Ancient History (MA)

The Master’s degree study programme in Ancient History offers a deepening study of the history of the ancient world, namely of the area of the Near East, India, China, ancient Greece and Rome. It enlarges the student’s capacity to understand different developmental stages of the oldest history of humankind and its characteristics, to seek out analogies and differences between individual civilization areas and draw general conclusions on ancient development from them. Greater attention is paid to the methodology of research of ancient history and to the work with historical sources in the original, if possible. Besides further linguistic training (Latin, ancient Greek, Akkadian, Sumerian), the widening study of selected auxiliary disciplines of ancient history (papyrology, epigraphy, numismatics) and the methodological introduction coupled with the basics of textual criticism help students in advanced reading of sources. The emphasis is put on practicing the student's skills of interpreting various kinds of ancient sources.

Know the the crossroads, the ups, mistakes and downs of four thousand years of human history.

Some courses are conceived as cross-sectional thematic units in order to allow orientation across history (e. g. sacral kingship, position of the ruler in ancient states generally, ethics of ancient civilizations, comparing ancient legal systems etc.).

The students are trained to understand broader context of historical processes, to formulate independently issues pertaining to ancient history and to make independent methodological approaches in solving the issues; courses with interactive form of teaching (e. g. the students specify or define various terms of ancient history in discussion with the teacher) serve that purpose; they are trained to be capable of professional work in their field and of conducting a scientific debate.

The Master's degree programme presents also a possible entry to doctoral studies of Ancient History.

Further information

http://classics.phil.muni.cz/

The graduates of Master's degree programme in Ancient History can find jobs in education, including the further education of teachers; in public and state service; in diplomatic service; in the cultural sphere (museums, galleries, libraries, archives, and the education of young people in various interest groups); in tourism; in publishing houses of books and scholarly journals; as consultants for films and other artistic works with ancient history as the theme, as translation consultants on ancient historical works or as translators and commentators of ancient literary works.

Deadline for submitting applications: August 1 - November 30

Who the programme is intended for: The programme is intended for graduates of any Bachelor’s degree programme.

Subject matter of the entrance examination: Assignment on predetermined topics.

Waiver of the entrance examination: The entrance examination can be waived for applicants who have passed the Bachelor’s examination in the field/programme of Ancient History at the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University with an excellent (A), very good (B), or good (C) result. The entrance examination may also be waived for applicants whose overall result of the Bachelor's State Examination in programme of Ancient History at the MU Faculty of Arts was assessed as “passed with excellent results”. Applicants can ask for a waiver for the entrance examination via the e-application form, section "Application for waiver of the entrance examination".

Website Department of Classical Studies.

General information on the course of the admission procedure to the follow-up Master’s degree programmes at FA MU can be found here. Documents for the current admission procedure are kept in Materials for Applicants.

Criteria for evaluation

Pass/fail line of the entrance examination: 40 points (out of 60).

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Minimum score and numbers of accepted applicants in past years

After completion of the Master's studies of Ancient History the graduate can continue in a doctoral degree programme (after satisfying the admission requirements), e. g. History, Archaeology etc. Preferably there is the possibility of the ensuing doctoral degree programme in Ancient History.