Master in Human Rights and Conflict Management – XXIV edition

Application deadline

• 1st round: June 19th, 2025
• 2nd round: August 28th, 2025

Course description

The Master in Human Rights and Conflict Management is designed to provide students from different cultures and backgrounds with a deep understanding of the linkages between human rights and conflict management theory and practice. The curriculum, strongly field oriented, prepares participants for working with NGOs, governments, aid agencies, the UN system and regional organisations, also operating in the context of complex emergencies and joint operations.

Course target

Candidates looking for a professionalizing and mission/field oriented international master programme. The Master is a competitive programme open to a maximum of 28 candidates.

Training objectives

The main educational goals of the Master in Human Rights and Conflict Management are as follows:

• To train high-rank professionals who will work in design, management and monitoring positions within the programs and actions promoted by national, regional, international or non-governmental organisations, for the double purpose of protecting human rights and preventing, mitigating or solving conflicts.
• To train professionals who will combine, in a dynamic, non-sequential way, critical knowledge and technical-operational skills as the key components of an extremely professional service in complex situations.
• To train professionals who are aware of the mutual connections between the protection of human rights and conflict management, and who possess a sound juridical and methodological background and practical-operational skills in such areas.
• To train professionals who, in the design and management of actions and in decision-making processes, will keep into account the historical, geopolitical, economic dimensions as well as the “gender” component and the complexity of the intercultural relations.

Teaching methods

The methodology is characterized by a combination of theory and practice. There is ample use of advanced role-playing sessions, simulation exercises, and case study material.

Course programme

The Master starts on January 13th, 2026 and runs until Spring 2027. The syllabus of the Master Programme, in addition to individual studying and the preparation of a final written project (project work), will cover about 440 hours of classroom lectures and 480 hours of internship. Classroom lectures are from Monday to Friday and run from January 13th to July 31st, 2026. The internship lasts three or more months starting from August/September 2026 and it can be carried out anywhere in the world.

How to apply

The Master is a competitive programme open to a maximum of 28 candidates.

Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:

(1) Have a three-year (at least) university degree or equivalent. Students expecting to graduate before December 31st, 2025 are also eligible.

(2) Understand, speak and write English at least at LEVEL B2, (CEFR for Languages, CoE).

Candidates who need a VISA are advised to apply by the first deadline (June 19th, 2025) as VISA procedures to enter Italy are becoming increasingly time-consuming.

Course fee

The tuition fee for the full Programme is 7.500 euros, payable in two instalments. It covers the following: attendance costs and participation to field trips, didactic material (in electronic format), tutorship and access to all facilities of the Scuola. It does not include accommodation costs in Pisa and during the internship, nor travel expenses.
An early bird discount is reserved for candidates applying for the first round of selection set on June 19th, 2025. For early birds, the course fee is 6.500,00 euros, payable in two instalments of 3.250 euros each.

Please note that, as a general rule, course fees are not reimbursed even if the participant decides to withdraw from the programme.

Scholarships

A limited number of partial waivers could be available, depending on financial availabilities, to citizens of non-OECD countries who are eligible for release of a visa for Italy. Selected applicants may apply for the partial waiver of the tuition fee by motivating their request in a detailed manner on their application form and fill out the Self-Declaration on Financial Status available on this webpage. The Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna reserves the right to determine the amount of each contribution and the awarding criteria.

Attendance certificate

At the end of the Master Programme, those students who have regularly attended and have passed all the required examinations and paid the tuition fee will receive from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna a Master Diploma (I Level), in accordance with art. 3 of the Italian DM no. 270/2004

Fill in the form below to receive information and to send us your comments