Mediterranean Studies

Mare nostrum, nostra res – The Mediterranean, our world in miniature.

Master's degree programme, full-time study mode, single-subject, Czech, 2 years 
Master's degree programme, full-time study mode, double-subject, Czech, 2 years 
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The objective of the two-year Master’s degree study programme in Mediterranean Studies is to capture the roots of European civilization in the Mediterranean region through its literary heritage. The studies follow the destiny and development of the ancient cultural legacy in the European territory of the Roman Empire (and its successors), and also deal with Arab influences in the Mediterranean. Thus, the prerequisites are created for understanding the continuity between the Ancient Era, the early Middle Ages, and the further development of the Mediterranean area with forays into modern times.

In the selection of type A/required and type B/selective courses, students can focus on modern Greek, a Romance language (French, Italian, Spanish), or Arabic, and the respective literatures.

Emphasis is on acquiring the language skills in the chosen foreign language, on the student’s ability to analyse literary texts in a comprehensive manner, and on the systematic deepening of cultural and historical knowledge that will allow finding and interpreting the broader literary and historical context.

The field is open for graduates of the Bachelor’s degree study programme with a focus on philological-literary area studies.

Within the Master’s degree study programmes offered in the Czech Republic, this Mediterranean Studies programme is unique in terms of conception and focus.

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

  • understand the main points of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics in a Romance language and/or modern Greek (at the B2 level CEFR) and/or understand short simple texts in the Arabic language (at the A2 level CEFR)
  • write a detailed text on a wide range of topics in a Romance language and/or in modern Greek (at the B2 level CEFR) and/or write texts on familiar topics in the Arabic language (at the A2 level CEFR)
  • communicate fluently in a Romance language and/or modern Greek on topical issues (B2 level CEFR) and/or communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and common facts in the Arabic language
  • describe in detail the literary history of the chosen area(s) (Greek, Romance, Arabic) and demonstrate their mutual connections
  • analyse and evaluate specific literary works in original languages and/or translations
  • explain the basis of selected literary theories and apply the discussed methods for interpretive text analysis
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Graduates from this study programme will be qualified for jobs appropriate to the Master’s degree of education – in libraries, museums, informational and educational centres, and cultural foundations; considering practically oriented language skills, they will also be qualified for jobs in cultural or foreign affairs companies and administrational offices, even in the mass media. Thanks to the high level of language skills and good knowledge of cultural characteristics of the region, graduates will also be able to work in the market sector, e.g. in tourism or as a business intermediary for the Mediterranean.

Success on the labour market may vary depending on the module being studied within the field (Arabic, modern Greek, Romance) and on chosen field combinations.

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The standard duration of studies is four semesters. For admittance to the final state examination, students must complete all type A/required courses, earn the required number of ECTS credits for type B/selective and type C/elective courses, and submit a Master’s thesis or a Master’s minor thesis.

The programme can be studied as single-subject or double-subject study.

Single-subject study programme students must earn a total of 120 ECTS credits (79 credits for type A/required courses, 24 credits for type B/selective courses, 13 credits for type C/elective courses, and 4 credits for faculty language courses).

Double-subject study programme students must earn a total of 70 ECTS credits if a Master’s thesis is submitted (48 credits for type A/required courses, 15 credits for type B/selective courses, 5 credits for type C/elective courses, and 2 credits for faculty language courses) or a total of 50 ECTS credits if a Master’s minor thesis is submitted (28 credits for type A/required courses, 15 credits for type B/selective courses, 5 credits for type C/elective courses, and 2 credits for faculty language courses).

All students must complete type A/required common ground courses. Single-subject study programme students must also enrol in type A/required courses of two chosen modules (Arabic, Modern Greek, Romance), double-subject study programme students enrol in type A/required courses of one chosen module.

Students enrol in type B/selective and type C/elective courses according to their interests following enrolled required courses. Students can choose courses complementing their knowledge of literature and history, or they can broaden their language skills. The type B/selective courses include courses offered by Department of Classical Studies and courses offered by other departments of the Faculty of Arts (Department for the Study of Religions, Department of Slavonic Studies, Department of Romance Languages and Literatures) and by the Faculty of Social Studies.

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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The state final examination consists of two separate parts: the Master’s thesis defence (if the thesis was not submitted in the other field within a double-subject study programme) and the Master’s final state examination.

The final examination consists of two component parts: written and oral.

The written part tests the knowledge of two languages at the appropriate level (at the B2 level for French, Italian, modern Greek, or Spanish and at the A2 level for Arabic), or one language for the single-subject study programme. Students demonstrate the ability to write a text in a foreign language and to understand a text at the appropriate level.

The oral part of the final state examination tests communication skills in a Romance language and/or modern Greek and/or Arabic; the ability to analyse and evaluate specific literary works; and the ability to describe and characterize the history of selected literatures and demonstrate their mutual and broader connections.

Single-subject study programme students choose three subject areas (literatures), double-subject study programme students choose two subject areas (literatures): 1) Medieval and humanistic literature, 2) and 3) Romance literature (French, Italian, or Spanish)/modern Greek literature/classical literature.

Within the given deadline, students submit a list of books read corresponding to the chosen subject areas.

Submission of the Master’s thesis in a due and proper form proves student orientation in the issues of the thesis and academic skills. Following the submission of the thesis, quality of presentation and argumentation skills are evaluated during the thesis defence.

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After completion of the Master’s degree in Mediterranean Studies, it is possible to continue further studies in any doctoral degree study programme (after satisfying the admission requirements) corresponding with student’s specialization.

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Students
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Field of study specifications

Field of Study: Mediterranean Studies
Abbreviation: MED
Code: 7310T291
Type: master's degree programme (following the bachelor's one)
Degree: Mgr.
Accreditation: to 31/12/2024
Programme: N7310 N-FI Philology
Faculty of Arts
Field of study guaranteed by:
Faculty of Arts

Courses in modern Greek are held by teachers from the Department of Classical Studies, courses in Romance languages take place together with the students of Bachelor’s programme of the Department of Romance Languages and Literature; courses in Arabic take place together with the students of the Bachelor’s study programme Prehistoric Archaeology of the Near East.

Further information is available on the website of the Department of Classical Studies http://www.phil.muni.cz/wuks/home/studium/obory/bakalarske/mediteranni-studia/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/uksbrno/