U-M is one of the only US institutions with a Czech program. It offers the opportunity to explore the intricacies of Czech language as well as literature from famous Czech authors. Students may earn a Czech Minor and, in addition, pursue their Czech interests through a popular CGIS study abroad program in Prague, exploring the captivating fabric of the Czech nation’s capital, its magnificent architecture, and centuries of a multi-ethnic culture. Highlights of Michigan’s Czech program include:
- art and design of Czech modernism
- literature and poetry by world-famous authors
- legendary Czech New Wave Cinema and film animation
Why should you learn Czech at U-M?
The Czech Republic is one of the fastest growing business markets in the European Union!
The Czech Republic's economy was the fastest growing economy in the European Union in 2015, and companies continuing to expand need to hire people with knowledge of the language.
Czech is a gateway to other Slavic languages!
Czech is related to Russian, Polish, and Slovak and it will help you if you decide to study other Slavic languages. Czech uses the Latin alphabet, which is easier to read and write than cyrillic for English speakers. Once you get the basics down, Czech grammar is relatively easy at higher levels.
Czech is an important language for many areas of academic study!
Czech authors like Jaroslav Hašek and Karel Čapek are well-known, and Czech culture was an important influence on German language authors like Franz Kafka, Franz Werfel, and Rainer Maria Rilke. The Czech Republic's location on the border between East and West makes it a critical location for the study of history and political science. And the contributions of Czech composers makes it an important language for music, too.
You'll be eligible for scholarships!
The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies offer scholarships of up to $1,000 for Czech language study at U-M.
Czech Courses:
- First- and second-year language courses (advanced study also available)
- Czech Film (CZECH 315, Slavic 312)
- Czech Literature (CZECH 484)
- Czech Culture (SLAVIC 290, 470)
Please see the course guide for a complete list of Czech courses.
Advantages of Czech:
- A program consisting of culture-based language instruction and complementary literary courses
- Overall class sizes are small and personal, with plenty of individual contact with instructors
- Two years of language instruction with advanced study available
- Minor in Czech language, literature, and culture
- Numerous opportunities and funding for study abroad and continuing language studies
- Internships in the Czech Republic
