Archive work with students

Medieval and New Latin

What forms of literary expression have developed over the course of history? How was the transition between the two great epochs: the Middle Ages and the modern era? And how are Latin manuscripts best studied? If you are interested in these questions, this is the programme for you!
Archive work with students
Image: Daniel Hofmann
Key facts
Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Supplement to degree
minor in a multi-subject bachelor’s programme
Admission restriction
without admission restriction (without NC)
Duration
6 Semesters
Credits/ECTS
60
Teaching language
German
Tuition fee
None
Semester contribution
€ 272,65
Start of studies
Winter semester
Part-time possible
Yes
Institutions
Faculty of Arts
Institute of Classics
Application & Deadlines

Programme content

The Middle Ages left a monumental legacy of handwritten books. The surviving manuscripts range from collections of letters, vitae, historical accounts and speeches to poems and epics. The invention of the printing press at the dawn of the modern era gave rise to a new golden age of Latin literature. All the great writers of the time – from scientists and poets to politicians and clerics – expressed their thoughts predominantly in Latin.

A significant portion of the Latin texts are yet to be read or translated – let alone commented on – to make the content more accessible to the modern reader. That’s what makes studying medieval and neo-Latin philology so exciting! And these are exactly the kind of texts you will be examining alongside your teachers during your studies. You will learn how to read and deal with medieval Latin manuscripts, how to determine when and where they were written, and how to explore unchartered territory.

A range of theoretical lectures and seminars will familiarize you with the literary and cultural history of the Middle Ages and the modern era. You will learn about forms of literary expression, intellectual views, themes and styles from antiquity to the time when vernacular literature gained a solid foothold in Europe. In the courses, you will experience how the transition between the two great epochs – the Middle Ages and the modern era – took place in the medium of the Latin language and how it still shapes our lives and thoughts to this day.

How do you read manuscripts and handwritten books? The following video gives you an insight into the world of palaeography with a few small excerpts and a short reading exercise:

placeholder image — Mittel- und Neulatein Show YouTube video

How do you read manuscripts and handwritten books? Using short text examples and a short reading exercise, students and interested parties are introduced to the world of paleography.

Structure

Multi-subject bachelor’s programme

Picture: Sophie Bartholome

A bachelor’s degree is the first professional qualification that can be obtained at a university. The standard length of the programme is six semesters, and different types of courses are offered for each module (e.g. seminars, lectures or tutorials).

A multi-subject bachelor’s programme consists of a major subject worth 120 ECTS credits (1 ECTS credit = 30 hours for attendance, preparation and follow-up work, private study, assessed coursework and examinations) and a minor subject worth 60 ECTS credits. The degree programme consists of six compulsory modules.

How might your degree programme shape up?

The following table shows the possible structure of your degree programme with ‘Medieval and New Latin’ as your minor subject:

Semester Modules
1 to 2
  • Introduction to Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin Studies (10 ECTS)
  • Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin I: Codicology and Paleography (10 ECTS) 
  • Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin II: Literature and Reception (Part 1) (10 ECTS) 
3 to 4
  • Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin II: Literature and Reception (Part 2) (10 ECTS)
  • Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin IV: Medieval Latin Verse (10 ECTS)
  • Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin V: Literature and Language (Part 1) (10 ECTS) 
5 to 6
  • Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin III: Literature and Medieval Latin Verse or History of Medieval Latinity (10 ECTS)
  • Medieval Latin and Neo-Latin V: Literature and Language (Part 2) (10 ECTS)

Abbreviation: ECTS = European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (credit points)

You can find more detailed information in the module catalogue for the degree programmeExternal link.

Why study in Jena?

  • Exclusive degree programme: Very few universities in Germany offer you the opportunity to study Middle or New Latin. In Jena, you can study both subjects together and explore 1,500 years of Latin literature.
  • Flexible combinations: As a minor subject, Medieval and New Latin can be combined with numerous different major subjects such as Classical Studies and Ancient History de, History de, Indo-European Studies de or languages, allowing you to create meaningful connections between disciplines.
  • Focus on research: Students have the opportunity to participate in research projects and trips such as the Papebroch research group de.
  • Books and more: The central university library has the latest specialist literature and houses a number of valuable old holdings such as the Bibliotheca Electoralis External link collection, which contains over 1,400 early modern prints and around 190 manuscripts.
  • Excellent support: Small courses allow students to interact closely with one another and their teachers.
  • Cooperation with related disciplines: As part of an interdisciplinary network, our institute collaborates with other disciplines within Classical studies as well as neighbouring disciplines such as German Studies, Romance Studies and History.
  • A world of possibilities: Experience our international flair! Our University appeals to students and researchers from all over the world and helps to shape Jena’s character as a cosmopolitan city that is fit for the future – it’s the perfect place for international studentsmp4, 57 mb · de.
  • Adventures abroad: You can easily realize your dream of spending a semester abroad.  We have a global network of partner universities.

A look behind the scenes

  • Bibliothek
    Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)
    Following in Daniel Papebroch’s footstepsde

    Research at your fingertips: Students and teachers are working closely together in a research group to decipher and translate Daniel Papebroch’s handwritten travel logs.

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What can you do after your studies?

Career opportunities:

Knowledge of Latin language and literature is a valuable additional qualification for a large number of humanities subjects. Those graduating from the bachelor’s programme are particularly qualified for work

  • at universities and other academic institutions (e.g. in the field of digital humanities spanning various disciplines and time periods),
  • in museums and publishing houses, and
  • in archives and libraries (in the field of manuscripts and old prints).

Postgraduate master’s programmes at our University

  1. Education ‐ Culture ‐ Anthropology Master of Arts
    • Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences
  2. History of the Ancient World Master of Arts
    • Faculty of Arts
  3. Greek and Latin Philology Master of Arts
    • Faculty of Arts
  4. Literary Translation in Theory and Practice Master of Arts
    • Faculty of Arts
  5. Literature - Art - Culture Master of Arts
    • Faculty of Arts
  6. Medieval Studies Master of Arts
    • Faculty of Arts
All degree programmes

Downloads and links for the degree programme

What are we looking for in prospective students?

  • An interest in the Middle Ages and the early modern period
  • A passion for languages and books
  • Curiosity about research topics that remain unsolved
  • An interest in puzzling over untranslated pieces of text or almost illegible manuscripts

Admission requirements

  • University entrance qualification

    A university entrance qualification, such as a general secondary school leaving certificate, is required for admission onto the study programme.

    More information on university entrance qualifications can be found here.

  • Language requirements

    Latin proficiency certificate (Latinum) and knowledge of a modern foreign language; this evidence must have been submitted by the time you register your dissertation topic.

    Admission and language requirements for applicants of foreign nationality and without German Abitur: www.uni-jena.de/en/study-orientation-international

Contacts

Prof. Susanne Daub (Academic Advisor)

Room 205
Fürstengraben 25
07743 Jena Google Maps site planExternal link

Opening hours:
By appointment

Academic Office for Student Affairs and Examinations (ASPA)

Carl-Zeiß-Platz 1
07743 Jena

Telephone hours:
Mondays and Fridays (9:00 – 11:00)
Wednesdays (13:00 – 15:00)

The ASPA is primarily responsible for students in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and the Faculty of Theology.

Central Student Advisory Service

University Main Building / SSZ
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena Google Maps site planExternal link

Office hours:
Please note: The Central Student Advisory Service will not be available from 21.12.2024. We will be back for you on Monday, 06.01.2025.

We offer consultations in person, by telephone, and via Zoom. You can make an appointment by calling us on +49 3641 9-411111 (Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 to 11:00) or outside these office hours on +49 3641 9-411200. You can also use our remote help desk.

Consultation hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (9:00 to 12:20), Tuesdays (14:00 to 18:00), and Wednesdays and Thursdays (14:00 to 16:00).

Video chat: To the video chat – Zoom Videochat ZeitenMondays to Fridays (12:30 to 13:00) Password ZSB2020 Data protection informationpdf, 101 kb

Student Service Centre

University Main Building, Room E065
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena Google Maps site planExternal link

Opening hours:
Mondays (10:00 – 12:00)
Tuesdays (13:00 – 15:00)
Wednesdays (10:00 – 12:00)
Thursdays (13:00 – 15:00)
Fridays (10:00 – 12:00)

You can also use our remote help desk at
www.uni-jena.de/service-ssz
or send us your enquiries by post.

Telephone hours:
Mondays to Fridays
(9:00 – 11:00)

Postal address:
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Studierenden-Service-Zentrum
07737 Jena

International Office - International students

University Main Building
Fürstengraben 1
07743 Jena Google Maps site planExternal link