Presentation of the PhD Course: Research and Studies on Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and Renaissance Humanism, Salerno (RAMUS)

The Doctorate in Research and Studies on Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and Renaissance Humanism, Salerno (RAMUS) was created in the academic year 2013–2014 by combining two pre-existing doctorates (in "Classical Philology" and in "Philosophy, Science and Culture of Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance Humanism") with the aim of offering excellent training to scholars in the history of thought and literary expressions of Classical Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and Renaissance Humanism.

The RAMUS PhD course is inter-departmental as it is based in two Departments of the University of Salerno: the Department of Cultural Heritage Sciences (DiSPaC) and the Department of Humanities (DIPSUM). In accordance with Article 18 of the University of Salerno's Teaching Regulations, an interdepartmental doctorate is a course of study set up in collaboration with two departments, 'in the presence of a complex training project that denotes particular needs for didactic integration'. Both departments contribute to the teaching and research activities and to the ordinary running of the RAMUS PhD course with a 50% share, through the teaching involvement of their lecturers, organisational assistance, and financial support. In accordance with the same Article 18, only one of the two Departments, in particular the Department of Cultural Heritage Sciences (DiSPaC), is responsible for the administration of the PhD course. The interdepartmental nature of the Doctorate is an opportunity for a synergic increase in the quality of the teaching project and the range of training activities made available to doctoral students and contributing to increasing the attractiveness of the institution, nationally and internationally. The organisation of teaching in modules of three days a month for ten months a year, successfully tested by both previous doctorates and enabled through the use of teaching facilities made available by the two departments, encourages the participation of doctoral students interested in the training courses offered in such an organic and coordinated form only by the University of Salerno.

Enrolment

Access to the RAMUS doctorate is regulated by an admission competition. Each year the University quantifies the number of scholarships made available to prospective PhD students; in each cycle, only one place is guaranteed without a scholarship.

The competition is designed to verify the candidate's possession of basic competence in the scientific and chronological fields of reference of the chosen curriculum as well as the quality and scientific sustainability of his or her research project.

The competition consists of three stages for both curricula: 1. assessment of qualifications; 2. written test; 3. oral interview.

For both curricula, the evaluation of the qualifications allows the Commissions to verify the scientific and educational background of the candidates. It is therefore advisable, when submitting the application, to list and describe all the academic qualifications that, in the candidate's opinion, should be considered to assess their profile. Qualifications that can be assessed are: 1. Curriculum; 2. Degree mark; 3. Letters of presentation by scholars from outside the University; 4. Research project 5. Publications and other documented academic titles.

The written test consists of two parts.

Part one: a) multiple-choice questionnaire; or b) translation test; or c) interpretation and contextualisation of a text in the chronological field of competence of the chosen curriculum.

Part two: a) written essay on a subject proposed by the commission in the thematic field of competence of the curriculum; or b) commentary on the translation carried out in part one The written test must be conducted in Italian. Only candidates who have obtained the required marks will be admitted to the oral test.

Interview: 1.Questions relating to topics of interest in the curriculum.2. Assessment and discussion of the presentation of a research proposal. 3. Verification of the knowledge of a classical language (for all candidates, a choice between Latin or Greek); for foreign candidates only: verification of knowledge of Italian; for Italian candidates only: verification of knowledge of at least one foreign language (French, English or German). The interview may be conducted in Italian or, for foreigners, in English.

For foreign candidates only, the competition test will be oral only, by telematic interview. For the interview, the board will arrange for the assessment of two tests, the first of which will be equivalent in terms of structure, content, and marks (from 40 to 60 points) to the written test. The date of the telematic interview will be the same as the written test at a time that will be communicated by the commission to each individual candidate.