The international Master’s Degree Program in Digital Heritage aims to train highly qualified professionals capable of critically and consciously integrating humanities-based expertise with the potential offered by advanced digital technologies. The program provides students with a solid and up‑to‑date interdisciplinary preparation, enabling them to operate effectively in the processes of knowledge, preservation, management, communication and enhancement of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, within a European and Mediterranean context increasingly oriented toward digitalization and innovation.

Students acquire theoretical and practical skills in ICT technologies and artificial intelligence applied to cultural heritage, with particular attention to the design and management of databases, GIS and HBIM systems, the digitization and cataloguing of heritage, the automatic and assisted analysis of textual documents, the production of digital content, and the design of interactive experiences based on augmented and virtual reality. The program also explores methodologies and tools for cultural heritage digitization, virtual restoration, 3D modelling, digital reconstruction and game design, with the goal of training professionals capable of creating innovative and high‑quality cultural experiences.

At the same time, the curriculum develops critical and methodological competencies rooted in the humanities, essential for correctly interpreting cultural heritage and contextualizing the use of digital technologies within solid theoretical, historical and philological frameworks.

The program promotes a strongly hands‑on approach through laboratories, internships and project‑based activities, allowing students to engage with real‑world cases and acquire professional skills that can be immediately applied in the job market. Opportunities for international mobility, particularly through the Erasmus program, foster openness to European cultural and professional contexts, enriching the educational experience with study and research activities in partner institutions.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to take on roles of responsibility in the digital management of cultural heritage, working in museums, libraries, archives, public and private cultural institutions, IT companies, local authorities, research centers and the digital publishing sector. The program also provides adequate preparation for pursuing doctoral studies in the field of Technologies and Cultural Heritage, facilitating access to advanced research pathways and international academic environments.

The Digital Heritage degree program provides skills in the communication and dissemination of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, in the design and management of databases and GIS/HBIM systems, in textual document analysis, in the creation of digital products, in the design and development of Augmented and Virtual Reality applications, in heritage digitization, virtual restoration, and game design. It offers numerous professional opportunities in the corporate sector, public administration, and academic research. Graduates can work in IT companies, cultural organizations, libraries, museums, public or private institutions, and in the digital publishing sector. They may also pursue freelance careers or work in research centers.

The program trains specific professional profiles such as:

• UX designer — specialist in designing, customizing, and managing digital interfaces and platforms used in humanities‑related contexts.
• Digital content creator — specialist in producing digital resources for cultural heritage.
• Digital heritage designer — specialist in designing digital access and user experience for cultural heritage.

The program also prepares graduates for the following professions (ISTAT codes):

• Web application analysts and designers (2.1.1.4.3)
• Archivists (2.5.4.5.1)
• Museum technicians, curators, and conservators (2.5.4.5.3)
• Researchers and technicians in ancient, philological, and historical‑artistic sciences (2.6.2.4.0)

This type of training significantly broadens the traditional professional opportunities for graduates in the humanities, which have so far been mostly limited to teaching and academic research.

The international Master's degree program in "Digital Heritage" is designed for students with a bachelor's degree in the humanities who wish to acquire technical skills for utilizing digital technologies in the cultural heritage sector. Students will learn to preserve, enhance, and promote both tangible and intangible cultural assets, with a focus on museums, archives, and libraries, using the latest technologies in the field. The program integrates the study of European and Mediterranean cultural heritage with developments in ICT and AI technologies, training experts capable of operating in the Information Society. Additionally, the course addresses highly relevant issues such as security, privacy policies, and data protection, in line with European directives.

The program comprises two years: the first year focuses on foundational technical skills and humanities knowledge, while the second year delves into advanced technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, virtual restoration, gaming, GIS and HBIM applications, and methods for managing and processing digital data. Students will have opportunities for internships and practical labs, as well as the chance to participate in international exchanges through the Erasmus program. The course promotes an interdisciplinary approach, integrating humanities expertise with ICT technologies to enhance cultural heritage. Upon completion, graduates will be prepared for roles of responsibility in the digital management of cultural heritage and will also have the option to pursue further research through PhD programs in the field of Technologies and Cultural Heritage.

Admission is based on an interview that assesses the students' humanities and language skills, without requiring specific IT knowledge.

Students who intend to enroll must have obtained a bachelor's degree in:

• Cultural Heritage (L-1)
• Performing arts and music studies (L-3)
• Philosophy (L-5)
• Humanities (L-10)
• Modern languages and cultures (L-11)
• Communication sciences (L-20)
• Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage (L-43)

Alternatively:

the student must be in possession of a bachelor degree or equivalent having acquired at least 54 CFU in the following Areas/Scientific Disciplinary Sectors or equivalent:

• Area 08 - Civil engineering and architecture: ICAR/18
• Area 10 - Antiquities, philology, literary studies, art history: L-ANT/01-10, L-ART/01-08, L-FIL-LET/01-15, L-LIN/01-21, M-FIL/01-08
• Area 11 - History, philosophy, pedagogy and psychology: M-STO/01-09, M-GGR/01-02

All students are expected to have basic computer skills and English skills corresponding to the level B2 of the CEFR.

The final examination of the Program consists of the discussion, before a Committee appointed in accordance with the Teaching Regulations of the Degree Program, of a written thesis demonstrating that the candidate has acquired the competencies required by the Program’s learning objectives. Its purpose is to verify that the graduating student possesses an advanced set of scientific and methodological knowledge and skills, as well as well‑developed critical abilities, enabling them to independently address, analyze and define a scientific problem. The student must agree on the thesis topic with their supervisor well in advance.

The thesis, written under the supervision of one or more advisors, may take one of two forms:

1. experimental, concerning a project or an experiment carried out in university laboratories or external organizations;
2. compilative, concerning a basic or applied research topic.

II LEVEL DEGREE COURSE IN "DIGITAL HERITAGE" (CLASSE LM-43)

• Polo Biblio- Museale della Regione Puglia https://www.piiilculturapuglia.it/poli-biblio-museali/
• No Real, Torino https://www.norealinteractive.it/
• CETMA, Brindisi https://www.cetma.it/
• Musei Civici di Bologna http://www.museibologna.it/introduzione/47650
• Network Europeo Heriland (Amsterdam, NL) https://www.heriland.eu/

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