Didactics of Foreign Language

The aim of the study programme is to provide young researchers, or experts in the decision-making sphere (i.e. conceptualists in language or foreign language education, etc.) with high-quality academic preparation based on very good traditions of domestic and international theoretical and empirical research relevant to educational policy and practice in the field of foreign language education.

The concept of the doctoral study programme Didactics of Foreign Language also pursues objectives of a more general nature, in particular the need to support the formation of a common theoretical background of subject didactics as a qualitatively new approach to (general) didactic thinking and also contribute to ongoing processes of teacher professionalisation.

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• understand the theories, concepts and methods that represent current field didactic issues and trends at the international level, and analyse, interpret and evaluate new knowledge and changing concepts in foreign language teaching;
• apply theoretical knowledge in research and educational practice;
• design and implement didactic research, interpret and evaluate its results;
• convey the results of their research to the professional community in the form of a monograph or a chapter in a collective monograph, papers at domestic and international conferences;
• represent their field in the wider interdisciplinary community, in the public and in other areas (e.g. language-political level, educational practice, etc.).

The graduate can find employment as a researcher in educational research institutes, university lecturer, consultant in the field of language education, author and assessor of foreign language coursebooks and other curricular and didactic teaching materials, designer of language education concepts.

Compulsory teaching activity performed at a university, typically at the Faculty of Education of MU, is an integral part of the study programme. The maximum participation is 150 lessons during the studies. Beyond that the students can also teach at elementary or secondary schools, or can perform other pedagogical activities (e.g. design study materials, prepare lessons, design tests, develop digital support).

Original scientific-theoretical, methodological and empirical-research works, or works that combine these concepts in an appropriate way, are accepted as dissertations.

a. Theoretical works elaborate selected theoretical approaches to problems in the given area, while demonstrating a high degree of abstract and analytical thinking and insight of the author.

b. Methodological works analyse (new) research approaches, methods and techniques or tools and assess their strengths and weaknesses.

c. Empirical-research works bring concrete factual findings obtained by specific research methods.

A set of already published or accepted works on a given topic, which the student provides with a comprehensive introduction to the issue and a commentary, can be recognised as a dissertation thesis.