BA Czech and Russian
About this course
Czech and Russian together cover two of Europe's major Slavic languages and the rich, often turbulent cultures that have produced them. Czech and Russian are linguistically related but distinct, and studying both gives you a comparative perspective on how Slavic languages work while also opening up two very different literary, historical, and contemporary cultural traditions. Russia's literature alone, from Pushkin and Tolstoy to Dostoevsky and Chekhov, constitutes one of the great bodies of world fiction; Czech culture, shaped by the Austro-Hungarian empire, interwar democracy, communist rule, and the Velvet Revolution, offers its own extraordinary range of artistic and intellectual achievement. At University College London, this four-year full-time programme gives you the time to develop real proficiency in both languages while also engaging seriously with the histories, literatures, politics, and societies of the countries where they are spoken. UCL's School of Slavonic and East European Studies is one of the world's leading centres for the study of Central and Eastern Europe, meaning you will be learning from researchers who are authorities in their fields. You will typically spend a period studying or working in one or more of the relevant countries, which is essential for developing the fluency and cultural understanding that the degree aims to cultivate. Language study at this level develops a particular quality of attention. You learn to be precise about meaning, sensitive to register and context, and capable of communicating complex ideas in a system quite different from English. Alongside the linguistic training, the study of literature and culture sharpens your ability to read closely, argue carefully, and understand how societies represent themselves and their histories. Graduates in Czech and Russian are well suited to careers in translation, interpreting, and language services, as well as roles in journalism, international business, diplomacy, and the foreign service. The ability to work in Russian in particular opens doors in energy, finance, international law, and security-related fields. Teaching at secondary or higher level is another route. Postgraduate study in Slavonic languages, translation studies, area studies, or international relations is a natural progression for those who want to deepen their expertise.
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