Passing the study plan

The State Doctoral Exam and the Doctoral Thesis Defence are required for graduating. The State Doctoral Exam tests the candidates’ ability to consider issues in the discipline taken both in the discipline-specific and interdisciplinary context. The Committee sets the candidate two or three topics in psychology. The candidate is to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature on these topics, including the latest research. At the exam, the candidate answers questions pertaining a) to the methodological and research context of the topic, i.e. the candidate critically evaluates how certain issues are studied, discusses approaches to the scientific understanding of the phenomenon in a historical perspective, b) to the newest theories connected to the topic and their relationship to previous thinking, c) to controversies in approaching the topic, which the candidate is to critically evaluate.

As for the compulsory activities of candidates, they must take all compulsory courses that are connected to their Doctoral Thesis and a specialization course. Furthermore, among compulsory activities, there is a long-term study stay abroad, conference attendance, working on scientific papers and partaking in teaching and research at the Department of Psychology.

The topics of Doctoral Theses are formulated in the context of the general research areas of the psychology research groups of the supervisors. The candidate either chooses their topic from a list of suggested topics or their topic is formulated on an individual basis following a consultation with the supervisor.