Environmental Change and Global Sustainability (ECGS)

Enviromental change global sustainable
Environmental Change and Global Sustainability (ECGS)
Scheda del corso
A.A. 2025/2026
Laurea magistrale
LM-75 R - Scienze e tecnologie per l'ambiente e il territorio
Laurea magistrale
120
Crediti
Accesso
Libero con valutazione dei requisiti di accesso
2
Anni
Sede
Milano
Lingua
Inglese
Environmental change plays a central role in modern societies, to the point that a sustainable management of the environment currently represents one of the most important open challenges for humanity. Addressing this challenge requires a multidisciplinary approach that overcomes the usual boundaries of scientific disciplines. In this context, the Master program in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability (ECGS) provides advanced expertise in the hard- and life-science components of environmental studies as well as in their economic- and social-science components. The general goal is to train students to tackle environmental change and sustainability in a multidisciplinary perspective. Students will therefore be provided with both a solid knowledge of the dynamics of the different components of the environment and a deep understanding of the tools required to promote its sustainable management and protection.

The Master degree in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability represents a novelty in the Italian university system, not only for its marked multidisciplinary approach, but also for being taught entirely in English.
The main peculiar quality of ECGS graduates is their ability to tackle environmental change and sustainability in a multidisciplinary perspective. This ability benefits of advanced expertise in the hard- and life-science components of environmental studies as well as in their economic- and social-science components. Particular attention is paid to provide graduates with conceptual and technical tools able to support a quantitative approach in the analysis of environmental and sustainability issues. In this context, five professional profiles ECGS graduates can achieve are listed below.
1. Environmental manager in agro-food, energy and green economy companies as well as in other companies in the industrial and service sectors
Function in a working environment
This professional profile has the skills needed to effectively manage, in companies, environmental issues from the scientific, technical, administrative and legal points of view.
Career opportunities
Career opportunities will be possible in private and public companies, e.g., in the energy sector, in the green economy, in the agri-food, and in other branches of the industry and services, as well as in the secondary school.
2. Environmental specialist in the public administration as well as in local governments
Function in a working environment
Designing and managing activities dealing with environmental analysis, monitoring and evaluation.
Career opportunities
Environmental officer in public administration and local governments (e.g., municipalities, provinces, regions, natural parks and protected areas), teacher in the secondary school.
3. Environmental specialist in supra and international bodies as well as in national and international non-governmental organizations
Function in a working environment
Planning and managing activities involved with sustainable development; developing strategies at multiple scales to protect environment and natural resources.
Career opportunities
Career opportunities will be possible in supra and international bodies and in non-governmental organizations, as well as in the secondary school.
4. Specialist in environmental impact studies and strategic environmental assessments
Function in a working environment
Environmental analysis targeting the evaluation of environmental quality and impact; facing and solving environmental problems at local, regional and national scales.
Career opportunities
Private and public bodies involved with environmental issues (e.g., ARPA, institutes in charge for environmental protection, municipalities, provinces, regions), institutes for the scientific research applied to the environment and natural resources, professional studies involve with landscape analysis, impact evaluation, economics of natural resources; teaching in the secondary school.
5. Specialist in environmental analysis and monitoring
Function in a working environment
Analyzing and evaluating local and regional environmental problems (e.g., pollution and related impacts); environmental and natural resource monitoring; identifying and applying innovative solutions to solve local and regional environmental problems.
Career opportunities
Professional studies and public research bodies involved with environmental analysis and monitoring; teaching in the secondary school.

Further employment opportunities of ECGS graduates concern research positions at universities and research institutions as well as teaching at the secondary school level.
In line with the nature of the ECGS programme, international mobility is highly encouraged.
Students enrolled in the programme may spend a study period abroad under the ERASMUS+ program (they can take courses, take exams, prepare theses, carry out research), obtaining recognition for their academic career from that educational experience.
Erasmus+ also provides Placements, that is, the opportunity for a traineeship in companies and other organisations abroad. The new Erasmus+ program provides the following new study and placement opportunities: a) up to 12 months abroad (study periods and placements); b) placements, including those for new graduates (within 12 months of completing a degree). Students who have already spent a period abroad under the Erasmus+ programme may still apply for an Erasmus+ educational or placement activity. Yet, the months previously spent abroad concur to the attainment of the overall maximum of 12 months for each Erasmus+ study cycle.
Attendance is strongly recommended.
Immatricolazione
Eligibility to the Master program in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability presupposes to possess suitable curricular qualifications and to have an adequate personal preparation, to be verified - if needed - by means of an interview. As to the curricular qualifications, the ECGS program can be accessed by graduates holding an Italian three-year laurea (BA) degree (ex D.M. 270/2004 or ex D.M. 509/1999) in either the class L-32 Scienze per l'ambiente e la natura (ex D.M. 270/2004) or the class L-27 Scienze e tecnologie per l'ambiente e la natura (ex D.M 509/1999). The ECGS programme can also be accessed by graduates holding an Italian three-year laurea (BA) degree, obtained in classes different from the above- mentioned ones, provided they have earned at least 45 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits for having attended courses in the scientific-disciplinary sectors belonging to at least two of the following sets, of which at least 12 in the scientific-disciplinary sectors belonging to the first set and at least 12 in the scientific-disciplinary sectors belonging to the second set or the third set.
1. computer science, mathematics, and statistics (INF/01, MAT/01-/09, SECS-S/01, SECS-S/06);
2. chemistry, physics and Earth sciences (CHIM/01-/03, CHIM/06, CHIM/12, FIS/01, FIS/06-/07, GEO/01-/02, GEO/04-/05, GEO/10-/12);
3. life sciences (AGR/02-/03, AGR/05, AGR/08-/10, AGR/13, AGR/15, BIO/01-/07, BIO/09-/13);
4. economic and social sciences (AGR/01, ING-IND/35, IUS/01, IUS/04, IUS/09, IUS/13, SECS-P/01-/02, SPS/04, SPS/07, SPS/10).

Students with foreign qualifications obtained from international Universities subscribing to both the European system for acknowledging university qualifications and the ECTS system for assigning university credits can also enter the ECGS program, provided that they hold first-level degrees accepted as equivalent to Italian laurea degrees by the members of a Committee appointed by the ECGS program Council, who will also ascertain that the international applicants meet curricular requirements in disciplines similar to those belonging to the scientific-disciplinary sectors listed above.

Finally, students with foreign qualifications obtained from international Universities not subscribing to the European system for acknowledging university qualifications and the ECTS system for assigning university credits can also enter the ECGS program, provided that they hold first-level degrees accepted as equivalent to Italian laurea degrees by a Committee appointed by the ECGS program Council, and that the same Committee verifies that the international applicants meet

curricular requirements similar to those required of the applicants holding qualifications awarded by Italian Universities.

Moreover, in all the above cases, knowledge of the English language is required at level B2 or higher, according to the classification provided by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The qualifications recognised by the University of Milan, with the corresponding CEFR levels, can be found at: https://www.unimi.it/en/study/language-proficiency/placement-tests-and-english-courses/accepted-language-certificates.
Native English speakers and graduates from university first-level programmes entirely taught in English are exempted from producing any such language qualification.
Students without a documented B2 level may be accepted on condition that their level of English proficiency, assessed during the interview, is evidently good.

In entrance, optional training activities are provided to facilitate the integration of students from different first level degrees and from different universities (see the programme website at: https://ecgs.cdl.unimi.it/en).

Applicants must apply for admission to the ECGS program from January 22nd to September 30th, 2025. Non EU candidates applying for a visa must apply from January 22nd to April 30th, 2025.
In the case of need, applicants will be contacted for an on-line interview.

Ammissione

Domanda di ammissione: dal 22/01/2025 al 30/09/2025

Domanda di immatricolazione: dal 02/04/2025 al 15/01/2026


Allegati e documenti

Avviso di ammissione

Per approfondire:
Manifesto ed elenco insegnamenti
Primo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Obbligatorio
Approaches to the study of ecological systems 8 64 Inglese BIO/07
Biodiversity dynamics and conservation 8 64 Inglese BIO/05
Environmental economics and policy 8 64 Inglese SECS-P/01
Quantitative ecology for environmental change 6 64 Inglese BIO/07 MAT/06
Secondo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Obbligatorio
Chemistry of natural processes and technologies for the environment 8 64 Inglese CHIM/06 CHIM/07
Climate change: impact and adaptation 8 80 Inglese AGR/02 FIS/06
Statistical methods in environmental studies 6 64 Inglese SECS-P/05 SECS-S/01
Facoltativo
Geodiversity: theory and applications 8 80 Inglese GEO/04
Sedimentary successions and their natural resources for the enrgy transition 8 64 Inglese GEO/02
Regole di composizione
- Choose one course between:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Geodiversity: theory and applications 8 80 Inglese Secondo semestre GEO/04
Sedimentary successions and their natural resources for the enrgy transition 8 64 Inglese Secondo semestre GEO/02
sarà attivato dall'A.A. 2026/2027
Primo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Agricultural and natural resource economics and policy 8 64 Inglese AGR/01
Applied environmental and resource economics 6 48 Inglese AGR/01
Bridging science, policy and sustainability 6 48 Inglese FIS/06 FIS/07
Ecosystem functioning and services 6 48 Inglese BIO/07
Georesources and sustainabiity 6 48 Inglese GEO/09
Plant and animal diversity: values and risks 6 48 Inglese BIO/04 BIO/05
Recycle and life cycle assessment (LCA) of products and processes 6 48 Inglese CHIM/04
Secondo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Environmental law 6 48 Inglese IUS/10
Green procurement 6 48 Inglese IUS/10
Project management for sustainable development 3 20 Inglese SECS-P/08
Sustainability accounting and management 6 48 Inglese SECS-P/08
Sustainable development 6 48 Inglese SECS-P/01
Water resources sustainable economy 3 20 Inglese ICAR/02
Attività conclusive
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Laboratory of environmental change and global sustainability 6 96 Inglese
Attività conclusive
Per queste attività non è previsto un periodo di offerta (es. corsi online a frequenza libera).
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Internship 6 0 Inglese
Obbligatorio
Final dissertation 21 0 Inglese
Regole di composizione
- Students must attend the "Safety for field activities" course. Further information will be available by e-mail or on the course website
- Students must acquire 6 ECTS choosing one of the following courses:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Laboratory of environmental change and global sustainability 6 96 Inglese Secondo semestre
Internship 6 0 Inglese Periodo non definito
- Students must earn 3 ECTS choosing from the following activities:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Project management for sustainable development 3 20 Inglese Secondo semestre SECS-P/08
Water resources sustainable economy 3 20 Inglese Secondo semestre ICAR/02
Additional language skills: italian (3 ECTS) 3 0 Italiano Periodo non definito
- Students must obtain 12 CFU for elective activities, from all courses offered by the University of Milan
- Choose three courses (18 CFU), according to the following rules:
- 1 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Plant and animal diversity: values and risks 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre BIO/04 BIO/05
- 2 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Ecosystem functioning and services 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre BIO/07
- 3 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Recycle and life cycle assessment (LCA) of products and processes 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre CHIM/04
- 4 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Georesources and sustainabiity 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre GEO/09
- 5 - the student can choose one of the following courses:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Agricultural and natural resource economics and policy 8 64 Inglese Primo semestre AGR/01
Applied environmental and resource economics 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre AGR/01
Bridging science, policy and sustainability 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre FIS/06 FIS/07
- 6 - the student can choose one of the following courses:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Environmental law 6 48 Inglese Secondo semestre IUS/10
Green procurement 6 48 Inglese Secondo semestre IUS/10
Sustainable development 6 48 Inglese Secondo semestre SECS-P/01
- 7 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Sustainability accounting and management 6 48 Inglese Secondo semestre SECS-P/08
Periodo non definito
Per queste attività non è previsto un periodo di offerta (es. corsi online a frequenza libera).
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Additional language skills: italian (3 ECTS) 3 0 Italiano
Primo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Obbligatorio
Approaches to the study of ecological systems 8 64 Inglese BIO/07
Biodiversity dynamics and conservation 8 64 Inglese BIO/05
Environmental economics and policy 8 64 Inglese SECS-P/01
Quantitative ecology for environmental change 6 64 Inglese BIO/07 MAT/06
Secondo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Obbligatorio
Chemistry of natural processes and technologies for the environment 8 64 Inglese CHIM/06 CHIM/07
Climate change: impact and adaptation 8 80 Inglese AGR/02 FIS/06
Statistical methods in environmental studies 6 64 Inglese SECS-P/05 SECS-S/01
Facoltativo
Geodiversity: theory and applications 8 80 Inglese GEO/04
Sedimentary successions and their natural resources for the enrgy transition 8 64 Inglese GEO/02
Regole di composizione
- Choose one course between:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Geodiversity: theory and applications 8 80 Inglese Secondo semestre GEO/04
Sedimentary successions and their natural resources for the enrgy transition 8 64 Inglese Secondo semestre GEO/02
sarà attivato dall'A.A. 2026/2027
Primo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Bioresource and pollution control technology 6 48 Inglese AGR/09
Ecosustainable materials and processes 6 48 Inglese CHIM/07
Ecosystem functioning and services 6 48 Inglese BIO/07
Environmental change and public health 6 64 Inglese MED/04 MED/50
Environmental geochemistry 6 48 Inglese GEO/08
Methods in ecotoxicology 6 64 Inglese BIO/07 VET/07
Multilevel effects of environmental contamination 6 48 Inglese BIO/05 BIO/06 BIO/14
Remote sensing of agro-environmental change 6 48 Inglese AGR/02
Waste management and sustainability 6 56 Inglese AGR/10 AGR/18
Secondo semestre
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Food industry design, technology and innovation 6 48 Inglese AGR/15
Project management for sustainable development 3 20 Inglese SECS-P/08
Water resources sustainable economy 3 20 Inglese ICAR/02
Attività conclusive
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Laboratory of environmental change and global sustainability 6 96 Inglese
Attività conclusive
Per queste attività non è previsto un periodo di offerta (es. corsi online a frequenza libera).
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Internship 6 0 Inglese
Obbligatorio
Final dissertation 21 0 Inglese
Regole di composizione
- Students must attend the "Safety for field activities" course. Further information will be available by e-mail or on the course website
- Students must acquire 6 ECTS choosing one of the following courses:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Laboratory of environmental change and global sustainability 6 96 Inglese Secondo semestre
Internship 6 0 Inglese Periodo non definito
- Students must earn 3 ECTS choosing from the following activities:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Project management for sustainable development 3 20 Inglese Secondo semestre SECS-P/08
Water resources sustainable economy 3 20 Inglese Secondo semestre ICAR/02
Additional language skills: italian (3 ECTS) 3 0 Italiano Periodo non definito
- Students must obtain 12 CFU for elective activities, from all courses offered by the University of Milan
- Choose three courses (18 CFU), according to the following rules:
- 1 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Multilevel effects of environmental contamination 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre BIO/05 BIO/06 BIO/14
- 2 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Ecosystem functioning and services 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre BIO/07
- 3 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Environmental geochemistry 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre GEO/08
- 4 - the student can choose one or two of the following courses:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Remote sensing of agro-environmental change 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre AGR/02
Waste management and sustainability 6 56 Inglese Primo semestre AGR/10 AGR/18
- 5 - the student can choose the following course:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Ecosustainable materials and processes 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre CHIM/07
- 6 - the student can choose one or two of the following courses:
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua Periodo SSD
Bioresource and pollution control technology 6 48 Inglese Primo semestre AGR/09
Environmental change and public health 6 64 Inglese Primo semestre MED/04 MED/50
Methods in ecotoxicology 6 64 Inglese Primo semestre BIO/07 VET/07
Food industry design, technology and innovation 6 48 Inglese Secondo semestre AGR/15
Periodo non definito
Per queste attività non è previsto un periodo di offerta (es. corsi online a frequenza libera).
Attività formative Crediti massimi Ore totali Lingua SSD
Facoltativo
Additional language skills: italian (3 ECTS) 3 0 Italiano
Altre informazioni
Sede
Milano
Sedi didattiche
Lecture rooms and laboratories are located in the "Città Studi" campus, mostly in the University buildings of Via Celoria, 20
Presidente del Collegio didattico
Tutor per la mobilità internazionale e l'Erasmus
Tutor per stage e tirocini
Referente AQ del corso di studio
Contatti

Le tasse universitarie per gli studenti iscritti ai corsi di laurea, di laurea magistrale e a ciclo unico sono suddivise in due rate con modalità di calcolo e tempi di pagamento diversi:

  • l'importo della prima rata è uguale per tutti
  • l'importo della seconda rata varia in base al valore ISEE Università, al Corso di laurea di iscrizione e alla posizione (in corso/fuori corso da un anno oppure fuori corso da più di un anno).
  • per i corsi on line è prevista una rata suppletiva.

Sono previste:

  • agevolazioni per gli studenti con elevati requisiti di merito
  • importi diversificati in base al Paese di provenienza per gli studenti internazionali con reddito e patrimonio all'estero
  • agevolazioni per gli studenti internazionali con status di rifugiato

Altre agevolazioni 

L’Ateneo fornisce agevolazioni economiche a favore dei propri studenti con requisiti particolari (merito, condizioni economiche o personali, studenti internazionali)

Maggiori informazioni