Archaeology

This programme is taught in Czech.

The entrance exam is two-round. In the first round, motivation is assessed on the basis of previously provided documents (motivation letter and annotation of literature). In the second round, candidates' knowledge in the field is tested in an oral interview. Candidates who obtain at least 30 points in the first round will be admitted to the second round. Candidates who meet the conditions for waiving the first part of the entrance examination may also qualify for the second round.
Applicants will be admitted to the programme on the basis of the results of the oral examination.
The Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University disregards the results of SCIO National Comparative Examinations.

You can file your e-applications for studies from 1 November to 28 February.
The Field of Study Examinations are held from 22 to 27 April.

The date and time of the examination will be stated in the electronic invitation for the examination, which will be uploaded to your e-application. The faculty will not be sending paper invitations. Applicants applying for the major study plan and minor study plan in a combined study must comply with the conditions for admission into both plans.

Learning Potential Test (TSP)

For admission for studies in this degree programme, you do not need to take the TSP.

Field of Study Examination

This exam assesses the motivation and verifies the candidates' knowledge in the field. It has two rounds:
First round: this part assesses motivation on the basis of the documents provided in advance. This part may be waived if other criteria are met.
Second round: Oral examination - oral interview to test the candidates' knowledge in the field.

Basic description of the Field of Study Examination:

1. Motivation section: please upload a motivation letter and an annotation of studied scholarly or popular scientific literature.Both have to be written in Czech or Slovak.
   Please upload the motivation letter and the annotation in the PDF format into your e-application in the section Příloha 2 no later than 31 March. Select the correct type of attachment, i.e. "Archeologie: Motivační dopis" and "Archeologie: Anotace četby", and be sure to click "Save" at the bottom of the page.
   • In the motivation letter (on 1 A4 page of text) the applicant will state their reasons for choosing the degree programme and describe their encounters with the field of archaeology, such as visits to sites, exhibitions, a description of their participation in archaeological field research, and encounters with the popularization of archaeological topics.
   • The literature annotation (on a minimum 1 A4 page of text, maximum 3 book titles) should present scholarly or popular scientific literature concerning archaeology or related topics which the applicant has read.
   
   The detected use of existing texts or substantial parts thereof, as well as the detected creation of texts with the help of the artificial intelligence (AI), will be grounds for elimination and non-acceptance of the candidate.
   
   
2. The oral interview consists of two questions on prehistoric and historical development in Czechia at the level of the secondary school curriculum and a supplementary question on the literature annotation or motivation letter. Candidates who pass the written part of the entrance exam, i.e. score 30 points or more out of a maximum of 50 points for the written part, will be invited to the oral interview. Applicants who are exempted from the first round will also be invited.

Waiving the motivation part based on other criteria

All supporting documents for waiving the motivation part must be uploaded directly into the e-application in the section „Žádost o prominutí přijímací zkoušky“ no later than 29 February.

The motivational part of the entrance examination may be waived if at least one of the following criteria is met:

1. the submission of officially certified confirmations of your participation in a competition in the field of history or archaeology (Students’ Professional Activities) from the regional round onward, History Olympiad from the regional round onward;
2. submission of confirmation of your participation in archaeological research - a minimum of two weeks in total - the length of experience must be stated in the confirmation. This certificate is issued on request by the archaeological organisation where the applicant was employed on the research. It must be an organisation authorised to carry out archaeological excavations under Section 21 of Act 20/1987 Coll.

The choice of specialist or popular literature for the annotation is up to the candidates and their interest.

Recommended literature for the interview - the choice of titles and quantity is up to the candidates:

• Archeologie pravěkých Čech 1-8. Praha
• Vladimír Podborský a kol., 1993: Pravěké dějiny Moravy. Brno.
• Petr Neruda, 2016: Čas neandertálců. Brno.
• Konrad Spindler, 1998: Muž z ledovce. Praha.
• Jiří Militký, Jan Kysela, Marika Tisucká a kol., 2018: Keltové - Čechy v 8. až 1. století před Kristem. Praha.
• Jarmila Bednaříková, 2007: Stěhování národů. Praha.
• Josef Unger 2008: Archeologie středověku, Odraz života lidí v archeologických pramenech.
• Jan Klápště, 2005: Proměna českých zemí ve středověku. Praha.

Links for online literature:
Archeologie pravěkých Čech
Keltové, Čechy v 8. až 1. století před Kristem: Stará kulturní tradice – starší doba železná
Archeologie středověku: Odraz života lidí v archeologických pramenech

Round one:

• Maximum number of points in the first round of the Field of Study Examination: 50
• Limit for successfully passing the first round of the Field of Study Examination: 30

Round two:
Oral interview: candidates who pass the first round of the entrance examination, i.e., obtain 30 or more points out of a maximum of 50 points, and candidates who have been exempted from the first round will be invited to an oral interview.

• Maximum number of points in the oral interview: 50
• Limit for successfully passing the oral interview: 30

The studies in the field of archaeology enable to acquire the crucial knowledge and skills which are necessary to work as an archaeologist. The study is designed so that the students can master the basics of methodology and theory of the discipline, and get an insight into the prehistoric, early historic and medieval development inclusive of material culture, where the focus is laid on Central Europe. The high level of study is secured by a wide spectrum of specialised archaeological courses and courses with wide interdisciplinary overlap. The professional training is provided by an extensive offer of technical and practical courses.

The Department of Archaeology and Museology offers for archaeological studies an extraordinary background in the form of three field bases in which the practical training of students in field research is carried out, the best-equipped workplace for geophysical methods in the Czech Republic, a 3D laboratory, a ceramic laboratory, etc. Thanks to this background, the students can apply their theoretical and methodological knowledge in practice during their studies already. The Department maintains numerous international contacts, within which the students can participate in foreign excavations of an oppidum, in an internship abroad within the Erasmus+ project, or attend regular lectures by foreign lecturers.

One of the objectives is to enable the graduates make a qualified choice of their further specialisation, either by the selected employment or through some of the Master’s programmes.

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

• explain the basic relations in the prehistoric, early historic and medieval development on the territory of Central Europe, and carrying out educational activity for interested public (lectures, exhibitions)
• write specialised texts on the topics of Central European archaeology, work with professional literature in Czech and foreign languages, using appropriately the computer technology
• take part in realisation of archaeological field research (survey and excavations), carry out ordinary fieldwork, using interdisciplinary analyses
• use in practice geodetic methods and devices, information technologies, laboratory and conservation procedures
• put in effect the principles of monument care within the current legislation

The graduates are prepared in terms of theory, methodology and practice to work as archaeologists in institutions for monument care, memory institutions and public administration. Practical knowledge of geodesy, information technologies and the basics of conservation of historical artefacts can be used by the graduates in many other professions outside archaeology. The graduates in general find employment in all positions demanding the acquisition, analysis and administration of data. The major part of graduates are supposed to continue their studies in a Master’s degree programme, in which they will deepen their knowledge of archaeology and related disciplines.

The standard duration of studies is six semesters. For admittance to the final state examination students must obtain for required, selective and elective courses a total of 180 ECTS credits in the single-subject study and 120/60 credits in the double-subject study (maior/minor studies). Required courses create the basis of specialised tuition within the discipline and their proportion is 64 credits for completus study, 34 credits for maior study (including credits for courses focused on writing a Bachelor’s thesis), and 24 credits for minor study. Semi-optional courses 89/71/36 credits (completus/maior/minor study) students choose according to their interests and intended professional specialization. The remaining credits are awarded to students for completion of a common university degree and completus studies for any current optional courses offered within other disciplines.

A compulsory part of specialised studies is the practical training. The student is obliged to complete practical trainings in field research: one (minor), two (maior) and three (completus) in the extent of three weeks each. Practical trainings in archaeological excavation within the Bachelor’s studies are carried out at archaeological excavations conducted by the Department of Archaeology and Museology in Těšetice-Kyjovice, Pohansko u Břeclavi, Rokštejn - research base in Panská Lhota or selectively on Bibracte foreign expedition. Within the optional courses, it is possible to practice on field research or other workplaces of external archaeological institutions, the basics of the structural historical survey, the basics of surface and geophysical prospection and s. o.

Standard extent of a Bachelor’s thesis is 70,000 characters (including spaces). The extent comprises besides the text itself also comments and bibliography, but it does not contain the catalogue of finds, list and description of features, index of abbreviations and illustrations, supplements and title pages. Sufficient extent of the work is determined by the thesis advisor and the state exam commission.

The Bachelor’s thesis is focused on archaeological treatment of suitable, mostly small-scale to mid-scale, topics concerning Prehistory to Modern Times. In the thesis student should demonstrate the ability to treat the topic by oneself. Artefactual topics are preferred, but theoretical topics also can be chosen after consultation with pedagogues. Emphasis is put on formal and technical level of documentation, accurateness of specialised terminology and proper working with professional literature.

Instructions to final state exams are determined by a Directive of Dean of the Faculty of Arts No. 6/2017 On final state exams at the Faculty of Arts of the Masaryk University.

A graduate from Bachelor’s studies in the field of archaeology can (after having met the admission requirements) continue the Master’s studies in any programme of his/her choice. At the Faculty of Arts of the Masaryk University it is possible to continue directly in Master’s studies in the field of archaeology.