The dual Bachelor’s degree programme in Slavic Studies comprises the components of literary studies, linguistics and language practice, and also includes elements of language teaching and cultural studies.

In literary studies, you will acquire the tools for analysing literary texts, familiarise yourself with genres and periods, and examine the techniques of literary writing. You will learn to reflect on the creation of meaning in literature, the relationships between literary texts, and the functioning of literature.
Linguistics provides you with a set of tools for the systematic description of the Slavic languages, their internal structures in terms of phonology, grammar and vocabulary, as well as their historical, social and regional varieties.
In addition to the specialised subject areas, you will receive language training in your chosen Slavic languages from native-speaking lecturers with academic expertise.

In the core curriculum, you will also acquire fundamental knowledge of cultural studies and language teaching methodology. Furthermore, courses across all areas include components on cultural studies. Students aiming to become secondary school teachers (M.Ed.) will also receive integrated training in subject-specific and language teaching methodologies.

You can commence your degree programme with or without prior knowledge of the language. If you already have some knowledge of the language, please sit a placement test designed for the relevant language Polish or Russian placement test or contact the relevant language tutors so that you can be placed in a language course appropriate to your level.

Please also note that advanced Master’s programmes with a Slavic studies component may require a level of language proficiency that cannot be achieved through the credit-bearing language modules if you start without any prior knowledge. These include the Master of Arts and Master of Education programmes offered by the Oldenburg Institute of Slavic Studies, which generally require an entry level of B1.

You may have the option of acquiring the necessary language skills during your Bachelor’s degree as part of the area of specialisation (! Unfortunately, this does not apply to students aiming to become teachers!). Please also seek advice on this matter from the Bachelor’s and/or Master’s academic advisory service.

Depending on your study objectives and home university, Slavic Studies can be studied as part of a two-subject Bachelor’s degree in the following ways:

• Home university: Oldenburg

• Home university: Bremen

Over the course of the six-semester Bachelor’s programme, you will earn a total of 180 credit points (CP), which are divided between the two subjects (120 CP), professional development modules (30 CP), internships (15 CP) and the Bachelor’s thesis (15 CP). (At the University of Bremen and for students pursuing a teaching career, the proportion of subject-specific modules is higher).

Students aiming for a career outside the school system choose a profile language – Russian, Polish, Ukrainian or Belarusian – at the start of their degree. Students aiming to become teachers take Russian as their profile language.

The Slavonic Studies programme comprises the following modules:

Core modules: 30 CP (for Slavic Studies as a 30-, 60-, 72- and 90-CP subject)

• 2 modules in the specialism language (6 CP each)
• Module sla071 Introduction to Slavic Studies I: Spaces, Contexts, Themes (9 CP)
• Module sla081 Introduction to Slavic Studies II: Concepts, Techniques, Perspectives (9 CP)

Advanced modules: 30 CP (for Slavic Studies as a 60- and 90-CP subject) or 42 CP (for Slavic Studies as a 72-CP subject , HB cooperative programme)

Students aiming for a career outside the education sector follow the ‘Slavic Philology’ profile. Students aiming to become teachers follow the ‘Teaching Russian’ profile. In this profile, the examination in modules sla280 and sla290 must include subject-specific teaching methodology components.

• 2 further modules in the profile language (6 CP each)
• Module sla270 Slavic Languages and Literatures: Historical and Systematic Foundations (3 CP)
• Module sla271 Project module (3 CP)
• Modules sla280 Language: Structures, Functions, Contexts (6 CP)
• Modules sla290 Literature: Text, Context, Institutions (6 CP)

Students whose home university is Bremen and who are studying for a teaching qualification (72-credit subject) must also take the following module:

• Module sla531 Specialisation Module (12 CP)

This module may be taken either in the field of linguistics or literary studies and includes a short placement with an accompanying course (practice-oriented elements in accordance with the University of Bremen). For further information on the joint degree programme, please see here.

Specialisation modules: 30 CP (for Slavonic Studies as a 90-CP subject)

The following modules are compulsory modules:

• 2 second-language modules (6 KP each)
• Module sla461 Specialised Studies in Slavic Studies I (6 CP)

In addition, a further 2 modules totalling 12 CP are selected from the following options:

• Modules sla471 Specialised Studies in Second Slavic Language II (6 CP)
• Modules sla480 Specialised Studies in the Third Slavic Language (6 CP)
• Further second-language modules (6 CP each)
• Further third-language modules (6 CP each)

You do not need any prior knowledge for your second language (or third language, if applicable). If you do have prior knowledge, please take the placement test or contact the relevant lecturers so that you can be placed in a language course appropriate to your level.

The Slavonic Studies programme comprises the following modules. Within the advanced and specialisation modules, you can choose your areas of specialisation:

Core modules: 30 CP (equivalent to Slavic Studies as a 30 CP subject)

• 1 module (first) language: 6 CP
• Slavic Linguistics 9 CP
• Slavic Literary Studies 9 CP
• Regional Studies and Language Acquisition 6 CP

Advanced modules: 30 CP (for Slavic Studies as a 60- and 90-CP subject) or 42 CP (for Slavic Studies as a 72-CP subject , HB cooperation)

• 2 further (first) language modules, 6 CP each
• 2 specialised modules on the first language, each worth 9 CP, to be chosen from the following modules:
  • Language from a Systematic Perspective 9 CP
  • Language from a Historical and Cultural Perspective 9 KP
  • Text Analysis from a Systematic Perspective 9 CP
  • Literary Analysis from a Historical Perspective 9 CP

When selecting the specialised modules, you have the option to focus on different areas, which also depend on whether you are studying with the aim of becoming a teacher or pursuing a career outside the school system. For further details, please refer to the examination regulations or contact the Bachelor’s degree academic advisory service.

For students whose home university is Bremen and who are studying to become a teacher (72-KP subject), the following module is also required:

• Specialisation module 12 CP

Here, you will select an additional linguistics or literary studies module and undertake a further course running alongside your teaching placement, designed to prepare you for the POE at the University of Bremen. For further information on the joint degree programme, please see here.

Specialisation modules: 30 KP (for Slavic Studies as a 90-KP subject)

Option 1:

• 2 second-language modules, 6 CP each
• 2 specialised modules on the second language, 9 CP each

Option 2:

• 3 second-language modules, 6 KP each
• 2 third-language modules, 6 CP each

You do not need to have any prior knowledge of your second language (or third language, where applicable); however, you may be required to complete the preparatory course (exception: Ukrainian and Belarusian – for these, knowledge of Russian or Polish at A1 level is sufficient). Please keep an eye on the announcements under ‘News’ and/or via the Slavonic Studies email list. If you have prior knowledge of the second or third language, please take the placement test, which will help to place you in a language course appropriate to your level.