Course Topics
This seminar introduces students to the practical, legal, and strategic foundations of starting and sustaining a freelance design practice. The course addresses key aspects of independent professional work, including personal branding, service definition, business modeling, financial literacy, client management, and market positioning. Through hands-on workshops and applied exercises, students develop their own professional profiles, learning how to translate creative skills into structured services and viable business models within the European freelance context, with a specific focus on Italy and Germany.

Propaedeutic courses
none

Teaching format
The seminar is conducted in presence. The course adopts a practice-oriented and experiential methodology, combining short theoretical lectures with structured, timed working sessions during class. Students actively develop their own branding, service offering, and business model, supported by peer-to-peer feedback and guided discussions.

Educational objectives
Disciplinary competence Have acquired basic and useful job-related knowledge related to understanding the fundamentals of freelance work.

Additional educational objectives and learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to: Understand the legal and organizational requirements of freelance work in Italy and Germany Define and position a personal brand and professional service offering Develop a basic business model for a freelance practice Manage fundamental financial aspects, including costs, invoicing, and tax preparation Communicate their professional profile effectively to potential clients Critically evaluate freelance strategies through peer feedback and self-reflection.

Assessment
Students are required to submit a final project, consisting of a PDF presentation that integrates: Personal branding Service offering and pricing Business model Portfolio and/or case study Marketing and communication strategy

Evaluation criteria
Evaluation is based on: Coherence and clarity of the professional profile Strategic consistency between branding, services, and business model Practical applicability of the proposed freelance strategy Quality of visual communication and presentation