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Department of European Languages

The Department of European Languages (DEL) at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Latvia offers the most extensive academic studies in Latvia of various European languages (French, Spanish, Italian, German, Czech, Polish, Russian, Finnish, Estonian, Modern Greek, as well as ancient languages such as Latin and Ancient Greek) together with the respective literature and culture studies.

DEL implements the bachelor's study programme "Philology" (including such sub-programmes as "French Philology", "Classical Philology", "Russian Philology", "Finno-Ugric Studies" and "German Philology") and the master's study programme "Linguistics, Literature and Regional Culture Studies" (including 5 sub-programmes), as well as participates in the implementation of the doctoral study programme "Language and Culture Studies", and offers courses for other programmes.

DEL offers not only acquisition of different languages, but also their cognition in a broader interdisciplinary framework, in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of language, literature and cultural processes, including those particularly relevant to the Baltic region.

The Department employs recognized specialists in various languages and literature, experts in relevant fields, who conduct research in Germanic studies, Classical philology, Romance studies, Scandinavian studies, Slavic studies, and Finno-Ugric studies, covering the study of language and literature in various contexts, language learning methodologies, dictionary development, translation, etc.

Lecturers, researchers, and students of the DEL actively participate in national and international projects and disseminate their research findings through both Latvian and international publications. They present their work and share developments in their field at conferences, seminars, and other public events — such as lectures, discussions, and symposia — organized in collaboration with embassies, libraries, museums, schools, and other institutions.

The department has the following study and research centres:

  • Centre for Germanic Studies,
  • Centre for Hellenic Studies,
  • Latin Culture Heritage Centre,
  • Centre for French Language and Francophone Studies,
  • Centre for Iberian and Latin American Studies,
  • Centre for Italian Language and Culture Studies,
  • Centre for Slavic Studies,
  • Centre for Scandinavian and Finno-Ugric Studies.

Head of Department

Associate professor Gita Bērziņa

Academic Staff:

 

Germanic Studies

Professor Ineta Balode

Lecturer Ieva Blumberga

Lecturer Sandija Iesalniece

 

Classical Philology

Professor Ilze Rūmniece

Assistant Professor Brigita Cīrule

Assistant Professor Ilona Gorņeva

Lecturer Gatis Ezerkalns

 

Romance Studies (French)

Professor Jeļena Vladimirska

Lecturer Olga Billere

Lecturer Helēna Gizeleza

Lecturer Daina Turlā-Pastare

 

Romance Studies (Italian)

Assistant Professor Jeļena Gridina

 

Romance Studies (Spanish)

Assistant Professor Alla Placinska

Lecturer Alberto Torres Fernandez

Lecturer Miguel Angel Perez Sanchez

 

Slavic Studies

Professor Igors Koškins

Assistant Professor Nadežda Kopoloveca

Assistant Professor Rozanna Kurpniece

 

Comparative Literature

Assistant Professor Iveta Narodovska

 

Foreign folklore studies 

Assistant Professor Svetlana Pogodina

 

History of foreign literature (Slavic)

Professor Ludmila Sproģe

Assistant Professor Nataļja Šroma

 

Scandinavian Studies

Associate professor Ivars Orehovs

 

Comparative and Contrastive Linguistics

Lecturer Agnija Platace