Admission to the Programme is through one of Classics, Medieval Studies, or Philosophy. Finanical support depends on the unit in which the student enrolls. Students acquire a broad competence in their chosen discipline by fulfilling the normal curriculum of their home unit. Through the Programme's curriculum , they acquire a special competence in ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, or both, complemented by further work in other areas of philosophy. Students should begin training in the relevant languages before beginning doctoral studies.
Language study continues throughout the doctoral programme.
Reading knowledge of two languages of modern scholarship is also required, usually French and German. Large and diverse faculty resources enable us to provide a variety of courses each year, as well as supervision for topics that span nearly two millenia of philosophy, from the Presocratics to the fourteenth century. We are also fortunate to have the invaluable support of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies and of the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology . The Library of the Pontifical Institute , a non-circulating research collection that draws scholars from around the world, has more than 90,000 volumes in the areas of ancient, Byzantine, and medieval studies. Its holdings in ancient and medieval philosophy constitute one of the finest special collections in the world, and include microfilm copies of more than 5,000 medieval philosophical manuscripts.