Bachelor’s Programs
PHILOSOPHY
Program characteristics:
The main purpose of Philosophy at the University of West Bohemia is to provide our students with a systematic knowledge base in a particular field for future academic careers. The program is composed of 3 basic thematic areas – History of Philosophy, Contemporary Philosophy (20th- and 21st-century philosophy, and Systematic Philosophy. The compulsory elective courses, such as ontology, epistemology, philosophical anthropology, ethics, aesthetics, and logic supplement the knowledge base and provide students with the ability to work with source texts (both in modern and source languages) and also to interpret a philosophical text.
The study of philosophy primarily represents a starting point for further systematic philosophical education, for it teaches students the basics of independent research and its conduction, critical thinking, working with texts and other information sources, as well as rational assessment of ideological constructions. Nevertheless, the study of philosophy shall not be conceived as self-perpetuating/an end in itself, but rather as a structured, goal-oriented education for developing critical and creative thinking skills.
Profile and Employability:
The graduates are acquainted with the fundamental contemporary findings in philosophy, in frames of 3 basic thematic areas – History of Philosophy, Contemporary Philosophy (20th- and 21st-century philosophy, and Systematic Philosophy. They can analyze and critically evaluate any information obtained and acquire the methodology necessary for the processing of source resources and for further work. Thus, they are not only able to conduct an active search for information regarding a particular problem but also their own analysis. In addition to critical thinking and the ability to formulate specific attitudes, all graduates can rationally assess various ideological systems and publicly present and defend their views. Thanks to thorough language courses, they can actively communicate in a world language and passively control one other.
Based on previous experience, most graduates continue in the follow-up master’s degree program. In accordance with the acquired skills and knowledge, philosophy graduates can find employment in a number of disciplines and job positions requiring rational and creative thinking, independent decision-making and a flexible approach, which are based on interdisciplinary knowledge, the ability to work with texts and the evaluating of information. Thus, philosophy majors can pursue a career in state administration, media (including publishing, newsroom or editorial offices), cultural institutions, tourism, governmental and non-governmental organizations, etc. There is, of course, the possible employment in educational institutions, which, however, cannot be achieved without further education in the relevant field. Within the framework of lifelong learning, the university offers in such cases an additional psychological-pedagogical training, that is a certificated program of so-called pedagogical-psychological minimum, which should prepare them for a follow-up master’s degree program in the field of education, not only teaching.
HUMANITIES
Program characteristics:
The main purpose of the Humanities is to help our students acquire the abilities related to questioning, critical thinking, reflection, interpretation, criticism, and conceptual accuracy; provide them with basic knowledge of the history of philosophy, systematic philosophy, Czech history in the European context, modern history, and other disciplines connected with the Humanities – e.g., religion, aesthetics, ethics, and art history. In addition to the standard concept of the human sciences, this study program puts an emphasis not only on cultural history, including art history and theory, but also on the phenomenon of new information and communication technologies perceived both as a new means for further investigation in above disciplines and as a subject matter in the relation to the changing perception of man and society in the context of new technologies. The program is, therefore, divided into 2 individual fields of study with a special orientation:
- Humanities for (the) Maintenance of Cultural Heritage
Humanities for Information Society.
With regard to social demand, the program is further supplemented by a third field of study with a traditional focus:
- Humanities for the Teaching of Basics of Social Sciences.
Profile and Employability:
The Humanities Program is designed to educate flexible educated individuals without (the burden of) prejudice or theoretical dogmatism of sub-disciplines, not inclining to one-sided solutions. Therefore, humanities graduates are able to flexibly adapt to the requirements of practice and manage to solve problems creatively. Acquired education and knowledge can be applied in a number of disciplines and areas, such as state administration, media (including publishing, newsroom or editorial offices), cultural institutions, tourism, governmental and non-governmental organizations, etc. In other words, it covers institutions that require the ability of independent creative and critical thinking based on interdisciplinary knowledge. Provided a graduate acquires an additional psychological-pedagogical training, that is a certificated program of so-called pedagogical-psychological minimum, they can continue to study pedagogy, particularly suitable is the combination with history – the fundamentals of social sciences.