Language and Literature
Program
General info
The Doctoral Program in Comparative Literature is a four-year program run by the Department of Comparative Literature, within the framework of the Doctoral School of Literary Studies. It is accessible via the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program. For general info concerning the application process (call, timeline, submission deadlines and documents), please click here. For more specific info on how the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship works at the University of Szeged, click here. The language of the program is English. The total number of credits to be earned is 240 (which means 30 credits per semester). The program starts in September.
Our main focus is world literature and literary criticism, but topics of art, culture, media, and society are also included.
Curriculum
In the first two years, students are offered workshop seminars in various historical and theoretical subjects. They also attend special dissertation seminars (conducted by their supervisors) as well as courses of their own choice.
In the second half of the program, no more courses are to be accomplished, and the emphasis falls on individual research activity. Students may, however, choose to teach a BA seminar every semester in a topic related to their research. The program promotes individual progress, and enhances the development of high-quality presentation and writing skills. A certain number of publications and presentations in relevant research topics are required for the completion of the program.
For more, see the curriculum and detailed description of the program.
Topics and supervisors
Research areas cover world literature, literary criticism, rhetoric, aesthetics, image-text relationships, theatre and performance studies, cultural studies, interculturalism, minority and migrant literatures, Middle and Eastern European literatures, literary and cultural diversity in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, postcolonial studies, and critical theory including as diverse topics as the political and economic aspects of literary studies, theories of ideology, theories of violence and terror, or human-animal relations.
For a list of topics and related supervisors, click here.
Orientation
For collected info on university venues, libraries, major home pages, electronic platforms, and program documents, see our orientation.
Job perspectives
Doctoral (PhD) degree holders in Comparative Literature usually choose their careers in academia or education, publishing houses, literary journalism, theatres and festivals, international cultural and educational administration, creative and cultural industry, national or local government institutions, or diplomacy.
Admission
Who should apply?
We expect applicants to be interested in the contemporary developments and challenges in literature and culture, literary and cultural heritage worldwide, and languages in general. It is an advantage if the applicant has an MA in literary studies, languages, philosophy, cultural studies, theatre or film studies, or translation. An advanced knowledge of languages (including English) beside one’s mother tongue is highly important.
Requirements
Our basic requirements are an MA degree in literature or modern languages (or in a field closely related to the research topic), and a demonstrated proficiency in English (i.e., MA diploma, CEFR B2 level, or equivalent level in TOEFL, IELTS, etc.).
Procedure
1) Applications for a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship are to be submitted every year through the TEMPUS website.
2) If formally complete, we receive them for further evaluation in terms of academic relevance and quality.
3) If the research proposal is relevant and shows high merits, we organize a 30-mins online interview, in which the applicant has the chance to demonstrate his or her language skills and present the research plan and motivations.
Contact
For further information please contact the director of the program, György Fogarasi at fogarasi@hung.u-szeged.hu, or visit the departmental website at www.complit.u-szeged.hu.