Marketing and Management for Creative Industries - IED Milano

Language

Italian, English

Start date

October 2026

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

3 Years

Credits

180 CFA / ECTS

In the cultural and creative industries, a project is not limited to the production of content or forms, but involves the ability to envision, design, and manage complex innovation processes. From publishing to audiovisual media, from communication to events, from design to fashion and cultural project development, ideas become products, services, and experiences that must be conceived in relation to contexts, audiences, modes of engagement, and ongoing social, technological, and economic transformations.

The First-Level Academic Diploma in Marketing and Management for the Creative Industries prepares you to work in these contexts by integrating strategic thinking with design methodologies: an approach that enables you to interpret problems, build scenarios, support innovation processes, and translate creative visions into strategies and operational choices.

Over the three-year programme, you will acquire the foundations of marketing and management - from defining identity and audience, to building scenarios and shaping strategies, through to planning activities, budgets, and timelines. You will explore topics related to communication, developing an informed understanding of media and contemporary languages, and learning to design content and messages in relation to channels, usage contexts, and target audiences. In parallel, cultural and theoretical courses will support your ability to interpret contexts and cultural transformations within which projects take shape, strengthening critical thinking and the overall quality of design decisions.

Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams, simulating real professional contexts and developing the ability to collaborate with creative, communication, and organisational roles. Engagement with industry professionals and work on applied projects will allow you to test yourself in concrete sectors of the creative industries, such as the design and development of cultural, editorial, and audiovisual initiatives; supporting innovation in services, events, and organisational processes; and designing strategies and content for traditional and digital media.

By the end of the programme, you will be able to transform an idea into a structured, sustainable, and communicable project, working methodically and producing professional outputs. You will also be equipped to contribute to the development, coordination, and innovation of projects, with a solid foundation for professional growth or for pursuing specialised second-level studies.

Course structure and contents:

The programme is organised over three years, during which design practice is integrated with cultural knowledge, dialogue with professionals, operational skills, and digital tools.

The first year focuses on the foundations of the design methodology and on understanding the creative industries: you will learn to analyse a context, define a problem, identify an audience, and clarify objectives and positioning. You will build your initial tools for marketing and communication and begin working on projects through a research- and analysis-driven approach.

The second year develops more operational skills: defining value propositions and strategies, setting up work plans and processes, organising activities and resources. You will work with budgets and timelines, create presentations and project materials, and learn to use essential monitoring tools. Sustainability and social and environmental impact are also addressed as design criteria.

The third year consolidates your profile through applied projects often carried out in teams, simulating real professional contexts. You will combine strategy and operations, testing solutions and learning to justify your decisions by balancing creative ambition with real-world constraints.
The programme concludes with a thesis project, which may involve, for example, rethinking and structuring a cultural or creative initiative, translating an idea into a feasible and sustainable project. Alternatively, it may consist of designing a complete operational plan for a service or event, including activity planning, resource allocation, budgeting, timelines, and criteria for evaluating results.

*An application for accreditation of this course has been submitted to the MUR – Italian Ministry of University and Research. The information on this page will be updated based on developments related to the application.

News

IED Expands Its English-Language Offer with New Courses in Design, Fashion and Film

27 February 2026

IED Expands Its English-Language Offer with New Courses in Design, Fashion and Film

IED – Istituto Europeo di Design is broadening its international offer with a new range of English-taught courses. A strategic move that strengthens IED’s position as Europe’s largest design network, opening its doors to students and creative professionals from across the globe.

Forbes Next Leaders – IED Student designs the February cover of Next Leaders

12 March 2026

Forbes Next Leaders – IED Student designs the February cover of Next Leaders

Forbes Next Leaders and IED come together to promote the creativity of a new generation: the partnership dedicated to the covers of Next Leaders begins.

11 March 2026

IED and Tiny Idols collaborate on the costumes for the Paralympic Opening Ceremony

A special workshop with the costume director of the 2026 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, Silvia Ortombina, led to the finalisation of Vibes.

25 February 2026

AD100 IED Alumni: a talk series with Architectural Digest

The protagonists are three alumni who have been included over the years in the prestigious AD selection. The series opens with Federica Biasi, followed by Francesco Meda and Studio Klass.

20 February 2026

VISIONI DAL FUTURO - A century of posters from the Triennale Milano Archives, animated and reinterpreted by young designers

The installation, part of the European project SISS – Sounding Images, Screening Sounds, was presented in the Agora of IED Kunsthal Bilbao with a live performance.

10 February 2026

Carlo Verdone Meets IED: a talk on Film, Comedy, and Contemporary Society

A new IED Talk event dedicated to cinema on 23 February at IED Milano

06 February 2026

From the classroom to the Olympics: IED Milano students at work for Milano Cortina 2026

37 students from IED Milano have been selected to collaborate with Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) in the lead-up to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games

Valentino: Après moi, le déluge!

30 January 2026

Valentino: Après moi, le déluge!

In January and February 2026, a small exhibition will be held in the Franca Sozzani Fashion Reading Room at IED Milan, paying tribute to Valentino, a great master of Italian fashion, who passed away on January 19.

16 January 2026

Starting Strong: The Advantages of Arriving in Milan as a Master’s Student in April

IED has launched an April intake for a selection of Master’s Programs in Fashion, offering Italian and international students the opportunity to begin their Master’s journey with a distinctive and powerful start.

Don't miss it

Exhibitions and Festival

11 March 2026 - 15 March 2026

Madrid

AULA 2026

From 11 to 15 March, come and see us at Stand 10A12 in Hall 12 at IFEMA

IN-SONORA 2026
Exhibitions and Festival

19 March 2026 - 21 March 2026

Madrid

IN-SONORA 2026

From 19 to 21 March, IED Madrid Design District will host installations and performances from this international exhibition of sound and interactive art