Czech Studies

Czech is the language of a dynamic country in the heart of Europe where the history of the East meets the contemporary West. Its literature, film, history, and sport make Czech a rewarding language to learn and the Czech Republic an outstanding destination for study and work.

Rozmberk Castle

Here at Sheffield we have a strong record of excellent teaching and student satisfaction. We are a close-knit department and form a real relationship with our students, which means that you will learn quickly but that your classes are also genuinely enjoyable. You will start the study of Czech from scratch - either at Level 1 or 2 - and by the end of your course you can achieve the fluency needed to use the language in your professional life. You will also have explored the history and culture of the Czech lands and its language. If you already have some knowledge of Czech, please contact us and ask.

The local Czech and Slovak community has a full programme of speakers and cultural activities that students often attend. Every year, students have the opportunity to attend fully-paid summer schools in the Czech Republic.

Find out more about Czech at Sheffield

Undergraduate degree combinations

BA Modern Languages & Cultures

On the BA Modern Languages & Cultures you can study:

  • Czech language & culture with one other language & culture
  • Czech language & culture with two other languages & cultures

Choose from these languages:

  • French
  • German
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • Catalan
  • Dutch
  • Luxembourgish* (from second year only)
  • Italian
Dual Honours (with a non-language subject)

As a Dual Honours degree:

  • Czech language & culture with a non-language subject
  • Czech languages & culture, a second language & culture, and a non-language subject

Combine your study of German language & culture with one of the following:

  • Business Management
  • Economics
  • English
  • History
  • Linguistics
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Politics

Find out more about our range of dual honours degrees.

Why study Czech at Sheffield?

We asked some of our students why they chose to study Czech at Sheffield:


Module information

What if I already have some Czech?

We can in certain circumstances offer alternative pathways or modules if you know Czech from home or have learned it independently. Please ask us directly for advice.

You will study 40 credits in language and culture at beginner level.

In your first year, you'll get a thorough introduction to Czech grammar, and learn essential speaking skills with a native Czech speaker. You'll also use our interactive online exercises to consolidate your learning.

By the end of the year, you'll have a solid grounding in the language skills (at a level equivalent to A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference - CEFR) needed to communicate with Czech people and get around in the Czech Republic.

Our first-year culture course explores the history of the Czechs and Russians, introducing you to the events and cultural works that have shaped the Czech nation and its people.

Beginner's Czech

Title

Credits

Core/Optional

Czech Language Beginners

You will gain the skills to speak Czech in everyday situations. We take an integrated approach to language learning, so you will develop all four language skills - speaking, listening, reading, writing - in your work in class and at home. Our emphasis is on communication and you are encouraged to use the language from day one.

20 Core

Russian and Czech Cultures in the Age of Empire and Beyond

This module gives an overview of Russian and Czech cultures with a focus on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It will critically examine the concepts of statehood, empire, nationalism, totalitarianism and democracy by studying the two nations' different experiences through visual sources, literature and language usage. It thus introduces students to topics dealt with in greater depth in optional modules at Levels 2 and 3, and helps them to learn how to analyse cultural artefacts and sources of different kinds.

20 Core (if you are studying Russian and/or Czech)
Optional (if you are studying Czech with two other languages not including Russian)

Schoolwide Modules

Title

Credits

Core/Optional

Comparative Visual Cultures

Visual literacy is a key skill and visual culture remains one of the most accessible and important modes through which we represent, understand and critique our world. This module provides an introduction to some of the major trends within visual cultures in European languages, and the development of visual media. Students will work on a selection of visual texts across national frameworks and historical periods to examine their conditions of production, distribution and reception and to explore how meaning is constructed and critiqued in visual culture. In seminars we will engage with detailed analysis of core texts and with critical materials. Students will be encouraged to consider country-specific, transnational and comparative trends through a critical lens.

20 Optional

The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it is up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research, funding changes, professional accreditation requirements, student or employer feedback, outcomes of reviews, and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.

Information last updated: 7 September 2022


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