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FORMAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION OF DOCTORAL STUDIES
PhD program: Life Sciences
Guarantor/Doctoral Board head contact: prof. Michaela Wimmerová, (549 49 8166), michaela.wimmerova@ceitec.muni.cz
Version: Released and applicable since 1st
February 2023
Detailed requirements for the Individual Study Plan (ISP) are described in Table. Here in brief:
• Core subjects ca 65 % of workload (ISP elements A - B), Hard-skills courses ca 20 % of workload (ISP elements C), Soft-skills courses – ca 15 % of workload
(ISP elements D - E)
• Semestral activities recorded as S5007 Ph.D. Thesis– each semester
(recommendation: 25 ECTS for semesters 1-4, 30 ECTS for semesters 5-8, 20 ECTS for semesters 9+)
• Handling chemical substances C7777 – obligatory for each autumn semester of study (except stay abroad)
• Scientific publication S5008 – once during the study
• Lecture for the scientific community S5006 – minimum once during the study
• CEITEC Friday Seminar S5010 – obligatory in the 1st
and 2nd
year (autumn semester)
• Field Seminar - Life Sciences S5050– obligatory for all semesters of study (except stay abroad)
• Stay abroad – (XD110) obligatory a minimum one-month stay abroad in total during the study (ECTS according to faculty rules), Alternatively (after
approval of doctoral board) participation in international creative project with results published or presented abroad, or direct participation in
international cooperation.
• TAC Meeting S5013 – minimum three times during the standard study duration
• CEITEC PhD Conference S5012– obligatory for each spring semester of study (except stay abroad)
• Theoretical (hard-skills) courses – a minimum of four courses (fulfil during the 1st
and 2nd
year)
• Soft-skills courses - a minimum of three courses (at least one course fulfil during the 1st
and 2nd
year)
(*) Requirements for theoretical State Doctoral Exam (SDE) and PhD defence:
SDE, thesis, as well as the PhD defence, are performed in English.
The Executive Committee of the Life Sciences Programme after discussion with the supervisor will select, with the presented general topics as a starting point, a
set of three specific topics for the State Doctoral Examination based on the discussion, on completed hard skills courses and in a relation to the topic of the thesis.
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Molecular aspects
• composition and structure of proteins, nucleic acids, glycans and lipids
Bioanalytical aspects
• separation and identification of bio(macro)molecules
• sequencing of biopolymers
• determining structure of bio(macro)molecules, its hierarchical aspects (primary, secondary,
• tertiary, quaternary, modifications, suprastructures)
• determining and quantifying interbiomolecular interactions (protein-protein interactions,
• protein-nucleic acid, protein-ligand)
• bioinformatics – molecular property predictions, experimental data analysis, gene ontology
• molecular modelling (basics of quantum mechanics, molecular mechanics)
Biological aspects
• general cellular and organismal functions of bio(macro)molecules
• proteins – cellular structure, metabolism, transport, signalling
• nucleic acids – genetic information, protein biosynthesis and its regulation, non-coding RNA, chromosomes and telomeres
• glycans – signalling, protein stabilisation, intra- & inter-cellular communication and interactions
• lipids – membranes, lipid rafts
The student is acquainted with the specified topics and, according to his / her choice, prepares a presentation of about 10 minutes for one of them. The
presentation will be followed by a discussion on the chosen topic, as well as questions covering the area of the given discipline, based on the syllabus of the topics
for the state doctoral examinations.
The PhD defence is given by 20 min presentation of results of the doctoral project, followed by a discussion.
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Individual study plan elements Milestones
Enrolment to
studies (Before
semester 1)
End of
Semester 1
End of
Semester 2
End of
Semester 4
State
Doctoral
Exam – SDE*
End of
Semester 6
End of
Semester 7
End of Semester 8
PhD defence *
(A) research
and
development
activities
1. Research,
dissertation
project, literature
search of the
actual state of the
topic, planning,
and the scientific
activities itself
Define the
framework topic
of the PhD
project with the
supervisor for
enrolment.
CHECK: Dean’s
office
[enrolment]
S5007 for each
semester
(25 ECTS for
semesters 1-4,
30 ECTS for
semesters 5-8,
20 ECTS for
semesters 9+]
CHECK: Student
Submit TAC
members
proposal
CHECK: Doctoral
Board
[Submitted
proposal]
Submit a detailed
“research project”
for PhD work to the
Doctoral Board.
Max 5 pages
containing
Background,
Research hypothesis
and objectives,
Approach-methods,
Timeline of
foreseen activities,
Expected outcomes
(publications).
CHECK: TAC,
Doctoral Board
[Submited project]
Progress check by
TAC - 1st
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Meeting]
No formal
check needed
Progress check
by TAC - 2nd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Meeting]
Progress check
by TAC – 3rd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Meeting]
Have all other requirements
fulfilled (see below in this
column)
Submit a PhD thesis
according to instructions of
the 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
publication in Q1
demonstrating the
quality and
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal
check needed
Progress check
by TAC - 2nd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
Progress check
by TAC – 3rd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
At least one publication minimum
criteria:
One student’s first-author
paper published in IF-journal
in 1st quartile in the given
field of study (ISI WOS).
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independence of
the student
If this publication has not IF,
in Q1, there should be two
more publication with ID in
Q1 or Q2 of which student
should be the co-author.
CHECK: Doctoral Board
[Thesis,S5008]
3. Presentation of
results on
scientific seminars,
symposia,
conferences, etc.,
including
preparation of
talks
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal
check needed
Poster
presentation at
CEITEC PhD
Conference
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [S5012]
Progress check
by TAC - 2nd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
Progress check
by TAC – 3rd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
At least one documented
oral presentation in English
to appropriate scientific
audience, preferentially
international conference.
CHECK: Doctoral Board,
[S5006]
Oral presentation at CEITEC
PhD Conference.
CHECK: Doctoral Board
[S5012]
4. CEITEC Friday
Seminar
Enroll S5010
(obligatory
seminar for two
semesters)
CHECK: Student
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
CHECK:
Doctoral
Board, [S5010]
Not relevant
anymore, all
requirements
fulfilled before.
Not relevant
anymore, all
requirements
fulfilled before.
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled
before.
5. Field seminar Enroll S5050
(obligatory for all
semesters)
CHECK: Student
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
CHECK:
Doctoral
Board,
[S5005/S5003]
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
Credits for S5050 for all
semesters, (semesters of
international stay abroad are
excluded)
CHECK: Doctoral Board,
[S5050]
(B)
International
experience and
competitivenes
6. Further
improving English
competences,
attending courses,
seminars,
conferences,
writing
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal
check needed
Progress check
by TAC - 2nd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
Progress check
by TAC – 3rd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
At least one documented
oral presentation in English
to appropriate scientific
audience, preferentially
international conference.
CHECK: Doctoral Board,
[S5006]
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publications, all in
English
7. Stay or
internship abroad,
mandatory
participation in
international
cooperation
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal
check needed
Progress check
by TAC - 2nd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
Progress check
by TAC – 3rd
TAC
meeting
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [TAC
Report]
The minimum is one-month
stay abroad in total.
CHECK: Doctoral Board,
Dean’s office [XD110]
(C) Specialized
courses and
theoretical
preparation
8. Theoretical
courses,
preparation to the
state doctoral
exam – SDE
Identify
student’s
knowledge gaps
and what should
be learned for
SDE. Plan
courses,
trainings for the
first two years.
Consider courses
at MU/outside.
Minimum four
credited courses
are required.
Selection can be
changed/
updated for each
semester.
C7777 Handling
chemical
substances
CHECK:
Supervisor
Handling
chemical
substances
CHECK: Dean’s
office [C7777]
No formal check
needed
Have all other
requirements
fulfilled and
submit the
application to
the state
doctoral exam
SDE (Doctoral
Board
organizes SDE
further)
CHECK:
Doctoral
Board,
[IS.MUNI]
Handling
chemical
substances
CHECK: Dean’s
office [C7777]
Handling
chemical
substances
CHECK: Dean’s
office [C7777]
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled
before.
(D) Pedagogical
competences
9. Teaching
assistance,
optional -
classrooms,
exercises, advising
undergrad
Optional –
included in the
limit of Soft-skills
courses.
(Up to 150 hours
through the
entire doctoral
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
No formal
check needed
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [S5009]
Not relevant
anymore, all
requirements
fulfilled before.
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled
before.
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students, and
comparable.
studies).
Recommend:
pass during the
first three years.
CHECK: Student
(E) Other
transferrable
skills
10. Soft skills
courses - Career
development,
preparation and
management of
projects, scientific
writing,
communication,
other soft-skills
Plan courses,
trainings.
Consider courses
at MU or
outside.
Minimum three
credited courses
are required.
Selection can be
changed/
updated for each
semester
Recommend:
Minimum one
credited course
pass during first
two years.
CHECK: Student.
No formal check
needed
No formal check
needed
Successfully
pass a
minimum of 1
credited soft
skills courses
CHECK:
Doctoral
Board
[IS.MUNI]
Successfully pass
a minimum of 3
credited soft
skills courses
CHECK: Doctoral
Board [IS.MUNI]
Not relevant
anymore, all
requirements
fulfilled before.
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled
before.
Recommended courses (an indicative lists) are available on the webpage of CEITEC PhD School https://ls-phd.ceitec.cz/courses/.