Czech and Serbian/Croatian

Czech and Serbian/Croatian is a combination degree that gives you access to two of the most significant Slavic language traditions of Central and South-Eastern Europe. Czech is the primary language of the Czech Republic, a country with a rich literary, philosophical and political history, and it is closely related to Slovak. Serbian and Croatian are South Slavic languages that are largely mutually intelligible in their spoken forms, used across Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and neighbouring territories.

Both are written in different alphabets, with Serbian using Cyrillic as well as Latin and Croatian using the Latin script exclusively, and developing literacy in these writing systems is a distinctive feature of the degree.

At University College London, this four-year full-time programme divides equally between the two languages. You will study speaking, listening, reading, writing and translation in both Czech and Serbian/Croatian, alongside cultural modules covering literature, history, film, linguistics, politics and other relevant topics that deepen your contextual understanding and enrich your language learning. The wide variety of modules on offer allows you to tailor the degree to your particular interests.

In your third year you will spend time abroad split between two countries where your languages are spoken, a period of immersive language learning and cultural engagement that is central to reaching genuine fluency.

Graduates with proficiency in Czech and Serbian/Croatian have a rare and valuable combination of linguistic skills. Careers in diplomacy, international relations, translation and interpreting, journalism, broadcasting, academia and NGO work across Central and South-Eastern Europe all draw on this expertise. The European institutions, cultural organisations and international businesses operating in the region provide further opportunities.

Postgraduate study in Slavic studies, translation, linguistics or area studies is a natural continuation for those who wish to develop specialist scholarly or professional expertise.