Study Slavic Studies in Germany

The field of study Slavic studies primarily focuses on the Slavic languages. However, it also imparts knowledge of linguistic interconnections, literature, history, culture, politics, economic, geographical, and social characteristics of the Slavic-speaking countries.

The field of study includes the following subject areas:

• East Slavic studies, which usually deals with the Russian language, literature, and culture
• Polish
• Russian
• South Slavic studies, which typically focuses on the Bulgarian, Bosnian, Croatian, or Serbian language, literature, and culture
• West Slavic studies, which examines the Polish or Czech language, literature, and culture

Important components of a degree programme in the field of Slavic Studies usually include:

• Language practice, in which you deepen your spoken and written language skills.
• Linguistics, which deals with the development processes of language, as well as the linguistic styles and dialects of the individual languages.
• Literary studies, in which you analyse literary texts and familiarise yourself with various genres and epochs.
• Cultural studies, which deals with socio-cultural issues.

Only universities (i.e., not universities of applied sciences) offer degree programmes in Slavic studies. You, therefore, need the Abitur or an international equivalent.

Apart from that, Bachelor’s programmes in Slavic studies usually have no additional admission restrictions, and you do not have to prove a minimum grade point average. It is also not normally required to already have a command of a Slavic language. You will learn the languages during your studies. In any case, you should enjoy learning foreign languages and have an interest in the history, culture, literature and languages of the region. If, on the other hand, you are only interested in learning a foreign language from this region, you could also consider another course of study and learn the language in a language course offered at many universities. By the way: If you already speak a Slavic language because, for example, your grandparents come from the region, you usually still have to take language courses to bring your language skills up to an academic level. Some universities offer special language courses for this group of people. If this applies to you, you should check the offers of the individual universities carefully.

In a Slavic studies programme, you are quite free to organise your own curriculum. You often study either two majors or one major with two minors in your Bachelor’s programme. You might also be able to combine subjects beyond cultural studies and linguistics and choose business administration, political science or journalism, for example. Your options depend on the university, so it’s worth doing some research. In terms of duration, however, the Bachelor’s degree programmes are quite similar: they are usually designed for six semesters.

The Master’s programme usually lasts four semesters. To successfully apply to a programme, you often have to prove that you have a relevant Bachelor’s degree and language skills in one or more Slavic languages. Here, too, the individual universities determine the specific regulations for each individual programme. For example, you may fulfil the basic requirements for your advanced studies at one university and not at another.

Semesters abroad are often an integral part of both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. If they are not compulsory, you should definitely plan one or two semesters abroad. This will help you learn the language much better and immerse yourself more deeply in the respective culture. Bi-national study programmes are also common, in which you can earn a double or joint degree. Dual study programmes, on the other hand, are not common here.

Studying in Germany is quite inexpensive – especially compared internationally. Public universities usually don‘t charge any tuition fees.

What you should take into account, however, are semester contributions, which are due at almost all universities in Germany. The specific amount is set by each university itself and usually is between 100 and 400 euros. Sometimes your semester contribution covers a ticket for local public transport or you can purchase a discounted ticket. Depending on where you study, this may be valid for the city, the region or even for all of Germany. Ask your higher education institution whether such an offer is currently available.

The biggest cost during your studies will be rent, which can vary greatly: While in some cities, e.g., in eastern Germany or in the Ruhr region, you can find a place to stay quite cheaply, the situation is different in large cities or in traditional student cities. In any case, student halls of residence are usually your cheapest option. As soon as you have decided on where you want to study, you should start looking, as halls of residence can fill up quickly. Here, you can find information on local halls of residence and the respective application process for most cities.

To finance your studies in Germany, you should also find out about scholarships. There are many different scholarship programmes and excellent grades are not the only deciding factor. You can learn more about scholarships here and find suitable programmes directly on My GUIDE.

Probably all students of Slavic studies have already had to field the question of what they would like to do professionally later. The career entry is as diverse as the structure of the degree programme and very much depends on your majors and choice of subjects.

Students who have concentrated primarily on linguistics, for example, will often find employment in research and teaching or in publishing houses. Translation work is also conceivable. If you have combined your studies with business administration or law, on the other hand, large, internationally active companies are possible future employers. If you chose a humanities subject in addition to your Slavic major, journalistic activities, especially abroad, or positions with international organisations are possible.

In addition to the combination of subjects, internships that you have completed during your studies will also influence your career prospects and steer you in one direction.

In addition, job advertisements specifically looking for Slavists will be rare. However, the soft skills acquired during studies, such as language skills and intercultural competence, are in great demand.