Institute of Central European Studies, Faculty of Philosophy

Since 1997, the Department of Slavic Studies has been part of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Prešov and, as part of the reorganization of the Faculty of Philosophy, in September 2005, together with the Department of Russian Studies and Translatology and the Department of Ukrainian Studies, it was merged into the Institute of Russian, Ukrainian and Slavic Studies.

Since 2013, the Department of Slavic Studies has been known as the Department of Central European Studies, since January 2014 it has been part of the Institute of Ukrainian Studies and Central European Studies, since June 1, 2019, the Department of Central European Studies has been transformed into the Institute of Central European Studies, and since that date, it has been operating as an independent research and teaching unit within the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Prešov. Despite these numerous organizational changes, the Polish language course has remained at the Institute of Central European Studies since 1969 until the present.

Polish language teaching has been carried out within several curricula:

Slavic studies – teacher-level master's degree studies in combination with Slovak, Ukrainian, Russian (1992/1993 – 2003/2004),

Slavic studies – uniform non-teaching master's degree studies (1995/1996 – 2013/2014),

Polish language and literature – non-teaching master's degree studies in combination with Slovak, German, English, management, philosophy (1998/1999 – 2002/2003).

Polish was taught as a specialization within the courses offered, which means that in addition to lectures in Polish, students also completed lectures and seminars on Polish language, literature and culture, often in a broader Slavic context. Polish language classes were also part of the Slovak language and literature course, and were offered as an optional subject to students of other courses.

Contemporary times:

Central European Studies Program

Currently, Polish is taught at the Institute of Central European Studies as part of the Central European Studies program. Since the academic year 2012/2013 at the bachelor's degree level and since 2016/2017 also at the master's degree level, under the supervision of the Institute's employees:

Prof. PhDr. Peter Káša, CSc.;

Prof. Mgr. Marta Vojteková, PhD.;

Doc. Mgr. Marek Mitka, PhD.;

Doc. Mgr. Ivana Slivková, PhD.;

Doc. Mgr. Olha Madyar, CSc.

The fundamental core of the Central European Studies program consists of subjects focused on acquiring language competence in Polish: language course, basics of language communication, language communication, contemporary Polish, written expression.

The next group of subjects is related to the literature and culture of Poland, as well as other Central European countries: Central European literature and culture, selected issues from the cultures of Central Europe, contemporary Central Europe, world literature, basics of literary communication, basics of intercultural communication.

The program also includes subjects which introduce students to the basics of written and oral translation: specialist translation, artistic translation, basics of written and oral translation, a translation seminar, and subjects that will help students gain insight into the geography, politics, and history of Poland and other Central European countries: geopolitics of Central Europe, history of Central Europe, cultural geography of Central Europe, introduction to Central European studies.

In addition, students have the opportunity to choose optional subjects such as: Polish orthography, practical morphology (Polish), practical syntax (Polish), linguistic culture, creative writing, history and culture of the German-speaking area, Central European film, analysis of media texts and the language of the Internet, cultural centers of Central Europe, the media space of Central Europe, national symbols of Central Europe, and others.

In addition to the main language, Polish, in the third semester of the first degree studies, students choose a second language – German. Second language teaching is carried out through subjects: language classes, language exercises, language communication, written expression.

The studies also enable a stay abroad, give the prospect of traveling and using scholarships (granted by Erasmus+, NAWA, SAIA.).

The majority of classes are conducted by employees of the Institute of Central European Studies, in addition to them also by teachers from other institutes and faculties.

The Institute of Central European Studies offers:

• First degree studies – Central European Studies program (specialization: Polish language), level of Polish after Bachelor's degree: B1;

• Second degree studies – Central European Studies program (specialization: Polish language), level of Polish after Master's degree: C1;

• Third degree studies – Slavic studies program.

Contact details:

Inštitút stredoeurópskych štúdií

Filozofická fakulta

Prešovská univerzita v Prešove

ul. 17. novembra 1

Prešov

080 01 

Slovenská republika/ Słowacja

marta.vojtekova@unipo.sk

See also:

Marta Vojteková, Polonistyka w Preszowie na Słowacji – historia i współczesność, "Postscriptum Polonistyczne" 2015, nr 1 (15), pp. 113-117.