Digital Marketing and Communication

An evolving horizon

GOALS

The Master in Digital Marketing and Communication aims to establish solid marketing foundations that focus on the creation, management and performance analysis of social media content. It’s a response to the fast pace of change within the world of communications, allowing students to develop the ability to interpret companies’ needs and transform them into effective content and communication plans. The course alternates exemplars, group work, workshops and company projects with the aim of teaching students key concepts of the digital age: listening, sharing, participating.

 

WHO IS IT FOR?

The Master in Digital Marketing and Communication is designed for graduate students with excellent knowledge of English who want to acquire the latest skills and tools with regard to digital communication and reflect on the future of digital media, thanks to constant discussion with a diverse class in terms of educational background and geographical origin, and a Faculty that consists of academics, managers, and some of the sector’s leading entrepreneurs.

 

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

In just one year, the program provides the personal and professional development needed to launch a career in a company or digital agency. Through the Master it is possible, once having completed in the companies the years of experience required, to access the following job positions: Digital Marketing Manager, Social Media Manager, SEO Manager, PR & Communication Manager, Web Analyst, Media Planner.

To align your career with the future trajectories of communication, contact the master Program Manager and book an appointment to find out more.

 

SERVICES

Bologna Business School provides student support services included in the tuition fee for the Master.

 

Schermata 2019-07-04 alle 11.56.06

Together with our partners IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau), Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, The Boston Consulting Group, Google, GroupM, IBM and WPP, this Master’s degree provides students with the qualifications and skills to start a managerial or consultancy career in the field of digital communications.

 

Technical Sponsor

 

 

Programme Advisory Committee:

  • Vincenzo Cosenza – Founder, Osservatorio Metaverso
  • Boris Jovic – Head of Marketing Technology and Operations, Shopify
  • Marta Marchionni – Head of Youtube Ads and Video Solutions, Google Italy
  • Sara Pascucci – Head of Communication & Sustainability Manager, Caviro
  • Marta Prosperi – Strategy Director, We Are Social
  • Jane Reeve – Business Partner, Kleecks
  • Roberto Villa – Director of the IBM Italia Foundation and and CRS Manager, IBM
  • Pietro Zambetti – CEO, Chef in Camicia

 

Accreditation

EQUIS

Bologna Business School is EQUIS – EFMD Quality Improvement System accredited, one of the most important international quality assessment and continuous improvement systems for Schools of Management and Business Administration.


Augusto Valeriani

Augusto Valeriani

Director of Studies
augusto.valeriani@unibo.it

" Our program is a journey at the intersection of latest trends in digital media and cutting-edge marketing strategies. Our students will master state-of-the-art tools and techniques of communication and digital marketing. Most importantly, they will be trained to anticipate transformations in a professional field where a forward-looking attitude is the skill that makes the real difference. "

Roberto Grandi

Roberto Grandi

Co-Director of Studies
roberto.grandi@unibo.it

" The social media and digital marketing tools that exist today will not be the ones we will use tomorrow. This master’s program will not just teach you current techniques but will also give you the opportunity to prepare for the future developments of this industry. Your professional future is our mission. "

CLASS PROFILE A.Y. 2023/2024

GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

  • 25 y.o.

    AVERAGE AGE

  • 60%

    INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

  • 14

    COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

  • 70%

    FEMALE STUDENTS

Structure

The Master’s degree is a 12-month full-time program including an internship or project work (total length: 1500 working hours).

The academic part is divided into two terms. You will cover 1500 hours of learning activities: 400 hours of classroom activities, 600 hours of individual/group work activities and 500 hours for the internship. During the first term you will study the fundamentals of marketing and communication, while the second term will deal with practical aspects and focus on the new media tools you will use in your professional career (you can find more detailed information about the courses in the section ‘Courses’ below).

The two terms are followed by an internship period of 500 working hours. This internship can be carried out at various companies and agencies in Italy or abroad. It is your chance to put into practice the theory and techniques learned during the two academic terms by working on marketing and communication strategies/campaigns, analyze and create solutions to real problems and work on action plans. You are expected to make the most of these opportunities by learning from the professionals you will be working with.

At the end of the internship you will be required to hand in a ‘final report’, which you will present to the Director of Studies showcasing your activities and analyzing the theories and lessons learned during the academic part.

Students who are interested can also choose to take an extracurricular course of Italian.

  • First term: October 2024 – March 2025
    • Kick Off & Ice-Breaking activities
    • Fundamental Courses: Communication and Storytelling; Branding and Corporate Communication; Sales and Trade Marketing; Industry Structure of Digital Communication; Strategic Accounting; Digital Marketing; Business Ethics and Sustainability; Marketing Strategy and Data Analysis for Market Research
  • Second term: March 2025 – June 2025
    • Specific Courses: Digital Strategy and Social Media Marketing; Digital Platforms Laboratory; Search Marketing; Content Marketing Laboratory and Digital Culture
    • Two Elective Courses of your choice between: Digital Interactive Marketing; Personal Branding; Laboratory of Customer Value Management and Neurosciences applied to Marketing
  • Internship: June 2025 – October 2025
    • Practical Experience
    • Final Project

COURSES

This course explores the ethical, social responsibility, and governance challenges facing businesses today and how individuals and firms can address those challenges. The course aims to enhance the skills and expertise of participants through combining an examination of ethical, social responsibility, corporate governance and managerial theory with a discussion of common ethical, sustainability, and governance problems in context. Course material includes individual moral theory, stakeholder theory, and theories of corporate governance. The course also covers the development and evaluation of ethical, governance and sustainability management systems designed to respond to ethical, governance, and sustainability challenges, and includes wide-ranging discussions regarding current major trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field of ethical business, corporate governance and social responsibility. Finally, the course explores how business ethics, social responsibility, and corporate governance affect society at large by impeding or by fostering the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Mura Matteo

The course is aimed in first place at acquiring a full understanding of storytelling as a communication practice by addressing it through the theoretical lenses of sociology, psychology, and semiotics. Our main focus will be digital storytelling as we will consider how technical affordances of different social media platforms, patterns of attention economy online, and dynamics of digital celebrity affect the way different narrative techniques can be employed to develop marketing strategies. Case histories of digital storytelling employed in corporate, institutional and political marketing will be presented and analyzed.

Valeriani Augusto

Through the development of concrete business cases, this course aims at developing the fundamental skills of content creation and content marketing strategy. Leveraging all the theories and tools related to the digital world, students will learn to apply them to the business goals that are more common in international companies.

Cianetti Patrizia

Corporate communication encompasses all the communication that takes place between an organization and its various stakeholders in order to project the company’s brand within and beyond the organization. Corporate communication is responsible for creating and maintaining the brand and looking after the organization’s reputation.

Grandi Roberto

The course is divided into three modules: Email Marketing, Web, SEO & Web Analytics. The course aims at preparing students to understand the digital marketing tools ecosystem; acquire email marketing automation know-how, develop the ability to independently use basic and advanced features of a professional digital marketing platform; practice with a brand site building blocks: hosting, backend, frontend and content; learn how to build, maintain and publish a website and how to integrate basic marketing functionalities on a website.

Ciacci Roberto

The course focuses on a comprehensive overview of social networks, emphasizing the significance of social media strategy, community management and the identification of target audiences. Through the analysis of success stories, viral content, reels, TikTok trends and sophisticated strategies for content curation, it addresses the market analysis, the identification of influencers and the tools for an effective lead generation. Studying the critical importance of metrics and key performance indicators in the digital landscape students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to interpret data effectively and to set digital strategies for optimum success.

Leshchenko Anastasia

This course aims to build a clear industry overview of digital communication, including typology of companies, agencies and professions. The course will cover the following topics: market dimensions and forecasting; indexing and ranking; associations (IAB, Assocomunicazione, Fedoweb); media agencies; creative agencies; web agencies; PR agencies; technology and provider company publisher; media owner; sales house; ad-networks; job titles and descriptions; local and global Industry.

Marco Dall’Olio

The strategic importance of all the customers; customer satisfaction; the value concept; to understand the value; the market sensing; to understand companies in their role as customer; market strategy. Introduction to general trade marketing principles; strategies and terminology. Overview of FMCG market; mass market sales channels; new media for retail marketing applications. Introduction to the main retailing mix tools. Practical introduction to trade marketing strategies; customer planning; cluster analysis; major clients action plans.

Scarpi Daniele

This course explore how search marketing works, both SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and paid search. Web analytics and CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) topics are also covered as well as: industry main player and trends, software tools, testing methodological approach. Students will also be challenged to test the theories through real business cases.

Sciutto Nereo

Introduction to basic accounting principles, accounting concepts, and accounting terminology. Financial statement analysis. Basic cost concepts and cost accounting. Introduction to management control principles and techniques.

Eleonora Monaco

The course aims to introduce students to the most relevant issues (foundational and more advanced) of digital technologies, discussing the most important present and future consequences on the lives of individuals and on the structure and functioning of organizations and processes. The course consists of 5 seminars: Ai & Machine Learning, All-in Security, Cloud & Beyond, The Science of Data, Internet of Things.

The process of marketing and sales management: from value analysis for the client to communication and delivery in the market. Value analysis for the client: the drivers of value for the client. Construction value for the client: segmentation, targeting, positioning and defining value proposition. Measuring the value for the client and pricing choices.  From the construction of the value to the commutation of the value: communication above and below the line. Distributing value: go to market, sales and key account management. The marketing plan, sales metrics and marketing performance.

Matta Shashi

The goal of the course is providing the knowledge needed to implement a marketing strategy that includes information technology as a tool to analyze customer needs, to communicate and sell. A quantitative approach to measure the efficacy of Digital Marketing will be followed for the online context (e.g. Social Media, E-commerce, Direct Marketing), including also digital technologies  for the offline context (e.g. Apps and Mobile Marketing in retailing). Among the goals of the course, are defining and implement a consistent digital marketing strategy, generating leads by selecting the most appropriate tools and monitoring the analytic performance.

Konus Umut

Introduction to marketing research: descriptive analysis. Utilizing probability and hypothesis in marketing research. Design and technical development finalized for collecting primary data. Data analysis: regression. Segmentation and clustering techniques. Perceptual maps and positioning.

The goal of the course is to give the participants a toolbox of techniques to apply in personal communications. Vital among these is providing tools for analysing, comparing and contrasting yourself with your audience. A series of techniques for lateral thinking and persuasion in the context of personal communication will be reviewed. The scope of these final meetings will be preparing for the job interviews demanded by the placement process at BBS. To this end, a series of “mock interviews” will be executed by professionals in the HR and Marketing fields.

Bekins Russell James

This course enables students to develop an effective and updated vision of the digital scenario using social network marketing, digital marketing, lead generation, e-commerce, loyalty and content marketing.

Tuan Annamaria

The course is organized in order to provide students with the possibility to learn by actively applying the tools learnt in class to concrete cases. Due to its practical nature, the course will enable students to learn about the tools to be used in order to generate, nurture, and maintain over time the relationship with the customer.

Visentin Marika

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamentals of applied neuroscience methodology, with a view at providing an understanding of human behavior in marketing contexts and neuroscience-based methods for its investigation. The course will be centred around neuroscience research exploring why and how the investigation of implicit processing and neurophysiological responses is vital to understand human behavior. After this course, students will be able to integrate neuroscience-based insights into their work for a better understanding of consumers behavior and application in marketing strategies.

Mario Ubiali

Learning approach

The main aim of our teaching staff is to first lay down a solid grounding of theory and then to build on this foundation by introducing more practical aspects. This method will result in you confidently entering the work environment of this industry, ready to deal with any scenario you will face.

The teaching staff will help you grasp these concepts and techniques through the use of lectures and seminars; group projects and company visits; guest speakers and case studies; videos and presentations; as well as individual assignments and assisted private studying.

The courses are structured to give the maximum freedom to learn to the students and allow the professors to teach and assess the students in the best way possible. Assessments can take the form of individual/group presentations, projects, oral and written exams as well as class participation.

Faculty

Faculty members at Bologna Business School work together offering outstanding teaching standards. An international and interdisciplinary approach is guaranteed by a joint team of distinguished national core professors, adjunct, visiting professors, guest speakers and top managers.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

The integration with companies is a priority and an ever-present feature of all programs of the Bologna Business School, hence for the Master in Digital Marketing and Communication too.

The School is fully committed to creating employability, by way of a systematic career service action, constantly focused on matching at best the students’ professional projects with the needs companies have.

The internship is an exceptional springboard, suffice it to say that six months after the end of the full-time masters at Bologna Business School on average 91% of students work in a company.

The BBS Career Service assists and supports students since the very beginning, along a training and professional development path. This is accomplished by organizing a series of workshops, with the aim of providing the fundamental tools and resources to be appropriately prepared for the labor market.

To achieve this goal, students are involved in several workshops, among which we may list:

  • Writing a CV and a Cover Letter
  • How to create an effective Linkedin profile
  • How to prepare for a job interview

Thanks to the collaboration with professional career counselors, students receive a customized service, in order to understand their strengths and to build their professional development plan, which will turn out to be helpful when looking for an internship. Here follow some of the activities:

  • Initial guidance interviews
  • Specific interviews, focused on one’s own career plan
  • Continuous support to students with one – to – one sessions

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Alumni

Supharat Intapant – Thailand

PPC Specialist, Artemest
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y 2021/2022)

"Doing my master's was necessary for me to advance in my career. I chose BBS because of its high-profile educational programs and the opportunity to learn from instructors with real-world experience, which would provide me with both theoretical and practical knowledge in a well-rounded education that goes beyond simply what is found in the textbooks. Thanks to BBS's collaborations, we had the chance to work on numerous projects with the best businesses in Italy and around the world, including Barilla, Ducati, Wearesocial, and others, these companies helped us in developing a comprehensive grasp of the Italian customer journey, the digital landscape, and the use of digital media across several markets. I would suggest this master's program to anyone looking to pursue a career in digital."

Martina Ricci – Italy

Digital Marketing Strategy Analyst, Accenture
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y 2020/2021)

"Attending the Master in Digital Marketing and Communication at Bologna Business School was a real honor. It gave me the opportunity to get in the digital world, giving me skills and competences that I never thought I'd acquire in such a short time. Thanks to an hands-on approach, always with an eye to internationality and innovation, I was able to start my career in one of the largest consulting companies in the world, and I couldn't be more than happy."

Lisa Gigerl – Austria

E-Commerce and Digital Media Specialist, Coind
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y. 2020/2021)

"This Master offers both in-depth theoretical input on the digital world and the possibility of acquiring useful practical skills through internships at market leading companies, making easier finding a way around an international job market. The excellent courses catalogue and the supportive BBS network were the main reasons for my application to this Master. The acquired knowledge and skills made it possible for me to land a job at one of the leading private label coffee roasters in Italy. I can warmly recommend BBS to any student having high expectations towards their educational institution."

Adriana Daidola Castberg – Italy/Norway

Marketing & Content Analyst, Deloitte
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y. 2020/2021)

"I was looking for a Master Programme focused on a practical and international teaching profile, based on professional experiences of industry leaders. The BBS offered me all of that, allowing me to start a new career path in one of the Big Four with the best possible preparation and awareness. I would recommend the BBS to anyone looking for a Business School with particular focus on placement and community in an international environment."

Anna Lysenko – Russia

Luxottica Retail Media Lead, Zenith (Publicis Media Italy)
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y. 2017/2018)

"The reason I always wanted to pursue a Master’s degree abroad was an opportunity to boost my international career. Thanks to BBS, the desired became possible: straight after the program, I joined one of the world's largest communications groups and have already had a chance to work on Ferrero, GSK and Kering media accounts. In fact, I believe this is one of the strongest points about the School: BBS can open up a lot of doors for its students."

Petra Kraus – Germany

Account Manager, Google
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y. 2017/2018)

"Thanks to this Master I am currently working in an international consulting company that offers me the opportunity to grow in the digital world. During the Master, what I appreciated the most was the relationship with colleagues from all over the world and the teachings of professors and entrepreneurs who always pushed me to do my best. I would absolutely repeat this experience and I recommend it to anyone who wants to grow professionally but also personally."

DANIELE ASSISTENTI – Italy

Senior SEO Manager, Digitas UK
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y. 2017/2018)

"At the end of my studies I was looking for a path that could introduce me to the world of work. What I found with this Master was much more: a stimulating and international environment, which provides a solid theoretical basis and, at the same time, tests through projects with real companies, but especially a large network of professionals, colleagues and friends from all over the world and with different backgrounds from which to learn. The Master in New Media and Marketing Communication in a word is: opportunity."

Giovanni De Falco – Italy

Digital Marketing Manager, ShopFully
Master in Digital Marketing and Communication (A.Y. 2016/2017)

"An internship in a world leading company in marketing and advertising that turned into my actual job and the ability to do it well: this is what I aspired to and what I obtained thanks to the Master. A solid network of knowledge in the world of Digital Marketing able to offer solutions and opportunities in one of the most dynamic areas of our time, this is what was created thanks to the network of BBS and its careful selection of students. The experience in the international environment and the program entirely in English have been fundamental to compete with an advantage in the world of work."

COMPANIES

The goal of the Career Service is also to allow students to connect with national and international companies. Over the years, Bologna Business School has managed to establish a wide-ranging network and a sound partnership with leading companies in Italy, thanks to a personalized approach, based on each company’s needs. The collaboration features the following activities:

  • Sending CV Books
  • Sharing internship opportunities
  • Company presentations
  • Career days
  • Project works

In-class activities with case studies presented by Managers and/or HR professionals

Moreover, companies support the Master in Digital Marketing and Communication with scholarships, professional opportunities, career fairs and company presentations. The companies that worked with us in 2022/2023 are:

ACCENTURE ADMENTA AMPLIFON ARTEMEST AUTOMOBILI LAMBORGHINI BARILLA BITBANG BOOSTER BOX CAAB COSWELL CRAQ DESIGN CRIF DENTSU DIEGO DALLA PALMA DR SCHAR D-SIGN DUCATI DUDE EAST-MEDIA E-NOVIA ESSENCEMEDIACOM ETHICA WINES FABBRI 1905 GARAGE RAW GHIMAS HAIER HAVAS GRUPPO HERA HIBO HOMINA GRUPPO MONTENEGRO HIBO HOMINA ICONSULTING ING IVECO JUST DO THE WORK KERAKOLL KIA LABORATORIO DELLE IDEE LAVAZZA LESS IS MORE LIFE LIU JO LORO PIANA LUXOTTICA MACCAFERRI MACH3D MAGILLA MAPENDO MARELLI MARS MASERATI MAX MARA FASHION GROUP MIDEA ITALIA MONCLER MUSIXMATCH MYTHERESA NOMISMA NOTOS OSCARD PANERAI PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL PHILIPS PIESSEPI PINKO POLONORD ADESTE PUBLICIS BEREBEL REVLON RONCUCCI AND PARTNERS SAVINO DEL BENE SEFORALL SHOPFULLY SKY TAKEOFF TOYOTA MATERIAL HANDLING MANUFACTURING TRADEDOUBLER TWINSET VALENTINO VERSACE VETPARTNERS VFC VODAFONE VOLVERO WE ARE SOCIAL WEBRANKING WHIRPOOL WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME WWF YNAP

FEES

The tuition fees for the Master is 14,800 euro (VAT free) to be paid in three installments:

  • First installment: 1,850 euros
  • Second installment: 7,000 euros
  • Third installment: 5,950 euros

The fee includes participation in the Master, all the study material available through the online platform, and access to the services and facilities of Bologna Business School. Furthermore, the fee gives participants the right to take advantage of the supporting activities of the School, such as the language courses and the master lectures by invitation.
Free parking is also available within BBS Campus.

Additionally, with the Student Card of the University of Bologna, students have access to all of the university facilities, including over 100 libraries, digital resources and study halls (including databases and online subscriptions); the three city center canteens and all university student related discount offers. More information is available on the site of the University of Bologna: http://www.unibo.it/it/servizi-e-opportunita

HONOR LOAN

For more information on honor loan, contact us by email: communication@bbs.unibo.it

SCHOLARSHIPS

At Bologna Business School we understand the importance of financial aid in supporting our students to achieve their educational goals. We are aware that an advanced, high quality training path can be a significant commitment, at the same time we also truly believe that investing in one’s future always pays back.

Bologna Business School is pleased to offer partial scholarships of €6,000 and €4,000 that are merit-based and will be awarded to the top-ranked candidates in the selection process. The students who come out on top in the selections will be students who not only come from strong academic or practical backgrounds but also those who display the strongest motivation to take part in this program. Winners you will be informed at the moment of admission.

 

 

REQUIREMENTS

In order to be admitted to the Master’s course you must have:

  • Bachelor’s degree (obtained within the closing date of enrollment of the selection round in which you participate)
  • Excellent level of English

The admission to the Master is subject to the positive evaluation of the selection test in line with the number of places available. The selection test consists of a motivational interview in English.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Register on “Studenti Online” by connecting to the site studenti.unibo.it 
2. Select “First Level Master”.
3. Pay the participation fee for the selection (60 euro for each Master)
4. Upload the required documents online:

  • Curriculum Vitae in English
  • Motivational letter in English
  • Letters of reference in English (optional)
  • Photograph of recognition
  • If available, a GMAT/GRE certificate with a score above 550 (GMAT) or equivalent (GRE). Applicants uploading this certificate are exempted from the written aptitude test as part of the admission process
  • If available, an English language certificate (TOEFL, IELTS or CAMBRIDGE) attesting a minimum English level of B2 in the European framework. Applicants uploading this certificate are exempted from the written English test as part of the admission process
  • For degrees obtained in Italy: Self-certification of Bachelor’s degree with details of exams taken and relative grades
  • For degrees obtained abroad: Dichiarazione di Valore (to be requested at the Italian Embassy in the country where the degree was obtained) or Diploma Supplement (to be requested at the university where the degree was obtained). In the event that the candidate is unable to obtain the Dichiarazione di Valore or Diploma Supplement at the time of enrollment, he/she may temporarily replace it with a Conditional Enrollment Form, which will be sent after enrollment by communication@bbs.unibo.it

For further guidance, candidates who obtained a bachelor’s degree abroad are encouraged to check the page below: https://www.unibo.it/en/teaching/enrolment-transfer-and-final-examination/declaration-of-value-translation-and-legalization

For further information concerning the selection process and the related documents, we invite you to consult the Master details and download the documents available in this section:

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