Branch programme/details

Are you looking for a BA program with an added value? This program will give you not only expertise in modern history, culture and politics of Central Europe but also knowledge of Czech language. It will teach you how to grasp regional problems in their context. You will understand the historical and cultural underpinnings of Central Europe. You can become a highly skilled employee in the civil service or diplomacy, in NGOs or international institutions as well as in private companies or media. 

History and Area Studies is an interdisciplinary study program that focuses on modern history, culture and politics with respect to the Czech Republic in Central European and global context. This program combines education in history and area studies with active training in the Czech language, ensuring you achieve fluency, cultural competence, historical knowledge, and social understanding of Central Europe.

The curriculum focuses both on education in modern history and area studies, and on Czech language education. The Czech language courses progress from the basic grammar and vocabulary to the advanced level of Czech that you will be able to reach by the end of your studies. Modern history and area studies mandatory courses will give you a broad overview of major topics in contemporary Central European history, culture, politics, and economics. You will then have a solid background for more in-depth study of selected topics in the elective courses where you can discuss the topics in Czech thanks to the rising language knowledge and skills.

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

a) A copy of a diploma to show at least completed secondary or high school studies or confirmation that ongoing secondary or high school studies will be completed in the current academic year

b) Transcript of records and academic results from previous studies

c) Structured CV

d) Motivation letter

e) Document showing the level of English proficiency

f) Letter of recommendation

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 b) The transcripts from at least the last two years of study should be submitted (optionally, it is possible to submit earlier years as well).

Ad d) The motivation letter provides clear evidence that applicant knows the content of the program, explains a connection between content of the program and applicant's motivation, and finally clarifies how the graduation from the program can help with applicant’s next academic or professional career. The recommended length of the motivation letter is approximately 2 000 characters, including spaces.

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 a band score of 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 score of 20 in the four sections;

• Cambridge B2 First (former FCE) - minimum Cambridge English Scale Score of 175;

• Cambridge C1 Advanced (former CAE) or C2 Proficiency (former CPE) receiving a certificate;

• PTE Academic test - the minimum required score above 56;

• LanguageCert ESOL - Communicator with High Pass, Expert or Mastery;

• Duolingo English Test (DET) - the minimum required overall score of 120, with a subscore of 105 or above in all four components.

A standardized English test is not required from applicants who:

• 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 in a full degree program.

When a score from an English-language test is not presented, the applicants should provide a confirmation of their use of English during their prior studies to support their claim. The confirmation should contain the information that the study program was conducted in English as a language of study. A diploma supplement or transcript containing this information can also be accepted.

Ad f) The letter of recommendation provides a clear evidence that the recommending person knows applicant's academic interests and qualities, describes and explains reasons of applicant´s choice and justifies why the application should be supported.

All documents that are not originally in Czech, Slovak, or English must be officially translated into English, Czech or Slovak language by a certified translator. A sworn translation is not required for the application itself. Only complete applications will be considered. Personal data will be used exclusively to organize the admission process and course enrollments.

Assessment: 

T​he admissions committee will assess applicants on the basis of the submitted documents. Firstly, the documents proving English proficiency are examined for the level required for the study. Only those applications that fulfill the requirements for English proficiency are assessed further by the admissions committee and given a ranking from 0 - 100 points. The following criteria will be evaluated: (i) academic background (achieved level of education, academic results) (0-40), (ii) motivation letter and a letter of recommendation (0-40), and (iii) extracurricular activities (0-20). The point limit for accepting applicants is set by the Dean with respect to the number of applicants and the capacity of the programme.

Admission to Bachelor's studies is conditioned by completed secondary education confirmed by a school-leaving certificate.

As a HAS graduate, you'll be well-prepared to become a highly skilled employee in civil service or diplomacy, NGOs, think-tanks, international institutions, private companies, or mass media. You'll also be ready for various academic pursuits, possessing a wide range of knowledge and skills required in social science fields. You'll understand current issues in their historical, societal, political, and cultural context, and analyze individual topics within your region of interest from a multidisciplinary perspective in social sciences and modern history.