Valorization and sustainable development of mountain areas 24 months Postgraduate Programme By University of Milan |TopUniversities

Programme overview

Main Subject

Environmental Sciences

Degree

MA

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

Overview

Study in the Italian Alps. Learn to Design Sustainable Mountain Futures.

The Master’s degree in Valorization and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas of the University of Milan prepares forward-thinking professionals to shape the future of mountain regions through innovation and sustainability. Entirely taught in English, the programme combines scientific, technical and socioeconomic expertise to give students a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities of high-altitude territories. All courses take place in Edolo (Brescia) at the UNIMONT campus, a unique learning hub in the heart of the Italian Alps that offers daily immersion in the very environment students will work to enhance.

What You’ll Learn

Over the two years of the programme, you will learn to:

  • use monitoring technologies to support resource protection and climate resilient planning
  • plan interventions to evaluate, safeguard and enhance biodiversity in the mountains
  • design strategies that enhance mountain products and services and local value chains
  • support sustainable tourism, renewable energy initiatives and biobased sectors
  • navigate the legal and economic aspects of business management and policy making in mountain environments
  • identify and make the most of regional, national and EU funding opportunities for mountain development projects.

Why Choose Our Master’s Degree in Valorization and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas

  • 100% taught in English
  • A modern campus nestled in the Alps
  • Multidisciplinary training covering environmental sciences, law, economics and management
  • A unique chance to experience the daily life of a mountain municipality


Programme Structure

This two-year Master’s degree offers an immersive and innovative learning experience combining academic depth with hands-on exploration. Courses integrate lectures, laboratories, fieldwork and workshops with external stakeholders, to encourage active participation, teamwork and real-world problem-solving skills.

Students engage directly with mountain ecosystems and communities, working on practical challenges that bridge natural, agroforestry and socioeconomic perspectives.

A compulsory 6 ECTS internship provides professional exposure and the opportunity to contribute to concrete projects that advance sustainable mountain development.

The programme culminates in a 20 ECTS thesis, written and presented in English and developed under the guidance of academic and sector experts. This final project allows students to create an original contribution that reflects their interests and professional ambitions in the field of mountain valorisation.

For further details and the full list of courses, please visit the University’s website.


Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Master’s Degree in Valorization and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas are all-round mountain professionals fully equipped to support the environmental, social and economic development of mountain regions .

Where Your Degree Can Take You

This degree opens doors to roles across environmental management, agro forestry, territorial planning and sustainable tourism, such as:

  • Agronomist or Forester (including as a freelancer)
  • Territorial Planner or Landscape Specialist
  • Environmental, Agro Forestry or Rural Development Consultant advising on sustainable resource use in mountain areas
  • Project Manager for Mountain Development
  • Researcher or Technical Expert in environmental, agricultural, or territorial sciences.
    Potential employers include:
  • Consulting firms focused on territorial development and environmental planning
  • Forestry companies and natural resource management organisations
  • Local Action Groups ( LAG s) and tourism promotion consortia
  • Municipalities, mountain communities, regional institutions and organisations managing parks and protected areas
  • Development agencies, foundations, NGO s and research institutions

Whatever your future role will be, this Master’s degree prepares you to turn the challenges of mountain territories into opportunities for sustainable growth and long-term regional innovation.

Programme overview

Main Subject

Environmental Sciences

Degree

MA

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

Overview

Study in the Italian Alps. Learn to Design Sustainable Mountain Futures.

The Master’s degree in Valorization and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas of the University of Milan prepares forward-thinking professionals to shape the future of mountain regions through innovation and sustainability. Entirely taught in English, the programme combines scientific, technical and socioeconomic expertise to give students a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities of high-altitude territories. All courses take place in Edolo (Brescia) at the UNIMONT campus, a unique learning hub in the heart of the Italian Alps that offers daily immersion in the very environment students will work to enhance.

What You’ll Learn

Over the two years of the programme, you will learn to:

  • use monitoring technologies to support resource protection and climate resilient planning
  • plan interventions to evaluate, safeguard and enhance biodiversity in the mountains
  • design strategies that enhance mountain products and services and local value chains
  • support sustainable tourism, renewable energy initiatives and biobased sectors
  • navigate the legal and economic aspects of business management and policy making in mountain environments
  • identify and make the most of regional, national and EU funding opportunities for mountain development projects.

Why Choose Our Master’s Degree in Valorization and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas

  • 100% taught in English
  • A modern campus nestled in the Alps
  • Multidisciplinary training covering environmental sciences, law, economics and management
  • A unique chance to experience the daily life of a mountain municipality


Programme Structure

This two-year Master’s degree offers an immersive and innovative learning experience combining academic depth with hands-on exploration. Courses integrate lectures, laboratories, fieldwork and workshops with external stakeholders, to encourage active participation, teamwork and real-world problem-solving skills.

Students engage directly with mountain ecosystems and communities, working on practical challenges that bridge natural, agroforestry and socioeconomic perspectives.

A compulsory 6 ECTS internship provides professional exposure and the opportunity to contribute to concrete projects that advance sustainable mountain development.

The programme culminates in a 20 ECTS thesis, written and presented in English and developed under the guidance of academic and sector experts. This final project allows students to create an original contribution that reflects their interests and professional ambitions in the field of mountain valorisation.

For further details and the full list of courses, please visit the University’s website.


Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Master’s Degree in Valorization and Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas are all-round mountain professionals fully equipped to support the environmental, social and economic development of mountain regions .

Where Your Degree Can Take You

This degree opens doors to roles across environmental management, agro forestry, territorial planning and sustainable tourism, such as:

  • Agronomist or Forester (including as a freelancer)
  • Territorial Planner or Landscape Specialist
  • Environmental, Agro Forestry or Rural Development Consultant advising on sustainable resource use in mountain areas
  • Project Manager for Mountain Development
  • Researcher or Technical Expert in environmental, agricultural, or territorial sciences.
    Potential employers include:
  • Consulting firms focused on territorial development and environmental planning
  • Forestry companies and natural resource management organisations
  • Local Action Groups ( LAG s) and tourism promotion consortia
  • Municipalities, mountain communities, regional institutions and organisations managing parks and protected areas
  • Development agencies, foundations, NGO s and research institutions

Whatever your future role will be, this Master’s degree prepares you to turn the challenges of mountain territories into opportunities for sustainable growth and long-term regional innovation.

Admission Requirements

72+
5.5+

Entry Qualification:

Undergraduate diploma (or higher)

A. Students with an Italian University Degree

Applicants to this Master’s degree programme are required to hold a Bachelor’s degree in one of the following classes:

  • Agriculture and Forestry (L-25)
  • Food Sciences (L-26)
  • Environmental Sciences (L-32)

Those holding a Bachelor’s degree in other degree classes are also eligible, provided they have earned at least 45 credits ( ECTS ) in the basic subjects covered by the degree programme, of which at least 12 ECTS in biological, agroforestry and environmental disciplines. A full list of these subjects is available on the University’s website.

B. Students with Non-Italian University Degrees

If you hold a foreign first-cycle degree (i.e. a Bachelor’s or other degree issued by a non-Italian higher education institution), the Admission Board will check your transcript of records to assess whether your first-cycle degree makes you eligible for admission. As a general rule, the Admission Board is looking for applicants with a first-cycle degree as close as possible to those required of graduates from Italian universities, i.e. in fields related to agriculture, forestry, environmental management, etc.


Please note that the Admission Board may ask applicants — no matter where they obtained their first-cycle degree — to provide additional documents or invite them to an online interview to further assess their background knowledge.

The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English / German / French / Spanish / Italian.

Please note that we only accept official translations (either issued by your former higher education institution or carried out by a certified or sworn translator).

Language Requirement:

English

A B2 or higher level of proficiency in English is required for admission.

How to Prove Your English Proficiency

  • If you have a language certificate accepted by the University, just attach it to your application for admission. Please note that the University accepts only certificates obtained in the last 3 years (2 years for TOEFL )
  • If you don’t have a language certificate, your English proficiency will be assessed during the interview

List of language certificates accepted by the University

2 Years

Tuition fees

International
156 EUR

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