Virology

The aim of the master's program is detailed training of experts in the field of virology. Students acquire knowledge and practical skills in virology and related fields, with emphasis on viruses that infect humans, animals, plants, and bacteria. The course of study includes molecular and structural virology, pathogenesis, immunology and ecoepidemiology of viral infections, clinical virology, veterinary virology, plant virology, food and environmental virology, as well as basic and highly specialized methods of virology and other related fields. The program emphasizes the student's involvement in the scientific work of the field for the entire duration of the study, culminating in the thesis defense.

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

• To be oriented in the field of general and special virology
• To understand the virus-host interactions on the molecular and cellular level
• Apply appropriate methodologies to solve common virological analyzes
• Work independently in a virology laboratory, including high biosafety level laboratories, and use conventional instruments and equipment to conduct research and development activities
• Communicate in English (search for and use foreign-language scientific literature, present the results of the work both verbally and in writing)
• To discuss at an appropriate level the issues related to the subject field and to take an opinion corresponding to the current state of knowledge

A graduate of the Virology program is prepared for further study in subsequent doctoral programs. Graduates also find employment in scientific and research workplaces, clinical laboratories, education, pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology companies, food and agricultural laboratories, or even government administration.

Professional practice is not a compulsory part of the study program of Virology.

The standard scope of the diploma thesis is 140 000 characters, including footnotes, content, annotations and a list of literature (without tables and pictures). The diploma thesis aim is to demonstrate the ability of the student to work independently, which means the theoretical processing of the given problem (literary research), hypothesis formulation, planning and experimentation, evaluation of obtained results (including statistical evaluation), formulation of conclusions and comparison of own results with the results of other authors ability to discuss the information. Of course, the use of current foreign language resources is considered. The content of the work must not be significantly diverted from the given topic, the change of the name of the work (and the topic) must be agreed with the head of Section of microbiology. In the grammar and correctness of foreign and common words the student must follow the New Academic Dictionary of Foreign Words (Academia, Prague 2009), the Dictionary of the Czech Writing Language (http://ssjc.ujc.cas.cz/) and the Rule of Czech Spelling (Academia, Prague 2010; http://prirucka.ujc.cas.cz/). The standard language of the diploma thesis is Czech. In case of interest in working in Slovak or English, this fact must be mentioned in the official assignment of the thesis, while the supervisor and the director of the Institute of Experimental Biology with his signatures will allow this exception. Formally, the submitted work must meet the conditions defined by Dean's Decree No. 5/2014.

Graduate of the master's degree program has the possibility to continue to study at MU in the doctoral study programme Microbiology or Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genetics.