Branch programme/details

Balkan, Eurasian and Central European Studies (BECES) is a two-year English-language Master's degree programme, which focuses on modern history, politics and diplomacy, as well as to fundamental social, cultural and economic problems. It addresses the English-speaking audience with a deep and versatile exploration of “the East”, understood as a territory composed of Central Europe, the Balkan Peninsula, and the Post- Soviet area, including the Caucasus and Central Asia. It also offers students the chance to learn or improve their knowledge of some of the Czech language. The programme is deliberately structured to take advantage of the multidisciplinary nature of the Faculty, and students will be encouraged to make connections between different fields of study, learning to combine a global perspective with attention to detail and local interests.

The core courses provide an overview of crucial segments of the area from an analytical and multidisciplinary perspective, while the elective classes allow students to create their own specialisation. The aim of the programme is to help students write a Master’s thesis of sufficient quality to merit publication. Through the university’s network of exchange programmes, talented students may also be offered the opportunity to make a brief research visit to another country in the area.

Description of verification and evaluation criteria:

In addition to the application form, every applicant needs to provide the following documents:

a) Copy of a diploma to show completed Bachelor (or higher) studies or confirmation that ongoing Bachelor studies will be completed in the current academic year;

b) Transcript of records and academic results from previous studies;

c) Structured CV including extra-curricular activities;

d) Motivation letter;

e) Document showing the level of English proficiency;

f) Two letters of recommendation (at least one academic)

Ad a) Confirmation of studies may be substituted with a transcript of records, provided that these are from the same academic year as the application.

Ad e) Applicants should provide a certificate from one of the following standardized tests:

• IELTS Academic - the minimum required overall band score of 6.5, with band score 6.0 or above in all four components;
  
  

• TOEFL Internet-Based Test (iBT) & TOEFL iBT Home Edition - the minimum required overall score of 83, with a minimum scaled score in the four sections: reading 19, writing 24, listening 20, speaking 20;
  
  

• Cambridge ESOL FCE - minimum Cambridge English Scale Score of 180;
  
  

• Cambridge ESOL CAE and CPE receiving a certificate.
  
  

A standardized English test is not required from applicants who:

• are native English speakers;
  
  

• have studied in English at the secondary school level for at least two years;
  
  

• have studied in English at the university level for at least one year;
  
  

• have worked for at least one year at a company where the language of communication was English.
  
  

When a score from an English-language test is not presented, the applicants should provide a certificate of their use of English during their prior studies or employment to support their claim. The certificate should contain contact information (an email address and a telephone number) to a person (a programme director, or an employee supervisor) who can confirm the scope of the use of the English language in the program or employment.

All documents which are not originally in Czech, Slovak or English must be officially translated into English.

The admissions committee will assess applicants on the basis of the documents submitted and give them a ranking from 0 - 100 points. The following criteria will be evaluated: academic background (achieved level of education, academic results) (0-40), motivation (0-40), and extracurricular activities (0-20). The point limit for accepting applicants is set by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University. The point limit is set the same for all specializations. There are no limits in terms of the capacity of particular specialization. A pre-condition for being accepted is the completion of a Bachelor degree education.

Admission to Master's studies is conditioned by completed secondary education confirmed by a school-leaving certificate. Admission to Post-Bachelor studies (Master's programme) is likewise conditioned by completed education in any type of study programme.