BA with a Major in Central & Eastern European Studies—Polish Studies Concentration

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and departmental degree requirements. The Department of Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian Studies degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

Note: Students who select the Concentration in Polish Studies and have a GPA of 3.00/4.00 or higher are eligible to apply for the Dr. Bolesław and Krystyna Mazur Scholarships in Undergraduate Polish Studies.

Summary of Requirements
Major Requirements27
General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total Hours93
Total Hours120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.

Major Requirements

Required Courses
POL 104Intermediate Polish II a4
Select one of the following: b,c3
Introduction to Literary Analysis of Central Eastern European Texts
Introduction to Central and Eastern European Cultures
In addition, students must complete 20 semester hours for the concentration in Polish Studies.20
Total Hours27
a

Native and heritage speakers who place out of POL 104 should register for POL 201. Placing out of 104 may qualify a student for up to 8 hours of retroactive credit. Please consult an LAS advisor for eligibility for retroactive credit after completion of POL 201.

b

CEES 224 and CEES 225 fulfill the LAS Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement. If a student takes multiple courses that satisfy this requirement, the additional course(s) may count toward the 20 semester hours required for the concentration.

c

When LCSL 250 is taught by a faculty member from the Department of Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian Studies, it may be used to satisfy this requirement instead of CEES 224 or CEES 225. Students should consult with their major advisor with questions about eligible sections of LCSL 250.

Concentration in Polish Studies

Required Concentration Courses a
20 hours of coursework in Polish Studies at the 100, 200, 300, or 400 level b20
Recommended Concentration Courses:
Advanced Polish through Media and Film
Advanced Polish through Contemporary Culture
Advanced Polish through Short Stories
a

A maximum of three semester hours in History (including crosslisted courses) may count toward required coursework.

b

No more than 6 semester hours may be completed at the 100 level, and excluding POL 101POL 102POL 103, and POL 104. Polish courses cross-listed with the Department of History and CEES topics courses that focus on Polish Studies may be used to fulfill this requirement with approval of the departmental advisor.

Recommended Plan of Study 

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
POL 101 Elementary Polish I a 4
General Education Requirement course 3-5
Quantitative Reasoning course 3-5
 Hours13-17
Spring Semester
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
POL 102 Elementary Polish II a 4
General Education Requirement course 4-5
General Education Requirement course 3
 Hours14-15
Second Year
Fall Semester
POL 103 Intermediate Polish I a 4
Concentration course 3
General Education Requirement course 3-5
General Education Requirement course 3
Elective 3
 Hours16-18
Spring Semester
POL 104 Intermediate Polish II 4
Concentration course b 3
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course 3
Elective 3
 Hours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
CEES 224
Introduction to Literary Analysis of Central Eastern European Texts
or Introduction to Central and Eastern European Cultures
3
Concentration course 3
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course/Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
Concentration course 3
General Education Requirement course/Elective 3
Electives 9
 Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
Concentration course(s) b 3-6
Electives 13
 Hours16-19
Spring Semester
Concentration course 3
Concentration course 3
Electives 9
 Hours15
 Total Hours120
a

101, 102, and 103 basic language courses do not count toward the major requirements.

b

CEES 224 and CEES 225 satisfy the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.