GENERIC MODULES

FIRST YEAR

(http://www.maldura.unipd.it/disll-corso-di-dottorato/it/content/didattica.html) - provide basic competences of general interest on linguistic, philological and literary subjects - guarantee coherence and exchange between the various Macroareas - >100 hours, attendance >70% - it includes six Modules (ca. 12-15 hours each): 1. CONDUCTING RESEARCH: RESOURCES AND METHODS 1. CONDUCTING RESEARCH: RESOURCES AND METHODS (bibliographic tools, databses, archives; research project writing, communication and publication; soft skills) 2. INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL HUMANITIES (major digital apps, data structure, big data") 3. AROUND THE TEXT (textual philology) 4. STATE OF THE ART: CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS, PHILOLOGY AND LITERATURE (methodlogical courses on vibrant international methods and trends) 5. “PADUA-OXFORD” EXCELLENCY COURSE (methodological seminar in partnership with Oxford) 6. KEYWORDS (concluding seminar of interdisciplinary concentration oa key critical term)

SPECIALIST MODULES

FIRST YEAR	- offer specialist instruction within the disciplinary area of one’s research field and foster the acquisition of specialised scientific knowledge - >60 hours, attendance >70% - are ideally and equally made up of: 1. attendance of the permanet seminars of each disciplinary area (see https://www.disll.unipd.it/ricerca/seminari-permanenti) 2. attendance of MA courses 3. formation under the supervisor’s guidance 10 hours may be replaced by forms of teaching given by other disciplinary areas or research centres
admission to second year	Three conditions must be met: 1. presentation of 2 papers (5000 words each): 1 on a topic of the Generic/Specialist Modules + 1 on the thesis topic 2. supervisor’s approval of yearly activities 3. PhD Teaching Staff’s approval
SECOND YEAR	(see First Year) - during the research periods abroad teaching and supervision compete to the host University - students can be assigned limited teaching and tutoring duties
admission to third year	Three conditions must be met: 1. presentation of 2 papers (7000 words each): 1 on a topic assigned by the supervisor + 1 on the thesis topic (future chapter) 2. supervisor’s approval of yearly activities 3. PhD Teaching Staff’s approval
THIRD YEAR	(see First Year) - during the research periods abroad teaching and supervision compete to the host University - students can be assigned limited teaching and tutoring duties
admission to thesis evaluation	Two conditions must be met: 1. supervisor’s approval of yearly activities carried out in the third year and more generally during the 3-year course 3. PhD Teaching Staff’s approval

 

Individual training plan

Educational offer

 

The teaching modules of the Doctoral Programme are divided into the following:

FIRST YEAR: A) GENERIC MODULES + B) SPECIALIST MODULES
SECOND YEAR: B) SPECIALIST MODULES
THIRD YEAR: B) SPECIALIST MODULES

A) GENERIC MODULES (FIRST YEAR ONLY)

The Generic Modules are organised in such a way as to provide all first-year doctoral students with basic competences by means of lessons of general interest on linguistic, philological and literary subjects. These lessons aim to guarantee both coherence and exchange between the various paths that characterise the Doctoral Programme.
The Generic Modules, which require active attendance, amount to a total of 100 hours. They take the form of a series of seminars, for which the doctoral students need to prepare by using the materials supplied in the Moodle platform. 10 of the 100 hours can be substituted by other seminars/lessons organised by the Departments involved in the Doctoral Programme, or by other Departments, even those of other universities, including conferences.
Students are expected to attend at least 70% of the modules, with attendance checked by the signing of a register. The Generic Modules are compulsory only in the first year of the Doctoral Programme.

The GENERIC MODULES are made up of the following:

A. Conducting research: resources and methods

• Introducing tools for the communication of knowledge: bibliographic tools, electronic databases, institutional and disciplinary archives on the Web;
• Looking for resources for research. . Opportunities for research and mobility in Italy and Europe (Erasmus, scholarships, etc.);
• The project. From an idea to a research project;
• Communication a) Presenting yourself. Writing your CV; online communication;
• Communication b) Presenting your own research. From the abstract to communication: Public Speaking; PowerPoint, poster and paper; how to write an article;
• Publishing. Scientific publishing, Open Access, Creative Commons (from copyright to quality publishing).

This module is accompanied by seminars aimed at developing transversal competences, by means of presentations on work in progress (Officina Dottorato – Doctoral Lab), teamwork with teachers, and collaboratively devising and organising cultural events in and outside Padova.

B. Digital Humanities

This cycle of lessons provides students with the basic knowledge that will enable them to think critically about the methods used in interdisciplinary areas which involve interaction between technology and humanistic studies. They will learn about the main digital tools which can be used, and be supplied with practical examples.
Students will be introduced to the notions needed in order to understand the wide range of problems related to "digital culture" including:
- the structuring of objects of knowledge in the humanities through data structures which allow for the semi-automated discovery and analysis of new information;
- the organisation of data in humanistic research in such a way as to generate data which is open and interoperable, in accordance with EU guidelines;
- the advantages and disadvantages of the availability of big data in the humanities and the problem of information overload.

C. Around the text

This is a seminar that analyses different forms of philological approaches to the text, comparing languages and focusing on various registers, formats and the nature of the text itself.

D. Keywords

"Keywords" is an interdisciplinary seminar based around the discussion of one keyword, chosen each year, which sums up the methodological principles analysed during the year. It may also include a Course of Excellence (3-4 lectures) held by an invited scholar.

E. State of the Art: research methods and directions

These are methodological courses on sources, methods and directions in international research today, which aim to involve students actively. Each course relates to the one of the main areas of the Doctoral Programme (Linguistics, Philology, Literature) and are taught by scholars from other universities, inside and outside Italy, either face-to-face or by means of webinars. There may also be a Course of Excellence (3-4 lectures) held by an invited scholar. All doctoral students must attend two of the three courses, one related to his/her own field and one other.

B) SPECIALIST MODULES (FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD YEAR)

The Specialist Modules are organised according to the disciplinary areas of the Doctoral Programme and aim to foster the students’ acquisition of specialised scientific knowledge. They may be made up of lessons, seminars or seminar cycles held by the academic staff of the Programme or by external scholars, or also of second-cycle degree modules. Participation in conferences can also be counted as part of the Specialist Modules.

Teaching takes place throughout the academic year for a minimum of 60 hours. 10 of these may be substituted by the student by lessons organised for the other areas of the Programme or externally (with the agreement of the supervisor). During their second and third years, doctoral students may decide on which and how many modules to attend after consultation with their supervisor.

Doctoral students are also encouraged to develop their soft skills (especially during the first year) by participating in the planning of some of the many outreach events proposed by the two Departments and the University as a whole. In accordance with University guidelines, doctoral students may, with the approval of the Doctoral School, take on assistant teaching posts, work as Junior Tutors and be part of examination boards. Such activities will be mostly carried out within the degree programmes of the members of the School (usually that of the supervisor) so as to give the student the opportunity to develop and enrich his/her teaching abilities.

Doctoral students must have a record of all the lessons attended during the Doctoral Programme (including the Generic Modules) as well as participation in conferences, teaching activities etc. At the end of each lesson etc., they should remember to ask the member(s) of the academic staff for their signature on this FORM.

ASSIGNING A SUPERVISOR
This will happen within the first three months, during a meeting of the Doctoral Board of Teachers. New doctoral students are invited to contact a member of the Board as early as possible to enquire as to their willingness to act as supervisor.

END-OF-YEAR ASSESSMENT
The Doctoral Programme does not implement tests based on lessons or cycles of lessons, but there is an end-of-year assessment of the activities carried out during the first and second years of the Programme. This evaluation is based on both the attendance of lessons, on two written papers or conference presentations, and on other activities (participation in conferences, study periods abroad, publications etc.)
A candidate will be admitted to the following year on condition that the evaluation of the supervisor and that of the Doctoral Board of Teachers is positive.
First-year assessment: 1 paper on a topic covered in the Generic Modules (5000 words) + 1 paper (5000 words) relating to the topic of the thesis. The second paper can be an introductory reflection on the research conducted so far, the method etc.
Second-year assessment: 1 paper on a topic agreed upon with the supervisor (7000 words) + 1 paper (7000 words) relating to the topic of the thesis. The second paper should represent one chapter of the future thesis.