English for Professional Purposes

The first objective of the programme is to enable future graduates to master practical language use at the C1 level and to equip them with solid theoretical knowledge of the language. With an emphasis on practical application, the programme develops and reinforces language skills alongside grammatical and lexical competence, while also providing a strong theoretical foundation for a thorough understanding of the English language system. Students will also gain a comprehensive overview of the literature, culture, and realia of English-speaking countries.

In its content, English for Professional Practice goes beyond the scope of a traditional academic programme in English philology, reflecting the needs of the labour market and aiming to enhance the employability of graduates. The programme responds to the current demand in the region and in the job market for graduates who, in addition to strong language competence, are also prepared to work in the economic sector in the broadest sense. For this reason, the curriculum places significant emphasis on professionally oriented subjects that prepare students for employment and ensure the applicability of their acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes in real-world contexts. Providing a solid foundation for further Master's level study is another key aim of the programme.

The third goal of the programme is to contribute to regional development and support the university’s strategic priorities in Priority Area 3: External Relations, through collaboration with private and public sector institutions. The programme has been developed in cooperation with professionals from institutions such as the Opava City Council, the Visitor Centre in Nový Jičín, and the company OKIN (Ostrava). Practitioners from these institutions have contributed to the development of course content within the Skills and Competences for Professional Practice module and will also participate in its teaching. Furthermore, the study plan includes a compulsory internship (among others, at the institutions mentioned above), which further strengthens the connection between theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• The graduate has mastered English at the C1 level in both spoken and written form and understands its grammatical and lexical system.
• They are able to use English effectively in various professional contexts, including administration, services, and tourism.
• They are familiar with the literature, culture, and realia of English-speaking countries and can place them in broader historical and cultural contexts.
• They can independently analyze and interpret texts in English and present well-reasoned arguments in both spoken and written form.
• They have acquired a basic knowledge of a second foreign language (Italian or German), which enhances their employability.
• They apply their specialist knowledge and skills in practice through compulsory internships and collaboration with partners from both the public and private sectors.
• They are prepared for further study in a follow-up Master's degree program and for professional development in the field of international communication.

The graduate has mastered spoken and written English at the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and possesses solid knowledge of the literature and cultural background of English-speaking countries. Thanks to their language competencies, the graduate has a wide range of career opportunities in professions requiring a strong command of English and an understanding of broad cultural contexts (history, arts, literature, geography), with an emphasis on the customs and cultural differences of English-speaking countries.

As part of the programme’s elective component, students also study an additional foreign language (Italian or German), which further broadens their career prospects. A significant feature of the programme is the opportunity for students to complete part of their studies at a partner university through the Erasmus+ programme.

Thanks to the professional component of the programme, graduates are well-prepared to work in international companies operating in the Czech Republic or in Czech companies cooperating with foreign partners. They can also find employment in public administration at both regional and national levels, in information centres, travel agencies, or companies organising conferences, exhibitions, and trade fairs.

The acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies fully correspond to the declared graduate profile and align with both the general profile of a graduate in philology and the classification of the programme as professionally oriented.

The university has established functional rules and conditions for the creation of study plans. Each study plan is designed to ensure that students acquire the defined learning outcomes and skills, meet the graduate profile, and comply with the rules for the application of the ECTS system.

The foundation of the programme consists of compulsory courses, the successful completion of which is a prerequisite for being eligible to take the state final examination. These include core profile subjects, particularly practical English language classes, as well as essential theoretical courses in linguistics, literature, and cultural studies. The compulsory component also includes a Bachelor's Thesis Seminar focused on preparing students for writing their final thesis. Students can earn a total of 94 ECTS credits from compulsory courses. The core profile courses are taught by academic staff holding doctoral degrees in fields relevant to the corresponding area of study.

Within the study plan, students also choose from two categories of elective courses, labelled PVA and PVB. The PVA group is divided into two thematic blocks: “Social Policy and Culture” and “Public Administration and Industry”, which allow students to tailor their studies according to their preferred future specialization. These two blocks focus on developing deeper knowledge in areas such as English business correspondence, specialized terminology, public administration theory, local politics, and selected cultural aspects of Anglo-American societies. Students are required to earn at least 15 credits from each of these two blocks.

The PVB group focuses on practical knowledge and skills. In designing this part of the study plan, experts from practice were consulted to define an ideal graduate profile and identify the key skills and competencies for real-world application. This resulted in the creation of courses of a more general nature, often referred to as “soft skills” (e.g., Presentation Skills, Lifelong Systematic Learning, Financial Literacy), courses providing insight into the corporate environment (Business Communication, Corporate Culture and Teamwork), and courses that support the student’s individual professional orientation (Cultural Management, Geography of Tourism, EU Funds and Project Management, or Introduction to Translation Theory and Practice). These courses are mainly taught by practitioners and broaden the graduate’s professional profile. Students must earn at least 28 credits from this group.

Another PVB subgroup includes two additional foreign languages: Italian and German. As the labour market increasingly demands graduates with a good command of at least two foreign languages, students are also required to earn a minimum of 10 credits in this group.

During their studies, students complete a total of 480 hours of professional internship in various companies. The internship is distributed across three semesters and takes place in different institutions and businesses within the region. Currently, placements are arranged at the Opava City Council, the Visitor Centre of the Municipal Office in Nový Jičín, and the company OKIN in Ostrava.

Throughout the internship, students will become familiar with the operation of tourist information centres, try their hand at creating visit programmes for foreign partners, draft proposals for cross-border cooperation, and translate incoming correspondence from the city’s international partners. They will also translate outgoing correspondence, including drafting the content of letters in a foreign language. Furthermore, students may assist during foreign-language guided city tours and exhibition visits, gain hands-on experience working in an information centre, and provide language support at public events.

As part of their duties, students will translate texts about the city for the information centre (e.g. promotional materials, website content) and prepare travel tips and stay itineraries for international visitors.

In the corporate environment, students will experience different types of job interviews and behavioural assessments. They will learn how to present themselves during an interview, ask appropriate questions, distinguish between types of questions, and manage stress in interview situations. Students will engage in group work to develop their communication skills, learn how to handle problem-solving in a team, and manage disagreements constructively.

They will also create profiles on various social media platforms and explore how to present themselves effectively to attract the attention of potential employers. In addition, they will learn how recruiters use social media to search for candidates.

Students will assist in organising visits and meetings with international partners, prepare materials for negotiations in a foreign language, and help coordinate the stays of foreign guests. They will also translate texts both from and into a foreign language.

Graduates of the English for Professional Practice programme may continue their studies at Silesian University in the follow-up Master's programme N7310 Philology – English, offered in both full-time and part-time modes. Another option is to pursue a Master's degree in an academic programme focused on English at another higher education institution.