Summer Intensive Courses at Prague College

The arrival of warmer weather has put a spring in everyone’s step and, if you are anything like me, that spring has a tendency to transform quickly into a case of plain old itchy feet. Suddenly, the same old winter routine that had me rushing to get back to a cozy glass of wine is boring instead of homely, and I am looking for a new experience to go with my shorts and sandals. One of the great things about living in Prague is that there is a whole host of activities available to fill the longer days of June, and Prague College’s Summer Intensive classes present the opportunity to have a crack at something totally different. 

Offered over a three week period from June 10th to June 28th, these classes are the perfect excuse to do something novel, whether you fancy dipping your toe into learning a new skill like photography or web design, or you want to enhance your résumé with some extra business or IT training, or if you just like the idea of improving your English while becoming an expert on the city and culture of Prague. In fact, the range of subjects is diverse, and, amongst the three main schools of Art and Design, Business, and IT and Computing, there is something to suit everyone.

One option that looks particularly inviting for creative types is Live Electronic Music, which is focused on teaching students with no prior experience how to work with instrument systems, so that they will leave the class with a functional and further customizable electronic music system of their own design. If you are a budding Zuckerberg then Web Application Design and Development, which instructs students on how to improve the look and interaction of their web sites, might be something for you. Business Decision Making, teaching everything from the tools used to gather information to how effectively to apply that information in business, is perfect for professionals who want an edge in the workplace. On the other hand, anyone who simply wants it all will find an answer in Personal and Professional Development, which is aimed at giving you a skill set to improve your personal growth alongside your career progress. 

Hana says that although the majority of the Summer Intensive participants are current Prague College students eager to add a couple extra credits over the summer, the classes are geared towards all individuals, and often have a mix of everyone from high-schoolers looking for a productive way to fill their summers, to adults who want to broaden their knowledge base. Full-time Prague College attendees who want a break from their regular studies might also find something to pique their interest, as some of the classes offered in the Summer Intensive are not available during regular semesters, such as Photography: Theory and Practice, Painting, and WordPress Theme Development, where you can learn how to build a website through a mixture of writing code, graphic design, and basic programming. Plus, anticipating the September launch of an additional Prague College programme in Applied Accounting & Business Finance, some of the classes offered in the Summer Intensive are brand new this year, allowing students to try out Financial Accounting and Reporting, and Economics and Finance, amongst others, for the first time.

Conveniently located at Polska 10, Prague 2, right in the centre of the city, Prague College makes its Summer Intensive accessible no matter your schedule, with some classes offered in the evenings, and others on weekends. They are all taught in English, and are more interactive and practical than you might expect from traditional term-time university courses. Field trips are frequent and small group sizes mean that everyone has a chance to engage with the teacher and with the material in a hands-on environment. 

Do not let this fool you into thinking the classes will be a breeze, however! Hana warns that the courses are as intense as the name suggests, and move at a quick pace matched by the price. The Summer Intensive costs 8000 CZK per class regardless of whether you are a college student or a member of the general public. Full-time Prague College students who are doing the Summer Intensive for a credit towards their university degree can pay the regular program credit fee. The upside is that you will walk away from your course with additional knowledge, skills, a new experience, and a new qualification in the form of the Prague College Certificate of Completion in every class you decide to make a go of.