The goal of the following text is to inform applicants for the PhD Degree Programme about facilities of the study and requirements in the accredited branch of kinanthropology (hereafter KIN) and biomechanics (BM).
PhD Degree Programme of KIN at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport (hereafter FTVS) has got a character of scientific education, and is intended for home as well as foreign graduates from all kinds of Master degree study.
Topics of PhD theses result from professional specialization of supervisors and are modified according to wishes and possibilities of individual postgraduates. They are also limited by financial possibilities and apparatus facilities of certain workplaces.
PhD Degree Programme is intended especially for a three-year full time internal study and scientific work; temporarily and exceptionally, the work is supplied with a scholarship or research grant. Foreign students - postgraduates pay an annual fee of 150.000 CZK (Czech crowns) for this school year.
PhD degree students are chosen for the study by means of competition based on a written application. Candidates who take a priority are authors of outstanding PhD theses, expert articles showing a clear-cut professional interest and a clear conception of the supposed PhD thesis.
The study and realization of the project of scientific work proceed simultaneously. After the successful defence of his/her work and appropriate PhD examinations, the postgraduate will be awarded the scientific title "doctor" analogous to the international standard of PhD.
PhD Degree Programme has got a character of scientific education. It is intended for home as well as foreign graduates from all kinds of Master Degree Study (Magister). At FTVS it is realized in two disciplines of science:
Kinanthropology and Biomechanics.
Goals of PhD Degree Programme at FTVS is to provide graduates from universities with a qualification corresponding to the international standard of PhD. Another goal is to recruit experts for scientific and pedagogic work of departments and research centres of not only FTVS, but also of other faculties, schools, and institutions in the Czech Republic and abroad as well.
Management of PhD Degree Programme at FTVS is in charge of a thirteen-member Branch Council of PhD Degree Programme. They appoint members of the admission committee and supervisors for individual candidates. Following the supervisors proposals, they authorize individual programmes of PhD Degree Programme, coordinate the programme of courses, seminars, and the scientific work of PhD degree students. Following the proposal of a supervisor and departments, they authorize themes of PhD theses in the framework of research projects, they evaluate the course of PhD degree study, they propose opponents of PhD theses, members of committees for defence of PhD theses, and members of committees for PhD examinations.
Economic Insurance: Students of PhD Degree Programme study full time (internally) on the basis of scholarship or as self-payers, or externally as part-time students who are employed elsewhere. A scholarship can be awarded from the funds of FTVS, or from the funds of a research grant. The problem of scholarship for PhD Degree Programme is solved by means of a contract with a postgraduate or his/her workplace.
Border Content of PhD Degree Programme at FTVS: Content of the study is determined by means of an agreement between a supervisor and a student, and then authorized by the Council of PhD Degree Programme . Subjects are chosen to correspond with the nature of a PhD thesis and PhD examination. The sum of credits must be at least 13. one credit represents fulfilling tasks of one-term lessons of one subject.
General rules
The Act No 111/1998 dealing with university education, Statute of Charles University and Statute of Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Charles University is generally valid norms of postgraduate PhD Degree Programme at FTVS. Postgraduate PhD Degree Programme consists of controlled teaching process, scientific research work with examiner´ s report, and PhD examination. It is implemented in scientific disciplines of kinathropology or biomechanics. Graduates from postgraduate PhD Degree Programme are awarded the academic scientific degree PhD. The degree is awarded by Charles University at recommendation of FTVS.
Branch Councils appointed by the dean decide about the inauguration, course and graduation of PhD degree students.
PhD Degree Programme applicants show their interest in PhD Degree Programme by a written application in which they give required data. Scholarship for PhD Degree Programme is given as a result of an interview. Scholarship is usually for three years minimum. The Branch Council decides about the admission to PhD Degree Programme after consulting a possible supervisor and department where they intend to assign the applicant.
Determination of the department and of the supervisor is included in a written notification about the admission of an applicant. After the admission to PhD Degree Programme applicants become students of Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, which means members of the academic community of Charles University. PhD Degree Programme usually begins at the beginning of the school year.
The study can last three to eight years maximally. Students are obliged to announce the interruption and do not receive the scholarship then. Students have to submit their individual study programme to their Branch Council after consulting it with the supervisor by the end of the first semester. The study program includes subjects that guarantee fulfilment of tasks of a research project and the requirements of PhD examination (13 credits). Semester extension and chronological order of subjects are a part of the project. The programme contains an outline of the research work, the year of assumed doctoral viva voce and PhD examination. Suggestion of study stays and their contents is also a part of the program. on the basis of the study program, the PhD Degree Programme Council designates the board of examiners.
Supervisor´ s information about the defence of a more detailed project in the department and about possibility of its fulfilment is the condition to continue the study the next year. Teaching in each included subject is finished by awarding a credit. Credits are valid for 6 years.
The study is finished by passing PhD examination. Besides it can be finished on the basis of a student´ s own written application, by a written decision of the dean, at recommendation of Branch Council if the programme is not fulfilled, or automatically if the eight-year term is exceeded (by a written announcement about the end of PhD degree study).
By passing PhD examination students show deep knowledge of their branch from the standpoint of methodological and philosophical bases, specialist knowledge in a chosen field including knowledge of research work methods, ability to learn new pieces of information in science, evaluate them and use them creatively.
PhD examination is commissional. The board of examiners usually consists of five members, it is designated by the Branch Council for PhD Degree Programme. Unsuccessful PhD examination can be taken again only once.
Together with the teaching program, students have to implement their research project under the supervisor´s control. After finishing it and when having gained 13 credits, students can ask the Council for viva voce of their PhD thesis. Information about the result of doctoral viva voce in the department is a part of the application.
PhD thesis is the result of solving a research task. It has a character of a publication, a complex of publications or a manuscript of PhD thesis for doctoral viva voce. PhD thesis has to show the student´s ability of independent research work.
The Council designates two examiners-opponents, at least one of them is a significant expert not working at FTVS. They work out an opponent´s report. Boards of examiners for PhD viva voce usually consist of five members. They consist of a chairman, two opponents and two experts in the solved problem. The supervisor is present and in an advisory capacity.
PhD viva voce is announced for the public on a notice board at the faculty a month in advance and is open to the public. Six weeks before the doctoral viva voce students submit the summary of their work in Czech and in English. When taking the doctoral viva voce, students inform about their work, respond to the opponent´s report and to the public discussion. The result is decided by a ballot. The success is determined by the majority of positive votes.
Unsuccessful doctoral viva voce and examination can be taken once more only after rewriting the PhD thesis not earlier than in six months.
At the dean’s recommendation the graduate from PhD Degree Programme at Faculty of Physical Education and Sport gains the diploma with the graduation in the accredited branch and gains the academical scientific degree PhD. The graduate also gets a certificate with the named teaching process, names of examiners, the supervisor´s name, the topic of PhD thesis and the result of PhD examination.
