Degree Program and Educations Objectives
Educational Objectives
The Master’s Degree in “Intercultural and Interreligious Mediation” - LMClass 64, Science of Religions - while maintaining the basic characteristics of the class to which it belongs, aims to innovate the tradition of studies by proposing an intercultural and interreligious educational approach. The Master’s Degree trains graduates with knowledge and skills relating to the world's most important religious areas, providing skills immediately applicable in many contexts characterized by interculturality and functional to design the mediation strategies between members of different religious and identity traditions. The mediation strategies must be strategies of inclusion, which are deployed thanks to education for complexity, using historical knowledge as elements capable of weakening the practices of exclusion and marginalization carried out using prejudice and fake news as well as by the silence.
Qualifying aspects of the course are: the interdisciplinary and systemic approach to the study of intercultural and interreligious phenomena; the experiential component (guaranteed by Workshops and Traineeship, the attention to intervention and training methodologies; the importance of the anthropological approach to religious and cultural phenomena (guaranteed by the presence of a 12 CFU Cultural Anthropology course); the study of religious traditions in history; the importance of Pedagogy and Sociology, as attested by the presence of these disciplines among the subjects offered; the presence of Workshops and Internships carried out in close collaboration with the Social Partners, in order to provide students with the necessary techniques of mediation and communication (Workshops) and to place them in a context of experimental action, within which they will have to act on the basis of knowledge and skills acquired during the cursus studiorum
Traineeship.
The proposed training course trains experts in intercultural and interreligious mediation who can design, plan and implement training and intercultural and interreligious mediation in public and private training agencies, in private companies and in organizations and bodies where an intercultural and interreligious approach to internal or external users is required.
It also trains experts who, having satisfied the number of CFUs required by the relevant ministerial regulations, can enter the A-12 (Literary Disciplines at Upper Secondary School), A-18 (Philosophy and Humanities), A-19 (Philosophy and History) e A-22 (Italian, History and Geography at Secondary School Degree) teaching competition classes, according to the indications of Presidential Decree - DDL n. 2167.
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Professional profiles
The Master’s Degree trains the following professional profiles:
Experts in intercultural and interreligious mediation able to carry out: design and management of specific training of teachers active in public or public schools and other educational agencies populated by multi-religious groups; design and management of training activities aimed at increasing processes of inclusion and mutual understanding within a wide range of bodies and organizations (prisons companies and networks of companies active at international level; sectors of public and private bodies where there is a flow of relations involving a multicultural and multireligious clientele); consultancy and design of cultural and training paths of high public dissemination; consultancy for non-profit organizations (cf. Profile 1 - Expert teacher trainer in public or public schools and training agencies; Profile 2 - Expert in planning and managing intercultural and interreligious training activities).
It should also be noted that the degree class of the CdS allows its graduates to access, subject to fulfilment of the number of CFUs envisaged by the relevant ministerial regulations, the Classes of Competition for teaching A-12 (Literary Disciplines at Upper Secondary School), A-18 (Philosophy and Humanities), A-19 (Philosophy and History) e A-22 (Italian, History and Geography at Secondary School Degree), according to the indications of Presidential Decree 19 -2016 concerning the new classes of competition.
Among the professions surveyed and endowed with ISTAT codes the following can be indicated:
Experts in the study, management and control of social phenomena - (2.5.3.2.1) 2016-2018 data <https://professionioccupazione.isfol.it/datifol/index.php?id=2.5.3.2.1>
Technical writers - (2.5.4.1.4) 2016-2018 data <https://professionioccupazione.isfol.it/datifol/index.php?id=2.5.4.1.4>
Social reintegration and integration technicians (3.4.5.2.0 ) data 2016-2018 https://professionioccupazione.isfol.it/datifol/index.php?id=3.4.5.2.0
Master’s Degree Articulation
The Master’s Degree involve two academic years of full time study, while part-time programmes last between four years [part-time student, see also ATTENDANCE, infra]
There are two semesters per academic year, for a total of 120 CFU (60 CFU per year). The first year comprises mainly academic subjects characterizing of Master’s Degree (cultural anthropology, history of religions, sociologies) and the pedagogies linked to these subjects (intercultural and interreligious pedagogy).
- During the first year there are educational activities that strengthen the basic tools and subjects that have propaedeutic characteristics compared to the others. So the student matures and consolidates his knowledge of the anthropological method, with which he will have to learn how to approach the multireligious and multicultural phenomena, and then tackle the history of religions and the history of Christianity and the churches in a way of teaching that highlights their plurality. After that, the student will find teaching on several cultural and religious contexts, from which he should choose to explore those of particular interest. He will find also a teaching on the area of non-belief. The 6 CFU relating to additional linguistic knowledge must then be chosen in line with the cultural and religious contexts chosen by the student. After that, the History of International Relations and/or the History of Africa and the intercultural pedagogical systems courses are planned. Students may decide whether to complete their knowledge by studying the dynamics of linguistic phenomena in greater depth, or whether they prefer to develop their knowledge of material and non-material cultural heritage as an intercultural and interreligious medium (art), thus perfecting their knowledge of material cultural heritage as a place of interculturality, which is at the heart of the Cultural Anthropology course.
- In the second year, students will complete and specialize their training by tackling the major philosophical and gnoseological frameworks of reference, but placing them within their respective historical contexts. Then they will be able to measure themselves against legal systems and political philosophy and will be able to decide whether to continue to perfect their knowledge of heritage as a place of interculturality by means of the art history courses or whether to refine the dynamics of linguistic phenomena with the sociology of cultural and communicative processes course. Finally, the workshops and internships - organized and managed in collaboration with the Social Partners- guarantee the technical training of the student, who will learn to measure himself "with" and "to manage" concrete situations.
Teaching Organization
The courses of Master’s Degree are lectures, lectures, laboratory works, classroom and field demonstrations.
Attendance
Attendance at lectures is not mandatory, although it is strongly recommended.
There are no prerequisites.
In accordance with the University regulations (see the University Regulations for part-time students), the Master’s Degree provides the possibility of enrolling as a part-time student for students who are simultaneously engaged in other jobs. In the event of total or partial inability to attend, the student must contact the Professor and agree with him/her.
Training Activities
The educational path is multidisciplinary and divided into the following areas:
1. Educational activities relating to the anthropological and religious area. This educational area is the core of the characterizing educational activities of our Master’s Degree: there are the courses of cultural anthropology (M-DEA/01) - as the real methodological glue necessary for intercultural and interreligious studies - , the courses related to the history of religions (M- STO/06), the history of Christianity and the churches (M- STO/07 and L-LIN/01), Jewish history and culture (L-OR/08), Islam and Islamic-Christian relations (L-OR/12 and L-OR/13), Hinduism and Buddhism (L-OR/18) and neo-paganism (L-FIL-LET/15). The Laboratory of Sociology and Techniques of Conflict Mediation, provided in the second year, gives practical application to the knowledge and skills acquired by the students during the courses.
2. Educational activities relating to the historical, philosophical and sociological area. These courses place religions in their geo-social context, with the teaching of social geography (M-GGR/01), and in their historical context - with special attention to the cultural aspect - ensured by the teaching of history of Africa (SPS/13), history of international relations (SPS/06), medieval history (M-STO/01), modern history (M-STO/02) and contemporary history (M-STO/04). In order to complete the cultural framework of the historical contexts, the relevant philosophical disciplines have been included (M- FIL/01, SPS/01). The History of Law courses (IUS/19) were then introduced, providing the knowledge and skills required to correctly interpret the relevant legal horizon. The Conflict Mediation Techniques Laboratory then allows the knowledge and skills acquired by the students during the courses to be transferred to the practical level of know-how and verified through intermediate tests and examinations.
3. Educational activities of the pedagogical area. The courses in this area develop specialist knowledge and skills in the areas of non-belief and of intercultural pedagogy through courses in the history of pedagogy (M-PED/02), didactics of pedagogy (M-PED/03), intercultural pedagogy (M-PED/01), and experimental pedagogy (M-PED/04). The Communication and Intercultural Studies Laboratory translates the knowledge and the skills acquired by the students into practical know-how, which is verified through the intermediate tests and examinations.
4. Learning activities in the area of language and communication. The courses related to this area develop specialist knowledge and skills in the field of linguistics through courses dedicated to the relationship between linguistic behaviors encoded within social groups and the socio-anthropological framework, such as ethnolinguistics (L-LIN-01), or the Italian lexical field but applied to the context of mediation (L-FIL-LET/12). The communicative issue, implicit in all these courses, is made explicit and completed by the Laboratory of Sociology and Mediation Techniques, which translates the knowledge and skills acquired by the students during the courses and verified through the intermediate tests and examinations, into practical know-how.
5. Educational activities of the artistic and literary area. The courses related to this area develop specialist knowledge and skills in the fields of medieval, modern and contemporary art history (L-ART/01; L-ART/02; L-ART/03) in order to complete the framework of knowledge and skills related to material cultural heritage. It is one of the main places in which to develop intercultural and interreligious mediation paths and which is at the core of the anthropological courses (M-DEA/01) envisaged in area 1.
12 CFU are provided for the student's free choice, allowing him to further develop his knowledge of other religious systems or to study one of the thematic fields he has encountered during his training. The last segment, in chronological order, of the training process consists of the Laboratory-Thesis work, or Internship-Thesis work, which provides a system that allows the student to take charge of a concrete case on which to work in strict linearity between the Laboratory or Traineeship and the Thesis.
Entry requirements
A degree in the following classes:
Classes ex D.M. 270/04
1. L-42 Degree in History
2. L-01 Degree in Cultural Heritage
3. L-05 Degree in Philosophy
4. L-10 Bachelor of Arts
5. L-19 Degree in Education and Training Sciences
6. L-36 Degree in Political and Social Sciences
7. L-39 Degree in Social Work
Or, alternatively, hold a degree in another class having obtained at least 60 CFU in M-STO/01-09; M-DEA/01; M-FIL/01-08; L-ANT/01-10; L-ART/01-08; L-FIL-LET/01-15; M- GGR/01-02; L-OR/01-22; SPS/01-08; PSI/01-06; M-PED/01-04; IUS/1-20. For graduates who do not meet the requirements for a difference of less than 32 CFU, a special evaluation committee, appointed by the relevant teaching structure, will propose a preliminary training path to enrolment that will include the passing of exams to compensate for the existing training gaps. The course must be completed by those interested before the final enrolment in the Master’s Degree.
If the candidate has acquired credits issued by foreign universities, a special Commission, appointed by the relevant teaching structure, will assess their equivalence.
Personal preparation requirements
Admission to the Master’s Degree is in any case subject to verification of adequate personal preparation, which will be carried out according to the procedures defined in the Didactic Regulations of the course, or on the basis of the evaluation of the candidate's curriculum carried out by a special Commission, appointed by the relevant teaching structure, and, if the Commission deems it necessary, may include an oral interview.
In accordance with the EU directives for second level university courses, applicants are required to certify their knowledge of at least one European Union language (level B2) other than their mother tongue, which can be demonstrated by means of an appropriate certificate issued by the Language Centre of the University of Florence or by other CLA or in any case by other nationally and/or internationally recognized.
Recovery of possible deficiencies
The knowledge and skills required and the criteria for admission to the Master’s Degree are clearly published and advertised on the website and therefore on the website of the Scuola di Studi Umanistici e della Formazione. The calendar of deadlines for the transmission and examination of applications will be published on the website of the Master and on the website of the Scuola di Studi Umanistici e della Formazione. Applications for enrolment will be handled based on the evaluation of the candidate's curriculum carried out by a special Commission, appointed by the relevant teaching structure and, if the Commission deems it necessary, an oral interview may be scheduled to refine the evaluation in the presence of the student.
The study plan is presented in detail on the website of the CdS and for each course the Syllabus drawn up by individual teachers will be available.
Access Commission: In the process of being appointed
Evaluation applications for admission to Master’s Degree courses
Procedures and deadlines for enrolment
Procedures and deadlines for enrolment in subsequent years
University fees and contributions
Course transitions and transfers
For Graduating
(from ART. 12 of the Didactic Regulations: Characteristics of the final examination for obtaining the degree)
The final examination is conducted under the guidance of two university lecturers, but if it is conducted as a continuation of the internship, the first thesis supervisor is flanked by the external expert, who will act as the student's tutor. The dissertation must be original. The final dissertation will be assessed by the appropriate Degree Committee.
- Go to the School website for detailed information