FORMAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION OF DOCTORAL STUDIES
Version: Released and applicable since 1st August 2019 (last updated: December 2020)
PhD programme: Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genetics
Guarantor/Doctoral Board head contact: Jan Šmarda, Department of Experimental Biology, e-mail: smarda@sci.muni.cz
General outline:
• Semesters 1 - 4 (first 2 years of study) - students work on their research project + fulfill other requirements (theoretical courses, preparing for state
doctoral exam - SDE, teaching assistance
• 5th
semester - Half way Thesis, enrolled as XD020
• 5th
- 6th
semester - SDE (State Doctoral Exam)*
• Semesters 5/6 - 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 duties: checked by Dean’s Office
XD100 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 +
Bi0100
Bi0101
Seminar for PhD. students I and II
/Doktorský seminář ÚEB I a II
Enrolled in semesters 1 – 8
XD010
XD011
MU Life Sciences Seminar Enrolled in semesters 1 – 4
XD020 Half-way Thesis / Kontrolní den v
polovině studia
Obligatory in 5th
semester (2 ECTS)
C7777 Handling chemical substances
/ Zacházení s chemickými látkami
Enrolled every year of study, every autumn semester
XD102 Teaching Assistance / Pomoc při výuce Enrolled 4 times in semesters 1-4, maximum 100 hours in total (recommended 0 ECTS)
XD106 Lecture in the foreign language
/ Odborná přednáška v cizím jazyce
Minimum once during studies (recommended 0 ECTS)
XD110 Placement Abroad / Zahraniční
pracovní pobyt
Minimum 1 month stay, min. 1-time during studies (usually 5 ECTS/month), requirement given by law, or
participation in international grant project with results presented abroad or another form of direct
participation of student on international collaboration (after approval of Doctoral Board).
Instructions for recognition of Placement Abroad:
https://www.sci.muni.cz/en/students/go-abroad/recognition-of-stay-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 / Head of Doctoral Committee
• minimum 2 courses during semesters 1-4 with corresponding ECTS (before SDE)
(*) Requirements for theoretical SDE:
Theoretical preparation for SDE (in 5th-6th semester). The Doctoral Board will check following aspects:
1) proficiency in the fundamentals of the broader scientific discipline (20% weight),
2) deep understanding to the particular scientific specialization (30% weight),
3) detailed knowledge within the topic(s) of the doctoral research project including context (50% weight).
Individual study plan elements Milestones
Enrolment to
studies (Before
semester 1)
End of Semester 4 Semester (5 – 6)
(Theoretical State Doctoral
Exam, SDE *)
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]
XD100 for each
semester (25 ECTS
for semesters 1-4,
30 ECTS for
semesters 5-8, 20
ECTS for semesters
9+]
CHECK: Dean’s office
Present “short thesis” (state of
the PhD project, results so far,
weak points) to Doctoral Board
by short talk. Submit brief
summary in written form: aims,
results obtained, research plan
for the 2nd
half of the study (3
pages).
CHECK: Doctoral Board
[Submitted project]
Show proficiency in the
fundamentals of the cellular
and molecular biology and
genetics, detailed knowledge
in the field within the scope of
doctoral project.
CHECK: Doctoral Board [SDE
assessment]
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 original
research articles
accepted for
publication in well-
recognized
international journals
demonstrating
quality and
independence of the
student (15%)
No formal check
needed
No formal check needed No formal check needed Minimum criteria:
One student’s first-author original
paper published in IF-journal
ranked above the field median (ISI
WOS); alternatively, two original
first-author papers in journals with
IF exceeding one are acceptable.
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]
(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.
Based on
consultation with
student´s supervisor
select courses to be
enrolled.
Minimum 2 credited
courses are
required. Selection
can be
changed/updated
for each semester.
Successfully pass at minimum 2
credited theoretical courses.
CHECK: Doctoral Board
[IS.MUNI]
Have all other requirements
fulfilled (see below in this
column) and submit the
application to theoretical SDE
(Doctoral Board organizes SDE
further).
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled before.
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled before.
CHECK: Supervisor
5. Doctoral seminars
(5%)
Enroll XD010/
XD011 (obligatory
seminar for 4
semesters) and
Bi0100/Bi0101 for 8
semesters)
CHECK: Student
CHECK: Dean’s office [4
semesters of XD010/XD011]
CHECK: Dean’s office [8
semesters of Bi100/Bi101]
Semesters when student is at
international stay 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]
7. Stay or internship
abroad - mandatory
participation in
international
cooperation.
No formal check needed No formal check needed Minimum is 1 month foreign stay,
longer stays are preferred
considering the topic or
participation in international grant
project with results presented
abroad or another form of direct
participation of student on
international collaboration
CHECK: Dean’s office [stay abroad
in IS; e.g. XD110] or chairman of
Doctoral Board
(D)
Pedagogical
competences
8. Teaching
assistance -
classrooms,
exercises, advising
undergrad students
and comparable.
About 100 hours
through the entire
doctoral studies.
Passed during first
four semesters.
CHECK: Dean’s office [IS; XD102
for 4 semesters]
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled before.
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled before.
CHECK: Student
(E) Other
transferrable
skills.
9. Career
development preparation
and
management of
projects, scientific
writing,
communication,
other soft-skills.
No formal check
needed
Optional soft skills
courses available:
S4001 Presentations
on international
events, S4003
Guiding of research
career, S4004
Research fundinggrant
applications,
D01 Publish or
perish
CHECK: Student
No formal check needed No formal check needed No formal check needed
Recommended theoretical courses
Based on consultation with his/her supervisor student enrols the courses
offered by Masaryk University Faculty of Science extending and deepening
knowledge within the field Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genetics
fundaments according to the individual needs (taking into account specificity
of doctoral project, individual study history, etc.)