Slavic Studies

The field of linguistics offers different points of access, in order to study the Slavic languages. A language can for example be analysed in the context of its use and function. This is how its role in society is investigated (sociolinguistics), but also where and how it is stored in every individual speaker's brain and how it is used (psycholinguistics). Another focus lies on the linguistics of the language system. It analyses and describes language as a system and thus highlights the different linguistic levels.

Studies in literature are offered at the University of Fribourg. Seminars and courses teach basic knowledge about the literatures especially of Russia and Poland (emphasis: 19^th-21^th century). Students get an overview of the most influential authors, works and historical constellations as well as some insights into the most important methods and theories of literary history and cultural sciences. We view literature always in the context of the cultural, social, political and historical changes and developments. On Master-level, seminars are regularly taught in Russian. Otherwise, all courses and seminars are taught bilingually in German and French. The main focus of the research in Fribourg are: Russian and Polish poetry of the 19^th-21^th century, literature in the context of the history of thought, myths around poets, institutions and communities in literature and literary studies, Polish philosophy of history and cultural criticism.

The subjet "History of Thought of Central and Eastern Europe" is taught in Fribourg.

The following topics are emphasised during the courses: a) Russian philosophy of the 19^th-20^th century and b) the processes of the transfer of knowledge and science between Eastern, Central and Western Europe. A special focus lies on the ties between the sociocultural and historical contexts and the philosophical and theoretical questions.

According to the peculiarities of intellectual practice in Eastern and Central Europe, courses and seminars are knowingly designed multidisciplinarily and comparatively and refer to different subjects, such as literature, philosophy, linguistics etc.

This combination of courses is unique in Switzerland. The courses and seminars are taught alternately in German and French.

Both universities offer intensive Russian courses for beginner and advanced students. A second linguistic focus is offered in Polish (Fribourg), and also in Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian and Ukrainian (Bern). Every semester, further language courses in Slavic and Baltic languages are taught in Bern, Fribourg or in collaboration with other universities. In general, the language courses extend over a whole year and start in the autumn semester. You may only start following a language course in autumn semester, unless you already have some knowledge of the language and specified this with the teacher.

• Russian (Bern)
• Russian (Fribourg)
• Polish
• Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian
• Ukrainian

The new study program Eastern European Studies was launched in the autumn semester of 2009, a joint project of the Universities of Fribourg and Bern. In addition to lecturers from both Slavic Studies departments, experts from the fields of cultural philosophy, history, social anthropology, political science and theology also participate in the program.