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FORMAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION OF DOCTORAL STUDIES
Version: Released and applicable since the 1st
August 2019 (last updated: February 2022)
Ph.D. programme: Ecological and Evolutionary Biology (Ekologická a evoluční biologie)
Guarantor/Doctoral Board head contact: Michal Horsák, horsak@sci.muni.cz
General outline:
 Semesters 1-4 (first 2 years of study): students work on their research project and fulfil other requirements (i.e., theoretical courses, preparing for state
doctoral exam, teaching assistance)
 End of 4th semester: SDE (State Doctoral Exam)*
 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 this table):
Mandatory duties: checked by Dean’s Office
XD100 Ph.D. thesis / Příprava dizertační práce Enrolled every semester during the entire studies; recommended 20-25 ECTS for semesters 1-4, 30 ECTS
for semesters 5-8, 20 ECTS for semesters 9 +
Bi0807
or
Bi9656
Zoological or Botanical seminar and one of
the specialized seminars
Enrolled in semesters 1-8 (except during stays abroad)
Select one of the specialized seminars: Bi9666 or Bi9678 (Botanical), Bi7801 (Hydrobiological), Bi5027
(Evertebratological), Bi6479 (Parasitological), Bi4007 (Vertebratological)
C7777 Handling chemical substances
/ Zacházení s chemickými látkami
Enrolled every year of studies, every autumn semester
XD102 Teaching Assistance / Pomoc při výuce Enrolled 4-times in semesters 1-4, maximum 150 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 2 months in total (usually 5 ECTS/month), requirement given by the law
Instructions for recognition of Placement 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): https://www.sci.muni.cz/en/students/go-abroad/recognition-of-stay-abroad
Theoretical courses and all other requirements: checked by the Head of Specialization Board / Head of Doctoral Committee
 minimum 4 courses during semesters 1-4 with corresponding ECTS (before SDE)
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(*) Requirements for theoretical SDE:
Theoretical preparation for SDE (in the middle of standard study duration). The Examining committee will check following aspects:
1/ proficiency in the fundamentals of the broader scientific discipline, i.e. research of interaction between environment and health (20% weight)
2/ deep understanding of 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 1 End of Semester 4
(Theoretical State Doctoral
Exam, SDE *)
End of Semester 8
(Preparation for PhD defence)
(A)
Research and
development
activities (ca.
50% of
workload).
1. Research, dissertation
project, literature search
of the actual state of the
topic, planning and the
scientific activities itself
(20%).
Define framework topic
of your PhD project with
your supervisor for
enrolment. Should
contain the background,
research hypothesis and
objectives, approachmethods,
timeline of
foreseen activities,
expected outcomes
(publications).
CHECK: Doctoral Board
and boards of all
specializations [entrance
competition]
C7777 - every year of
study, every autumn
semester
- CHECK: Dean’s office
Detailed study plan for
your PhD work needs to be
filled in IS.MUNI. Define
main goals, timeline of
foreseen activities,
including data collection,
methods, presentations,
expected outcomes
(publications).
CHECK: Supervisor,
Specialization board head
or selected members of the
Specialization board
Prepare the review of the
study topic (about 10 pages;
text may later be used as an
Introduction-Background to
the final PhD thesis). Should
optimally be written during
the first year, depending on
the supervisor’s
recommendation, but has to
be delivered to the Chair of
the examination committee
at least a week before the
State Doctoral Exam.
CHECK: Supervisor,
Examining committee [SDE
assessment]
Submit PhD thesis according to
instructions of Doctoral Board,
format according to SCI MUNI
requirements.
CHECK: Dean’s office
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2. Publications
(theses should be based
on three products
demonstrating quality
and scientific creativity of
the student) (15%)
No formal check needed. No formal check needed.
Publications of the student
may be included in the
review of the study topic for
SDE (if relevant).
Minimum criteria: two papers
published or accepted in IFjournal
(ISI WOS) and one
manuscript submitted; at two
out of these the candidate is the
first author; all are related to
the dissertation topic.
CHECK: Supervisor, Defence
committee [Thesis].
3. Presentation of results
on scientific seminars,
symposia, conferences
etc., including
preparation of talks
and/or poster
presentations (5%).
No formal check needed. Introduction of the PhD
project at Zoological or
Botanical seminar. No
formal check needed.
CHECK: Student
No formal check needed.
List of presentations may be
included in the review of the
study topic for SDE (if
relevant).
At minimum one documented
oral presentation in English at
an 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%).
To 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 least 4
credited theoretical courses.
CHECK: Specialization Board
[IS.MUNI]
Have all the other
requirements fulfilled and
submit the application to
theoretical SDE (Doctoral
Board organizes SDE
further).
Not relevant anymore, all
requirements fulfilled before.
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5. Doctoral seminars
(5%)
Zoological or Botanical
seminar and specialized
seminars (obligatory for 8
semesters).
CHECK: Student
No formal check needed. CHECK: Dean’s office
[two seminars in each
semester; choice of seminars
based on supervisor’s
recommendations]
Get credits for two seminars per
semester for all semesters when
student works at MU in Brno.
Semesters when student is at
international stay abroad are
excluded.
CHECK: Dean’s office [IS.MUNI]
(C)
International
experience
and
competitiven
ess (20%).
6. Further improving of
English competences
(attending courses,
seminars, conferences,
writing publications, all
in English). (5%)
No formal check needed. No formal check needed. No formal check needed. No formal check needed
7. Stay or internship
abroad - mandatory
participation in
international
cooperation. (15%)
No formal check needed. No formal check needed. No formal check needed. Minimum is a two-month
foreign stay, longer stays (3+
months) are preferred
considering the topic.
CHECK: Dean’s office [stay
abroad in IS; e.g. XD110]
(D)
Pedagogical
competences
(10%).
8. Teaching assistance classrooms,
exercises,
advising undergrad
students and
comparable.
Up to 150 hours through
the entire doctoral studies.
Passed during the first four
semesters.
CHECK: Student,
Guarantors of respective
courses
No formal check needed. CHECK: Dean’s office [IS;
XD102 for 4 semesters]
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. No formal check needed. No formal check needed.
Up to student’s choice; can
be included in the review of
the study topic for SDE.
No formal check needed.
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Recommended theoretical courses based on supervisor’s recommendations:
In the field of botany, zoology, hydrobiology, parasitology, ecology, palaeoecology, statistical analyses, and the others select preferentially from the master
programs of Botany and Zoology; see: https://is.muni.cz/predmety/studijni_plan?plan_id=24806
https://is.muni.cz/predmety/studijni_plan?plan_id=23746