Germanic Literatures

The doctoral degree study programme in Germanic literatures is designed as a culmination of the theoretical studies and practical training in order to enable the graduates to take part in individual research projects. General knowledge and skills in theory and history of literature acquired in the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree study programme are deepened and complemented with specialized disciplines with the main focus on the requirements of research work, including an appropriate format for presenting the results. The study is specialized and individualized to a high degree, with respect to the topics of the dissertation projects. At the same time, a general overview of methodological problems and methods in philology, their critical reflection and creative application, are developed as an integral part of the research-centred skills.

This program also offers the possibility of specialization: German Literature specializing in "Intermediate and Intercultural Communication". It extends the range of disciplines on transversally shared subjects, which are designed taking into account current cultural-science trends in philological studies. By completing these courses, the PhD student will gain a clear understanding of the inter-cultural and intercultural (ie cultural) challenges faced by national philology.

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

• take part in individual research projects in Germanic philology;
• enter professions demanding independent and critical thinking as well as cultivated diction in mother tongue and fluency in the specific Germanic language;
• research and teach in topics regarding Germanic literatures;
• independently treat original scholarly topics involving literature using reliable sources and methods;
• translate scholarly literature from the field of philology and other related areas;
• the graduate of the specialization Intermedia and Intercultural Communication will have a comprehensive overview of current methods of literary and cultural history
• the graduate of the specialization Intermedia and Intercultural Communication will be able to evaluate the aspects of multilingualism in literature and culture
• the graduate of the specialization Intermedia and Intercultural Communication will be able to critically evaluate the specifics of media and intermediality in contemporary culture
• the graduate of the specialization Intermedia and Intercultural Communication will be able to able to reflect artwork not only in the context of the art but also in the context of culture as "media discourse"
• the graduate of the specialization Intermedia and Intercultural Communication will be able to to analyze problematic places in conceptualizing the writing of history monolingual (mononacionally) and multilingual coded (post-national) space

Graduates of the doctoral degree study programme in Germanic literatures are equipped with the general knowledge and skills required for independent philological work. They are able to reflect and analyse literary texts based on their comprehensive knowledge of relevant research history and current trends. They are able to apply their acquired competence in creative ways to solve individual tasks. Beyond the comprehensive overview of the whole study field, the graduates have specialized proficiency in the topics of their thesis projects. Based on these skills, they are qualified to work in positions in linguistic research or in the humanities in a broader sense, which demands independent and critical thinking as well as a cultivated presentation of gathered knowledge, in universities and research institutes, in translating, etc.

Practical training at external workplaces is not an obligatory part of the study plan. Active involvement of the students in teaching, researching, and organising tasks within the institute offers an opportunity to acquire further praxis-related skills in these areas.

Doctoral dissertation thesis is a concise scholarly publication based on the author's original research; the recommended text length is roughly 180,000 characters (including footnotes and bibliography; the treatment of the annexes is decided individually by the supervisor).