Economic and social sciences

The Ph.D. Course in “Economic and Social Sciences” is an advanced, interdisciplinary training pathway designed to prepare researchers and professionals capable of conducting in-depth analyses of economic, business, and social phenomena. 

The program integrates theoretical and methodological tools from political economy, economic policy, business administration and management, sociology, anthropology, and legal and social sciences, thereby offering a dynamic and multidisciplinary research environment. Consistent with a multi and interdisciplinary analytical approach, and aimed at promoting a scientifically and methodologically grounded reflection on contemporary political-economic, business-economic, and socio-anthropological processes, the educational blueprint of the Ph.D. Course revolves around diverse yet complementary thematic axes. More specifically, particular attention will be devoted to major contemporary economic theories, public policies, globalization processes, and market and labor dynamics. Furthermore, specific in-depth studies will be conducted on the foundational research streams of both business administration and management, with a focus on strategic and entrepreneurial innovation, financial performance measurement and evaluation, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues, corporate environmental and social sustainability, corporate governance models from both public and private perspectives, and integrated reporting. Finally, the socio-anthropological field will be examined through its distinctive scientific framework, characterized by the investigation of new contemporary cultural and social realities resulting from the increasingly intense cultural contact generated by migratory phenomena, the global delivery of information and images, the diffusion of technologies, and market expansion. 

The syllabus is structured around advanced courses on quantitative (bibliometric and econometric) and qualitative (ethnography, discourse analysis, case-based analysis, survey) research methods, interdisciplinary workshops, seminars led by international faculty and experts, as well as research stay abroad. Therefore, this multidisciplinary and integrated approach will enable Ph.D. students to develop robust and versatile skills, fostering high-level training that combines scientific rigor, critical thinking, and the capacity for a systemic interpretation of local, intercultural, and global territorial contexts. 

The Ph.D. Course aims to train scholars and professionals capable of making original contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the economic, business, legal, and social sciences. The Ph.D. students will acquire the skills to design and execute complex research projects, and to critically observe and analyze the socio-cultural dynamics underlying social changes, their impact on social and institutional processes, and their influence and effects on the transformation of socio-economic and socio-institutional values and models at both local and international levels, competently addressing the analytical and interpretative challenges posed by contemporary society. 

A further goal concerns both the cross-fertilization among business-economic, legal, anthropological, and sociological disciplines, and the dialogue between academic research and the socio-economic ecosystem, eased by cooperations with firms, Public Administrations, non-profit organizations, and other Italian and foreign research centers. 

The Ph.D. Course offers a structured educational blueprint based on a multidisciplinary framework, designed to provide Ph.D. students with the theoretical, methodological, and applied tools necessary for developing advanced research in the fields of economics, business administration, and more broadly the social sciences. The syllabus consists of instructional modules organized across multiple levels: a core methodological foundation, followed by specialized modules oriented toward the development of specific disciplinary and interdisciplinary competencies. 
The methodological core provides advanced training in scientific research methodology within the economic and social fields, balancing quantitative approaches (i.e., bibliometrics, econometrics, financial statement analysis) and qualitative approaches (i.e., interview design, ethnography, content analysis, case-studies, financial statement evaluation). Consequently, the Ph.D. student will acquire significant familiarity with a wide spectrum of research techniques, useful not only for empirical analysis but also for a theoretical set and the conceptual interpretation of complex, continuously evolving contexts. 

The economics disciplinary modules delve into the main currents of contemporary economic thought, public policy analysis, industrial and macroeconomic dynamics, regional development, and sustainable growth models. Particular attention is dedicated to the study of labor markets, poverty, and inequalities, as well as transformations in the relationships among the State, the market, and civil society, also in relation to the cultural and economic dynamism characterizing contemporary geopolitics; a specific focus is placed on innovation as a driver of sustainable development, as well as on the definition and evaluation of eco-sustainability policies. The business administration disciplinary modules focus on the strategic management of economic, social, and governance sustainability choices within public and private firms, innovation management, and reporting and accountability systems. These courses aim to strengthen analytical and critical capabilities regarding corporate, public, and private decision-making processes, providing the foundations for understanding organizational dynamics in global, intercultural, and local contexts. 

In close connection with and running transversally through the aforementioned disciplinary cores, the goal of the courses in the anthropological and sociological area is based on developing critical thinking and innovative problem-solving skills when facing complex socio-cultural, socio-economic, and governance paradigms, through the acquisition of a theoretical background that allows for the analysis of a research question from different analytical perspectives. Furthermore, an ethnographic approach to fieldwork will be encouraged to capture the complexity of relations among individuals, groups, and institutions in various territorial contexts, with a particular emphasis on processes of marginalization, inclusion, agency, and cultural resistance. 

The syllabus includes seminar activities with national and international faculty, interdisciplinary workshops, cycles of critical peer-to-peer discussion among Ph.D. students, periodic assessments, and individual scientific tutoring, aimed at fostering scientific debate and the development of original research. Finally, the training pathway requires a period of training and research abroad at universities or research centers of recognized international prestige, chosen according to the Ph.D. student’s specific research topic. This represents a crucial milestone for cultural, scientific, and professional growth, aimed at strengthening the research internationalization and promote the global dissemination and recognition of the results achieved. 

• Research Methodology 
• Systematic Literature Review 
• Qualitative Analysis 
• Ethnographic Analysis 
• Econometrics 
• Research Funding and Project Design
• Social Network Analysis 
• Financial Statement Analysis and Evaluation 
• Sustainability, Integrated Reporting, and Evaluation 
• Analysis of Cultural and Communicative Processes 

Other Educational Activities (Seminars, Laboratory and Research Activities, Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary Training) 

• Seminars 
• Laboratory Activities 
• Fundamental Principles of Ethics, Gender Equality, and Integrity 

• LMG/01 Class of Master's Degrees in Law 
• LM-1 Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology 
• LM-1 R Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology 
• LM-14 Modern Philology 
• LM-15 Philology, Literatures, and History of Antiquity 
• LM-18 Computer Science 
• LM-23 Civil Engineering 
• LM-30 Civil Engineering 
• LM-31 Environmental and Territorial Engineering 
• LM-40 Mathematics 
• LM-41 Medicine and Surgery 
• LM-41 R Medicine and Surgery 
• LM-46 Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics 
• LM-46 R Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics 
• LM-48 Urban, Territorial, and Environmental Planning
• LM-48 R Urban, Territorial, and Environmental Planning 
• LM-49 Design and Management of Tourism Systems 
• LM-49 R Design and Management of Tourism Systems 
• LM-50 Planning and Management of Educational Services 
• LM-50 R Planning and Management of Educational Services 
• LM-52 International Relations 
• LM-52 R International Relations 
• LM-56 Economic Sciences 
• LM-56 R Economic Sciences 
• LM-59 Public, Corporate, and Advertising Communication Sciences 
• LM-59 R Public, Corporate, and Advertising Communication Sciences 
• LM-62 Political Sciences 
• LM-62 R Political Sciences 
• LM-63 Public Administration Sciences 
• LM-63 R Public Administration Sciences 
• LM-73 Forestry and Environmental Sciences and Technologies 
• LM-73 R Forestry and Environmental Sciences and Technologies 
• LM-75 Environmental and Territorial Sciences and Technologies 
• LM-75 R Environmental and Territorial Sciences and Technologies 
• LM-76 Economic Sciences for the Environment and Culture 
• LM-76 R Economic Sciences for the Environment and Culture 
• LM-77 Business and Economic Sciences 
• LM-77 R Business and Economic Sciences 
• LM-81 Sciences for Development Cooperation 
• LM-81 R Sciences for Development Cooperation 
• LM-82 Statistical Sciences 
• LM-82 R Statistical Sciences 
• LM-87 Social Work and Social Policies 
• LM-87 R Social Work and Social Policies 
• LM-88 Sociology and Social Research 
• LM-88 R Sociology and Social Research 
• LM-90 European Studies 
• LM-90 R European Studies 
• LM/GASTR Economic and Social Sciences of Gastronomy 
• LM/GASTR R Economic and Social Sciences of Gastronomy 
• LM/SC-GIUR Legal Sciences 
• LM/SC-GIUR R Legal Sciences 
• LM-Data Data Science 
• 64/S (Specialized degrees in Economic Sciences) 
• 71/S (Specialized degrees in Public Administration Sciences) 
• 84/S (Specialized degrees in Business and Economic Sciences) 
• 90/S (Specialized degrees in Demographic and Social Statistics) 
• 91/S (Specialized degrees in Economic, Financial, and Actuarial Statistics) 
• 92/S (Specialized degrees in Statistics for Experimental Research) 
• LMG/01 Law

The Ph.D. Course aims to train highly qualified profiles equipped with advanced theoretical, methodological, and applied competencies in the fields of economics, management, sociology, and anthropology. Upon completion of the Ph.D. Course, the Ph.D. graduates will be capable of analyzing and interpreting complex phenomena through an interdisciplinary approach, applying the most appropriate scientific tools to address national and global challenges posed by transition processes in the socio-economic sphere. 

The main career and professional outlets – with reference to leadership roles involving research and consultancy functions – encompass:

• Academic Career and Scientific Research
  Ph.D. graduates will be able to pursue academic careers in universities and research centers, both in Italy and abroad, thanks to the solid theoretical and methodological background acquired, participation in international scientific networks, and experience gained during mandatory periods of study and research abroad. Ph.D. graduates will be capable of nurturing the scientific debate and competitive research activities on both national and international sides. 
• Research Centers, Public and Private Research Institutes
  The analytical and transversal skills acquired allow Ph.D. graduates to join the research departments of Public institutions, think tanks, development agencies, socio-economic laboratories, and foundations, holding roles in applied research, scenario forecasting, public policy evaluation, and the analysis of society-territory-environment interactions, with particular reference to redevelopment, territorial cultural preservation, and sustainable development projects. 
• Public Administration and International Organizations
  Ph.D. graduates can access managerial or high-level technical consultancy positions in local, national, and supranational public bodies (i.e., Ministries, Regional Authorities, Regulatory bodies, European Commission, OECD, UN), contributing to the definition, implementation, and monitoring of economic, social, and environmental policies. 
• Private Sector 
  Ph.D. graduates may also enter the private sector, particularly within corporations, consulting firms, financial institutions, and start-ups, where skills in strategic management, sustainable innovation, socio-economic performance measurement, and sustainability reporting will be highly appreciated. 
• Health Economics and Policies
  Ph.D. graduates may also find employment in health sector, operating as analysts, consultants, or researchers within healthcare organizations, public bodies, regional and national evaluation agencies, international organizations, and NGOs. They will be capable of contributing to the design, analysis, and evaluation of health policies, resource management, and the economic sustainability of care systems, integrating economic, managerial, and social competencies from a perspective oriented toward equity and efficiency in healthcare services. 
• Third Sector, Cooperation, and Local Development
  The interdisciplinary pathway enables Ph.D. graduates to take on project design, evaluation, and coordination roles within non-governmental organizations, cooperatives, third-sector entities, and social and solidarity economy initiatives. Particular attention will be paid to promoting inclusion, tackling marginalization, sustainable territorial development, social integration, and cultural dissemination through different media, alongside the adoption of social policies concerning migrants and development projects designed to foster the integration of foreign citizens, assistance to migrants, and the promotion of social and cultural rights. 

Consistently with the tenets of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the Ph.D. Course aims to train researchers capable of addressing main global challenges with a critical spirit and advanced skills: inequalities, climate change, ecological transition, digital innovation, social cohesion, and democratic participation. Ph.D. graduates will be able to contribute significantly to sustainable development, collective well-being, and territorial enhancement, promoting evidence-based solutions rooted in social responsibility. 
The added value of this educational pathway lies in its ability to seize future professional opportunities through a systemic and interdisciplinary vision, integrating economic, business administration, legal, and socio-anthropological skills, thereby making original contributions to innovation, sustainability, and the advancement of both scientific and applied knowledge.