Closing Date: 23 September 2005

The University of Trento announces the 21st cycle of the PhD Programme in "Comparative Literatures and Language Studies".

Length: three years

Specialized curricula:
- Literary Theories and Comparative Literatures
- Language Studies applied to Contemporary Cultures

Research Areas:    
Literary Criticism and Comparative Literatures
English Literature
Anglo-American Languages and Literatures
Language and Translation in English
French Literature
Language and Translation in French
Spanish Literature
Language and Translation in Spanish
Slavic languages and literatures
Romance Philology and Linguistics
Italian Literature
Contemporary Italian Literature
German Philology
German Literature
Dutch Language and Literature
Language and Translation in German

PhD Programme Director:
Prof. Carla Locatelli - Phone 0039 0461 881702
E-mail: carla.locatelli@unitn.it

Official language: Italian. However, some courses may be taught in languages other than Italian.

A selection for 6 PhD positions is announced, 3 of them will be supported by grants provided by the University of Trento.

The number of grant-assisted places may be increased by funds fromother universities, public research organizations or qualified privateorganizations if they are made available after the publication of thisannouncement, and before the beginning of the selection. Any increasein the number of available places resulting from an increase of grantswill be posted on the website:
http://www.unitn.it/ricerca/dottorati_form_av/ciclo_21/bandi.htm

ART. 2 -ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applications for the PhD positions above are invited from candidates,regardless of sex, age and citizenship, who have an Italian "laureaspecialistica", determined in compliance with Ministerial Decree no.509 of 3.11.1999 as amended; a university degree granted under theItalian regulations previously in force, or equivalent degreequalification obtained abroad.
Applicants who have a foreign qualification that has not yet beenofficially recognized as equivalent to the Italian degree should submita request for equivalence to be recognized in their application for thecompetition. In this case, candidates are required to include in theirapplication both their degree certificate or degree self-certification(according to Presidential Decree no. 445 of 28.12.2000 concerning EUcitizens) and a translation in English of the degree certificate withexams and scores obtained, signed under their own responsibility, toallow the Teaching Committee to declare its equivalence, valid for theonly purpose of participating in the selection.
Successful applicants from non European countries holding a foreignqualification, must present their degree certificate with theexaminations passed and the scores obtained, translated andauthenticated by an Italian consulate, embassy or diplomaticrepresentative in the country of the university that issued the degreeand the respective declaration of equivalent value ("Dichiarazione divalore") not later than the date set for enrolment in the PhD Programme.

Applications are also invited from students who expect to completetheir degree by the date of the assessment of qualifications. In suchcases admission will be "conditional" and the applicant must be able topresent the relevant degree certificate, or a declaration that thedegree has been conferred (applicable only to citizens of the EuropeanUnion in compliance with Presidential Decree no. 445 of 28.12.2000) bythe same date.

Art. 3 - THE PhD PROGRAM
The research deals with theoretical models, analytical perspectives andlinks of literary studies with other fields, with a view tocomprehensive comparative studies.

The training programme of the first year is common to the twospecializations. It is based on a series of seminars which will dealwith the following topics:
Discourse analysis, Text analysis, Literary hermeneutics, Philology ofliterary texts, Lexicography, Poetics, Rhetoric, Semiotics,Sociolinguistics, Sociology of literature, History of literarycriticism, Intercultural studies, History of comparative literatures,Theories of literary genres, Theories of literary criticism, Literaryreception theories, Theories of literary translation, Theories ofcomparative literatures, Post-colonial and genre theories.
During the first year the doctoral students are required to learn aforeign language other than the one presented at the admissionexamination.
At the end of the first year of the course doctoral students who havesuccessfully completed all the seminars will be admitted to the finalexamination, held before the Teaching Committee, which sets out toevaluate the doctoral student's effective scientific growth, thathis/her chosen area of specialization is coherent with curriculum andaptitude, and to what extent he/she has mastered his/her second foreignlanguage.
An overall, positive evaluation gives admission to the second year of the course.

Second year
For the specialisation in Literary Theories and Comparative Literatures seminars will be organized in the following subjects:
Forms of narration, Literature and philosophy, Literature and religion,Literature, music and the visual arts, Comparative medievalliteratures, Modernism and post-modernism, Post-colonial studies, Dramatheories and forms , Inter-semiotic translation, Traditions of lyricpoetry.
While, for the specialization in Language Studies Applied toContemporary Cultures the following seminars will be organized in thefollowing subjects:
From bilingualism to multilingualism, Languages of the Media, Languagesof Theatre, Languages for Specific Purposes, Minority, border andhybrid languages, Translation of languages for specific purposes,Inter-semiotic translation.
After having met the requirement for course attendance, the second yearPhD students are strongly advised to spend a period of time carryingout research at a foreign institute.
At the end of the second year doctoral students who have successfullycompleted all the seminars required by the chosen specialization willbe admitted to the final examination to be held before the TeachingCommittee. The Committee will evaluate the effective scientificprogress of the doctoral student and his/her ability to complete aresearch project which will be presented and discussed. A positiveoverall evaluation allows admission to the third year of the course.

Third year
Doctoral students from both specializations will prepare theirdissertation in close cooperation with the dissertation supervisor theyhave chosen.

Art. 4 - APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SELECTION
Applications may only be made using the application form attached to this announcement.
The application, including all the annexes required, must arrive at theUniversity of Trento by the 23rd of September 2005, by one of thefollowing means:
-    by hand delivered to the University of Trento -Ufficio Dottorati di Ricerca, Via Inama 5 - 38100 Trento, from 10:00 amto 12:00 a.m., Monday to Friday;
-    by mail to the following address: Magnifico Rettoredell'Università degli Studi di Trento, via Belenzani 12 - 38100 Trento(ITALY) (please write on the envelope "Selection for PhD Programme inComparative Literatures and Language Studies");
-    by fax to the following number: 0039 0461 882191.

The University of Trento shall not be held responsible for misaddressedapplications, changes in the candidate's address, postal or telegraphicerrors not caused by the administration.
Applications arriving after the 23rd of September 2005 will not be considered, even if sent before this date.

According to Italian Law no. 104/92, art. 20, and to Italian Law no.68/99, art. 16, para. 1, disabled applicants are expected to indicateexplicitly in their application whether they require special assistanceor extra time during the examinations. Under Legislative Decree 196/03,all information will be kept confidential.

Applications should include:
-    photocopy of the applicant's identity card or passport;
-    degree certificate or degree self-certification(according to Presidential Decree no. 445 of 28.12.2000 concerning EUcitizens), with a list of the examinations passed successfully andscores obtained in each examination (except for candidates who have notyet obtained their degree certificate at the time of presentation ofthe application as outlined in Art. 2 of this announcement). Applicantsholding a foreign qualification that has not been officially recognizedas equivalent to the Italian degree, are required to attach atranslation in English of the degree certificate with exams and scoresobtained, signed under their own responsibility, in order to allow theTeaching Committee to declare its equivalence, valid for the onlypurpose of participating in the selection;
-    curriculum studiorum;
-    any certificates proving the knowledge of English and other languages;
-    any other qualification believed useful in theassessment of the applicant (dissertations, scientific publications,study and post-graduate activities of research, prizes, grants, etc.).

If, pursuant to submission of their application, applicants have to addfurther information, it must reach the University offices by the 23rdof September 2005. The applicant's name, the PhD Programme he or she isapplying for and the subject ("Integrazione domanda") must be clearlywritten on the envelope.

The University of Trento reserves the right to verify (including spotchecking), declarations and documents submitted by candidates,according to art. 71 and subsequent articles of the Presidential Decreeno. 445 dated 28.12.2000.
At any time, candidates failing to meet the requisites specified, maybe omitted from the selection process for the PhD Programme.

Closing Date: 23 September 2005

For more information and application form, see the source of this announcement.

[Contributor: Lianita Prawindarti]