In the UK, you can currently study Czech at university level at Bristol, Glasgow, Oxford, Sheffield and UCL’s School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES). Slovak is offered at Oxford and UCL, SSEES. Please see below for more information about the offerings at these universities.*

General information:

• Some universities offer Czech as part of a Joint Honours degree (‘Czech’ will be in the degree title)
• Others offer language, literature, history or culture modules as options within other degree programmes (‘Czech’ will not be in the degree title).
• You can study Slovak language and culture as part of a Czech degree at Oxford and SSEES, UCL.
• In all cases, Czech can be studied from beginners’ level (ab initio) and are taught by specialist tutors, with tailored arrangements made where necessary for those with significant previous knowledge of the language.
• In a Czech Joint Honours degree, in addition to language classes, students are typically offered a range of optional modules in areas including literature, cinema, linguistics, history and contemporary society.

University-specific information:

 

Bristol offers optional modules in Czech language from beginners’ level upwards. These are hosted by the Russian department and are generally open to students registered on a variety of different degree programmes. For further information, contact Ms Jana Nahodilová (j.nahodilova@bris.ac.uk) or Dr Julia Sutton-Mattocks (julia.sutton-mattocks@bristol.ac.uk).

 

Glasgow offers units in Czech language at elementary and intermediate level. These are offered as first- and second-year courses or as subsidiary courses that run alongside the Honours programme in Years 3 and 4. In addition, a range of optional modules on Czech film, literature, culture and history are typically offered within programmes in, for example, Comparative Literature and History. For further information, contact Dr Jan Čulík (Jan.Culik@glasgow.ac.uk) or Dr Mirna Solic (Mirna.Solic@glasgow.ac.uk).

 

Oxford offers Czech (with Slovak) to degree level in Joint Honours combinations with another language or with Classics, English, History or Philosophy. You can start First Year with no, some or considerable knowledge of Czech or Slovak. Alongside Czech grammar, speaking, writing and translation, you will have classes in translation from Slovak and options in Czech and Slovak literature from the fourteenth century to the present and Czech and Slovak linguistics. For more information, contact Dr Rajendra Chitnis (rajendra.chitnis@mod-langs.ox.ac.uk).

 

Sheffield offers Czech Studies to degree level within its BA/Modern Languages and Cultures. It cannot be studied as a single-honours subject. Possible combinations are: with one other language; with two other languages; with one non-language subject; with one language and one non-language subject. Alongside classes in Czech language, which is taught from beginners’ level, you can take modules in Czech history and culture. Students studying other degree programmes may be able to take optional modules in Czech. For more information, contact Professor Neil Bermel (n.bermel@sheffield.ac.uk) or Mr Luděk Knittl (l.knittl@sheffield.ac.uk).

UCL, SSEES offers Czech to degree level in Joint Honours combinations with a wide range of other languages and Czech (with Slovak) in combination with East European Studies. Alongside classes in Czech language, which is available from beginners’ level, you will typically have classes in Czech history, literature and culture. Students studying other degree programmes may be able to take optional modules in Czech and/or Slovak. In addition to its degree programmes, UCL offers evening courses in both Czech and Slovak (various levels available) at additional cost. These are open to UCL students and outside learners. For more information, contact Dr Peter Zusi (p.zusi@ucl.ac.uk).

 

*Please note that the above information is correct at the time of writing. However, it is subject to change and is not intended to be used as a substitute for the information made directly available by the universities. If you are interested in studying Czech or Slovak at university in the UK, please use the links and contacts above to confirm the universities’ current offerings.