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Social Innovation


Course Description

Innovazione sociale


Presentation of the Degree Course

The course is aimed at graduates from socio-economic, legal-political, statistical, humanistic or business organisation backgrounds, who wish to acquire advanced knowledge in order to design, manage and evaluate innovative interventions with a social impact. Admission requires a bachelor's degree and a solid grounding in sociology, economics and social sciences.

The course structure covers three main areas of learning:

  • Analysis of social needs and processes of change;
  • Design and management of social innovation interventions;
  • Monitoring and evaluation of social impact.

These include activities in the fields of sociology, economics and management, history, law, and political science, English language learning (level B2), professional workshops, and a mandatory internship. The course concludes with the discussion of an original thesis based on study, research, or design.

Teaching takes place in a conventional manner with lectures, seminars, exercises, workshops and field activities. Ample space is reserved for interactive teaching practices and the use of innovative teaching technologies, aimed not only at acquiring knowledge, but also at enabling professional skills useful for the employability of graduates.

The cultural and professional project of the course aims to train experts capable of interpreting and accompanying innovation processes in welfare systems, the social economy and sustainable local development models.

The graduate profile is that of a professional capable of integrating social research, business management, participatory planning and impact assessment. Graduates can find career opportunities in third sector organisations, social enterprises, public administrations, non-profit organisations, foundations, social impact start-ups and multi-stakeholder collaborative networks.

Other suitable opportunities include companies that are sensitive to ESG issues and the theme of sustainability and social impact, as well as public administrations that promote solidarity and inclusive local development.

Functions include the design and management of services and interventions, the coordination of local networks, the evaluation of programmes and policies, human resource management and organisational development. The professional profile also allows you to work independently, including in an entrepreneurial capacity.

Student Representative Contacts

Student representatives are a key point of reference for gathering requests, proposals, and reports from the student community. They actively participate in collegial bodies, contributing to the improvement of university life and the protection of student rights. 

The contact details of student representatives are published dedicated page.

For further information

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How to enrol

Admission procedures

The requirements for admission to the degree course are ascertained through a pre-evaluation procedure

PRE-ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE A.Y. 2025-2026

PRE-ASSESSMENT VADEMECUM A.Y. 2025-2026

Pre-evaluation results for the 2025-2026 academic year - July 2025

Students who do not meet the foreign language requirement upon enrolment may complete the course by enrolling in an English language course (level B1 of theCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages – CEFR)offered by the University Language Center (CLA) of the University of Naples Federico II.

Knowledge required for admission

Enrolment in the Course requires possession of a Bachelor's Degree, including that obtained according to the system prior to Ministerial Decree 509/1999, or a three-year university diploma or other qualification obtained abroad recognized as equivalent.

Admission to the program requires adequate personal preparation, valutata sulla base del Curriculum vitae et studiorum, e il possesso di specifici requisiti curriculari. L'adeguata preparazione in ingresso è relativa al possesso di conoscenze di base in ambito sociologico e di scienze economiche, sociali e politiche.

The minimum curricular requirements for direct admission to the Course are the following educational credentials:

1) The minimum curricular requirements for direct admission to the Course are the following educational credentials:

– L-01 Cultural Heritage

– L-04 Industrial Design

– L-05 Philosophy

– L-10 Letters

– L-12 Linguistic Mediation

– L-15 Tourism Sciences

– L-16 Sciences of Administration and Organization

– L-18 Economics and Business Management Sciences

– L-19 Science of Education and Training

– L-20 Communication Sciences

– L-21 Territorial, Urban, Landscape and Environmental Planning Sciences

– L-33 Economic Sciences

– L-36 Political Science and International Relations

– L-37 Social Sciences for Cooperation, Development and Peace

– L-39 Social Service

– L-40 Sociology

– L-41 Statistics

or have obtained a minimum of 48 CFU in the following Scientific-Disciplinary Sectors:

ARTE-01/C – GSPS-01/A – GSPS-02/A – GSPS-03/A – GSPS-03/A – GSPS-05/A – GSPS-06/A – GSPS-07/A – GSPS-07/B – GSPS-08/A – GSPS-08/B – ECON-01/A – ECON-02/A – ECON-06/A – ECON-07/A – ECON-08/A – STAT-01/A – STAT-03/A – STAT-03/B – HIST-03/A – GEOG-01/B – PAED-01/A – PAED-02/A – PSIC-02/A – PSIC-03/A – SDEA-01/A – GIUR-03/A – GIUR-04/A – GIUR-05/A – GIUR-06/A – LIFI-01/A – LICO-01/A – PHIL-01/A – PHIL-02/A – PHIL-02/B – PHIL-03/A – PHIL-04/B

or with reference to the Scientific-Disciplinary Sectors of Ministerial Decree no. 855 of 30-10-2015 according to the correspondence rules contained in Annex B of Ministerial Decree no. 639 of 02-05-2024 (see: https://www.mur.gov.it/sites/default/files/2024-05/Decreto%20Ministeriale%20n.%20639%20del%2002-05-2024%20-%20Allegato%20B.pdf )

2) Have a basic knowledge of the English language, equivalent to the B1 level of competence of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – CEFR (cfr: http://www.coe.int/lang-cefr).

Contacts

You can contact the Course Coordinator, Prof. Francesco Pirone (e-mail francesco.pirone@unina.it), for guidance and information on the assessment of adequate personal preparation and possession of the requirements for admission to the course.

Learn more

Guide to enrolment and fee payment

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STUDY PLAN

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MOOC Federica Web Learning

The Master's Degree in Social Innovation is integrated with Federica Web Learning's Freemium Degree in Social Innovation.

This innovative tool allows you to follow an entire degree course in MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses)format free of charge and online in asynchronous mode.

For those already enrolled at Federico II, freemium degrees offer a dual study option(online and on campus) to further their studies and prepare for exams. For those not yet enrolled at the University, freemium degrees are a tool to begin familiarizing themselves with real university courses, even if they are taught remotely. This allows you to study online using content specifically designed for the web.

The new Master's Degree in Social Innovation also aims to innovate teaching methods through the adoption of web-based teaching methodologies and technologies, in an academic curriculum that integrates the physical classrooms of Federico II with the virtual ones of Federica Web Learning.

The MOOCs on the Federica Web Learning university platform are available to anyone interested, free of charge and accessible on demand at any time.

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Course Subjects and Lecturers

Teaching distributions between the first and second semesters

Courses and lecturers enrolled for the academic year 2025-2026 (DL5)

Courses and lecturers enrolled for the academic year 2024-2025 (P45)

Courses and lecturers enrolled for the academic year 2023-2024 (P45)

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Class schedule

You can consult the course timetable for the 2025/2026 academic year divided by semester:

  • I SEMESTER Monday, September 29, 2025 - Friday, December 19, 2025
  • II SEMESTER Monday, March 2, 2026 - Friday, May 22, 2026

For the exact start date of the courses please consult the instructor's page onwww.docenti.unina.it

Course timetable for the first and second semesters of 2025-2026

The location of educational activities

Teaching activities take place at the San Giovanni a Teduccio University Complex, located in via Nuova Villa sn - 80146 Naples.

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Course infrastructure

Course classrooms

Regular teaching activities take place in the premises provided by the Department of Social Sciences in the San Giovanni a Teduccio University Complex.

The classrooms reserved for teaching, all connected and equipped for blended learning (in-person/remote), are located on the first floor of building A3:

  • Classroom I-2, capacity 165 seats, equipped with fixed benches and chairs arranged in theatre style
  • Classroom I-2, seating capacity for 40 people, furnished with fixed round tables and movable seating arranged in groups.
  • Classroom I-3, seating capacity for 30 people, furnished with fixed round tables and movable seating arranged in groups.
  • Classroom I-4, seating capacity of 40, furnished with fixed round tables and movable seating arranged in groups.

Labs and IT equipment

Students enrolled in the course have access to the centres, laboratories and research facilities of the Department of Social Sciences to carry out study, documentation, intramural internships and research for their degree theses.

Students have access to the network in all Course facilities via Wi-Fi, logging in with their personal email account credentials with the domain @studenti.unina.it. With the same account, students have free access to a number of software applications useful for teaching and research (Microsoft365 Copilot, Metalab, SPSS, etc.).

For further information on laboratories: click here.

Study rooms

At the headquarters of the University Complex of San Giovanni a Teduccio, Course students have access to two study rooms shared with the Polytechnic School:

  • A study room in the same building where the classrooms for the course are located, on the ground floor of building A3, with a capacity of 80 seats;
  • a study room on the third floor of building C, with a capacity of 150 seats.

At the Monte di Pietà headquarters – Palazzo de Laurentiis – students have access to study areas in the Department of Social Sciences (approximately 160 workstations, located in designated areas on all floors of the building), as well as the Social Sciences Library.

For further information on study rooms: click here.

Libraries

Students enrolled in the degree programme can use the Social Sciences Library for their main study and research needs. The library is located in the same building as the Department of Social Sciences at Palazzo de Laurentiis in Vico Monte della Pietà.

In addition to collecting up-to-date bibliographic and online documentary material for the main fields of research and study of the Department of Social Sciences, and therefore also for the degree course in Social Innovation, the library provides a targeted teaching support service, preparing each year all the exam texts and all the material indicated by the lecturers in the teaching notes in a number of copies sufficient for use by students.

For all information about the Social Sciences Library: click here.

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Orientation

Entry orientation

The orientation service for new students is coordinated by the Orientation Committee of the Department of Social Sciences. The Committee aims to promote information, communication and direct experience of the teaching offered by the degree programme, enhancing collaboration with the stakeholders involved in the programme.

The orientation aims to support an informed choice of educational path, taking into account the preparation, motivation and professional and personal plans of potentially interested students.

Ongoing orientation

The Guidance Desk is open every day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Department's Academic Office: the desk provides information on administrative procedures, courses, teachers, study plans, internships, and credit recognition.

Career orientation/Job placement support

Support activities for graduates of the degree programme are coordinated by a committee within the Department of Social Sciences. The committee organises various placement and career guidance activities aimed at facilitating graduates' entry into the job market and supporting their professional integration.

For further information on orientation for Master's degrees: click here.

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Tutoring

The Department of Social Sciences supports its students throughout their university studies through the activities of the Tutoring Committee.

Tutoring is anactivity that supports the course of study undertaken, which takes the form of welcoming, guiding and supporting all students. Each student can request to be assigned a tutor from the course of study.

With the help of type A tutoring assistants (Master's degree students) – which support the tutoring and student support activities – a series of seminars are held – organised by the Department's lecturers and often attended by external guests – which are repeated each semester on topics of interest to students (by attending these seminars, students acquire credits valid for the area of Elective Activities). The seminars, which are widely publicised on the Department's website and related social media pages, are organised each year on different topics.

For further information, please consult the tutoring page.

Student Representative Contacts

For any questions regarding their studies and tutoring activities, students may contact the student representatives. The latter are available to offer support, gather suggestions, and facilitate communication between students and the Department.

The contact details of the student representatives are published on thededicated page.

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Examinations

Educational calendars

Academic Year 2025/2026

2025/2026 academic calendar for exams

Academic Year 2024/2025

2024/2025 academic calendar for exams

Session in progress

How to book exams?

To book exams, please consult the dedicated pages:

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Internship

Curricular Internships

The course regulations stipulate that the study plan must includea compulsory internship. (300 hours, equivalent to 6 credits). This is a training period to be carried out at a company, organisation or institution, to complete and supplement one's university studies with a dual purpose, training and guidance: on the one hand, it aims to deepen, verify and expand the learning acquired during the course of study; on the other hand, it is useful for allowing students to approach the world of work, learn about companies and organisational/work dynamics, and become more aware of their professional choices. Each student may apply for an internship once they have earned a minimum of 30 credits.

As with all other students in the Department of Social Sciences, intramural internships can also be arranged at facilities affiliated with the Department, as well as internships within the scope of ongoing research projects at the Department.

Useful information is provided on the pages managed by the Department of Social Sciences https://www.scienzesociali.unina.it/didattica/tirocini-stage and those of the University http://www.unina.it/didattica/tirocini-studenti: in particular, information on the criteria for accessing the internship, its objectives, its recognition in terms of CFU credits, as well as constantly updated information on the active agreements that students can refer to and the calls for applications through which the affiliated institutions and companies seek interns.

Consult the guide to internships of the Master's Degree in Social Innovation.

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Final test

Graduation Procedure

Please submit and send the form below, completed in its entirety and countersigned by the chosen instructor, to the Department's Teaching Office at the following email address: mariarosaria.berardi@unina.it

For information on the admission procedure for the final exam, please visit the dedicated page:

Final exam dates

View the graduation schedule and deadlines for the 2025/2026 academic year here.

View the graduation session calendar and deadlines for the 2024/2025 academic year.

Characteristics and methods of carrying out the final exam until the 2024/25 academic year (P45)

The final examination for the Master's degree in Social Innovation, equivalent to 12 credits (CFU), involves an oral defence of a written dissertation on original research conducted in line with the thematic areas of the Degree Program. The dissertation must have the format of a scientific essay and be written according to the canons of the relevant discipline. The dissertation topic is agreed upon with a supervisor who assists the student in study and research, in drafting the dissertation, and in preparing the discussion. The presentation may be accompanied by multimedia information, a technological product, or another innovative application that showcases the student's work.

The final exam involves defending the thesis before a committee. Once the thesis is completed, the candidate, in agreement with the supervisor, submits it (and any accompanying materials) to the co-supervisor well in advance. The thesis committee is appointed by the Department Director and includes the thesis supervisor and co-supervisor.

The Commission, considering the student's academic record, expresses its evaluation by assigning a score from 0 to 8 points that contribute to the degree grade, added to the average grade obtained in the exams (expressed out of 110). The Commission may award honours to a student who thus achieves a grade of 110/110. The awarding of honours requires unanimous approval by the Commission. The Commission announces the results of the final exam and the degree grade.

Characteristics and methods of carrying out the final exam from the academic year 25/26 (DL5)

To obtain the Master's Degree in Social Innovation, students must pass a final exam worth 9 to 18 CFU.

Before admission, you must have completed the required exams. The exam consists of the defence of an original thesis that must be relevant to social innovation studies and approved by a supervisor.

Students must apply for a supervisor and work with them to complete their thesis, following established procedures. The committee evaluates the thesis and presentation, considering various criteria such as originality, methodological quality, and social impact.

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Studying abroad and in Italy

Erasmus+

With the Erasmus+ Program, students can spend part of their university studies in another European country. This is a study mobility program promoted by the EU that allows students to spend 3 to 12 months at a European university, attending courses, taking exams, and obtaining recognition for their studies.

Students can apply for scholarships offered annually and choose from a wide range of agreements signed with European universities.

Find out more by visiting the Erasmus sections:

AURORA – European Universities Alliance

Students can participate in the AURORA – European Universities Alliance project, a network of European universities that share study, research, innovation, and development programs. With AURORA, students become part of a European inter-university campus where major global challenges play a central role in education, research, and societal transformation. They can also apply for scholarships for short-term international mobility.

For further information, please visit:

Italian Erasmus

The Italian Erasmus program aims to build an integrated space for Italian higher education by pooling available national resources. This program aims to enrich the curriculum with additional and complementary learning activities beyond those offered by the home university, in an interdisciplinary and innovative manner. Mobility programs involve a period of study in Italy, based on agreements between universities.

The active agreements for our Course:

  1. University of Padua – Master's Degree in Local Development
  2. University of Pavia – Master's Degree in Digital Communication
  3. University of Pisa – Degree in Peace Sciences
  4. University of Cagliari – Degree in Social Innovation and Communication
  5. University of Catania – Degree in Social Policies and Services

For further information, please visit:

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Teaching regulations

Current university system

University system of previous years

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