EVS173 Preparation for employment in the EU structures

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2014
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: z (credit). Other types of completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Petr Kaniok, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Michaela Sedlatá (lecturer)
Mgr. Jana Urbanovská, Ph.D. (assistant)
Mgr. et Mgr. Veronika Velička Zapletalová, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Markéta Pitrová, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 10. 4. 11:30–15:00 U23, 15:15–18:30 exP52, Fri 11. 4. 9:45–13:00 U42, 15:15–18:30 U42, Thu 24. 4. 11:30–15:00 U23, 15:25–18:30 exP52, Fri 25. 4. 9:45–13:00 U42, 15:15–18:30 U42
Prerequisites
The very basic condition for the course attendace is the knowledge of English language at least on the B2 level (e.g. FCE). Although the teaching is in Czech, part of both written and oral section of the simulations is held solely in English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 17 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
At the end of the course students should be able to orient themselves in various possibilities in employment in the EU structures and institutions.
Students should be able to cope with EPSO selection procedure and students should understand how the selection mechanism in EPSO works.
During the first part of the course (lectures 1 - 5) the primary motivations of the potential applicants will be discussed with the sebereflection as the main goal of this process.
Syllabus
  • 1. Motivation and realistic expectations for working for EU institutions.
  • 2. EU institutions and selection process, conditions for success.
  • 3. Employment for the EU: types of contracts, jobs´description,gained skills.
  • 4. Working and social conditions of EU employment: salaries, benefits, obligations.
  • 5. Consultatiosn with EU employees and successful participants in EPSO tests: best practises.
  • 6. EPSO tests.
  • 7. EPSO: self-assesment of the candidate and filling the form.
  • 8. EPSO: 1st stage: verbal and numerical test, methodology, best practises.
  • 9. EPSO 1st stage: abstract reasoning, methodology, best practises.
  • 10. EPSO 1st stage: specific selection procedure.
  • 11. Simulation of 1st stage of EPSO test I.
  • 12. Simulation of 1st stage of EPSO test II.
  • 13. EPSO: 2nd stage, test centrum, writting part.
  • 14. Simulation of 2nd stage of EPSO test.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • http://europa.eu/epso/index_en.htm
  • PITROVÁ, Markéta and Petr FIALA. Evropská unie (European union). Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2009, 803 pp. Evropská politika, číslo publikace: 300. ISBN 978-80-7325-180-2. info
Teaching methods
The course combines lectures with class discussions and practical exercises.
Assessment methods
Gaining credit is based upon three conditions:
1. attendance (80%) 2. submission of all the parts of written EPSO tests, which will be developed during the lessons 11 and 12
3. elaboration of an essay under the given simulation conditions.
Lectures 11 - 14 are compulsory.
Lectures 6 - 10 are essential for comprehension of the simulations.
Lectures 1 - 5 are essential for comprehension of the employment in the EU structures and mainly for the success in the real conditions during the oral part of the exams.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2013, Autumn 2014, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2014/EVS173