After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• communicate in the Polish language in a written and an oral form at a C1/C2 level
• work with various types of texts, analyse them and translate them from/into Polish
• explain and apply deeper theoretical and methodological knowledge of linguistics, literary theory, and other related disciplines
• explain and apply (in theory and in practice) the grammar of the Polish language in its synchronic, diachronic, and comparative aspects
• apply thorough knowledge of Polish literature, culture, and history and the development of Czech-Polish relations
• analyse and comment on current political, social, and cultural issues in Poland, in the context of Central Europe
• work independently and critically analyse information

Graduates of this Master’s degree study programme are thoroughly educated experts in philology and area studies who can find employment in professions which require excellent language competence, the ability to express oneself clearly and competently, and independent and critical thinking. Graduates can also use their relatively broad professional adaptability, which allows them to react flexibly to changing requirements of the practice. The knowledge and competencies obtained in the course of the study programme predispose students to lifelong learning and continuous personal development. Graduates can use their education in teaching or academic jobs, in creative work in cultural institutions, tourism, journalism, publishing houses, and lower-level and middle management, in translations of technical and literary texts, in interpreting, or in working as experts on Polish language and literature.

The regular length of study is four semesters. Students have to earn at least 120 credits during their study programme in type A/required, type B/selective, and type C/elective courses to be allowed to sit the Master’s final state examination. Students earn 67 credits in type A/required courses (including 30 credits for two Master’s thesis seminars) which form the expert basis of the studied field. Students also have to earn 49 credits in type C/elective courses. Students can choose these courses according to their interest and their future expert orientation. Students gain the remaining 4 credits for a world (non-Slavonic) language exam.

During the course of their studies, students should follow the study catalogue valid for their year of matriculation. The study catalogues for the individual years of matriculation are available at the Faculty of Arts website.

The Master’s final state examination provides a comprehensive test of three main areas in the studied field – language, literature, and Polish area studies. The exam consists of a written and an oral part. The written exam tests the level of student language competence and their knowledge of the normative grammar of contemporary Polish language. The written part also includes an essay on a chosen topic. In this part, factual and grammatical accuracy, formulation skills, and style are judged. The oral part takes place before a committee and it tests the knowledge of: 1) the Polish language (a synchronic description of the language, students’ communicative competence); 2) Polish literature (the history of Polish literature, students’ knowledge of secondary literature, students’ own reading, historical and cultural development of Poland); and 3) Polish area studies (Polish language and literature in a broader Slavonic context). The questions are based on set topics and literature.

The Master’s final state examination is preceded by the Master’s thesis defence. The main body of the Master’s thesis has to contain at least 140,000 characters. The individual writing of a Master’s thesis under the guidance of an experienced supervisor provides concrete training for a possible doctoral study programme; at the same time, it provides a chance to examine the knowledge and skills students obtained in the course of their study programme. The Master’s thesis defence takes places before a committee in the form of a thesis presentation and a subsequent discussion.

For more information, please visit the department website: http://www.phil.muni.cz/wusl/home/studium/informace/statni-zaverecne-zkousky-a-zaverecne-prace/pozadavky-a-okruhy-k-statnim-zaverecnym-zkouskam/

After completion of the Master’s degree study programme, it is possible to continue further studies in a doctoral degree study programme. At the Faculty of Arts, students can apply for admission to the study programmes in Polish Literature, Paleoslavic Languages, or Slavic Languages.