Applicants
Competitiveness of our graduates
OUR GRADUATES ARE COMPETITIVE
At the Department of North American Studies, we have the best experts in the field. Apart from the members of the department, we have extensive ties with external experts who cooperate with us. We also have a number of both internal and external Ph.D. candidates.
Our experts and teachers follow new trends in their disciplines and immediately transmit them to their students to increase their competitiveness. The department helps students gain work placements and other relevant experience during their studies. The department also offers an internship where students become acquainted with the functioning of the academic environment and contribute to the smooth operation of the department.
Most of the courses at the Department of North American Studies are taught in English, which enables the students to master the language very well. Most of the students also spend at least a semester studying at one of our partner universities in North America. Study abroad programs provide our students with a perfect opportunity to meet new people and understand a different culture. Apart from language proficiency, our students are good analytical and critical thinkers, and they can contextualize issues and problems. The studies at our Department also help them to develop excellent presentation and communication skills.
The graduates may find jobs in government offices, media, private companies, NGOs using mainly their analytical skills. Language proficiency also enables them to pursue employment abroad. The Department wants to see its students succeed! Therefore it encourages and supports them to pursue an internship at various institutions such as the Embassy of the United States, government offices, etc.
Five reasons to study at Department of North American Studies
Don’t know why you should study at the Department of North American Studies? Don’t have any idea how the studies could benefit you? There is an explanation:
1. Studying in English
The vast majority of courses is taught in English and therefore you have a perfect opportunity to master the language. As the studies include many written and oral tasks along with a necessity to read a lot of academic texts in English, you will have all the necessary components to be fully fluent.
2. Studying abroad
Every student of the Department has an opportunity to study abroad and almost all of them make use of it. Universities in the United States, Canada and Mexico are the most popular, but you may travel almost anywhere in Europe or also as far as Australia. Charles University also supports its students by providing financial assistance for the costs associated with the study abroad programs. The list of relevant universities may be found here.
3. Teachers
The young and open-minded team of professors and employees of the department counts as one of the most valuable assets the Department has to offer. We are here to help you and to make your studies a pleasant experience. You are always welcome to ask for help or advice and almost everything can be negotiated. The friendly atmosphere at the Department is very much appreciated by the students and the main reason why they like to come back as Ph.D. candidates or Alumni.
4. Friendly environment and social events
The number of students at the Department is not very high which enables us to create quite a close circle of students that eventually become good friends and create a good team. The relations at the Department are being regularly strengthened by various social events, parties and even weekend trips all over the Czech Republic. Thanks to this great feature of our Department, you will be leaving not only with broad knowledge and new skills but also with lasting friendships and useful contacts.
Apart from regular classes, the Department of North American Studies organizes special lectures and discussions on various topics related to current events in America or internationally. In 2020, a series of discussions on the U.S. presidential elections will be in motion. The intention is to cover the whole election process from primaries to the November finale and to make the topic accessible to students and the general public. Further information will be announced on our Facebook page.
The Department also organizes special events just as the 2015 Allen Ginsberg Memorial Freedom Festival on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Allen Ginsberg being elected the King of the 1965 May Parade in Prague.
Besides, we offer a broad range of social events to our students just as an introductory get-together, collective watching of the NFL finals (Super Bowl), etc.
5. New skills and knowledge
As a graduate of the Department of North American Studies, you will be leaving our university with broad and deep knowledge about North America, you will possess necessary analytical skills and be able to contextualize problems and critically asses various issues. Also, presentation and communication skills along with the ability to write coherent texts and reports may come handy in your future job. On top of all this, you will be leaving with a handful of new friends and useful contacts.
What will I become?
As a North American Studies student you will be probably very frequently asked by your grandmother or grandfather: "Hey, Timmy, what are you going to become when you graduate" or just simply "What are these North American Studies, what does that even mean?" The truth is, unlike medical doctors, architects or construction engineers, the graduates of the North American Studies does not have their future specifically determined. And that´s the fun of it! The graduates of the North American Studies may do almost anything where they can make use of their excellent analytical skills, critical thinking and presentation, communication and writing skills. If you do not believe us, see for yourself that our Alumni are working all over the place at very important positions.
Research areas
For illustration, we also add examples of defended theses:
Tereza Krauzová - Land of Freedom or Land of Surveillance? Right to Privacy in the US after 9/11.
Kristýna Onderková - The Harper Government, Aboriginal Right to Self-Determination, and the Indian Act of 1876.
Jakub Sochacký - The Changing Legal and Social Status of LGBT People in the US since 1990.
Nathaniel Wesley - The Success of Soft Power in International Relations.
Radim Brach - US Foreign Policy Towards Turkey in the 21st Century.
Mariana Prochazkova - Bob Dylan in the Context of the American Protest Song.
Miroslav Ondrejka - US Secret Service Crisis? George W. Bush and deciding on the invasion of Iraq.
Eva Veselková - History of Unequal Opportunities in the USA: Segregation of Hispanic Children in Schools.
Vojtěch Petráš - Iraqi Democracy: American Nation-Building and Counter-Insurgency in the Iraq War.
Kristyna Divisova - Minutemen: New Racism on the US-Mexican Border?
Tomáš Vlach - Legalization of Cannabis for Non-Medical Purposes in the United States: Discrepancy between Federal and State Laws
General information and requirements to apply
Every year, the Department organizes the so-called "Open day" where prospective students may get all necessary information about the studies at the Department and they can also meet with professors, students, and Alumni. The next "Open day" will take place at the beginning of 2020. The exact date will be announced on our Facebook page.
Despite the big changes to the accreditation, the students still have an option to specialize in specific areas (e.g. North America), therefore the important role of the Department remains almost unchanged. The Department also offers an English language MA program Master in Area Studies.
You can find more information on Prague Area Studies - Prareas website.
