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

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).

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.

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

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.