A scenic view of the historic Stari Most bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, spanning a vibrant turquoise river surrounded by old stone buildings.

Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian

Welcome to the Columbia Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Language Program!

This is the place to start if you are interested in the most widely-spoken South Slavic language in the Balkans; in the similarities and differences between Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian cultural traditions; and in exploring present-day topics in the region of the former Yugoslavia.

The Elementary and Intermediate levels of instruction in BCS are available to Columbia, Cornell, and Yale students through the Shared Course Initiative, while the Advanced level is offered to Columbia students.

These classes are designed to develop a student’s knowledge and understanding of the different cultures and language standards spoken in Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia. They will provide students with both the resources and with multiple opportunities to acquire a solid understanding of the region and its cultures while practicing and refining their communication skills both orally and in the written form. In addition to making use of modern language learning material, the classes employ a variety of tools and resources to make learning BCS an exciting adventure. Music, food, popular culture, film and literature are just some of the ways in which the language in these courses comes to life. 

Moreover, learning a less commonly taught language such as BCS can give you an edge in securing job positions that deal with emerging markets and foreign policies.

Please explore the following links for more information about the BCS language program:

BCS at Department of Slavic Languages (incl. info on Placement and Additional Programs): https://slavic.columbia.edu/content/bosnian-croatian-serbian-language-program

Njegoš Endowment for Serbian Language and Culture: https://harriman.columbia.edu/njegos/

South Slavic Cultural Society: https://www.facebook.com/sscs.columbia/

Taking courses in Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian will allow you to fulfill the language requirement at Columbia.

Please check Vergil for the latest information on class times and locations.

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