Prague in Depth: Education - Universities

Czech universities generally offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs and carry out scholarly research, or other developmental, artistic or creative activities.

Unlike a "vysoká škola" -- the term normally used to refer to technical universities -- a "univerzita" typically offers a curriculum similar to a "liberal arts" education in the USA.

Although well respected, the Czech Republic's public universities have struggled to get adequate government funding since the fall of Communism.

Traditionally, Czech universities have charged little in the way of tuition fees but as the number of students clamoring for university places increases, this is beginning to change.

The increasing number of applications means universities are unable to accommodate all the qualified high-school graduates, who must either find jobs or attend a private college.

Increasingly, high-school graduates will attend a language school for a year, usually to study English, while they wait for a university place.

Despite these problems, Czech universities are well respected and once you're in, you can expect a good education.

In Prague there are five main public universities:

Univerzita Karlova (Charles University)
Made up of a multitude of schools and faculties, the Czech Republic's biggest and most famous university has a long tradition of learning and an excellent international reputation.
http://www.cuni.cz/

České vysoké učení technické (ČVUT; Czech Technical University)
ČVUT offers degree courses from Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Architecture, Transportation Sciences and Biomedical Engineering faculties. Programs in English vary by department but the website offers a helpful list of classes taught in English.
http://www.cvut.cz/

Česká zemědělská univerzita (ČZU; Czech University of Life Sciences)
The agriculture university has a program comparable to similar institutions in North America and Western Europe, offering bachelor's and master's degrees in environmental/agricultural fields. They also offer five degree courses taught in English and open to foreigners without restriction: Agricultural Economics and Management; Informatics; Natural Resources and Environment; Forestry, Water and Landscape Management; and Technology and Environmental Engineering.
http://www.czu.cz/

Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze
(VŠCHT; Institute of Chemical Technology)
A large university offering bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees through its Chemical Technology, Environmental Technology, Food and Biochemical Technology and Chemical Engineering faculties.
http://www.vscht.cz/

Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze (VŠE; University of Economics)
VŠE has six faculties -- five in Prague and one in Jindřichův Hradec, southern Bohemia -- covering Finance and Accounting, International Relations, Business Administration, Statistics and Informatics, Economics and Public administration. Some master's and higher-level degrees are offered in English, as well as a one- or two-semester study program in Central and East European studies.
http://www.vse.cz/

Vysoká škola ekonomie a management
(VŠEM; University of Economics and Management)
VŠEM offers bachelor's degrees in Business and Economics and in Communication and Human Resources and master's degrees in Management and Administration.
http://www.vsem.cz/

In addition to Prague's public universities, a growing number of private universities also operate in the Czech capital, including several American institutions. Among these are:

Prague College
A private college offering British-style higher education, including Higher National Diploma (HND), bachelor's and master's programs, along with professional diploma courses for university graduates and working adults and single-semester study-abroad programs for students coming to Prague. Areas covered include business, marketing, management, graphic design, interactive media, and computing and IT.
http://www.praguecollege.cz/

Anglo-americká vysoká škola (AAVŠ; Anglo-American University)
Founded in 1990, AAVŠ offers undergraduate degree programs in Business Administration, Humanities and Social Sciences, Legal Studies and International Relations, among others.
http://www.aauni.edu/

Vysoká škola finanční a správní (VŠFS; Institute of Finance and Administration)
This school offers various bachelor's and master's programs related to banking and economics, including English-language Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) courses in cooperation with the City University of Seattle.
http://www.vsfs.cz/

New York University in Prague
NYU has a big "study abroad" school in Prague offering students from the USA and elsewhere a wide range of English-language classes, with a particular focus on Central and Eastern Europe's post-Communist transition.
http://www.nyu.cz/

University of New York in Prague
Established in 1998, in cooperation with two State University of New York (SUNY) colleges, UNYP offers American Bachelor's degree courses from a location just off Wenceslas Square.
http://www.unyp.cz/

University of Northern Virginia
UNVA's Prague campus offers MBA programs in Finance, Marketing, and Management, a Master of Science program in Information Systems Technology, and Bachelor of Science programs in Business Administration and Information Systems.
http://www.unva.edu/prague

University of Pittsburgh
"Pitt" offers a 15-month Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) course in Prague, via its Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business worldwide program.
http://www.emba.pitt.edu/