About Polish

Polish is a West Slavic language spoken by approximately 60 million people. The official language of Poland, it is also spoken by several million people in Western Europe, South and North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. One of the official languages of the European Union, it is the second most widely spoken Slavic language in the world, and a recognized minority language in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, and Ukraine.

Why study Polish?

In today’s knowledge-based economy, foreign language proficiency in a less commonly taught language is an indispensable skill providing a real competitive advantage in the job market. As a key member state of the European Union and NATO and a leading Central European trade partner with the United States, Poland has one of the largest economies in the EU; it is a major player fostering economic growth, innovation, and regional cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. Knowledge of Polish is an asset that opens doors to a wide range of career opportunities in business, diplomacy, tourism, media, education, journalism, and translation, among other sectors.

Student Testimonials

"As someone with Polish heritage and a passion for the study of Eastern Europe, IU's Polish program was the perfect fit because in addition to offering courses in language, it also offers courses that explore topics in areas such as Polish film, literature, history, politics, and linguistics. This kind of rich selection provides an incredible opportunity to explore Poland in depth and from multiple perspectives. I can’t think of any other Slavic department in the US offering such a range of classes, which affected my choice to study at IU. The professors are eager to share their knowledge and research and to engage with their students and the class materials."

Olenka Krostenko
Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures major (IU Sophomore)

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 "Introduction to Polish culture” gave me a thorough understanding of Polish history, art, and culture. I learned about everything Polish from pączki to Chopin. My professor also provided wonderful ways to engage with guest scholars working on Poland and encouraged us to participate in cultural activities on campus. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning more about Poland and its place in the world."

Alex Plaut
B.S. in Informatics with minors in Computer Science and Public Policy

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"After having traveled to Poland for the 65 ^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 2010, I decided to pursue my passion for Polish history and culture at Indiana University in the Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures department. Undergraduate- and graduate-level seminars led by supportive and insightful faculty helped me to develop my research foci on the subjects of Holocaust memorialization and contemporary Polish-Jewish relations. As a recipient of the Samuel and Alicja Fiszman Scholarship from the Polish Studies Center, I furthered researched these subjects at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, and translated my studies into practice as an education department intern at the Galicia Jewish Museum in Kraków. This particular experience, which would have been impossible without the encouragement from and dedication of my Slavic department mentors, inspired my pursuit of a Master of Arts in Museum Studies at New York University, and continues to shape my academic and professional ambitions."

Criss Beyers
Bachelor of Arts in Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures, 2016
New York University, Master of Arts in Museum Studies, 2019