History and Area Studies (HAS) Charles University

Overview

At the History and Area Studies (HAS) from Charles University you will understand the historical and cultural underpinnings of Central Europe. You can become a highly skilled employee in the civil service or diplomacy, in NGOs or international institutions as well as in private companies or media, or you may choose to pursue a Master’s degree, with the option to study in both English and Czech, opening up a range of new opportunities.

History and Area Studies is an interdisciplinary study program that focuses on modern history, culture and politics with respect to the Czech Republic in Central European and global context. This program combines education in history and area studies with active training in the Czech language, ensuring you achieve fluency, cultural competence, historical knowledge, and social understanding of Central Europe.

Key facts

The curriculum focuses both on education in modern history and area studies, and on Czech language education. The Czech language courses progress from the basic grammar and vocabulary to the upper-intermediate (B2) level of Czech that you will be able to reach by the end of your studies. 

Modern history and area studies mandatory courses will give you a broad overview of major topics in contemporary Central European history, culture, politics, and economics. You will then have a solid background for more in-depth study of selected topics in the elective courses where you can discuss the topics in Czech thanks to the rising language knowledge and skills.

As a HAS graduate, you’ll be well-prepared to become a highly skilled employee in civil service or diplomacy, NGOs, think-tanks, international institutions, private companies, or mass media. You’ll also be ready for various academic pursuits, possessing a wide range of knowledge and skills required in social science fields. You’ll understand current issues in their historical, societal, political, and cultural context, and analyze individual topics within your region of interest from a multidisciplinary perspective in social sciences and modern history. If you wish to continue your academic journey, you may pursue a Master’s degree at Charles University in either English or Czech, with Czech-language programs available free of charge.