Basic information for PhD Degree Programme in Contemporary European History at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University
Study obligations
Study in the PhD study programme is subject to an Individual Study Plan under guidance of asupervisor.Obligations to be met by the student during doctoral studies are set in theIndividual Study Plan. The plan is drawn up by the student at the beginning of the studies in cooperation with the supervisor. The Individual Study Plan is approved by the Departmental Board.
Individual Study Plan:
At the beginning of studies, and after agreement with their supervisor, the PhD student prepares hisIndividual Study Plan for the entire studies,in which he records the activities that will be fulfilled as part of his studies. This means that the student fills in all his
sub-obligations and assigns them to eachindividual year of study. The Individual Study Plan is approved by the Departmental Board and its fulfilment is reviewedat the end of each academic year.
Determining adissertation topicwhich is consistent with the scientific research focus of thedoctoralstudy in Contemporary European History is also a part of the study plan. An emphasis on independence at the start of the studies is linked to the need to strengthen the student’s responsibility for his own learning and study.
During studies, the studentcompletes compulsory subjects and partof the compulsory optional subjects. Furthermore, according to the topic of his PhDdissertation,other subjects may be set for him or he may be free to choose other subjects from the FHSoffer, or offers of other faculties of CU, and he alsoselects other components of the Individual Study Plan.
The Individual Study Plan consists of compulsory parts and also recommended partswhich will be included according to decisions of the supervisor and the Departmental Board.
The study plan form is in the Student Information System - SIS. After completion, the plan is printed and signed by the student as well as the supervisor, and is submitted to the Institute for Doctoral Studies. The Institute will present it for approval to the Departmental Board of the relevant study. The plan then becomes a binding document governing the study.
The final plan (with signature of the supervisor) must be submitted no later than at the beginning of October (the exact date is always set for the academic year in which the study starts!).
I. Compulsory part of the study plan
a) The most important component of the study plan is the systematic creative scientific work on the dissertation topic. The dissertation topic is based on scientific research focus of the PhD study field and is determined after the agreement between the student and the supervisor. A dissertation contains critical analysis and evaluation of existing research in the subject field and the original results of the own scientific work of the candidate. By elaborating the topic, the PhD student contributes in an innovative way to the development in the field.
b) Completion of compulsory and optional subjects.
The students must obtain an attestation from a non-English foreign language, two compulsory and one compulsory optional subjects.
Compulsory subjects:
Subject title / Scope / Manner of completion / Lecturer
Methodological Workshop I. – II. / 2 semesters / exam / prof. PhDr. Jiří Pešek, CSc.
PhDWorkshop
I. – IV. / 4 semester / 4 credits / prof. PhDr. Jiří Pešek, CSc. andteam
Non-English foreign language / 1 semester / exam / Mgr. Lily Císařovská
Compulsory optional subjects:
A student must choose one of the three specialized subjects.
Subject title / Scope / Manner of completion / Lecturer
Popular culture in the 20th century I. – II. / 2 semesters / exam / doc. PhDr. Zdeněk R. Nešpor, Ph.D.
Methods of archival research and the use of statistical information
I. – II. / 2 semesters / exam / PhDr. Marek Ďurčanský, Ph.D.
Methods of qualitative research, oral history, and expert interviews
I. – II. / 2 semesters / exam / Nina Lohmann, Ph.D., M.A.
Compulsory subjects of the PhD study do not overlap with successive historical master’s degree courses at FHS CU, nor with other related master’s courses at FHSor other CU faculties.
A part of study obligations of each PhD student is - in addition to obtaining the required attestations - also to meet other requirements that are specified in Individual Study Plans (ISP). These plans set out what the student's obligations are in terms of his project, publication, conference and educational activities.
Compulsory completion of subjects (lessons) is determined for each student individually, after consultation with the supervisor, and is based on the topic of his dissertation, the completed master's degree and knowledge and ability with which he was admitted to studies. Doctoral programme teaching should primarily support the theoretical expert knowledge and skills that the student needs forvery good preparation of the dissertation using appropriate methodological procedures.
Teaching is carried out primarily through study of recommended literature, consultations with the supervisor of the dissertation and other recommended consultants, and possibly through the fulfilment of other requirements according to the terms of the subject and the recommendation of the supervisor.
Other compulsory parts of the study plan are listed below under "Other obligations".
II. Recommended parts of the study programme
a) Students maycompletesubjects enhancing their knowledge of the topicstheir dissertation is directed towards. The selection is made, after consultation with the supervisor,from the offer of the Faculty of Humanities and other faculties of Charles University or other universities.
b) Completion of a study period (preferably a semester) or research internship at a foreign university or a research institute that deals with the topic of the student's dissertation.
c) Participation in research projects of the Contemporary European History Department of FHS CU.
These recommended parts will be included in the Individual Study Plan according to the needs of the student's education, his interest and by common agreement between the student and the supervisor.
Other obligations
- At the beginning of the first semester, the student prepares the Individual Study Plan in cooperation with the supervisor;
- The student presents and discusses his dissertation project during PhD workshops I. – IV;
- The studentprepares and defends the implementation project of the dissertation before acommission composed of members of the Departmental Board, supervisors and tutors;
- At the end of each year of study, the student submits a written report on completed exams and other study obligations anda method implemented during writing of the dissertation;
- The student participates at least once at an international conferencewith a contribution regarding the dissertation topic;
- The student has at least two publications from results of his dissertation published or accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals or collective monographs. It is mandatory to input publishing records into an application for registration of scientific results at FHS CU ( so that their record may be kept in the RIV database according to the current rules of the R & D Council.
State doctoral examination and PhD dissertation defence
The study is duly completed with the state doctoral examination and the dissertation defence, which demonstrate ability and preparedness for independent professional scientific activities. The dissertation must contain original and published results or results accepted for publication. The state doctoral examinationverifiesthe level of theoretical and methodological knowledge acquired during studies, the dissertation submission and defencedemonstrate the student's ability to work scientifically.
Characteristics of the state doctoral examination
The examination is in the form of oral discussion about the questions asked by the committee members from pre-approved topics submitted by the student. Within these, the theoretical knowledge is reviewed first, then methodological knowledge, and finally knowledge regarding the specialismsubject.
Characteristics of the dissertation defence
During the dissertation defence, the student proves the conclusiveness and seriousness of his own original findingscontained in the dissertation. The student presentsto the committee the topic and objective of his work, problems he was finding solutions for, solution methods used, obtained results and recommendations. Verbal speech accompanied by visual presentation demonstratesthe ability to clearly, factually and briefly formulate the contents and results of his work, capacity for critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas. During the debate withmembers of the examination committee, the student defends the selected procedures, theoretical framework and conclusions of the dissertation.
Dissertation topic suggestions
Suggested dissertation topics are listed in the form of a general framework. In individual dissertation projects, these topics will be specified and transferred into a specific form.
- Czech-German cultural symbiosis of the interwar period in European comparison
- The problem of transnational networks creation of European scientific and cultural communication of the 20th century
- Culture in the resistance against Nazism and Communism in Europe
- Social limits of participation in cultural/artistic/scientific life in European countries in the 20th century.
- The concept of foreign cultural policy of Czechoslovakia after 1918, 1948, 1968, and 1989
- The subject structure of the victims of the Czech intelligentsia purges in 1969/71, compared to Poland in the later years of the 60s
- The relationship of the Party with historiographical journalism in Czechoslovakia, Poland and the GDR in the 70s of the 20th century
- Comparison of the cultural historical fields of study at universities in Czechoslovakia, Austria and Bavaria in the 60s of the 20th century
- Comparison of the formal qualifications of the top political elites of Czechoslovakia, Germany and France in the 20s (or e.g. 80s) of the 20th century.
- Comparison of the scope and structure of the humanities research financing in Hungary, the Slovak Republic and Poland after 2000
- Everydayness of the normalisation decades as a cultural issue and its place in the historical narrative
Exam preparation
Preparation for exams, which are part of the study plan, is always chosen after consultation with the examiner. There are two ways to prepare for the exams:
•By studying the recommended literature supplemented by consultations with the examiner, supervisor, and if necessary other recommended consultants;
•By taking courses on offer by FHS CU.
There is, of course, the opportunity to attend any of the lectures of FHS CU or other faculties of CU or other universities. For small classes with capacity constraints it is always necessary to arrange this with the tutor.
Supervisor
The supervisor sets the dissertation topic and, together with the student,prepares anIndividual Study Plan draft which will be submitted for approval to the Departmental Board. The supervisor continuously monitors fulfilmentofthe student’s obligations and regularly consultswith him on the results of his study. He once a year evaluates student’s work in writing and in case of
non-fulfilment of required tasks he may propose terminationof studies or other measures to the Departmental Board.
In the course of the studies, the student may request a change of the supervisor and the topic.Such a request must always be justified, discussed and approved by the relevant Departmental Board.
CU student card – login to the Information System
At the beginning of studies at Charles University, the student may choose between two types of student card:
• Charles University Student Card
• Charles University student card with ISIC license
Each student chooses whether he wants to have CU Student Card or CU Student Card with ISIC license (International Student Identity Card) when the card is issued for the first time.
Contacts
Department of PhD Degree Study
Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, U kříže 8, 158 00Prague 5, Tel: 251 080351, Office6007
- Ing. Jana Jeníčková, Ph.D., Vice-dean of the Department of PhD Degree Study
E-mail:
- Mgr. Milada Pajgrtová, Secretary of Vice-dean
E-mail:
- Prof. PhDr. Jiří Pešek, CSc., Guarantor of Contemporary European History Studies
E-mail: