Master of Science in Media Management

Structure and contents

The MSc in Media Management (MMM) at USI aims to help future media officers, business communicators and other professionals, including journalists, enhance their knowledge and understanding of modern media and communication industries, preparing them to meet the many challenges posed by a period of unprecedented changes to digital mass and social media.

The full programme consists of 120 ECTS, and is directed to all students wishing to forge a career in media and journalism industries as well as professionals in communication-related activities in commercial and non-commercial organizations of all types, including NGOs and international companies. The course helps enable employees and managers at media companies, entrepreneurs in communication businesses and relevant public and NGO organisations to analyze the changes to media and communication industries, identifying how best they can utilize these changes to improve commercial viability and incorporate social and digital media into everyday business use.

Students will examine the transmedia nature of every modern media product, understanding the role of giant tech companies in changing the face of modern media and communications. The course is particularly useful for students wishing to understand the nature of modern media practice and economic management including journalism, advertising and social media. The course examines modern strategic management tools as a way of managing businesses in the digital media and social media age. The course is taught by full time academics led by Professor Matthew Hibberd as well as professional managers with senior practical experience in media and communication industries. Students will have the opportunity to practice what they learn through assignments, presentations, group projects and research papers with continuous feedbacks from professors as well as engagement in conversations that go beyond what is taught in class to examine how social media touches all our lives. Moreover students will have the direct access to take part in one of the summer schools organized by the Institute of Media and Journalism (IMeG), including interacting with filmmakers during the Locarno Film Festival (Locarno Documentary Summer School) as well as experts from the world biggest emerging media market in China (Europe-China Dialogue: Media and Communication Studies).

Internship

A crucial part of this academic programme is the internship.
Internships aim at allowing students to get in touch with the professional world, in Switzerland and abroad, within professional environments that are consistent with the Master programme, in companies such as TV and radio broadcasters, news outlet, etc.

• Twitter
• Walt Disney
• Sky Italia
• Mediaset
• Locarno Film Festival
• Mondadori
• Bertelsman
• RSI
• MTV
• Eurosport
• Italian Ministry of Foreign Affair
• Government of the principality of Liechtenstein
• Nestlè
• IKEA

In alternative to the internship and in order to broaden their scientific competences, students can attend an academic Semester abroad or in Switzerland, in one of USI's partner universities.
During this semester, students can integrate courses they attended in Lugano in the first two semesters with other subjects in media management.

Master Thesis

Master theses are set to conclude students' preparation and are aimed at deepen the analysis of a topic students can decide, within the scope of the Master programme.
The research work, supervised by one or more professors of the Master, can be theoretical or empirical: students have to demonstrate to be able to use proper concepts, theories, methodologies and tools and to have analysis, synthesis and editorial skills.

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 Media Management

Career Prospects

The goal of the Master is to develop and train media and communication professionals, public servants and commercial entrepreneurs about the key characteristics and market conditions of modern digital media. We provide a thorough analysis of key production, distribution and marketing processes within media organizations as well as other companies in contemporary digital and social media environment.

Our students also gain specific knowledge about the digital revolution of communication technologies in a globalized context, including cultural, political-economic and social elements that are shaping new business models for all companies, media and non-media. In order to let students familiarize with the professional world, the Master offers internships at companies who operate in the media sector as well as companies require creating and distributing online or mobile content to reach larger audiences on a global scale.

Employability Data

100% of MMM graduates are employed, finding their first job very quickly, over 75% in less than 3 months, mostly in the Communication and Media industry or pursuing an academic career.

• Employed 100%
• Average Time to job* 2,1 months
  (76% within 3 months: 60% before graduation)