PhD Students

Both passing a state doctoral exam as well as a doctoral thesis defence are necessary conditions for the successful completion of PhD studies at Masaryk University. They must be preceded by fulfillment of all study obligations including completion of compulsory and selective courses. The rules are defined in the MU Study and Examination Regulations, section 31, 32, 33 and 34.

Deadlines for submitting applications for the state doctoral examination and dissertation defence:

• 21 November 2023
• 22 April 2024

Applications are to be submited online via the Document Office (FSS StudO: Doctoral Studies – Application for doctoral state examination, FSS StudO: Doctoral Studies – Application for doctoral theses defence).

The requirements related to the dissertation thesis are published on the web pages of relevant departments.

Department of International Relations and European Studies
Department of Media Studies and Journalism
Department of Political Science
Department of Psychology
Department of Social Policy and Social Work
Department of Sociology

Instructions regarding submitting of dissertation work and related documents

There is necessary to submit following documents prior to the deadline

1. Structured professional CV
2. Structured list of publications
3. Abstract of the doctoral thesis

Before submitting the application, the dissertation (sample dissertation title pages) must be uploaded to the thesis archive in IS. We will insert the title of the dissertation in Czech and English into the IS after you submit your application for defence.

You must submit 1 copy of the bound thesis (ring-bound is sufficient) to the Doctoral Studies Office by the above deadlines.

Before submitting your application for the dissertation defense, contact your study officer to establish an archive of your thesis.

The path to the thesis archive is:

IS → Student → Final Degree → State Final Examination and Final Thesis Archive → Manipulating the Final Thesis Archive → Entering the archive (this is where you insert the file or files)

Before you press enter archive, fill in:

• Annotation in Czech
• Annotation in English
• Keywords

After the deadline for uploading the document, no changes are possible.

Students are recommended to follow along with the study plan provided by the department.

Study plan by programme here.

MU Study and Examination Regulations – primary reference for your studies

• Masaryk University Study and Examination Regulations – this guideline will assist you in maintaining your student status and will smooth your progress in your studies.

Student Counselors

• The Study Administrator is always glad to assist you with any questions or problems. In addition, you can consult with student counselors via poradci@muni.cz or the members of Academic Senate of MU and Academic Senate of FSS.

Exceptions to the Study Rules

It is recommended that you always try hard to fulfill the duties and requirements specified in the Study Rules, especially those that condition your enrollment in the next semester. If you are unable to fulfill the study requirements, your studies do not continue automatically from semester to semester. Read the most important conditions for smooth study progress in the MU Study and Exam. Regulations, Section 12. To prevent your studies from being terminated, you must write a letter addressed to the FSS Dean stating the reasons why you have not been able to fulfill the requirements, and ask for an exception to the study regulations. You need to officially submit this letter via the Study Administrator (you can also discuss the situation before) in person, or send it as a registered mail, and you will receive a decision in the matter soon.

Another frequent reason for applying for vice-dean's exceptions are changes in course enrollment after the second week of teaching. Please, try to make sure that you select courses carefully and confirm all changes by the deadline: the end of the second week of teaching of the given semester. In case you fail to do this, apply for the exception to enroll in / dis-enroll from a course as soon as possible. Later, as the semester proceeds, these changes will not be approved. Only enrollment in block session courses is possible during the semester: however, if you want to apply for dis-enrollment, you must do it immediately the course starts with some reasons given. No changes at the end of a course or during exam period are approved.

All forms for exceptions and requests, and specific guidelines for Master programs can be found via this link to IS folders:

• Important Documents and Forms for Master studies (IS folders)

In these IS folders, you also find all department calendars (important for thesis writing mainly) and guidelines for thesis writing and final exams. Just open the folder you need.

A person ceases to be a student of MU on the completion date of doctoral studies at the Faculty of Social Studies. Proof of successful completion of studies is a diploma and a supplement to the diploma (in the Czech programme issued in Czech). A graduate of doctoral studies receives the title of doctor, abbreviated as Ph.D.

Doctoral degree certificates are presented to graduates of doctoral study programmes at MU at graduation ceremonies. These are scheduled for all MU faculties approximately six months apart each year on the same day. The organization of graduation ceremonies is entrusted to the Department of Research, namely Mgr. Tereza Dvořáková. The issuing of doctoral diplomas (except for graduation) is entrusted to Mgr. et Mgr. Jitka Šnejdrlová.

Graduates who will be graduating on a specific date are sent an electronic invitation about three weeks before the planned date of the ceremony, including more information about the graduation act itself. The invitation will be sent to the graduates' emails in their IS MU Personal Administration (please also watch the spam or bulk folder). If a graduate wishes to receive the graduation invitation on his/her private email, it is necessary to set up email forwarding in IS MU Mail to his/her private address. In IS MU, you must also provide consent to use your email account after graduation via the so-called Privacy Policy. Information about the graduation date is also communicated in advance to the clerks of the faculty departments that administer doctoral studies. Doctoral graduates do not pay the graduation fee.

If a graduate cannot attend the graduation ceremony, he/she collects his/her diploma and diploma supplement by prior arrangement at the Department of Doctoral Studies and Scientific Qualifications of the RMU Doctoral School. They may do so at their discretion before or after the graduation ceremony. The graduation documents will be collected personally by the graduate or by someone close to the graduate based on a power of attorney (a power of attorney does not have to be officially certified). Upon agreement, it is also possible to reschedule the graduate's attendance to the following graduation date.

You can also download the electronic diploma once it has been made available on the page Student → Graduation → Diploma or in the E-Graduation application.