The Institute of Czech Studies at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague is offering educational courses in Czech language and literature, history and culture, intended for a broad spectrum of participants.
No matter what your reasons for improving your knowledge of the Czech language and culture are, we will be happy to welcome you among the hundreds of students who come to the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague every year.
Czech Studies is a rich and comprehensive programme intended for foreigners interested in Czech language, literature, history and culture as well as for scholars of Slavic languages and students of related fields.
The Czech Studies programme is a proven and efficient way to learn Czech as a second language, either for work or in order to continue with regular studies in Bachelor or Master’s programmes at the Charles University or another school.
The academic year is divided into two four-month modules consisting of language courses, lectures, seminars and other activities that help students master the Czech language and understand key aspects of Czech culture.
The Institute of Czech Studies offers:
We will teach you all the language skills that you will need in your life and studies. The programme includes not only learning grammar, but also development of oral and written communication, reading adapted as well as authentic texts or understanding written and spoken word.
We will teach you how to be successful in your oral communication in various life situations and effectively develop your vocabulary.
You will learn to write texts of various styles and genres, gaining skills that can be applied in everyday life as well as in your contact with Czech authorities and institutions or when studying at a Czech university.
We strongly emphasise correct pronunciation and all students may attend individual phonetic consultations. We work with experienced professional phoneticians who prepare training materials and recordings for our students.
The courses always keep in touch with everyday life – we go to theatres, take historical walks and are in contact with Czech students. We will expand your knowledge of Czech culture, literature, history and life in the Czech Republic.
We will prepare you for studies at a Czech university. Courses for advanced students include not only language teaching, but also seminars and lectures that correspond to the style of teaching used at Czech tertiary schools.
We will teach you to speak Czech well!
More information, registration forms and detailed requirements can be found at:
| Web: | http://czechstudies.ff.cuni.cz/?q=en/frontpage |
|---|---|
| e-mail: | czechstudies@ff.cuni.cz |
| Phone: | +420 221 619 378 |
| Address: | Zahraniční oddělení – Česká studia, Filozofická fakulta UK, Nám. Jana Palacha 2, 116 38 Prague 1 |
Study plans of the Czech Studies programme are divided into two basic modules, ensuring that the students can obtain and develop their language knowledge and skills in accordance with their level of proficiency in Czech (from beginners to very advanced students). The schedule and syllabi of individual modules are adjusted each semester to fully correspond to the needs of our students.
A) Module for the beginner and low intermediate level – A1 and A2 according to CEFR
The module is intended for beginners and low intermediate students. The core of the teaching is a language course of grammar and conversation, supplemented with other courses that primarily emphasise correct pronunciation and basic knowledge of Czech orthography. In beginner groups, the module may be partially taught in English. Full mastery of these levels usually takes two semesters. The schedule follows this study plan:
| Course name | Number of hours per week |
|---|---|
| Elementary language course (grammar and conversation) | 10 |
| Listening, pronunciation | 2 |
| Reading and conversation | 4 |
| Oral and written communication | 2 |
| Vocabulary development | 2 |
| Total 20 per week |
At the end of this module, the student should have acquired:
Reading knowledge of 2,200–2,800 Czech words
Basic knowledge of grammar (morphology and syntax) and word formation
Basic overview of Czech history, literature and culture
Ability to successfully communicate in everyday life situations
B) Module for the intermediate and upper intermediate level – B1 and B2 according to CEFR
The module is designed for intermediate and upper intermediate students and taught in Czech only. It allows students to fully develop their current knowledge and skills; the core teaching is divided into courses corresponding to various aspects of language (morphology, syntax, vocabulary, oral and written communication, reading etc.). Students also choose from various required optional courses depending on their future focus, either with an emphasis on the humanities (Czech culture) or more general seminars of academic Czech (Czech for students). Other students learn more practical knowledge and skills necessary in everyday life and work (Czech for life). Full mastery of these levels usually takes two semesters. The schedule follows this study plan:
| Name of course | Number of hours per week |
|---|---|
| Common core | |
| Outline of Czech morphology and syntax | 6 |
| Practical exercises in Czech grammar and communication | 4 |
| Listening, reading | 2 |
| Oral and written communication | 2 |
| Conversation, vocabulary development | 2 |
| Required optional course (students pick 1 topic) | |
| Czech culture (literature, history, general context) | 4 |
| Czech for students (academic writing, presentation skills) | 4 |
| Czech for life (creative writing, Czech at home and at work) | 4 |
| Total 20 per week |
At the end of this module, the student should have acquired:
Reading knowledge of 2,800–4,000 words in Czech
Ability to successfully communicate in various situations in the family, at school or at work
Very good knowledge of Czech history, literature and culture and the ability to use Czech during university-level studies
Academic Head of the Czech Studies Programme
PhDr. Ana Adamovičová
PhDr. Svatava Škodová, Ph.D.
Director of the Institute of Czech Studies
Optional courses and other activities
Czech pronunciation with professional phoneticians – initial phonetics course and practice, individual phonetic consultations during the semester
Mock tests – opportunity to try out a model entrance exam to a Czech university or one of the certified exams for foreigners (CCE–A1, CCE–A2, CCE–B1, CCE–B2, CCE–C1)
Optional course “Grammar for advanced students” (developing knowledge of Czech grammar, preparation for entrance exams for the study programme Czech for Foreigners)
Introductory language programme in the streets of Prague
Day trip to an interesting location in the Czech Republic
Individual consultations with teachers – each group has a head teacher whom the students can contact with their study-related and personal questions
Students can join language tandem programmes with native speakers of Czech and learn more about the student life in Prague and living in the Czech Republic.
Organization of the studies
At the beginning of the semester, all students take a placement test and are interviewed by a teacher (in Czech or English). The results are then used to divide them into groups with a similar level of communication skills, typically ranging from beginners to the intermediate level. Students can start in September or February. Each semester includes 240 lessons of 45 minutes each (total of 20 hours per week).
Attendance and classification
Attendance of the lessons is mandatory. If the attendance is below 70% of the lessons, the student will not receive a final grade and is not entitled to receive a certificate.
Students who are not classified in one or more subjects can only continue in their studies with the consent of the academic head of the programme.
| Excellent | Very good | Good | Failed | Not classified | ||
| A | A- | B | B- | C | D | N |
| 100–90 %
1 |
80–89 %
1,5 |
70–79 %
2 |
60–69 %
2,5 |
50–59 %
3 |
<50 %
4 |
absence >70 % |
More information, registration forms and detailed requirements can be found at:
