Universität Fribourg Université de Fribourg Suisse | Universität Freiburg Schweiz Course offerings

Rhaeto-Romance

Abstract

The Rhaeto-Romance course is devoted to the varied linguistic forms in the Romansh-speaking area of the canton of Grisons. Who uses Rhaeto-Romance in today's society, and how and when? What is the position of Romansh people in the trilingual canton of Grisons and in quadrilingual Switzerland? What are the subjects and traditions which shape Rhaeto-Romance literature? These and other questions are covered by Rhaeto-Romance students. At the University of Fribourg, the emphasis is on linguistics, but literature is an integral part of the course.
Students acquire the broad basic knowledge required to pursue a career in Rhaeto-Romance institutions, the media or teaching and/or to continue their studies to master level.
The bachelor programme requires thorough knowledge of at least one variant of Rhaeto-Romance (idiom or Rumantsch Grischun). Some classes are taught in German.

Show the study programme profile

Profile of the study programme

Rumantsch a Friburg? Sa chapescha!
The University of Fribourg is the only higher education establishment in Switzerland apart from the University of Zurich to offer studies in Rhaeto-Romance. These studies are devoted to the science of past and present Rhaeto-Romance language and literature. The Rhaeto-Romance course in Fribourg puts the emphasis on linguistics, whereby socio-linguistics and language-contact issues are given particular consideration. Literature is an integral part of the course.

Curriculum
The bachelor programme teaches students the foundations of linguistics and literary analysis and gives an overview of the history of the Rhaeto-Romance language and literature. The focus lies on the historical development and structural elements of Rhaeto-Romance dialects and regional written languages, as well as on the various contacts with other language and cultural spaces. Students study a wide spectrum of uses of Rhaeto-Romance, from court documents from the Republic of the Three Leagues to current media reports, from religious debates and political verse from the period of the Reformation through to modern poetry and everyday digital communication. Other subjects for study include the language debate in past and present of Grisons, the multilingualism of Rhaeto-Romance speakers, the supraregional standardisation of the written language with Rumantsch Grischun, and the status of Rhaeto-Romance as a minority language.

Requirements
To study Rhaeto-Romance, students must be innovative, enjoy reading and writing and have an interest in analytical examination of language, text and other media. As the majority of the course is provided in Rhaeto-Romance, thorough knowledge in at least one Rhaeto-Romance variety (idiom or Rumantsch Grischun) is essential. The study of other variants of Rhaeto-Romance is part of the course.
Some classes are taught in German so that students without any knowledge of Rhaeto-Romance can attend. In addition, Rhaeto-Romance language courses are open to all students.

Advantages
The small number of students enables effective and close mentoring by professors and lecturers. A familiar atmosphere is characteristic of Rhaeto-Romance studies, which also promotes contact among students outside the university.

Combinations
The Rhaeto-Romance study programme can be combined with other study programmes in the arts and also in social sciences and/or natural sciences. Popular combinations are, for example, other languages and literature, history, communication and media or education.

Career openings
In the Rhaeto-Romance bachelor programme, students acquire a broad and well-founded basic knowledge to pursue a career in Rhaeto-Romance institutions, the media or teaching. The bachelor degree is also the basis for master-level studies (in Multilingualism Studies with Rhaeto-Romance as an option and in other language disciplines).
There are many different career opportunities for graduates in Rhaeto-Romance: the media (radio, press, TV, Internet), Rhaeto-Romance or Rhaeto-Romance-related language and cultural institutions (Lia Rumantscha, Institut dal Dicziunari Rumantsch Grischun, Swiss Literary Archives, etc.), translation, library work. The Rhaeto-romance study programme for 60 ECTS credits fulfils the requirements for admission to the Teaching Diploma for Academic Upper Secondary Education (Diplôme d'enseignement pour les écoles de maturité, DEEM/Lehrdiplom für Maturitätsschulen, LDM).
Given the relatively low number of university graduates in Rhaeto-Romance, people with that qualification are always be in great demand on the labour market in Graubünden, in federal administration, universities and a variety of national research projects.

Studies organisation

Structure of studies

60 ECTS credits as a minor study programme

Curriculum

http://studies.unifr.ch/go/ikZzC (French)
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/IaFd2 (German)

Comments

This bachelor programme is continued at the master level with the minor study programme «Rhaeto-Romance» (30 ECTS credits) and the major study programme «Multilingualism Studies» with Rhaeto-Romance as the elective (90 ECTS credits).

Alternatives

Also offered as a minor study programme for 30 ECTS credits.