Guides to the university

Program Director:
Paola Dubini

Director IM concentrations: Paola Dubini
Director IM CEMS: Irene Dagnino
Director IM CHINA MIM: Gimede Gigante
Director IM ESSEC: Deborah Raccagni
Director IM Global experience: Massimo Magni

Assistant to the Program Director 
Laura Forti

Field of study:
Management (no. LM-77 of the Ministerial Decree 16 March, 2007 for students enrolled until the a.y. 2024/2025;
no. LM-77 R of the Ministerial Decree 1649/2023 for students enrolled from the a.y. 2025/2026)

The Master of Science in International Management has the following educational objectives:

1. provide advanced, structured and integrated training in the main functional business areas of a firm, in particular strategy, marketing, finance, performance measurement, and organization; contextualize knowledge in the global macro-economic scenario and in the regulatory/legal framework; foster knowledge on methods and tools to properly analyze data to support decision-making processes; focus the attention of analysis and decision-making on sustainability and digitalization;
2. allow students to widen/deepen their knowledge ranging from “business sectors” topics (e.g., luxury and fashion and consulting) to “business functions” topics (e.g., human resources, financial management), according to their career - oriented interests.
3. develop abilities in applying knowledge by means of technology- based teaching/learning methodologies that foster interaction among students and their engagement with a “learning by doing” approach (e.g., case studies, simulations, role-play, business games);
4. develop behavioral skills via ad hoc seminars and via in/out of class activities related to courses, namely skills in communication, leadership, interpersonal relations in multicultural contexts, and in addressing complex managerial issues;
5. promote fluency in English to work effectively and efficiently in different business contexts and competences in a second EU language (Italian for non-Italian native speakers); foster a wide-ranging culture to develop critical thinking and to delve into cutting-edge topics.

The main career opportunities for International Management graduates are described below. 

Management Specialist in (international) companies

Role in the workplace:

According to the personalization of their study plan, graduates are involved in management activities usually within one of the organizational units - e.g. marketing dept, accounting/finance dept, planning & control dept, human resources dept, operations dept, etc. - in companies, operating in global markets and/or multicultural contexts. Taking advantage of their knowledge and skills, graduates effectively contribute to carrying out current business activities as well as to designing and implementing new projects in fast paced and ever-changing competitive systems.

Examples of potential macro-activities are:

• Business Development: Supporting the company's growth/competitiveness by identifying and evaluating new business opportunities/threats in international markets and providing insights to drive strategic decision-making and strategy implementation.
• Marketing management: Developing and implementing marketing strategies in global markets, managing international marketing campaigns, coordinating product launches, developing and implementing sales strategies.
• Accounting/Financial management: Contributing to preparing and finalizing financial statements in compliance with (international) accounting standards; analyzing financing and investment opportunities/threats and providing insights to support the company's financing/investment decisions in multinational markets.
• Performance measurement: Designing and implementing performance measurement and control systems to set financial and non-financial targets and check the level of achievement.
• Human resources management: Developing and implementing HR strategies and employer branding, managing global recruitment and talent acquisition, handling employee relations at international level, and ensuring the compliance with labor laws.
• Global supply chain management: Assisting in optimizing the global supply chain by analyzing the logistics process, identifying areas of improvement and coordinating with suppliers, distributors, and internal teams.

Skills associated to the role:

The main competences (in terms of qualified knowledge and skills) enacted by graduates are:

• leveraging challenges and opportunities deriving from the external as well as the internal environment to make decisions and to act in operational contexts, thus contributing to the effective development and implementation of current/new business activities;
• collecting, processing, analyzing, and properly interpreting data and information (by applying advanced quantitative methods and tools);
• applying critical and innovative thinking, both in recurring and in new tasks;
• drafting and presenting well-structured working documents;
• conducting meetings and properly interacting within multicultural teams.

Career opportunities:

Graduates will work in companies of any size (small, medium, large), any institutional structure (private or public), as well as in start-ups or established businesses. They are particularly fit for companies with an international outreach and a strong focus on international markets and international organizations.

Consultant for (international) companies

Role in the workplace:

Graduates are involved in analyzing the unique characteristics and attributes of companies, delving into their internal processes and assessing the competitive landscape of the international markets they operate in. Based on these analyses, graduates contribute to supporting companies in several projects, such as, for example:

• Defining competitive strategies: Conducting market research, analyzing industry trends, identifying growth opportunities and providing recommendations for expanding into new markets.
• Defining organizational structures and processes: Redesigning the organizational structure of the company (revising job roles, reallocating responsibilities and redefining internal procedures), and supporting the company in the development and implementation of business restructuring processes.
• Optimizing the supply chain: Identifying areas of inefficiencies by reviewing the entire supply chain process (from sourcing and procurement to production, distribution, and customer delivery), and developing actionable strategies to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the company’s operations.
• Enhancing the accounting and control systems: Assessing the effectiveness of internal control systems and procedures and identifying areas for improvement, assisting in the development and implementation of financial planning and budgeting processes, analyzing the cost structure of the company and recommending strategies for cost reduction or optimization, assisting in the evaluation, selection, and implementation of financial systems (such as enterprise resource planning - ERP) and providing guidance on compliance with accounting standards, tax regulations, and other financial and non-financial reporting requirements.

Skills associated to the role:

The main competences (in terms of qualified knowledge and skills) enacted by graduates are:

• adapting quickly and flexibly to different business/industry contexts;
• assessing challenges and opportunities deriving from the external as well as the internal environment to support successful company decisions and promote their efficient/effective implementation;
• collecting, processing, analyzing and properly interpreting data and information (by applying advanced quantitative methods and tools);
• applying critical and innovative thinking to make proposals and to effectively pitch them to customers;
• drafting and presenting well-structured documents with a clear description of the “as is” and “to be” situation;
• conducting meetings and properly interacting at all organizational levels, especially the top ones.

Career opportunities:

Graduates will work in management consulting firms operating at national/international level to support strategic, marketing, financial, organizational, … decisions as well as setting up their implementation.

The Master of Science in International Management (in English) is organized in two main paths characterized by different entry level of English proficiency and by the types of experiences abroad. The two main paths allow students to progressively orient themselves towards early career paths.

Mobility abroad is a key value and may take the form of work and/or study experience. The duration of study abroad experiences may vary from one semester (exchange and free mover programs) to one year (double degree programs).

The first part of the study plan (1st year) includes educational activities that are in common to both main paths: core courses, business game, and behavioral skill seminar. The two paths share the same allocation of credits for each activity and address the same disciplines, even if with different nuances in each main path. 

The second part of the study plan (2nd year) includes educational activities allowing students to personalize their study plan: an “open path” available in both paths and guided specialization (“concentrations”) available in one of the two main paths.

The third part of the study plan (2nd year) includes, in both main paths:

• internship or similar work activity;
• two EU languages: professional English as first language for all students; the second language must be different from the native language (Italian is mandatory for all students who are not native Italian speakers);
• seminars and other educational activities aimed at fostering a wide-ranging culture;
• thesis (written work and oral dissertation), which significantly characterizes the personal study path.
   

The program structure of the Master of Science in International Management comprises educational activities for a total of 120 credit points.

The MSc in International Management is organized into five paths:

1. IM Concentrations
2. IM CEMS
3. IM CHINA MIM
4. IM ESSEC
5. IM Global Experience
   
    

First year of studies

During the first year of the program, between 8-21 January 2026, students are required to select one of the following concentrations:

• Human resource management & Change management
• Consulting
• Managerial corporate finance
• Performance analysis and management
• Entrepreneurship
• Luxury & Fashion Management
• Sport Management

When choosing the concentration, students must also choose the compulsory law course and the Business Game educational activity.

The program structure is valid for the students initially enrolled in the academic years of reference for this section.
 

 (!)1st/2nd semester: courses in the Master of Science in International Management will be organized into bimesters. As a result, the course period and exams calendar shall vary depending on the positioning of the course. For the positioning of each course in the bimester, please see the course timetable published on the website. For the structure of the exams calendar, see the chapter on Exams.
 

NOTE:
code 20952 ‘Economy and society - Module 1 (Economic prospects) ' and code 20953 ‘Economy and society - Module 2 (Entrepreneurship, history and society)’ are respectively the first and second module of the course code 20951 ‘Economy and society'.

The courses subdivided in modules are considered passed, and may be recorded in the student academic career and certified, only after passing both exams of which it is made up. The final grade is obtained by the grade point average of the two marks compared to the credits and rounded up if decimals are equal or higher than 5, rounded down if they are lower than 5.
It is furthermore specified that the credit points and the grades earned for the individual modules passed will be taken into account for rankings within the University (e.g. Bocconi Scholarship, selection for International Programs, etc.) and they can be viewed by printing the unofficial academic transcript at Punto Blu.

Second year of studies

*  for detailed information on Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities, see chapter 2.1.2.4 “Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities”.

Some opportunities to study abroad such as Exchange programs lasting one semester and Double Degree programs are offered (see "International Opportunities").

For detailed information about languages see "Languages".

Enrolling in the II year, the student must select 4 elective courses – corresponding to the 24 credits allocated to elective educational actitivies - related to the Concentrations offered. 

• HR Management and Change Management;
• Luxury and Fashion Management;
• Managerial Corporate Finance;
• Consulting;
• Sport Management;
• Performance Analysis and Management;
• Entrepreneurship;
• IM-Open Path DD and Exchange

The Program Director is available during his/her office hours published on the website at www.unibocconi.eu/officehours to provide further information on the study plan.

The Concentration structure includes:

a) 1 compulsory Concentration course:

b) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

c) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

d) 1 course freely chosen from among the electives of all of the other MSc programs or a course without correspondence (after the grade has been recognized), only if the subject group of the course without correspondence indicated when recognizing the grade is the same as one of the subject groups for the elective courses offered for the program (see attachment).

The Concentration structure includes:

a) 1 compulsory Concentration course:

b) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

c) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

d) 1 course freely chosen from among the electives of all of the other MSc programs or a course without correspondence (after the grade has been recognized), only if the subject group of the course without correspondence indicated when recognizing the grade is the same as one of the subject groups for the elective courses offered for the program (see attachment).

The Concentration structure includes:

a) 1 compulsory Concentration course:

b) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

c) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

d) 1 course freely chosen from among the electives of all of the other MSc programs or a course without correspondence (after the grade has been recognized), only if the subject group of the course without correspondence indicated when recognizing the grade is the same as one of the subject groups for the elective courses offered for the program (see attachment).

The Concentration structure includes:

a) 1 compulsory Concentration course:

b) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

c) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

d) 1 course freely chosen from among the electives of all of the other MSc programs or a course without correspondence (after the grade has been recognized), only if the subject group of the course without correspondence indicated when recognizing the grade is the same as one of the subject groups for the elective courses offered for the program (see attachment).

The Concentration structure includes:

a) 1 compulsory Concentration course:

b) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

c) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

d) 1 course freely chosen from among the electives of all of the other MSc programs or a course without correspondence (after the grade has been recognized), only if the subject group of the course without correspondence indicated when recognizing the grade is the same as one of the subject groups for the elective courses offered for the program (see attachment). 

The Concentration structure includes:

a) 1 compulsory Concentration course:

b) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

c) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

d) 1 course freely chosen from among the electives of all of the other MSc programs or a course without correspondence (after the grade has been recognized), only if the subject group of the course without correspondence indicated when recognizing the grade is the same as one of the subject groups for the elective courses offered for the program (see attachment).

The Concentration structure includes:

a) 1 compulsory Concentration course:

b) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

c) at least 1 course chosen from among the following:

d) 1 course freely chosen from among the electives of all of the other MSc programs or a course without correspondence (after the grade has been recognized), only if the subject group of the course without correspondence indicated when recognizing the grade is the same as one of the subject groups for the elective courses offered for the program (see attachment).

The Open Path concentration is reserved to students participating in Exchange, Free Mover, and Double Degree programs. 

Students participating in Exchange, Free Mover and Double Degree programs who obtain the conversion of exams taken abroad without correspondence upon returning to Bocconi in substitution for 2nd-year electives must make the change from Concentration to “Open Path” through Punto Blu (see chapter Procedures, Rules and Administrative Deadlines- paragraph 9.2.7)

2nd-year electives may be substituted with the converted exams without correspondence – provided that at least two of them refer to the following subjects groups and are approved by the Program Director: SECS-P/06, SECS-P/07, SECS-P/08, SECS-P/09, SECS-P/10, SECS-P/11, SECS-P/12, SECS-S/01, SECS-S/06, INF/01, SECS-P/05, ING-INF/05, SECS-P/01.

Opportunities for studying abroad are offered, such as one-semester Exchange programs and Double Degree programs (see "International Opportunities"). Detailed information regarding languages is provided in the "Languages" section.

During the first year of the program, between 8-21 January 2026, students are required to select one of the following Business Game activities:

• 20939 Decision making in complex business redesign
• 20959 Brand building and performance measurement

First year of studies

The program structure is valid for the students initially enrolled in the academic years of reference for this section.

 (!)1st/2nd semester: courses in the Master of Science in International Management will be organized into bimesters. As a result, the course period and exams calendar shall vary depending on the positioning of the course. For the positioning of each course in the half-semester, please see the course timetable published on the website. For the structure of the exams calendar, see the chapter on Exams.

NOTA:
code 20952 ‘Economy and society - Module 1 (Economic prospects) ' and code 20953 ‘Economy and society - Module 2 (Entrepreneurship, history and society)’ are respectively the first and second module of the course code 20951 ‘Economy and society'.

The courses subdivided in modules are considered passed, and may be recorded in the student academic career and certified, only after passing both exams of which it is made up. The final grade is obtained by the grade point average of the two marks compared to the credits and rounded up if decimals are equal or higher than 5, rounded down if they are lower than 5.
It is furthermore specified that the credit points and the grades earned for the individual modules passed will be taken into account for rankings within the University (e.g. Bocconi Scholarship, selection for International Programs, etc.) and they can be viewed by printing the unofficial academic transcript at Punto Blu.

Second year of studies (one semester at one of the CEMS Partner Schools)

* At least 2 of the II year elective courses must refer to one of the subject groups: SECS-P/06, SECS-P/07, SECS-P/08, SECS-P/09, SECS-P/10, SECS-P/11, SECS-P/12, SECS-S/01, SECS-S/06, INF/01, SECS-P/05, ING-INF/05, SECS-P/01.

**  for detailed information on Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities, see chapter 2.1.2.4 “Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities”.

For detailed information about languages see "Languages".
 

During the first year of the program, between 8-21 January 2026, students are required to select one of the following Business Game activities:

• 20939 Decision making in complex business redesign
• 20959 Brand building and performance measurement

First year of studies

The program structure is valid for the students initially enrolled in the academic years of reference for this section.

 (!)1st/2nd semester: courses in the Master of Science in International Management will be organized into bimesters. As a result, the course period and exams calendar shall vary depending on the positioning of the course. For the positioning of each course in the bimester, please see the course timetable published on the website. For the structure of the exams calendar, see the chapter on Exams.

Second year of studies at Fudan School of Management (Shanghai)

NOTE:
code 20964 ‘Economy and society - Module 1 (Economic prospects) ' and code 20965 ‘Economy and society - Module 2 (Managing innovation and entrepreneurship)’ are respectively the first and second module of the course code 20963 ‘Economy and society'.

The courses subdivided in modules are considered passed, and may be recorded in the student academic career and certified, only after passing both exams of which it is made up. The final grade is obtained by the grade point average of the two marks compared to the credits and rounded up if decimals are equal or higher than 5, rounded down if they are lower than 5.
It is furthermore specified that the credit points and the grades earned for the individual modules passed will be taken into account for rankings within the University (e.g. Bocconi Scholarship, selection for International Programs, etc.) and they can be viewed by printing the unofficial academic transcript at Punto Blu.

* Please note that at least two 2nd-year elective courses taken abroad and recognized without correspondence must refer to the following subject groups: SECS-P/06, SECS-P/07, SECS-P/08, SECS-P/09, SECS-P/10, SECS-P/11, SECS-P/12, SECS-S/01, SECS-S/06, INF/01, SECS-P/05, ING-INF/05, SECS-P/01.

** For detailed information on Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities, see chapter 2.1.2.4 “Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities”.

For detailed information about languages see "Languages".

First year of studies

The program structure is valid for the students initially enrolled in the academic years of reference for this section.

 (!)1st/2nd semester: courses in the Master of Science in International Management will be organized into bimesters. As a result, the course period and exams calendar shall vary depending on the positioning of the course. For the positioning of each course in the bimester, please see the course timetable published on the website. For the structure of the exams calendar, see the chapter on Exams.

*for detailed information on Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities, see chapter 2.1.2.4 “Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities”. 

NOTA:
code 20952 ‘Economy and society - Module 1 (Economic prospects) ' and code 20953 ‘Economy and society - Module 2 (Entrepreneurship, history and society)’ are respectively the first and second module of the course code 20951 ‘Economy and society'.

The courses subdivided in modules are considered passed, and may be recorded in the student academic career and certified, only after passing both exams of which it is made up. The final grade is obtained by the grade point average of the two marks compared to the credits and rounded up if decimals are equal or higher than 5, rounded down if they are lower than 5.
It is furthermore specified that the credit points and the grades earned for the individual modules passed will be taken into account for rankings within the University (e.g. Bocconi Scholarship, selection for International Programs, etc.) and they can be viewed by printing the unofficial academic transcript at Punto Blu.
 

Second year of studies (1st semester at Bocconi and second semester at ESSEC in Cergy)

** Please note that at least two 2nd-year elective courses taken abroad and recognized without correspondence must refer to the following subject groups: SECS-P/06, SECS-P/07, SECS-P/08, SECS-P/09, SECS-P/10, SECS-S/01, SECS-P/05.

For detailed information about languages see "Languages".

First year of studies

The program structure is valid for the students initially enrolled in the academic years of reference for this section.

(!)1st/2nd semester: courses in the Master of Science in International Management will be organized into bimesters. As a result, the course period and exams calendar shall vary depending on the positioning of the course. For the positioning of each course in the bimester, please see the course timetable published on the website. For the structure of the exams calendar, see the chapter on Exams.

NOTA:
code 20948 Global Scenarios - Module I (Macroeconomics) and code 20949 Global Scenarios - Module II (Geopolitics and Business) are respectively the first and second module of the course code 20947 ‘Global Scenarios’.

The courses subdivided in modules are considered passed, and may be recorded in the student academic career and certified, only after passing both exams of which it is made up. The final grade is obtained by the grade point average of the two marks compared to the credits and rounded up if decimals are equal or higher than 5, rounded down if they are lower than 5.
It is furthermore specified that the credit points and the grades earned for the individual modules passed will be taken into account for rankings within the University (e.g. Bocconi Scholarship, selection for International Programs, etc.) and they can be viewed by printing the unofficial academic transcript at Punto Blu.

Second year of studies

* Please note that at least one of the 2nd-year elective courses must refer to the following subject groups: SECS-P/06, SECS-P/07, SECS-P/08, SECS-P/09, SECS-P/10, SECS-P/11, SECS-P/12, SECS-S/01, SECS-S/06, INF/01, SECS-P/05, ING-INF/05, SECS-P/01.

** for detailed information on Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities, see chapter 2.1.2.4 “Enhancing experience - Curricular supplementary activities”.

For detailed information about languages see "Languages".

! The Global Experience program includes a required study abroad experience (Exchange Program or internship) preferably in a country other than the student's country of origin.

With particular reference to the Global Experience and IM Concentrations programs:

• the Global Experience program includes a required study abroad experience (Exchange Program or internship), preferably in a country other than the student's country of origin;
• for the IM Concentrations program, some opportunities to study abroad such as Exchange programs lasting one semester and Double Degree programs are offered.

Double Degree programs are addressed to a selected group of students who have excelled in their studies and have adequate language skills.
Students who are admitted can study one year in Italy and one year abroad; at the end of the courses they will obtain both the Italian Master of Science degree and the equivalent foreign degree awarded by the partner school.

Detailed information on the Double Degree program and any updates related to eligibility and requirements, application and deadlines and available destinations are published on the website www.ir.unibocconi.eu/doubledegree. Emails can also be sent to the following address: doubledegree@unibocconi.it.

In the same area you can also read comments by students who have been abroad in previous years.

The selection procedures for the programs are presented in "Studying Abroad".