Linguistic and Literary Sciences

Coordinator: Prof. Federica Missaglia

The course offers a research training course dedicated to the development of specific skills ranging from different disciplines of Area 10 (Ancient, philological-literary and art-historical sciences) and are acquired by doctoral students through the implementation of individual research projects. The course trains PhDs in a multilingual and multicultural academic environment characterized by multidisciplinarity, which reflects the cultural and scientific evolution of the reference areas: The course prepares PhD students for theoretical and applied scientific research in the field of foreign languages and literatures (SSD L-Lin/* and L-OR/*), glottology and linguistics (L-Lin/01), of the teaching of modern languages (L-Lin/02), of comparative literatures (L-FIL-LET/14) and of communication sciences (L-ART/06).

The course includes two paths: a historical-theoretical-applied linguistic one and a philological-literary one; they involve the study of the historical and cultural traditions of the specialized languages offered at the Faculty of Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Russian, Spanish, as well as the Italian language and literature and European and Mediterranean civilization. Excellent competence in at least one of these languages, in addition to Italian, is therefore a fundamental requirement for access to the Programme. In addition to these specificities, there are topics related to the fields of glottology and general linguistics, the teaching of modern languages (including Italian as a second language) and communication sciences (media and audiovisual communication). There is also a place reserved for the theme of Higher Education Internationalisation and Educational Strategies and Practices. 

The aim of the doctoral programme is to build a researcher profile capable of carrying out methodologically sound and scientifically accurate research activities in the field of linguistic and literary sciences in a multilingual and multicultural perspective. During the three years of the course, PhD students attend lectures and seminars offered by the Course, under the guidance of the tutors, they carry out an individual research project to be presented in the form of a final doctoral dissertation, which will then be evaluated by two external reviewers who are experts in the discipline.

The Doctoral School in Linguistic and Literary Sciences constitutes the highest level of university education and prepares for scientific research in the field of foreign languages, linguistics and literatures. The School has two paths: a historical-theoretical-applied linguistic one and a philological-literary one. Both also include the study of the historical and cultural traditions of the languages of specialization offered: Arabic, Chinese, French, English, Russian, Spanish, German, as well as the Italian language and literature and European civilization. Excellent competence in one of these languages, as well as in Italian, is therefore a fundamental requirement for access to the School.

The Doctoral  School prepares students for research and academic careers, as well as for all other professional activities for which highly specialized linguistic-cultural skills are required, such as publishing, language and literary teaching, translation, as well as professionalism related to international cooperation, the internationalization of companies, and in general to the cultural industry. The possibility of individual courses of study is not excluded.

The School provides doctoral students with numerous opportunities for exchanges with foreign universities. A stay abroad of at least six months in qualified cultural institutions (universities, libraries, archives, etc.) is desirable part of the training of doctoral students. The possibility of carrying out dissertations in co-supervision with foreign professors or within double degrees with foreign universities is also envisaged.