This course offers the opportunity to gain excellent language skills and a profound knowledge of Slovak literature, history and culture that will prepare you for a wide variety of careers in Europe. Slovak is a Western Slavonic language, largely mutually comprehensible with Czech, spoken by approximately five million people. The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are intensive one-year foundation courses for international students of high academic potential who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree programmes at UCL and other top UK universities. Language teaching benefits from dedicated resources, including technological support through computer-aided language learning facilities, video and DVD materials, and the internet. The methods we will use to teach and assess you are varied, to ensure that they are best suited to the knowledge and skills being imparted or measured. Assessment will include written, oral and aural examinations, presentations, extended essays and the project you undertake during your year abroad. The programme is designed to equip you with language fluency, cultural competence, historical knowledge and social understanding. Your ability to consider issues from an international perspective will be greatly enhanced and you will learn how to conduct research and to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. With developed skills in critical reasoning, independent thinking and application of theoretical concepts you will be strongly placed to find employment in international organizations, particularly careers which cross international boundaries and use languages. Career prospects are likely to include finance, media, diplomacy, education, translation, research, and consultancy.