Studying in the Czech Republic: Asian Studies

Studying the culturally and historically diverse areas of Asia provides opportunities for students to discover new global perspectives. The emerging geopolitical and economic significance of Asia – and its sub-regions – at the beginning of the 21st century have reshaped our global economic and political environment.

Study programmes in Asian Studies aim to provide students with a breadth and depth of knowledge of the region, encompassing the fields of geography, culture, history, ethnicity, religion, and language, in order to help them gain a more profound understanding of the societies of individual states and their interrelations.

Here is a list of Asian study programmes taught in English in the Czech Republic:

Bachelor’s Study Programmes:

· International Relations – Asian Studies at Metropolitan University Prague

The students of the International Relations – Asian Studies and the International Relations – European Studies programmes are registered in a joint study programme of International Relations. The programme splits into two specializations during the fourth semester – into Asian Studies and European Studies – students choose themselves which one they will follow. The deadline for the decision is the end of the third semester but students already indicate one the specializations in their application for studies for the purpose of estimate of interest in both specializations – nevertheless, this choice is not binding and students can later change it.

The programme focuses not only on international relations on the general level but also offers a deep insight into territorial aspects of international relations in the Asian region. The courses are taught in English by both Czech and foreign academics and experts.

Doctoral study programmes:

· Asian Studies at the Faculty of Arts of Palacký University

The Department of Asian Studies at Palacký University Olomouc offers a 4-year PhD programme in Asian Studies in both English and Czech languages. The department offers language instruction in Cantonese, Chinese, Indonesian/Malay, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Uzbek, Tajik Persian and Vietnamese in its BA and MA programs.

· Asian History and Culture at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University

Graduates of the doctoral programme in Asian History and Culture are highly qualified specialists in the area of their specialization. Their excellent command of a selected

Asian language enables them to work critically with primary sources, and they have a solid grounding in secondary literature and contemporary research. Their excellent level of erudition enables them to pursue careers in the academia (universities, research centres etc.); they can, moreover, seek employment in cultural institutions, diplomacy, mass media, specialized think-tanks etc.