Philological Area Studies

“Slavonic countries in a broader context.”

Bachelor's degree programme, full-time study mode, single-subject, Czech, 3 years →

Bachelor's degree programme, full-time study mode, double-subject, Czech, 3 years →

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The aim of this Bachelor’s degree study programme is to prepare qualified and competent experts in several geopolitical-cultural areas – Central Europe, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe. These studies, which have a philological character transcending into cultural area studies, provide a comprehensive education based on comparative philological-area studies. The Bachelor’s degree studies focus on practical mastery of two Slavonic languages (language A – 6 semesters, language B – 4 semesters) and on acquainting students with the national characteristics and culture of the individual areas. Students can choose quite freely which languages and accompanying courses they want to study; however, the compulsory courses still offer distinctive and dynamic specialization.

Graduates have a good level of language competence – level B2 in language A, level B1 in language B (according to the CEFR). They are also able to communicate in at least one additional world language (level B1). This study programme provides a basic theoretical and practical comparative philological-area education in which equal emphasis is placed on general area courses and on the languages of corresponding geopolitical areas. Graduates can use the knowledge obtained in the course of their studies while working in cultural institutions; the flexible conception of the studies also makes it possible for graduates to work in journalism as well as in lower-level management of private enterprises.

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After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

communicate in two Slavonic languages spoken in two different Slavonic areas
use the grammar of their selected dominant language at a high level
produce cultivated written and oral communication
gain an orientation in cultural events happening in the selected dominant area, interpret these events, and put them in an appropriate social and historical context
gain an orientation fundamentally in broader literary, linguistic, cultural, and political-social issues of Slavonic areas

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The graduates of this study programme are well-prepared for working in civil service and in public administration – especially in positions where dealing with foreigners is a necessity. They can also work in lower-level management in cultural institutions, in education, in the foreign service, or in lower-level management of private companies that do business with foreign countries (particularly with the Russian Federation, with the countries of the former Soviet Union, and with the Balkans and Central Europe).

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The standard duration of studies is six semesters. For admittance to the final state examination, students must obtain a minimum of 180 credits for type A/required, type B/selective, and type C/elective courses.

All students in their first semester choose their dominant specialization (the area of Eastern Europe or the area of Central Europe). Students make the choice by enrolling in a language A course (language A is strictly defined for each area: the area of Eastern Europe – Russian; the area of Central Europe – Polish). From the third semester of their studies, students begin with language B courses – language B has to be chosen from a different area than language A.

The type A/required courses consist of common courses of students’ study programme as well as of language A and language B courses – these courses amount to 71 credits, including the credits for courses aimed to help students write their Bachelor’s thesis. The students also have to pass the type A/required courses for all students of the Faculty of Arts: philosophy, foreign language, and physical education – 10 credits in total. Type B/selective courses focus on mastering the knowledge of a chosen area (at least 30 credits). Students earn at least 66 credits for completing any courses out of the current offer of type C/elective courses for their study programme or for other fields.

The dual concentration students must acquire at least 180 credits in both of their subjects together (95 credits in their primary, and 85 credits in their secondary study programme). The Bachelor’s studies are concluded with the Bachelor’s thesis defence (or by submitting the Bachelor’s minor thesis if Philological-Area Studies is a secondary study programme) and passing the final state examination.

During the course of their studies, students should follow the study catalogue valid for their year of matriculation. The study catalogues for the individual years of matriculation are available at the Faculty of Arts website.

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The Bachelor’s studies are concluded by the Bachelor’s thesis defence (or by submitting the Bachelor’s minor thesis if Philological-Area Studies is a secondary study programme) and by passing the final state examination.

The Bachelor’s final state examination provides a comprehensive test of practical language competence and of the skills gained by completing compulsory area, linguistic, literary theoretical, and cultural studies. The language part of the exam involves a written and an oral test of the practical knowledge of two Slavonic languages that students choose during their studies, the vocabulary of these languages, and their grammar and orthography. It is obligatory to pass the language part of the exam in order to be allowed to sit for the other part. The second part focuses on five basic topic areas – area-philological studies, literary theory, linguistics, Central European area, East-European area, and the Balkan-Slavonic area.

The Bachelor’s thesis defence is a part of the Bachelor’s final state examination. The main body of the Bachelor’s thesis has to contain at least 70,000 characters.

For more information, please visit the department web pages (in Czech):

http://www.phil.muni.cz/wusl/home/studium/informace/statni-zaverecne-zkousky-a-zaverecne-prace

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The graduates can (after fulfilling the requirements for acceptance) continue their education in any follow-up Master’s degree studies. At the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Bachelor’s degree philological-area studies are directly linked to follow-up Master’s degree philological-area studies and comparative literary studies.

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Students

Defended theses

Field of study specifications

Field of Study:	Philological Area Studies
Abbreviation:	AREA
Code:	7310R303
Type:	Bachelor's degree programme
Degree:	Bc.
Accreditation:	to 31/12/2024
Programme:	B7310 B-FI Philology