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Master’s Degree in Earth and Sea Sciences – University of Palermo

Location: Palermo

Department: Earth and Marine Sciences

Teaching language of the course: Italian and English (only for the 30 ETS of the Double Degree)

Link to the course: https://guidastudente.unipa.it/en/corsi_di_laurea/natural-sciences/

Thanks to the high interdisciplinary structure between Life and Earth sciences, the master’s degree in Earth and Sea Sciences trains experts in the study of the Nature, while offering skills and opportunities for other professional activities, in particular in the field of Nature management and Conservation, Museum and scientific popularization and Institutional education.
The Master’s Degree aims to train a graduate with a thorough knowledge of the structural and functional components of the ecosystems, both in the current environment and in its ancient and evolutionary perspective, and to outline the conceptual tools aimed at the defence, conservation and management of nature.
Among the subjects that can be chosen to be deepen are the analysis, management and conservation of natural environments through the acquisition of theoretical principles and modern technologies; systemic analysis of the natural environment in the recent past, mainly considered in its evolutionary and anthropogenic perspective; in compliance with EU directives and the requests of local authorities in charge of land management.

The Master’s degree characteristics are:

  • the holistic approach for the adequate understanding of the ecosystems and of the environment as a whole;
  • the effective interaction of different types of knowledge in ecology, zoology, botany, anthropology, palaeontology, biogeography, geomorphology and volcanology, and conservation;
  • the integration of laboratory activities and internships, also in collaboration with public institutions and private structures, field activities and experimentation, multi-disciplinary didactic excursions.

Job opportunities:

  • in public administrations, universities and research centres,
  • in education and in the training courses for first and second grade secondary school teachers;
  • in different types of companies that deal with environmental issues;
  • in research and conservation activities carried out by museums and other institutions;
  • in scientific dissemination and scientific journalism;
  • in natural parks design and management and drafting of Park Plans;
  • in the management of protected areas. A double degree programme is active with the “Master’s degree in Sustainable Development and Ecological Safety” (under the double degree agreement between UNIPA and People’s Friendship University of Russia (RUDN, Moscow).