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FORMAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION OF DOCTORAL STUDIES
Version: Released and applicable since 1st August 2019 (last updated: June, 2023)
PhD programme: Biochemistry/Biochemie
Doctoral Board – head contact: Igor Kučera, ikucera@chemi.muni.cz
General outline:
• Semesters 1 - 4 (first 2 years of study) - students work on their research project + fulfil other requirements (theoretical courses, preparing for state
doctoral exam – SDE*, teaching assistance
• Semesters 5 - 8 - main focus on research (work on doctoral project and thesis, publications, presentations at conferences, etc.)
General requirements for all students in the programme (please see detailed requirements for the Individual Study Plan in the detailed table below):
Mandatory courses: checked by Dean’s Office
CDB100 Ph.D. thesis
/Příprava dizertační práce
Enrolled every semester during entire studies, recommended 20-25 ECTS for semesters 1-4, 30 ECTS for
semesters 5-8, 20 ECTS for semesters 9 +
CDB0x Programme seminar
/Oborový seminář
Obligatory for all 8 semesters of standard study duration. This requirement can be reduced accordingly in the
case of a long-term internship abroad or when the student intends to finish his/her studies earlier than in 4
years.
C7777 Handling chemical substances
/Zacházení s chemickými látkami
Enrolled every year of study, every autumn semester
CBD102 Teaching Assistance /Pomoc při výuce Assistance in a one-semester laboratory course held at the Department of Biochemistry (2 ECTS)
XD106 Lecture in the foreign language
/Odborná přednáška v cizím jazyce
Minimum once during studies (recommended 0 ECTS)
Placement Abroad
/Zahraniční pracovní pobyt
Minimum 1 month stay, min. 1-time during studies (usually 5 ECTS/month), requirement given by law
Instructions for recognition of Placement Abroad: https://www.sci.muni.cz/en/students/phd/recognition-of-
placements-abroad
(the recognition is done via IS application Internship and Stays, by creating record of the stay and request for
recognition; the course is then registered by Dean’s Office)
Theoretical courses and all other requirements: checked by the Head of Doctoral Board
• minimum 4 during semesters 1-4. Passing the courses is required for application to the state doctoral examination (*)
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Requirements for theoretical SDE*:
Theoretical courses
The student with the agreement of his/her supervisor, selects courses from among those offered by the Faculty of Science, faculties or other units within the
university. Master level courses can only be taken if these were not a part of the student's master degree. External courses that are credited and terminated by an
examination are also acceptable upon approval by doctoral board. In exceptional case, individual literature study of specific topics relevant to the thesis work that
are not covered by existing courses, terminated by an examination, can be included and considered to be equivalent to one regular course (CDB101).
(*) State doctoral examination
The state doctoral examination is designed to verify the student's general knowledge in the field and acquaintance with scholarly methods of research. A month
before the examination, the student is assigned three different examination topics to study for beforehand. The examination has the form of a one-hour interview
between the doctoral student and the members of the committee. The committee announces the assessment of the examination obtained by secret voting
immediately after the examination has been completed. A student who successfully passes the state examination can then advance to the dissertation defence
which takes place the same day or at a later date.
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Individual study plan elements Milestones
Enrolment to
studies (Before
semester 1)
End of Semester 1 End of Semester 4 End of Semester 8
(Preparation for PhD defence)
(A) research
and
development
activities (ca.
70 % of
workload)
1. Research,
dissertation project,
literature search of
the actual state of
the topic, planning
and the scientific
activities itself (50%).
Define framework
topic of your PhD
project with your
supervisor for
enrolment.
CHECK: Dean’s office
[enrolment]
CDB100 for each
semester (25 ECTS
for semesters 1-4,
30 ECTS for
semesters 5-8, 20
ECTS for semesters
9+]
CHECK: Dean’s office
Submit a research project that
includes background literature
review, research hypothesis,
objectives, proposed
methodology and time schedule
(CDB104)
CHECK: Doctoral Board
[CDB104]
No formal check needed Submit PhD thesis according to
instructions of Doctoral Board,
format according to SCI MUNI
requirements
CHECK: Doctoral Board, Dean’s
office
2. Publications
(thesis should be
based on at least one
first author research
paper demonstrating
quality and
independence of the
student (15%)
No formal check
needed
No formal check needed No formal check needed The minimum requirement is one
research paper published in a
journal from the first or second
quartile (Q1 or Q2) of impact
factor according to ISI Web of
Knowledge. A possible but not
preferred alternative are
two thematically related papers
published in less ranked journals
(Q3 or Q4). The student must be
the first author of at least one
publication and must always state
Department of Biochemistry as
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affiliation (co-affiliation to another
institution is possible).
CHECK: Doctoral Board [Thesis].
3. Presentation of
results on scientific
seminars, symposia,
conferences etc.,
including preparation
of talks and/or poster
presentations (5%)
No formal check
needed
No formal check needed No formal check needed At minimum one documented oral
presentation in English to
appropriate scientific audience,
preferentially international
conference.
CHECK: Dean’s office [XD106]
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(B)
Specialized
courses and
theoretical
preparation
(20%)
4. Theoretical
courses, preparation
to the state doctoral
exam – SDE (15%)
Identify student’s
knowledge gaps and
what should be
learned for SDE.
Plan corresponding
courses, trainings for
the first two years.
Consider courses at
MU or outside.
Minimum 4 credited
courses are
required. Selection
can be
changed/updated
for each semester.
CHECK: Supervisor
No formal check needed Successfully pass at minimum
4 theoretical courses.
CHECK: Dean’s office
[IS.MUNI]
Having all other requirements
fulfilled (see below in this
column) you can submit the
application to theoretical SDE
(Doctoral Board organizes SDE
further).
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled before.
5. Doctoral seminars
and PhD conferences
(5%)
Enroll CDB0x
(obligatory seminar
for 8 semesters)
CHECK: Student
No formal check needed Presentation of the progress
of thesis work at the seminar
and annual PhD conferences.
CHECK: Dean’s office [4
semesters of CDB0x]
Get credits for CDB0x for all
semesters when student works at
MU in Brno. Semesters when
student is on an internship abroad
are excluded.
CHECK: Dean’s office [IS.MUNI]
(C)
International
experience
and
competitiven
ess
6. Further improving
of English
competences
(attending courses,
seminars,
conferences, writing
publications, all in
English).
No formal check
needed
No formal check needed No formal check needed No formal check needed
CHECK: Dean’s office [XD106]
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7. Stay or internship
abroad - mandatory
participation in
international
cooperation.
No formal check
needed
No formal check needed No formal check needed Minimum is 1 month foreign stay,
longer stays (3+ months) are
preferred considering the topic.
CHECK: Dean’s office [stay abroad
in IS; XD110]
(D)
Pedagogical
competences
8. Teaching
assistance
No formal check
needed
No formal check needed Assistance in a one-semester
laboratory course
CHECK: Dean’s office [IS;
CDB102 minimum 2 ECTS ]
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled before.
(E) Other
transferrable
skills.
9. Career
development preparation
and
management of
projects, scientific
writing,
communication,
other soft-skills.
No formal check
needed
Check offers of PHD
TRAINING SCHOOL
and outside of MU
CHECK: Student
No formal check needed No formal check needed No formal check needed