator
Teaching Staff
- Fabiano Angelico
- Annamaria Astrologo
- Edoardo Beretta
- Iva Bolgiani
- Isabelle Caron
- Paolo Crugnola
- Federica De Rossa Gisimundo
- Ilaria Espa
- Jolanta Drzewiecka
- Vincenzo Galasso
- Sara Greco
- Giovanni Immordino
- Fabrizio Mazzonna
- Giulia Mugellini
- Giovanni Pica
- Anna Picco Schwendener
- Alessandro Sancino
- Suzanne Suggs
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Language
Core courses (1st year) are taught in Italian and English, and courses of the Public Policy and Sustainability specialization (2nd year) are taught in English.
Language certificates are not required.