This degree programme is not fully described in English. For more and legally binding information, please select "Deutsch" in the top right menu (globe).
You will examine the cultural, economic and legal area of Eastern and Central Europe using methods found in cultural studies, history, economics, social sciences and law. We believe that this region forms part of a common European tradition. Cultural, linguistic and historical contacts between East and West thus play an important role. This academic degree mainly uses primary sources so that you will learn from the very beginning how to examine linguistic, cultural and social phenomena at their source. Students can specialise in the advanced modules on literary or cultural sciences, linguistics, history, economics, social and legal sciences or learn another Slavic language. You will acquire intercultural skills naturally at summer schools, summer language courses and in contact with visiting students that will make you qualified to take up a mediating role between the cultural regions of Western, Eastern and Central Europe.
Our languages
You can learn six modern Slavic languages from scratch with us:
Russian
Polish
Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian
Bulgarian
Slovenian
Slovakian
Any of these languages can be selected as the main focus of your degree and each one is taught by lecturers who are native speakers. You also have the opportunity to learn an early form of Slavic in Church Slavonic. We offer special courses in Russian and Polish for students who are heritage speakers of these languages.
Requirements
You do not need any prior knowledge of the chosen language of study in order to take up the subject.
If you already have some knowledge, it is possible to take an assessment test. You can find more information about this on the website for first-year students.
Language proficiency and other requirements
No language proficiency in an East European language is required at the start of the course. You can learn one or more East European languages (Bulgarian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Slovakian or Slovenian) while studying for your degree. If you already have some knowledge of one of the Slavic languages offered on the course, please complete an assessment test at the beginning of the course so that we can find the right language course for you. Proficiency in English is, however, essential because you will be required to read and understand specialist texts in English by the second year of the course at the latest.