Objectives
The Programme provides thorough training in the subject areas covered by the Class, building on and broadening the preparation gained through the undergraduate degree. Students will acquire the methodologies and skills necessary to adopt a critical approach to philological and historical data. They will also refine their research skills, enabling them to contribute to international scientific discourse.
The specialised knowledge of classical civilisations that students acquire during the Programme will qualify them to take the competitive entrance exam for doctoral programmes and prepare them for careers in research, cultural dissemination and publishing. Students who earn sufficient credits in the relevant subject groups will be eligible to take the entrance exam for secondary school teacher training programmes, as required by current legislation.
The Programme aims to provide students with a high level of preparation and analytical ability in Greek and Latin languages and literature, from their origins through to the Middle Ages. Further study in areas such as Greek dialectology, the relationship between literature and various cultures (Christian, Judeo-Hellenistic, and Roman-Barbarian), and metrics (Classical and Byzantine Greek, as well as Archaic, Classical, and Medieval Latin) is also possible. The Programme covers the continued use and popularity of Greek and Latin in Italian literature and culture from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and modern era. Students will gain mastery of historical methodology and knowledge of ancient historiographical sources in their original languages. They will also develop proficiency in the philological method through exercises in recensio and text composition. Students will learn to interpret ancient written testimonies in the material media through which they were transmitted, such as epigraphs and manuscripts.
The two-year curriculum offers a variety of courses designed to provide a comprehensive and structured learning experience, without imposing compulsory prerequisites on students. This experience is further defined by more specific curricula based on the number of credits assigned to core and related subjects chosen by each student. The Teaching Regulations outline these curricula and define the percentage of overall time available to students for personal study or other individual learning activities. The first year of the Programme includes core subjects focusing on literary, philological and historical education. These subjects are delivered through modules in Greek Language and Literature, Classical Philology, and Greek and Roman History.
In the first year, students can customise their training in core subjects and related areas by selecting optional modules to help them achieve more specific objectives, particularly in subjects such as philology, history, archaeology, and linguistics. These include Byzantine Civilisation, Medieval Latin Literature, Latin Epigraphy, Aegean Civilisations, Medieval and Humanistic Philology, Papyrology, Classical Philology, Latin Literature, Etruscology, Classical Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Ancient Christian Literature, Ancient Urban Planning, Medieval Art History, Romance Philology, Glottology, Linguistics, Ancient Near Eastern History, Egyptology, Hebrew Language and Literature, Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, History of Religions, History of Christianity and Churches, Greek and Latin Paleography, and Ancient Numismatics. In the second year, training in core subjects is completed through compulsory Latin Language and Literature teaching. Students can also select an optional group to achieve specific learning objectives in history through core subjects such as Greek Epigraphy, Roman Antiquities and Institutions, and the History of Roman and Medieval Law.
The Programme includes traditional teaching modules that focus on frontal learning. However, the aim of these modules is still to foster critical thinking and independent research skills. There are also modules characterised by seminar activities.
Some courses will be taught in English, requiring active participation and the production of written work in the language. This will prepare students for the international context of their studies and enhance their language proficiency.
The modules, particularly the seminar-based ones, involve the guided use of IT and online classical studies tools such as lexicons, bibliographical indexes, online journals and websites containing documentation. The Programme also offers training activities designed to enhance IT skills and provide an insight into the job market.