Programme description

Polish Studies and Comparative Literature is a study programme conducted by the Chair for Comparative Literary Studies for people who:

• are interested not only in Polish literature but also in culture and foreign literature and literature in the context of other disciplines of art and cultural phenomena;
• look for broad development and possibilities to realise their passions;
• want to use and broaden knowledge and skills learned at other study programmes with new content;
• want to develop their skills in a modern way, under the supervision of qualified academic teachers and exquisite scientists;
• expect preparation for work in various positions and sectors, not a narrow and one-directional specialisation;
• expect from higher education to learn how to deal with the dynamically changing global labour market and are not focused on just one narrow field of knowledge.

The programme combines courses standard for Polish studies with comparative courses focused on foreign literature and literature in diverse contexts of other cultural phenomena. Each student chooses comparative courses according to their interests and planned education profile.

Information regarding Faculty

The Faculty of Polish Studies has the category A granted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. In 2018 two students of the Faculty of Polish Studies were awarded during 'Studencki Nobel 'contest for the greatest Polish students, talented students of the Faculty are winning the prestigious Diamond Grant programme. Study programmes at the Faculty of Polish Studies give a great chance for individual development under the supervision of the masters of modern Polish studies. The Faculty of Polish Studies has been collaborating wit institutions concerned with culture and art, especially from Kraków and Małopolska province, for many years. Students engage in various activities of the Kraków Festival Office, theatres of Kraków, cultural centres and museums. The JU students’ Linguistics Research Society organizes the Month of First Language – a regular project that includes the Kraków Dictation, advertisement contest, "commentary and pitch” and linguistics workshops in schools. Particular fields of studies collaborate with companies from the media sector during realization of traineeships programme – the Faculty signed agreements with publishers, web portals and magazines, and is responsible for edition of 12 prestigious publications and 7 academic journals.

The Faculty of Polish Studies consists of 17 Chairs, as well as the Center for Polish Language and Culture in the World, and the School of Polish Language and Culture. The study programme is conducted at the Chair of Comparative Literature, which is located in Historic Centre of Kraków. 

Rankings, distinctions, accreditations

• Scientific category A in the main discipline of Literary Studies awarded to the Jagiellonian University in Kraków by the decision of the Minister of Education and Science

Curriculum overview

In the programme curriculum, you may find information about the subjects you will attend while studying this programme. The programme indicates which subjects are scheduled for each semester of the studies, which are mandatory, which belong to the group of elective subjects (so-called optional subjects), which of them end with an exam, and which do not. Each subject in such a programme curriculum has its syllabus, which is a description of what students learn within the scope of that subject.

Student’s life

Time spent at the university is not all about education and class participation; it is also an excellent opportunity to develop hobbies and interests. Many research societies and student organizations operate at the Jagiellonian University, including faculty- and university-wide ones. These societies allow students to spend their free time actively, gain knowledge, develop their talents, participate in engaging, unconventional projects, go on research and team-building trips, participate in conferences, and meet fellow students outside the lecture halls. There are many student associations at the Faculty of Polish Studies, f. e. Comparative Students Academic Circle.

Students interested in the international dimension of studying can participate in a wide variety of exchange programmes, such as Erasmus+, Utrecht Network, bilateral exchange programmes, European university Una Europa, or the domestic mobility programme called MOST.

More than just studies

• Student associations at the Faculty of Polish Studies
• Student Government of the Faculty of Polish Studies

Admission to studies

Admission to study programmes at the Jagiellonian University is conducted electronically in the Online Application System: irk.uj.edu.pl. If you have any questions related to admission, please contact the Admissions Office directly or visit the websites: welcome.uj.edu.pl and irk.uj.edu.pl.

Detailed information about admission to this study programme, including information on the method of calculating the result, qualification criteria, fees, deadlines, and a list of required documents are available on the Online Application System (IRK): irk.uj.edu.pl

Transfer from other university or study programme

Transfer from another university, including a foreign one, or change of study programme within the University is possible with the dean's consent after completing the first year of studies and fulfilling additional requirements established by the Faculty Council. For inquiries regarding transfer, please contact the unit responsible for the specific study programme directly.

Graduates

Polish Studies and Comparative Literature creates conscious recipients of Polish and foreign culture equipped with expert knowledge in literature of various language fields, well-oriented in various phenomena of the cultural world, and (after taking pedagogical education) Polish teachers on multiple levels of education. Learning two foreign languages during studies allows students to prepare themselves to work in Polish and international cultural institutions, companies from the translation and PR sectors, and educational institutions of various levels, including Polish and foreign schools and centres offering education adapted to universalised international standards (e.g., high schools preparing to international baccalaureate).

Graduates of comparative studies at the Faculty of Polish Studies may be proud of their achievements during and after their studies. They are also living proofs that studies in the humanities prepare students to enter the modern labour market.

Further education possibilities

• Doctoral School, f.e. Doctoral School in the Humanities
• Post diploma programmes
• Second-cycle programmes

What alumni say about us

Kaja Katańska – works at the young Fame Art publisher
Polish Studies and Comparative Literature programme was an obvious choice for me, as there are no study programmes that guarantee professional success. I wanted to put the literature in the centre of my interests, but in a manner that is the most interdisciplinary and open. I was not disappointed, and my trip to Italy under the Erasmus+ programme during my second-cycle studies convinced me that the comparative courses I decided to participate in during my first-cycle studies allowed me to study at a foreign university without falling behind in the programme.

Anna Czech – editor-in-chief at Kropka publisher (an imprint of Marginesy)
Polish Studies and Comparative Literature programme is a great beginning to becoming an initiating editor or a publisher. Knowledge of languages and an ability to think out of the box are helpful. This programme is perfect for people curious about the world and expertise with broad interests. It helps to develop, forces us to question everything and looks for answers outside the schemes. A diploma obtained after graduation often is a bargaining chip to get a dream job, as it was in my case.

Offer for school

The following events are conducted in Polish – to find out about the offer for English-speaking audience, please get in touch with the organizer directly. Additionally, due to the current pandemic, some faculty and university events may be canceled or conducted in a form other than that described below.

The Chair of Comparative Literature each year (usually in April) organises open courses week for high school students. Individuals who want to see what studying Polish Comparative Studies looks like may participate in specialised courses with students of this study programme.

We invite all schools to take part in the cycle of meetings "University Closer to You – visits to the Jagiellonian University". The aim of the meetings during the tours is to familiarize students with the history of our University through a rich educational offer (lectures, workshops, laboratory classes, etc.). The current programme of the event is available on the organizer's website – the Centre for Communications and Marketing of the Jagiellonian University.

The Jagiellonian Library offers tours of both the old and new parts of the building. The tour programme includes presentations on the history of the Library and the building itself, as well as a visit to the Department of Depositories. The offer of the Collegium Maius includes lessons on "The Trail of Science" and "The Trail of History and Art," as well as interactive online classes. We also invite you to explore the educational offer of the Botanical Garden, the Nature Education Centre, the Confucius Institute, and the Museum of Anatomy.

Contact

The study programme is conducted at the Chair of Comparative Literature, a unit of the Faculty of Polish Studies. The Chair is located in the historic centre of Kraków. For more information, please contact:

dziekanat.wpuj@uj.edu.pl

ul. Gołębia 20
31-007 Kraków, Poland
Phone: (+48) 12 663 13 41

www.komparatystyka.polonistyka.uj.edu.pl
polonistyka.uj.edu.pl

Other programmes that may interest you

• Polish Studies: Anthropology and Culture (Faculty of Polish Studies) – programme in Polish
• Polish Language in Social Communication (Faculty of Polish Studies) – programme in Polish
• Cultural Studies—Texts of Culture (Faculty of Polish Studies) – programme in Polish