Branch programme/details

The program focuses on modern history, politics, and diplomacy, as well as social, cultural and economic problems of Central Europe, the Balkan Peninsula, and the post-Soviet area, including the Caucasus and Central Asia. It has two specializations: Balkan and Central European Studies or Russian and Eurasian Studies. You can study Greek, Russian, Polish or Czech. You can become a regional expert on a specific territory and join NGOs, state administration, media or the business sector.

The program focuses on the unique and challenging political and social environment of the region. To enhance your curriculum, you can choose from two specializations:

• Balkan and Central European Studies integrates the analysis of political, societal, economic, and cultural developments in the Balkans and Central Europe, placing the interaction of these influences in a policy-relevant context.

• Russian and Eurasian Studies is designed to respond to the growing strategic importance of Russia and the former Soviet Union. Study of Russian and post-Soviet politics is supplemented by a wide range of options on other regions of the former Soviet Union and broad thematic issues such as corruption and governance, ethnopolitical conflict, nationalism, and security.

The program is deliberately structured to take advantage of the multidisciplinary nature of our faculty, and you will be encouraged to make connections between different fields of study. The core courses provide an overview of crucial segments of the area from an analytical and multidisciplinary perspective, while the elective classes allow you to create your own specialisation. As a student of BECES, you can study many languages connected to the region, from Greek through Russian or Polish to Czech.

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 Bachelor 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 b) The transcripts from all years of the previous university study should be submitted.

Ad d) 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.

 

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.

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 (0-40), (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. The point limit is set the same for all specializations. There are no limits in terms of the capacity of particular specialization.

The condition for admission to a master's degree programme that does not follow on from a bachelor's degree programme is the attainment of secondary education with a school-leaving examination. The condition for admission to a master's degree programme that follows on from a bachelor's degree programme is the proper completion of studies in any type of degree programme.

Verification method:	other form
Confirmation date (of entrance exam) from:		Until:
Alternative date (of entrance exam):

You will become a regional expert on a specific territory with a broad and deep knowledge of the field and a good command of one or two languages of the area. You will be capable of conceptual thinking, appreciating cultural diversity and open but critical understanding. You will be able to find positions related to the problems of the studied area in NGOs, state administration, media or the business sector.