School of Foreign Languages
History of the School
The history of the School of Foreign Languages dates back to 1930, when the N. K. Krupska Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages was established in Kharkiv. It was one of the first higher education institutions in Ukraine specialising in the training of foreign language professionals.
Today, the School of Foreign Languages of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University continues these traditions, combining classical education with modern approaches to teaching.
Educational Process
The School of Foreign Languages of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University is a strong educational and research centre that combines classical university traditions with modern innovative approaches to language education.
The School has six departments employing more than 160 highly qualified academic staff, including 18 Doctors of Sciences and 67 PhDs of Sciences and Doctors of Philosophy. The School offers programmes leading to the following qualifications: Bachelor of Philology (4 years of study); Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education (Language and Literature), qualifying graduates as teachers (4 years of study); Master of Philology (1.5 years of study).
A Bachelor of Philology obtains the first level of higher education in the field of foreign philology and is qualified to work as a teacher or translator of two foreign languages. A Bachelor’s degree holder in Secondary Education receives training in the field of secondary education and qualifies as a teacher at a general secondary education institution.
A Master of Philology obtains the second level of higher education and is qualified to work as a teacher and translator of two or more foreign languages.
Study is offered in full-time and part-time formats.
During martial law, the educational process may be organised in blended or distance-learning formats.
The School also provides opportunities to obtain a second higher education degree or retrain in the field of foreign philology.
The School offers instruction in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic.
In addition to language training, students study fundamental and professionally oriented disciplines, including Introduction to Linguistics, History of Foreign Literature, Pedagogy and Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages, Introduction to Literary Studies, Philosophy, Methodology of Integrated Subject and Foreign Language Learning, Global Issues of Language and Society, and Digital Applications in Language and Literature Teaching.
Students also have the opportunity to choose elective courses in translation studies and foreign philology.
The School provides training for specialists at the third level of higher education — Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs) in speciality 035 / B11 “Philology”. Research is conducted within the School’s leading research schools, including linguistic studies, translation studies and translation teaching methodology, and literary studies. Academic staff and students actively engage in research activities, publishing articles in Ukrainian and international publications and participating in conferences, symposia and other academic events. The School publishes Bulletin of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series: Foreign Philology, as well as international electronic journals.
More than 1,300 students, including international students, currently study at the School.
Education is available on both a state-funded and tuition-fee basis.
The School of Foreign Languages is a space of opportunities, academic growth and international cooperation, where every student can fulfil their potential in the world of languages, culture and translation.
The School’s facilities and equipment meet modern requirements:
- computer classrooms with Internet access;
- classrooms for simultaneous interpreting training;
- video and audio equipment for language training.
The School’s academic staff regularly update educational and methodological resources, introduce digital tools into the educational process, and create an environment for the development of philological research, teaching excellence and intercultural communication.
The School has a strong material and technical base, including computer classrooms, a simultaneous interpreting laboratory, and a computer network with Internet access. An important step in the School’s development in this area was the opening of the Multimedia SmartLab, established with the support of the EU Erasmus+ project Modernisation of University Foreign Language Education Programmes through Integration with Information Technologies (DigiFLEd).
Additional Education
The International Centre for Language Training and Certification offers certificate programmes in foreign languages for academic and teaching staff, students of our university and students of other educational institutions. The programmes are aimed at developing communicative competence in English, French, German and Spanish in accordance with international standards.
The Centre also administers a foreign language proficiency assessment examination, which helps participants assess their language skills and choose an optimal learning trajectory.
In addition, the Centre is an official partner of Pearson English International Certificate, an internationally recognised examination certifying English language proficiency from A1 to C2. Successful completion of the test leads to a certificate recognised by universities, employers and educational institutions worldwide.
The Centre’s programmes combine modern teaching methods, interactive resources and an individualised approach to each learner, ensuring a high level of language training and competitiveness at the international level.
Dean
Svitlana Andriivna Virotchenko
PhD in Philology, Associate Professor
Phone: +380 (99) 683-42-27
E-mail: s.a.virotchenko@karazin.ua
Address: 61022 Kharkiv, 4 Svobody Square, Main Building, Room 7-63
Deputy Dean for Organisational and Educational Affairs
Hanna Mykolaivna Bohachenko
Phone: +380 (96) 122-11-28
E-mail: hanna.bohachenko@karazin.ua
Deputy Dean for Research
Nataliia Anatoliivna Onishchenko
PhD in Philology, Associate Professor
E-mail: n.a.onishchenko@karazin.ua
Deputy Dean for International Affairs
Olha Mykolaivna Matviychuk
Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor at the Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Purposes
Phone: +380 (99) 947-45-03
E-mail: o.m.matviichuk@karazin.ua
Deputy Dean for Educational and Methodological Affairs
Iryna Mykolaivna Avdieienko
Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor
Phone: +380 (50) 947-65-00
E-mail: i.m.avdeenko@karazin.ua