Three years of study for a total of 180 credits (CFM).
The goal of this programme is to develop advanced market-ready skills that complement the high level of language proficiency our students gain. It is not only about mastering grammar, vocabulary and specialized business language, but about translating, interpreting and communicating complex ideas while preserving the subtleties of language and mediating between different cultures with distinct world-views. Students who apply themselves and follow the programme diligently, typically complete their degree on schedule and go on to achieve success in the professional world.
Objectives
Multilingualism is a key that opens doors to the world. Speaking multiple languages not only enables you to connect with people from diverse cultures, but also gives you a new perspective on life. A polyglot thinks differently, sees the world with fresh eyes, and has a richer experience of life and the world.
Your future begins with the skills you choose to build today. At SSML Pisa, you will gain advanced linguistic ability, professional translation and interpreting techniques, and the cultural insight needed to navigate international contexts. Our programme prepares you to succeed in multilingual workplaces, global companies, diplomatic environments, cultural institutions, and beyond.
Ready to unlock your future? Explore the professional skills and global competencies you’ll gain at SSML Pisa.
- Very advanced level (C1) of knowledge in two foreign languages
- Intermediate linguistic knowledge of a third foreign language as well
- Full mastery of technical/scientific methods and content in different languages
- Excellent oral and written linguistic-technical skills in multiple languages
- Specific and technical training in multiple business areas
- Knowledge of the art and techniques of public speaking
- Development of lateral thinking, time management, and other soft skills
How do we help you gain these skills?
This programme is designed to train highly specialised professionals who, thanks to strong linguistic skills and solid technical knowledge, are ready to seize the opportunities offered by an increasingly dynamic and international society and job market.
Translation
We teach you the techniques of written linguistic mediation for texts in the socio-economic, legal, tourism, and medical-scientific fields with a practical approach;
Interpreting
We provide hands-on training in oral language mediation techniques, with practical workshops in consecutive interpreting, liaison interpreting, chuchotage (whispered interpreting), and introductory simultaneous interpreting, preparing students to work in both business and institutional settings.
Employment
We prepare you for the corporate world with a focus on economic-legal disciplines, in the English language, and specific subjects depending on the chosen field of study;
Internship
We work with you to organise your curricular internship in Italy or abroad. This internship will introduce you to the professional world, giving you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills directly in the field.
SSML di Pisa in numbers
Classes in target languages.
A 1 to 5 teacher-student ratio for maximum exposure and close support.
The percentage of students who complete their degree within the expected time-frame
Partner universities where you can study with the Erasmus+ program
Students who apply access the Erasmus+ program
Partner companies in 22 countries where you can do an Internship
Languages taught.
Languages you can choose in every study plan
Mother-tongue teachers from 15 different countries
Internship
At SSML Pisa, we believe that completing an internship is an essential part of the three-year study programme. Our Institute actively supports this experience through our Career Service Office, which works closely with each student to identify the training opportunity that best aligns with their skills, interests, and future goals — whether in Italy or in another country.
Discover why to do an internship, the affiliated companies, listen to the students’ experiences, and read what companies think of our students!
Career Opportunities – The Role of the Linguistic Mediator
SSML Pisa Graduates: Their professional pathways
Graduates of the Scuola Superiore per Mediatori Linguistici in Pisa achieve a very high level of language competence (C1), thanks to a practical, professional study approach taught by native-speaking lecturers and specialists. Their training focuses on languages as they are used across different professional fields, ensuring strong, real-world communication skills.
Once a high level of language proficiency has been achieved, a wide range of career paths becomes available, as the use of languages in the professional world is truly cross-sector and versatile.
Here are some areas:
How to choose the right University
Linguistic Mediation Degree (L12) and Languages Degree (L11) compared:
Choosing a course of study is an important decision, and it is normal to feel undecided and doubtful at times. It is even more so today, because young people have an endless array of options available to them, a world of possibilities that, while stimulating, can make the choice more difficult.
If your certainty is the desire to study languages, perhaps you’re asking yourself whether to study Linguistic Mediation or Foreign Languages and Literatures. We have created a diagram (or: chart) that guides you in understanding the main differences. Read and choose
L11 Foreign Languages and Literature
Over the three years, it involves the study of two foreign languages and, specifically, Italian and foreign literature, linguistics and/or didactics, as well as Italian literature.
L-12 Linguistic Mediation at the SSML of Pisa
At SSML Pisa, students study three foreign languages. Our curriculum is built around a practical approach, training students to apply their linguistic and cultural knowledge across multiple professional fields — from marketing and communication to fashion, luxury and export management, from sustainable tourism to international relations, and audiovisual translation.
To understand these differences at a glance, it is sufficient to look at the comparison table between a curriculum of our SSML and that of a University of Languages.
L11 Foreign Languages and Literature
Exams in the philological-literary field
117
Language exams
54
Non-linguistic exams in the business, legal, and technical fields
3
Internship
0
Thesis
6
L-12 Linguistic Mediation at the SSML of Pisa
Exams in the philological-literary field
12
Language exams
126
Non-linguistic exams in the business, legal, and technical fields
30
Internship
4
Thesis
8
If you are an SSML Pisa student and not a Languages and Literature one:
- You come prepared, followed, and instructed to translate written and oral content of various kinds, useful in the business field;
- You will be able to distinguish yourself in the art of conference interpreting (consecutive and simultaneous), translating and interpreting specialized speeches in the first and second language.
- you will be immersed in a concrete and practical application of language knowledge, from the translation of written texts to the interpretation of a speech delivered orally during, for example, a conference
- You will achieve a total of 126 ECTS credits out of 180 related to language exams, compared to 54 for the L11.
- Your Thesis (or: final paper) will be a reflection of the work of the three years: concrete, useful, and in the language [of study].
