Socio-cultural Animation with Cultural Education Programme code: W6-S1AE19.2023

From the beginning, the study was created in response to the needs of cultural policy, being part of one of the priority programs of the then Ministry of Culture and National Heritage - cultural education, defined as important for the development of social capital. The direct basis for designing the direction were expert opinions made by researchers associated with the direction in cooperation with the Regional Cultural Center in Katowice, which allowed to recognize the nationwide needs of the cultural market, including shortages of staff in the field of organizing cultural activities. The basics direction is in line with the trend observed in Europe since the late 1990s, related to educating a new type of staff for culture, combining pedagogical (including social and psychological) competences with artistic and cultural competences. The specificity of the tasks of human resources for culture, for which major studies are prepared, is based on well-developed and today strongly interpenetrating models in the field of cultural and artistic education as well as animation and mediation implemented in the field of culture. Implementation of this type of education requires the participation of an interdisciplinary team forming the staff of the faculty as well as support in the form of cooperating socio-cultural institutions and scientific circles dealing with the analysis of various areas of culture. Currently, the field of first-cycle studies under the name of socio-cultural animation with cultural education provides a multilateral educational offer for future staff for culture, staff for educational departments of cultural institutions, for environmental creative work and various forms of social activation as well as for social activity and participation in contemporary local culture and supra-local. In response to these needs, the study program includes a division into the content of theoretical education, practice of creative and social activity, as well as research, diagnostic and design activities. The program of major education provides students with the knowledge of the basics of philosophy, sociology (including the sociology of culture), pedagogy, knowledge of culture, contemporary culture in its most important phenomena and trends, familiarization with the specificity of individual artistic disciplines and their reception and methods of their dissemination (also in institutional forms), introduction to the issues of media and cultural heritage. At the same time, it includes subjects equipping future culture animators and educators with knowledge, skills and social competences in the field of cooperation with various entities (public, market, non-governmental organizations), preparing them to design, implement or participate in social and cultural projects. The location of the Cieszyn center on the Polish-Czech borderland enriches the implementation of practical modules with intercultural and euroregional activities, which should be treated as an asset and an unusual opportunity to use the attributes of the place of study fully. Other features of the place allow students to engage in numerous forms of popularizing culture, mainly artistic. Cieszyn is a festival city and a place of high-profile artistic projects. Every year, artistic projects are held in which students of the faculty participate as part of classes or voluntarily. This aspect of studies fulfills the University's mission in combining theory with practical activity directed towards the surrounding community. A strong combination of theory and practice determines the specificity of directional education. Each aspect of theoretical preparation for future professional practice is reinforced by practical activity in the form of workshops, research or field activities. Such organization of studies is facilitated by close contact with stakeholders who actively participate in shaping the program of major education, modifying it and conducting classes. Long-term cooperation with stakeholders representing various professional environments related to animation, education and dissemination of culture from various regions of Poland is conducive to developing the field and properly preparing students for diverse work in culture. Taking care of the comprehensive development of students, the field of study offers various forms of activation of learners. From workshops, often carried out in the service learning formula, through creative and artistic projects, to independent attempts to construct a program. In the latest educational program, over 500 hours of classes have been allocated for students to choose from a group of university modules. Trying to respond as broadly as possible to individual needs for improving competencies or looking for ways of self-development, students can refine their own educational path by selecting/selecting extra-curricular content enriching and preparation for work and personal development. This innovative approach to education will allow students to construct unique professional competencies in as detailed and original way as possible. The effects developed for the field of socio-cultural animation with cultural education refer to two areas of education: humanities and social sciences. The reference to both areas of science is justified by the educational profile covering both the effects related to the knowledge of culture in its humanistic dimension and the specificity of activities and research carried out in the social environment of culture, referring to social mechanisms and processes.

The condition for admission to the diploma examination is to achieve the learning outcomes provided for in the study program, to obtain a certificate of an appropriate level of language proficiency in a foreign language and to obtain positive grades for the diploma dissertation. The condition for graduation is to pass the diploma examination with at least a satisfactory result. A graduate receives a higher education diploma confirming obtaining the qualifications of the appropriate degree. Detailed rules of the diploma process and the requirements for the diploma thesis are set out in the Rules and Regulations of Studies at the University of Silesia and the diploma regulations.

not applicable

The field of socio-cultural animation with cultural education is closely related to the strategy. It is part of the mission of the University of Silesia, where care for high-quality didactic offer is correlated with the research practice of employees creating the scientific profile of the field of study. 1. Innovative education and modern didactic offer According to the strategy of the University, one of the main goals of its activity is educating students at the highest possible scientific, social and ethical level. Taking into account the indicated values of university education, the effects of scientific social diagnoses undertaken by an interdisciplinary team of researchers related to the field of teaching as well as the effects of numerous contacts with the world of culture are used in the design and systematic care for its quality. The philosophy of major education is based on maintaining systematic relations with the world of culture and science as part of academic didactics. The scope of education content included in theoretical blocks is modernized in parallel with the progress of scientific work, and the content and organization of practical classes complementary to theoretical education takes into account changes in culture and social life observed from a scientific perspective, in the university environment. In addition, a significant network of individual contacts, active artistic creativity of academic teachers related to major education, involvement in cultural and scientific activities in these areas allows for flexible and systematic adaptation of the content, forms and methods of education to the needs of candidates and future graduates of the field. The innovative approach to the design and implementation of studies is evidenced by the possibility of individual construction of the educational path through the selection of modules enriching the field of study from the offer built at the faculty and university level and the possibility of participating in numerous field and practical classes organized in cooperation with external stakeholders, as well as the conditions created within the program to develop their own creative interests in various forms of artistic and workshop classes, which is possible thanks to the back-up of art studios and the location of the campus. By implementing the educational program designed in this way, the graduate is prepared for independent, reflective, critical and creative functioning in the field of cultural activity as an animator, educator or organizer of forms of its dissemination, and also obtains a unique education in the form of extensive preparation for cooperation in environments with diverse professional competences. Social and cultural animation with cultural education is situated in the field of two fields: social sciences and humanities, undertaking a creative dialogue of two disciplines: pedagogy and cultural and religious studies, inscribed both in the educational profile and in the field of research exploration. It should be emphasized that the field of study in its current shape continues the long-standing traditions of the University's education of staff for culture, which has been consistently and continuously carried out in the Cieszyn scientific and didactic center since October 1, 1973. Initially implemented as the pedagogy of cultural and educational work, in 1993 the field of study was transformed into a pedagogical specialty called social and cultural animation, one of many at the Cieszyn Branch of the University of Silesia, but with the longest tradition (it should be emphasized that the specialty of socio-cultural animation, before December 1994, outside the center of Cieszyn, only at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin). Since 2014, the direction of education under the name of socio-cultural animation with cultural education has been returned to, and in this formula the direction continues to function and develop. 2. Relationship with the market environment. Research. Organizing a modern didactic offer referring to current research and taking into account the changes observed in culture and social life contributes to individual and professional contacts with the stakeholder environment. The field of socio-cultural animation with cultural education responds to the needs of the market and is in line with the priorities of cultural policy, and at the same time fully coincides with the research area of work undertaken by employees related to this field of study. Organized cyclical nationwide scientific conferences and publications of employees creating the course form a coherent whole focused around broadly understood cultural education and socio-cultural animation. The current program offer of the major is constructed and modified based on cooperation with cultural institutions as well as educational units and in response to the diagnosed social needs, the most important contemporary civilization challenges indicated in the development strategies of the region, Poland, emphasized in European programs and UN agencies. Therefore, raising the level and quality of life, caring for cultural heritage, activating society, popularizing science and culture, promoting cognitive curiosity and creative attitudes are the basic program assumptions of the major. Humanistic values, respect for other people, principles of fruitful cooperation, promotion of peaceful solutions, accessibility of culture, creation of responsible institutions are the goals of sustainable development, which coincide with the profile of animation and cultural education. The harmonious development of man, the awareness of care and concern for his balanced intellectual, emotional, spiritual and bodily development are to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life. The name of the field of study emphasizes this multifaceted approach and its interdisciplinarity. Gender equality, social participation, inclusion of marginalized groups and environments are important reference in the program content of direction. Similarly to care for cultural heritage, understanding of ongoing cultural and civilizational changes as well as changes in the natural environment, are the issues addressed in the course of studies and research. The search for constructive solutions that strengthen the well-being of the individual, his competencies to build communities, environments, institutions serving the local, national and international community are included in the socio-cultural animation with cultural education studies. In this way, the didactic offer of the field of study fits into the priority research areas of the University of Silesia, thus implementing the Strategy of the University of Silesia. Strategic objective 3: Active cooperation with the environment A significant element in the description of the field of study is the participation in its construction, modification and implementation of classes of long-term associates representing various professional environments related to animation, education and dissemination of culture in the region. Their presence at all stages of the implementation of the major program means that the graduating graduate is able to find himself on the labor market as an environment of diverse knowledge and interdisciplinary competences, is able to cooperate with graduates of other disciplines, understands their professional languages and is able to adapt his own language for the needs of effective cooperation which is a constitutive feature of project and organizational work in culture. Lively cooperation is fostered by the location of the Cieszyn campus in the city of numerous and significant cultural institutions, artistic undertakings and cultural activities related to disseminating local heritage. Cieszyn is a recognized festival center conducive to maintaining contact with culture in all areas of its organization and dissemination.