Important Contacts
Officer for International Students, Department of Students: Mgr. Valeria Havrdová, valerie.havrdova@natur.cuni.cz
Co-ordinator of Doctoral Studies: Vladimíra Dzúrová, MBA, vladimira.dzurova@natur.cuni.cz
Responsible for organizing the admissions process and co-ordinating the General Colloquium course, state exams and dissertation defences. Communicates with supervisors, guarantors of doctoral study programmes and members of the Subject Area Board. Assists doctoral students with matters related to PhD studies.
Important dates
Dates of State Doctoral Examinations and Dissertation Defence: contact the Co-ordinator of Doctoral Studies, vladimira.dzurova@natur.cuni.cz.
Individual Study Plan (ISP) - The Alpha and Omega of Doctoral Studies
The most important task for a doctoral student at the beginning of his or her studies is the creation of an Individual Study Plan (ISP). The doctoral student is evaluated by the Subject Area Board at the end of each academic year based on this plan.
Process:
- The supervisor assigns the dissertation topic to the doctoral student in the Student Information System.
- The doctoral student completes the ISP.
- The requirements set by the Subject Area Board (SAB) are followed – these determine how many courses a PhD student must complete, the timeline for fulfilling requirements throughout his or her studies, the conditions for publishing activities, etc. The SAB requirements according to the year of enrolment can be found here: https://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng/study/study-plans/requirements-of-subject-area-boards/requirements-of-subject-area-boards
- The doctoral student prepares the ISP in close co-operation with his or her supervisor.
Courses
During the first two years, the doctoral student completes the prescribed courses and subjects.
In addition to courses offered by our departments at the Faculty of Science, the doctoral student can choose courses from across Charles University which are listed in the SIS under ‘Subjects’. It is also possible to choose courses from other universities. This selection is handled individually by the doctoral student in consultation with his or her supervisor.
After completing a course, it is necessary to fill out the ‘Confirmation of Passing Exam’ form and submit it to the study department or the Doctoral Studies Co-ordinator (vladimira.dzurova@natur.cuni.cz).
General Colloquium
PhD students are required to take the General Colloquium Course in their first or second year.
The General Colloquium Course consists of a series of seminars on different topics divided into two sections, compulsory and elective. Some lectures focus on general topics related to doctoral studies (such as how to publish, how to teach, how to apply for grants, etc.), while others are specific to a particular field (economic geography, healthcare, migration, etc.)
The schedule of seminars and requirements will be provided by the PhD co-ordinator, Vladimíra Dzúrová.
Individual Study Plan - annual evaluation of study progress
The Study Area Board conducts an annual evaluation of study progress and the fulfilment of the Individual Study Plan (ISP).
The system for evaluating the ISP opens on August 1st each year. From this point onward, the PhD student cannot interrupt his or her studies.
Instructions on how to fill out the ISP can be found here - ‘Guidelines for Assessment of the Individual Study Plan’
State Doctoral Exam
PhD students in the full-time study programme take the state doctoral exam in their second year. For this exam, they must prepare and submit a Dissertation on Theory and Methodology (developed from a section of their dissertation).
Tips on how to prepare the Dissertation on Theory and Methodology and instructions for applying for the State Doctoral Exam can be found HERE.
Defence of the Dissertation
PhD students in the full-time study programme defend their dissertation in their fourth year. Instructions on submitting the dissertation to the system can be found HERE.
Funding
PhD students should inquire about funding options with their supervisors.
Student Grants
One option for additional PhD study funding is to apply for a student grant from the Grant Agency of Charles University (GAUK).
Travel Funds
As part of the doctoral programme, there is a requirement for a minimum of 30 days of international experience, which significantly improves the quality of the research, establishes contacts and fosters international collaboration.