Our Polish program has been exceptionally successful over the past decade, and it continues to grow. Language courses are the core, with offerings including First, Second, Third, and Fourth Year Polish. U-M is thus the only only American university to offer four levels of Polish every year. Ewa Malachowska-Pasek and Piotr Westwalewicz have been our Polish instructors for many years, making Polish language classes rewarding and enjoyable. Asst. Professor Benjamin Paloff is a scholar of Polish, Russian, and Czech literature. He will teach courses in Polish literature, critical theory in comparative contexts, and translation.

Besides language instruction, we offer courses in Polish literature and film.  For the past several years, Polish literature courses offered by Professor Bogdana Carpenter are regularly listed in the Honors Program as alternatives to the Great Books courses, and the number of students taking advantage of this option has been growing steadily. Polish film courses, taught by Professor Herbert Eagle, have been very popular as well. All these offerings count towards a Minor in Polish.

The strength of the program has been possible thanks to intensive cooperation with the Center of Russian and East European Studies. The Center actively supports Polish activities across the campus and helps coordinate a large network of faculty that include in their teaching and research different aspects of Polish culture.  Academic and /or professional interest in Poland in units as different as American Studies, Archeology, Comparative Literature, Engineering, History, Jewish Studies, Political Science, Public Policy, and Sociology has resulted in an informal interdepartmental and interdisciplinary structure, known as Polish Studies; it is attractive to many students because of its inclusive rather than exclusive and narrowly departmentalized nature.  The Polish program also benefits from the activities of the Copernicus Endowment, most notably its annual Copernicus Lectures delivering leading Polish scholars, artists, writers, and public figures.

Learn more about Polish and our other undergraduate programs.

Learn more about studying Polish abroad. (links to CREES website)