Programme description

New programme in 2024/25 academic year

The first-cycle programme—East European Studies: Languages and Discourses—is meticulously crafted to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Eastern Europe, a region pivotal to global political and economic stability. Renowned for its political, cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity, Eastern Europe has witnessed a multitude of historical and contemporary conflicts, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The programme is dedicated to equipping students with a profound understanding of the cultural underpinnings of these conflicts and nuanced knowledge of the specific cultural characteristics of individual countries. In doing so, it furnishes them with indispensable intercultural competencies crucial for careers in business, administration, journalism, or the non-governmental sector.

The programme offers intensive training in two foreign languages—Russian, Ukrainian, or Polish—culminating in B2+ proficiency in the primary language selected and B1+ in the secondary, as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Furthermore, it empowers students to explore a diverse array of discourses, encompassing political, legal, literary, religious ones, and those pertaining to collective memory, thereby providing valuable insights into the operational dynamics of their chosen languages within specific communicative contexts.

Delivered entirely in English by a faculty of seasoned professors from Jagiellonian University, who are esteemed specialists in the languages, cultures, literatures, and contemporary issues of Eastern European countries, the program includes mandatory courses covering the history of Eastern Europe, basic linguistics, discourse studies, and memory studies. Additionally, offering a broad selection of optional courses, the program grants students the autonomy to tailor their educational journey according to their interests.

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Information regarding Faculty

Although it appeared in the structure of the university in 1951, the Faculty of Philology offers study programmes (fields of research) which have existed for a long time and tradition of which dates back by even five centuries. The Faculty offers over 20 philologies but teaches as many as 50 languages! It was granted the A category by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, study programmes conducted at the Faculty lead in rankings prepared by the Education Foundation “Perspektywy”, and talented students join the prestigious Diamond Grant program winners.

Studies at the Faculty of Philology have enjoyed unflagging popularity for years, allowing graduates to work, among others, as a translator, editor in publishing houses, teacher in schools, journalist, or employee of diplomatic or special services. Internships and paid internships offered by companies cooperating with the Faculty together with vocational courses and certified training, available to all interested students, can help in smooth entry to the labour market. Studies at the Faculty of Philology also include classes in small groups and the opportunity to work in more than 20 students’ academic associations.

The Faculty consists of 8 institutes, the study programme is conducted by the Institute of East Slavonic Studies, which is located at Ingardena 3 Street, close to the Historic Centre of Kraków, the Jagiellonian Library and Błonia Park. The library of the Faculty of Philology ensures access to national and worldwide sources of information – it is a modern information centre concerning foreign philologies, history of literature, linguistics, methods of teaching, history, culture, art and translation studies.

Rankings, distinctions, accreditations

• Scientific category B+ in the main discipline of Linguistics 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 more than 20 student associations at the Faculty of Philology.

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 Government of the Faculty of Philology

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

Graduates of the East European Studies: Languages and Discourses are individuals who:

• have a strong command of the English language,
• are knowledgeable in East Slavic languages and/or Polish,
• are well-versed in the cultural specifics of Eastern Europe and its broader contexts,
• are capable of conducting professional, critical analysis of data across various communication platforms.

Their extensive knowledge of socio-cultural processes in Eastern Europe, particularly in Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus, understanding of the conditions influencing these processes, the ability to professionally analyze diverse phenomena and data across various communication platforms, broad language competencies, and awareness of the nature of language meet the needs of international, governmental, and non-governmental organizations, local governments, cultural institutions, and companies worldwide. They are specialists sought wherever effective action by individual institutions requires professional knowledge of the socio-cultural realities of the region and intercultural sensitivity.

Further education possibilities

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

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.

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 Institute of East Slavonic Studies, a unit of the Faculty of Philology. The Institute is located close to the historic centre of Kraków, the Jagiellonian Library, Jordan Park, and Błonia Park. For more information, please contact:

filolog@uj.edu.pl

ul. Ingardena 3
30-060 Kraków, Poland
Phone: (+48) 12 663 25 35

east.uj.edu.pl
filg.uj.edu.pl

Other programmes that may interest you

• Russian Philology (Faculty of Philology) – programme in Polish
• Ukrainian Philology with the Russian Language (Faculty of Philology) – programme in Polish
• Carpathian Region: Ethnolinguistics and Cultural Studies (Faculty of Philology) – programme in Polish
• Russian Studies (Faculty of International and Political Studies) – programme in Polish