EN
The independent department of History and Museology of the Faculty of Arts and science of Silesian University in Opava was launched in academic year 1992-1993. However, the study of museology had already been implemented in 1990 at the department of Literary studies, Museology and Photography. Theoretical museology was based upon historical studies of material culture and the collection and protection of cultural and natural heritage. It was supplemented with topics from art history, ethnographical lectures and seminars became part of the syllabus; the first lecturer was PhDr. Jaroslav Štika, Csc. Mgr. Jiřina Veselská lectured between the years 1995-2008. She was replaced by PhDr. Věra Tomolová in 2008. Within the framework of their studies, students are requested to complete one ethnographical proseminar, two seminars and a compulsory course Introduction to Ethnography. They can also attend another optional course. Studies are focused on the clarification of terminology, history of discipline, methods of research, the documentation of traditional culture and the management, maintenance and presentation of ethnographical collections. The optional course, also attended by students enrolled on unrelated study programs, concentrates on the transformations of contemporary village life. High numbers of students that are attending particularly the optional courses show evidence of interest in the documentation of traditional culture and the preservation of material artefacts in museums. After passing ethnographical courses, many students have chosen ethnographical topics as subjects for their bachelor’s and master’s theses (e.g. documentation of the production of non-professional woodcarvers, traditional clothing deposited in museums, bibliographies, contemporary handicrafts, editions of sources, catalogues of collections). The list of these works concludes this essay.