Master of Science in Digital Fashion Communication

Structure and contents

The MSc in Digital Fashion Communication (DFC) aims at preparing select students to pursue their careers in the fashion industry as specialists in digital communication.

The Master is a two-year (120 ECTS) Double Master's Degree offered jointly by USI - Università della Svizzera italiana and Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and is entirely given in English. The courses offered in Paris will also be in English. The programme is taught by a renowned faculty from both institutions and by a large number of guest lecturers and professionals of the fashion industry who will share their practical experience. Mobility is part of the learning experience offered by this Master. Students will study in two different locations (Lugano and Paris) and live two diverse cultures.

Internship and Master Thesis

In addition to providing students with the knowledge necessary to excel in their future careers, this master requires students to apply that knowledge and gain hands-on experience through two main activities: an internship and a master thesis.

Internship

Students are required to complete a two months internship (9 ECTS) in a company of their choice. Thanks to the mobility aspect of this master, students will have the opportunity to create an international network of contacts that will help them in finding the internship opportunity they desire.

Students can do their internship during their fourth semester in whichever location they prefer.

During this semester, they will have an online course and their master thesis, which gives them the flexibility to find an internship outside of Switzerland or France if desired.

Master Thesis

During the last semester, students will be researching and writing their Master Thesis (18 ECTS) on a topic of their choice related to the digital fashion communication domain.

The University Library of the Lugano Campus offers our students a rich collection of specialist literature available both online and offline. The Institute of Digital Technologies for Communication offers eye-tracking technologies and other useful tools for digital communication research.

More detailed information will be provided once enrolled in the master.

Study Tours

Mobility is an important part of the learning experience offered by the Master in Digital Fashion Communication. Students are not only required to study in two different locations and live diverse cultures, but are also encouraged to move and meet new realities in the fashion industry through a set of study tours.

Destinations will be chosen among Switzerland, Italy, Spain and France's fashion historical districts and industry hubs. The tours will include visits to factories, ateliers, museums, and company headquarters. All related activities, which might include case history presentations delivered by managers and industry experts, will be organized during the first three semesters of the programme and will be accredited 3 ECTS, as a single course.

Travel and subsistence costs of study tours are not included in the tuition fee and are to be covered by the students.

International Rankings

USI in the Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (QS), which are amongst the world's most popular and well-known global rankings - latest available data:

• QS World University Rankings 2023
  240th globally
  (out of 1500 universities considered)
  
• THE World University Rankings 2023
  Range 201-250
  (out of 1799 universities considered)
  
• THE World's Best Small Universities 2022
  15th worldwide
  among small universities.
  
• THE Young University Rankings 2022
  57th worldwide
  among ‘young’ universities (less than 50 years old)
  
• QS Top 50 Under 50 2021
  26th worldwide
  among ‘young’ universities (less than 50 years old)

U-Multirank 2022

With 16 "A" in the indicators taken into consideration, USI ranks 3rd in the ranking of Swiss universities (Country Report Switzerland).

Rankings by Subject Area

In addition to the global university rankings, USI has made significant progress in subject area rankings:

• THE Subject Rankings
  with important results in particular in Computer Science, Clinical and Health, Economics.
• Forschungsmonitoring
  with high scores in the rankings that measure the impact of research in Economics, especially when referring to the most prestigious academic journals of the field.

Master of Science in Digital Fashion Communication

Career Prospects

Professional opportunities for graduates are related to communication management and strategy for the fashion industry in any type of company, from small start-ups to large international corporations. Graduates are prepared to work in functions like digital and social media marketing, brand development, data and e-Commerce management, advertising and PR, and CSR coordination.

Even if the master focuses on fashion communication, graduates might work in related experience-economy industries, e.g. arts, cultural heritage, tourism, luxury.

Employability

• Employed 100%
• Average Time to job* 1,5 months
  (82% within 3 months: 45% before graduation)