In an era of increasingly significant global influences on the standard language, the Department of Croatian Studies examines how the modern Croatian linguistic system adapts to the communication needs of its linguistic community, where it serves as a primary means of communication. Department members explore various aspects of language, including pragmalinguistics, text linguistics, dialectology, media literacy, methodology, early and reading literacy, children’s literature, teaching Croatian as a second language, contact linguistics, and the role of bilingualism and multilingualism in early childhood development.
The Department strives to meet the educational needs of students across all study programmes within the Faculty of Education by offering high-quality courses and advanced academic teaching. These programmes equip students with knowledge and skills in Croatian studies, linguistics, literary theory, and related philological and humanities disciplines. Department members are dedicated to fostering linguistic and literary education in younger generations. They engage in activities that connect them with the local community and educational institutions while collaborating with numerous faculties at both the domestic and international levels.
The Department of Croatian Studies co-organises several conferences, including the international scientific conference Children and Languages Today, the international scientific conference Šokačka Rič, and, starting in 2025, the scientific conference From Norm to Use.
The Department consists of three sub-departments: the Sub-Department of Croatian Language, the Sub-Department of Linguistics, and the Sub-Department of Literature and Media.