The PhD programme in Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin Studies focuses on the history of European Latin culture in the period starting with the fall of the Ancient civilization. It covers Latin writing from the origin of medieval civilization in the area of Western, Southern and Central Europe (with a special emphasis on the Czech lands), its development during the High and Late Middle Ages, its transformation during the Renaissance and Baroque humanism and finally its involvement in the cultural life and scientific research of modern Europe. The programme concentrates on literary and para-literary Latin texts of these periods from the linguistic, paleographic, codicological, literary-historical and cultural-historical perspectives. Theoretical and practical issues of editing these texts are studied as well. The plan of the study respects the continuity of the ancient culture in the Middle Ages and in the modern period, with substantial attention devoted to the influence of Christianity on the development of Latin writing and its function in the history of religious life in medieval and early modern Europe.
The programme aims at preparing students for independent creative work as well as team work; therefore, the programme provides theoretical knowledge in the fields of medieval Latin and neo-Latin studies, and a solid grounding in general literary-scientific, philological, historical and auxiliary sciences. Students are assumed to be able to apply this knowledge in their doctoral dissertation research. The programme places emphasis on including students into research projects and international collaboration projects and provides numerous opportunities for students of acquiring special skills and encountering important specialists and new methods in the field.
Graduates have a sound knowledge of current trends in the field and are able to adopt a creative approach to relevant source material. They are equipped to work with original Latin documents, i.e. literary and diplomatic manuscripts, incunabula, paleotypes and old prints, being able to interpret and prepare them for publication and translation. Having been trained in philology and literary history and having acquired the foundations of relevant historical disciplines (codicology, palaeography, diplomatics) and of cultural history, graduates are equipped to place mediaeval and early modern works into the context of their time and also to interpret them as a factor influencing the culture and society of subsequent eras.
