Czech

Czech is the language spoken in the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia: Czech and Slovak are different languages, although they are very close to one another). There are approximately 10 million native speakers of Czech world-wide, and it is believed that Chicago — after Prague — has the second-largest population of Czech speakers of any city. In addition to being a widespread spoken language Czech also grants students the opportunity to explore a culture and country that is very much alive and prospering. As one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, learning Czech can open up job opportunities in various industries including finance, engineering, and real estate.  According to the latest estimates, there are anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 Americans living and working in the Czech Republic.

GNS offers 4 semesters of instruction in Czech language on a 2-year rotating basis. Czech language instruction beyond the fourth semester may be arranged through directed studies. All of our language courses focus on skill development in speaking, listening, reading, and writing, and are taught in an interactive and communicative manner.

Heritage speakers of Czech are encouraged to enroll, although no prior knowledge of Czech or another Slavic language is required for enrollment in the introductory course. Our program is designed with instruction for everyone from beginners with no experience to graduate students looking to gain knowledge of another Slavic language.

Three literature and culture courses– Lit Trans 208: The Writings of Václav Havel, Slavic 254: Introduction to Central Europe (The Culture of Dissent in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugoslavia), and Lit Trans 207: Slavic Science Fiction in Literature and Film– are also offered on a regular basis. To hear from alumni who had the opportunity to study Czech at UW-Madison, head to the profiles of Lisa and Storm K.