Upper Secondary School Teacher Training in Latin Language and Literature

Nemo nascitur sapiens, sed fit. No one is born wise but he becomes wise. Seneca

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The Master’s degree study programme for Upper Secondary School Teacher Training in Latin Language and Literature prepares students for professional careers at secondary schools or high schools. Students attend general pedagogical disciplines and acquire the necessary skills to prepare and carry out the teaching profession. They learn how to formulate teaching materials appropriately and intelligibly. The aim of didactics is to transmit the modern methods of teaching foreign languages. The study programme enables students to get to know the thoughts and works of famous ancient writers, scholars, philosophers, generals, and politicians in their original form. These works constitute the firm basis of the European values of humanity. The study programme also enables students to get acquainted with the Ancient Greco-Roman world in a broad context.

The study programme can be for a single-subject or a double-subject Master’s degree. Students can choose one of two specializations, Classical or Mediaeval, according to their interests.

In the Classical specialization, all periods of the development of Latin, from the earliest epigraphic testimonies (7th-6th century BC) to the so-called late Latin, are studied through comparison with the classical norm of Latin studied in the Bachelor’s degree study programme. This covers phonological, morphological, and syntactical changes in the language. Apart from diachronic linguistics, the specialization focuses on improving the knowledge of classical literature – including the styles of notable Roman writers and the development of particular genres. As an option, the students can explore selected issues of the cultural and political history of the classical world, the Byzantine Empire, and the Arabic region. Within the framework of pedagogic and didactic disciplines, the specific requirements posed by the fact that Latin is no longer spoken are emphasized, as is the comparison of Latin and Czech languages, as well as on the ability to embed language training into the broader context of ancient civilization. Special attention is paid to mythology and ancient ways of life.

In the Mediaeval specialization, the various phases of the development of Latin from late Latin to medieval Latin are studied. The stress is put on the orthographical, phonological, morphological, and syntactical features of vulgar Latin in the pre-Romanesque period of the development of Latin, of the so-called Merovingian Latin, and of the Latin of Carolingian Age. The changes in Latin vocabulary from the late Roman Empire to the era of the major translations from Greek and Arabic (11th-12th century) are examined as well. The specialization involves familiarity with medieval cultural history, especially the history of literature, mediaeval libraries, writing (paleography), and literary knowledge. Within the framework of pedagogic and didactic disciplines, the specific requirements posed by the fact that Latin is no longer spoken are emphasized, as is the comparison of Latin and Czech languages, as well as on the ability to embed language training into the broader context of European civilization and Christianity.

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After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

  • use the acquired pedagogical skills and didactic methods
  • intelligibly and clearly explain a discussed matter
  • prepare and teach Latin lessons at a secondary school
  • apply some principles of new methods of education
  • evaluate student results
  • explain the phonological and morphological development of Latin until late antiquity and further until the end of the Middle Ages
  • compare Latin normative grammar with some aspects of vulgar and medieval Latin
  • illustrate the main features of Ancient or Medieval (both European and Bohemian) literature written in Latin
  • sketch the historical, philosophical, and religious background of the development of the society in antiquity and/or in the Middle Ages
  • translate more complicated Latin texts into Czech and individual sentences into Latin
  • interpret critically selected original Latin texts of the classical and/or medieval period
  • read selected types of metre
  • work with scholarly literature written in foreign languages, electronic databases, and various sources of information
  • write a longer, structured text on scholarly topics
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This Master’s degree study programme allows graduates primarily to work as teachers at secondary schools. Graduates can also work in archives, libraries, and museums, and can handle specialist and language tasks (e.g. proofreading) in publishing houses or work in mass media.

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The standard duration of studies is four semesters. In both the single-subject and double-subject study programme, students chose to specialize either in the classical period (C-classical specialization) or in the medieval period (M-medieval specialization).

For admittance to the final state examination, students must earn a total of 120 ECTS credits for type A/required, type B/selective, and type C/elective courses and for foreign language courses. The number of required credits is different in the single-subject and double-subject programme.

In the single-subject programme, the number of required credits is slightly different for the classical and medieval specializations. Students must earn 81 (C) or 82 (M) credits for type A/required courses, 23 credits for type B/selective courses, 12 (C) or 11 (M) credits for type C/elective courses, and 4 credits for foreign language courses.

In the double-subject programme, students of either specialization must earn either 67 credits (writing the Master’s degree diploma thesis in Teacher Training in Latin Language and Literature) or 45 credits (writing the Master’s degree diploma thesis in the other study programme) for type A/required courses. They must also earn 2 credits for selective courses and 2 credits for foreign language courses (i.e. half of the 4 credits students must earn in both of their study programmes together).

The type A/required courses for both study programmes cover courses focused on the development of Latin, on reading and interpreting classical or medieval texts, and on ancient or medieval literature, as well as courses of pedagogy, psychology, and didactics that must be completed to be qualified as a teacher.

In both types of studies, students must read selected passages of Latin texts and be able to understand and translate them. The required reading authors differ according the study programme and specialization. The list of required reading is available in the Information System of Masaryk University. Students also must pass a test of Classical Latin grammar.

During the course of their studies, students should follow the study catalogue valid for their year of matriculation. The study catalogues for the individual years of matriculation are available at the Faculty of Arts website.

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Practical training is an obligatory part of this study programme; 12 hours of teaching practice are required at a secondary school in which Latin is taught.

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The final examination has a written and an oral part. The written part cover topics studied in the courses of psychology, pedagogy, and didactics. A list of subject areas is available on the website of the Department of Educational Sciences: http://pedagogika.phil.muni.cz/media/3018508/szz_ucitel.pdf. Within the oral part, the examined subject areas depend on the specialization. In both types of studies, students are required to translate and interpret even more complicated Latin texts and to be familiar with individual stages of the development of Latin as well as with the literature of given period and understand its historical and cultural context.

In the single-subject study programme and double-subject study programme within which the Master’s degree thesis is submitted, one part of the final state examination is also the defence of the thesis. The requirements concerning the thesis are available on the faculty website (https://is.muni.cz/auth/do/phil/Pracoviste/SO/4581421/Vzor_bakalarske_prace.pdf) and on the department website (http://www.phil.muni.cz/wuks/home/studium).

More information about graduation requirements can be found in the study catalogue in the Masaryk University Information System or on the website of the Department of Classical Studies.

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Graduates of the Master’s degree study programme may continue with a doctoral degree study programme in any appropriate doctoral studies after satisfying the admission requirements. At the Department of Classical Studies, it is possible to study for a doctoral degree in Classical Philology (focused on language and literature up to the first centuries AD) or in Medieval Latin Language and Literature (focused mainly on preparing critical editions and medieval literature written in Latin).

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Field of study specifications

Field of Study: Upper Secondary School Teacher Training in Latin Language and Literature
Abbreviation: LJU
Code: 7504T081
Type: master's degree programme (following the bachelor's one)
Degree: Mgr.
Accreditation: to 31/12/2024
Programme: N7504 N-SS Teacher Training for Secondary Schools
Faculty of Arts
Field of study guaranteed by:
Faculty of Arts
Field guarantor:
prof. PhDr. Daniela Urbanová, Ph.D.

More information about the study programmes of Upper Secondary School Teacher Training can be found at the website of the Department of Educational Sciences:

http://pedagogika.phil.muni.cz/pro-uchazece/navazujici-magisterske-studium/ucitelstvi-pro-stredni-skoly-na-ff-mu

http://pedagogika.phil.muni.cz/studium/ucitelstvi-pro-stredni-skoly-na-ff-mu