Italy puts a premium on its healthcare. The country takes the top two spots worldwide for excellence in healthcare. Not only do they invest in cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking research, but they also develop their educational system to keep up with the needs of tomorrow. The country has the longest tradition of public health and is home to some of the pioneers of modern medicine.
With these credentials, who wouldn’t want an Italian public health education? Below, we discuss some of Italy’s best public health universities.
Top Schools Offering Public Health Programs in Italy
1. University of Milan
The University of Milan is considered one of the top public health schools in Italy. It offers a Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences, equipping graduates with an international perspective on public health management. This prestigious three-year course helps students assess the population’s health, create plans to curb the spread of chronic and infectious diseases, and teach others about the importance of doing research in a practical setting.
Doctoral students can then research methodologies in the health field, implement public health policies, cultivate a strong foundation in quantitative studies necessary to public health, and explore other areas related to this field.
2. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
The Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is a world-renowned institution faithful to its Catholic roots. It is the largest privately funded institution in Europe and the most prominent Catholic university in the world. Fueled by its strong tradition of research and education, it guides its students through forming Catholic values essential for tomorrow’s leaders. One of the electives in the degree includes public health.
The Healthcare Management program under its School of Medicine and Surgery prepares international students for various roles that require insight and experience in the medical field, such as healthcare industries, national public agencies, insurance, and consulting companies. Through the course, students are exposed to innovative thinking and solutions for health policy from a multidisciplinary point of view.
During the two-year course, students will be immersed in lectures and methodologies, balanced with opportunities to put these into practice through individual and group case studies. Each student is also paired with two professors—a resident faculty mentor and an international faculty staff member —to promote an exchange of varying viewpoints.
3. University of Bologna
The University of Bologna is a pioneer of the university system practiced today. Given its high interconnectedness with the international community, it is natural that its public health course exhibits the same level of partnership. Unibo offers the European Master in Health Economics and Management—an Erasmus Mundus joint degree program in collaboration with three other esteemed universities in the region: Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Oslo, and Management Center Innsbruck.
The course starts with fundamentals through lectures, then progresses to two semesters of specialization based on the chosen route at partner universities. The course caps off in the fourth semester with the final research and dissertation. Additionally, students may avail themselves of other internships and workshops organized by the partner universities to further their knowledge and experience.
The program is unique in offering one general course with six routes for specialization and prepares students with a societal approach to health. This degree cultivates excellent graduates for roles such as managers of health institutions or NGOs, health economists, and analysts, combining this with management disciplines like economics, finance, and law.
4. Sapienza University of Rome
The Sapienza University of Rome is another one of the best public health universities in Italy. It offers a master’s course in Health Economics, training students to analyze health data quantitatively and qualitatively to create sound management or economic policy. The course delves into the impact of one’s lifestyle on societal health through hygiene and epidemiology while also touching on adjacent disciplines of economics, accounting, law, and statistics to turn insights into practical action.
Some featured study areas include epidemiology and public health, health economics and public intervention in the health sector, health
law, methods and tools of quantitative analysis, and management and evaluation of performance in the health sector. Students are taught the ins and outs of public administration and the management of all parts of the value chain to become key managers and decision-makers.
Students undergo lectures and required internships in private and public companies, as well as seminars and workshops, to supplement classroom learning. Graduates enter the labor force with wide perspectives on the health sector—from individual to national to international viewpoints—making them flexible for all types of roles in the health industry.
5. SDA Bocconi School of Management
The SDA Bocconi School of Management offers a Master’s in International Healthcare Management, Economics, and Policy for students looking to take on roles in international healthcare. This one-year English program offers broad public and private health sector competencies through its core research and management competencies.
It’s the only degree to offer specializations in global health and development, healthcare management, and pharmaceutical and medical technology. It tackles issues surrounding public health systems in emerging economies, global strategies and analysis in health policy-making, and how to engage, influence, and evaluate stakeholders in execution.
The program also equips students interested in the health sector with managerial skills to operate health organizations as they would a business. This type of work is best suited for roles in health institutions such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other integrated healthcare delivery systems.
Studying public health in Italy is an excellent decision as an international student since you can study under renowned professors in outstanding universities in the country. So, consider the schools listed above if you want to make the most of your education and have experiences that will stay with you forever.
We hope this article on the best public health universities in Italy was helpful. Also, make sure to check out the Italy Page and Available Programs in Europe for International Students to know more!
