Latin Language and Literature

Bachelor's degree in full-time form. The language of instruction is Czech.

The programme can be studied as a single subject or in combination with another programme.

What will you learn?

This study programme represents an exciting journey to the origins of European culture and erudition. It enables students to get to know the thoughts and works of famous ancient writers, scholars, philosophers, generals, and politicians in their original form, as these works comprise the basis of the European values of humanity. The programme also enables students to get acquainted with the ancient Greco-Roman world in the broader context. The studies cultivate general cultural knowledge as well as analytical skills, which are nowadays required in several fields. The minor module of the Bachelor’s degree programme focuses on the knowledge of Latin language . As such, it primarily serves to the students of those study programmes, in which Latin is potentially one of the source languages (e.g., philosophy, ancient history, history, classical archaeology, study of religions, general linguistics and Indo-European comparative linguistics etc.). The major and the completus modules of the programme lead to the in-depth knowledge of Latin grammar, ancient literature, and other disciplines pertaining to all important historical and socio-cultural aspects of the ancient world via courses on philosophy, mythology, history, and other related disciplines and via excursions to significant museums. An essential part of the study involves reading texts in their original language, which allows students to gain competence in multi-level interpretations of the original texts (grammatical, literary, and socio-historical). The study of an Indo-European language with complex morphology and syntax will deepen the general linguistic competences and facilitate the understanding of roman languages as well as of a wide range of technical terminology in various fields of study. The knowledge acquired by the study of the ancient world and Latin erudition/culture leads to a better orientation in the majority of fields of European culture and scholarship.

„Nemo nascitur sapiens, sed fit. – No one is born to be wise, but will become.“
Seneca

Further information

Visit the website of the Department of Classical Studies, which teaches Latin, to find out what events it organises outside the classroom, what activities you can join and much more.

Career opportunities

The Bachelor’s degree programme allows its graduates to work in various cultural institutions such as archives, libraries, museums or humanities-oriented departments of the Czech Academy of Sciences in positions appropriate for the Bachelor’s level of education. As the emphasis is put on the knowledge and command of basic stylistic structures of the Czech language equivalent to the respective structures of the classical languages, graduates are prepared for various editorial positions in mass media (especially in culture- and literature-oriented sections).

Admission requirements

This programme is taught in Czech. In order to successfully complete this programme, students need to have a native-speaker or C1 knowledge of Czech or Slovak.

The criteria for admission for studies are the results of the Learning Potential Test (TSP). Applicants may also be admitted based on other criteria, see Admission without the Entrance Examination. The Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University disregards the results of SCIO National Comparative Examinations.

You can file your e-applications for studies from 1 November to 28 February.
The date and time of the examination will be stated in the electronic invitation for the examination, which will be uploaded to your e-application. The faculty will not be sending paper invitations. Applicants applying for the major study plan and minor study plan in a combined study must comply with the conditions for admission into both plans.

Learning Potential Test (TSP)

This test is only in Czech. For up-to-date information, click here

Field of Study Examination

For admission for studies of this degree programme, you do not need to take the Field of Study Examination.

Admission without the entrance examination

You may be exempt from the entrance examination based on at least one of the following criteria:
  1. placing in any of the first three places in a national round in category A or in any of the first three places in a country or national round in category B in the Latin Competition - Certamen Latinum;
  2. secondary school results with an average 1.5 or higher in the subjects Czech language (not Slovak), two foreign languages and a choice of one more subject determined by the faculty: English, Chinese, history, French, music, information technology, Italian, Latin, maths, German, Russian, Spanish, basics of social sciences. An exemption based on school results is applicable to applicants who are students in the final year of a secondary school or who have passed the secondary school leaving examination no later than in 2019.

Secondary school results may be applied for an exemption from the entrance examination by those applicants whose average grade was 1.5 or higher in each of the four profile subjects. The total average result in all subjects is not taken into consideration. Secondary school seminars are also disregarded. The average grade of each profile subject is calculated based on the results of the last four years of study in the following way: the mid-year grade is calculated from the final year, whereas the final grades are calculated from the previous three years. It is also necessary that applicants have studied each of the profile subjects for at least two years during the last four years.
Enter your grades in your e-application. Then print the grades out and let your secondary school certify them with a stamp and a signature. Upload the scan of the certified grades into your e-application. You can also upload officially certified school reports or any other documents certifying your school results.
Please upload the officially certified documents directly to your e-application in the section Application for the Exemption from the Entrance Examination no later than 28 February.

Criteria for evaluation

Limit for TSP percentile for successfully passing the entrance examination: 40


Minimum score and numbers of accepted applicants in past years

Study options

Single-subject studies

Students have a pre-defined list of required courses, which are supplemented with selective and elective courses. The student pays full attention to the single field of study chosen.

Combined studies

In this type of studies, the students focus on the main degree programme (120 credits) supplemented with another, minor, programme (60 credits). The student enrols in the degree programme in which he/she majors. Both the programmes are stated in the university diploma. You will find possible combinations on the websites of individual degree programmes.​ An exception is programmes preparing students for teaching professions, where both fields of study are equal and the thesis may be written in any of them.

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Arts

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Economics and Administration

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Informatics

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Social Studies

Latin Language and Literature as a minor degree programme

Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Arts
Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Economics and Administration
Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Informatics
Combinations with programmes from Faculty of Social Studies

Courses – curriculum examples

An example of your study plan:

Single-subject studies

Combined studies

Follow-up studies

The graduates of the Bachelor's degree programme in Latin Language and Literature may continue their studies in any Master's degree programme provided that they meet the admission requirements.

At the Department of Classical Studies, it is possible to study for the Master’s degree in Latin Language and Literature, Medieval Latin Language and Literature, or in Upper secondary school teacher training in Latin Language and Literature (a programme qualifying the graduate for teaching at secondary schools). All these programmes can be studied as single-subject or compound study.

Study information

Provided by Faculty of Arts
Type of studies Bachelor's
Mode full-time Yes
combined No
distance No
Study options single-subject studies Yes
single-subject studies with specialization No
major/minor studies Yes
Standard length of studies 3 years
Language of instruction Czech

Not sure?
Do you have any questions?

Visit the department website

Department website

Do you have any questions?
Send us an e-mail to

Mgr. Jana Mikulová, Ph.D.

Consultant

E‑mail:

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