Newsletter for students

Dear students,

the holidays are slowly but surely coming to an end. I hope you enjoyed your summer, are rested and have regained your strength so that you can devote yourself fully to your studies again.

The 2024/2025 academic year officially begins on Monday, September 16, 2024, and, in the opening week, I would like to personally welcome you to two events - the Garden Party and the Dean’s Barbecue.

The Garden Party will take place on Monday, September 16, 2024, from 2 pm to 6 pm, in the park in front of the Dean’s office at the Kotlářská campus. I look forward to spending a pleasant afternoon together, during which you will be able to meet friends and new classmates from across the faculty, as well as your teachers. Refreshments will be provided, and dulcimer music will played.

The Dean’s Barbecue will then take place on Thursday, September 19, 2024, from 4:30 pm to 8 pm, between pavilions C13 and C14 at the Bohunice University Campus. The Faculty of Science organises the Barbecue in collaboration with other faculties that are based on, or soon will be based on, the campus. You can count on barbecued treats, light sports activities, a puzzle game for prizes, an introduction to the Deans and informal networking along with recorded music. As part of the event, there will also be a presentation of the MU Natural Sciences Association and recruitment of new members.

I look forward to meeting not only students from higher years at both events but also those who are starting their studies at the faculty. If you are a first-year student, don’t worry, studying at university requires both independence and a responsible attitude, if you don’t underestimate it, you’ll be fine. We have written down everything important for you to know on the website for first-years, and if you still do not know how to deal with something regarding your studies, feel free to contact your assistant for studies or the MUNI Student Advisory Centre, which also offers psychological help.

The new academic year brings two important changes, the first concerning the MUNI Study and Examination Regulations and the second the Common University Courses, which has also undergone a change. Both will be presented to you by Pavel Lízal, Vice Dean for Undergraduate education, in the articles below.

I wish you all a successful autumn semester.

Yours sincerely,

Tomáš Kašparovský
Dean of the MU Faculty of Science

Changes to the enrolment of Common University Courses

From autumn 2024, MUNI will have enough so-called CORE courses. Therefore, a Common University Courses will be implemented across the entire university under conditions outlined by Pavel Lízal, Vice-Dean for undergraduate education.

Common University Courses and their development

Firstly, it is important to mention that until now, the so-called Common University Courses has been running in a preliminary form. Their purpose was for students to attend certain courses from other faculties in order to broaden their horizons and knowledge beyond their field of study. However, it was necessary to fill this them with an adequate number of courses created over the past four years. Generally speaking, these courses are referred to as CORE subjects.

For the reasons mentioned above, our faculty has been offering courses from the standard faculty curriculum within this Common University Courses. This is now changing because there are enough CORE courses available. Thus, starting from autumn 2024, a Common University Courses will be implemented across the entire university under conditions planned at its inception.

The Common University Courses consist of mandatory two-semester physical education and an English language proficiency test; additionally including courses beyond the field of student’s main area. So far at our faculty students received a total of 4 credits for physical education and language test combined and 11 credits for other subjects (which previously included more courses from our faculty). However, from now on, it will only be possible to choose CORE subjects and students will need to earn 4 credits for the language exam.