Doctoral study

In 2025, a major amendment to the Higher Education Act came into effect which changes the conditions for doctoral studies and has also affected the conditions for study at the Department of Political Science. Below you will find basic information for students (1) starting in September 2025 and (2) starting before September 2025.

The contact person for all inquiries regarding doctoral studies – from current doctoral students as well as prospective applicants – is the program guarantor Assoc. Prof. Pavel Dufek. Please contact him if you cannot find the information you need here (or elsewhere on the Department of Political Science or the Philosophical Faculty websites – the latter is where you will find updates on the admission process).

(1) Information for doctoral students who enrolled in the 2025/26 academic year and later

 

Important regulations, basic requirements, and form of program completion

The general requirements for doctoral studies are defined in the internal regulations of both the University and the Philosophical Faculty (specifically, the UHK Study and Examination Code, Part Three, Articles 32–53, as well as the Dean’s Decree No. 15/2025 on the Organization of Doctoral Studies at the Philosophical Faculty, and the Vice Rector’s Directive No. 3/2023 on Supervisor Standards, and other related regulations concerning a.o. publication activities). Generally speaking, students must (i) complete all compulsory courses and the necessary number of elective courses (see the “Study Plan” section below). Two compulsory courses cover (ii) the publication of partial outputs of their own scientific work in the form of scholarly articles, chapters in scholarly books, or a scholarly monograph as a whole. The last core requirement is (iii) the submission of a dissertation.

The Study Plan includes several compulsory and elective courses that provide instruction for doctoral students. Their primary purpose is to provide a deeper understanding of what academic and scientific research entails; secondarily, they offer a broader – and distinctly interdisciplinary – overview of the current state of advanced knowledge in the social sciences and humanities. It is thus best to approach these courses not as “study for the sake of study,” but rather as an introduction to forms of knowledge that can add value to your own research topic.

Full-time doctoral students are entitled to a doctoral stipend under the conditions set forth in Dean’s Decree 15/2025. A key requirement is earning the prescribed number of credits in each academic year, which should also be reflected in the Individual Study Plan (see below).

For doctoral students who began their studies in September 2025 and later, completion of the program consists of the defense of the dissertation. The dissertation is evaluated by at least two reviewers whose assessments are discussed by the doctoral committee during the defense itself. As a general rule at our Department, we seek dissertation referees among both foreign and Czech experts, depending on the thesis topic and the language in which it is written (usually in English, sometimes in Czech; however in 2025, a dissertation written in Spanish was also successfully defended, though the proceedings were held in English). The results of your scholarly work will therefore be evaluated by leading academics from the international scholarly community which ensures a high-quality and fair assessment.

All processes related to the completion of studies are governed by the instructions in the UHK Study and Examination Code, Articles 42–50, together with Dean's Decree No. 25/2017 (Rules for the Preparation of Dissertations and the Organisation of State Doctoral Examinations at the Philosophical Faculty UHK), with which you are well advised to familiarise yourself.

Additional Information on the Course of Study

Below are some important points to help you understand what studying for a Ph.D. at the Department of Political Science entails. New doctoral students will receive detailed information at an introductory meeting after the start of the academic year. There will be other opportunities to dicsuss things, either with the persons responsible for the running of the doctoral program, or events organised by the Faculty or University (above all the UHK Doctoral School).

Progress in the program is regularly evaluated by the Doctoral Board, composed of both members of the Department of Political Science, Philosophical Faculty, UHK, and acholars from other universities in the Czech Republic. After each semester, the OR evaluates the Activity Report submitted by the student. Among other things, it has the authority to propose a scholarship reduction if a doctoral student fails to fulfill their duties and/or obligations set forth in the Individual Study Plan and/or in the aforementioned dean’s decree.

During the first semester of study, the Individual Study Plan (ISP) must be submitted to the Doctoral Board for approval. The ISP outlines the course of study as regards compulsory courses and elective courses (based on the student’s research area, optionally also one's personal and academic interests). It also anticipates other activities related to doctoral studies – such as study stays or internships abroad, participation in academic conferences etc. Any changes to the ISP must be approved by the Doctoral Board and the Dean of the Philosophical Faculty.

In the second semester of their studies, doctoral students defend their dissertation proposal or project (OD6DA Defense of the Doctoral Dissertation Project is one of the compulsory courses). This implies that, from the outset of their studies, students consult the proposal with their academic advisor. Let us note that, compared to the project presented during the admissions process, a number of changes and improvements are expected. Following this, the doctoral student drafts the dissertation annotation, which should include the title of the dissertation in Czech and English, an abstract in both Czech and English (approximately 20 sentences clearly outlining the topic, objectives, and methodology), and a basic list of sources (10–20 titles). Upon approval by the advisor, the doctoral student uploads the annotation to STAG no later than the end of August of the relevant year. Print the completed proposal from the system (STAG – My studies – Thesis topics), sign it, and have it signed by the academic advisor. Then hand the annotation over at the KPOL secretariat; the Head of the Department will either approve it or return it for additional information or revision. Alternatively, the pdf-generated thesis proposal can be sent via email (klara.dleskova@uhk.cz) along with the supervisor’s approval. Once the thesis proposal has been approved by the Head of the Department in the STAG system, the topic is officially assigned to the doctoral student. 

Doctoral instruction is the same for both full-time and part-time doctoral students. Its format and schedule are determined by the instructors and/or course coordinators upon consultation with the registered students. Generally speaking, it takes the form of in-person classroom instruction at the Philosophical Faculty. Information on individual courses is available in the STAG study and information portal or, for logged-in users, on Moodle. Forms certifying successful completion of a course are available at the bottom of this page.

During their studies, doctoral students must publish at least two scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals indexed in the Web of Science or Scopus databases (details are set forth in the Rules for Doctoral Student Publications, which you will be provided with upon enrollment). A scholarly monograph published by designated publishers also counts as a publication; alternatively, with the approval of the academic advisor and the program guarantor, a chapter in a collective scholarly monograph may also count.

We expect full-time doctoral students in particular to participate in research activities and other related endeavours taking place at the Department (or the Faculty). Examples are participation in research projects led by your academic advisor or other Department members, or applying for internal research grants. This may also include involvement in organisation of conferences, assistance with final examinations, editorial assistance with an academic journal (the Dept. of Political Science publishes the internationally respected journal Modern Africa, whose editor-in-chief is Assoc. Prof. Stephanie Rudwick), and other activities. For part-time (combined) students, such involvement depends on agreement with their academic supervisor and possibly the program guarantor. Depending on the individual research focus and the existence of mutual interest, collaboration with other departments and institutes at the Philosophical Faculty is also possible.

Full-time students also assist with teaching (within the limits specified in Dean’s Decree 15/2025), usually upon agreement with their academic advisor. We also expect them to participate in supervising bachelor’s theses and writing theses reviews (supervision of bachelor’s theses must be always preceded by consultation with the academic advisor regarding the thesis abstract, before submitting it to the system).

Study Plan

Note: You can find basic information about the respective courses in STAG, either by searching the name of the course, or by opening the Study Plan of the program (under "Browse IS/STAG" – you’ll need to select the faculty [FF], the type of study [Doctoral], language [English] and then, under “Political Science” in the column marked “Valid from 2024/2025” [or "Valid from 2025/2026" for combined students], patiently click through until you reach the list of compusory and elective courses. Please don't blame the Department of Political Science for the clumsiness!).

Compulsory courses are listed in recommended order; your own schedule will always depend on your particular situation and preferences, and should be reflected in the structure of the Individual Study Plan.

Compulsory Courses

Concepts, Theories, Methods: Seminar I (Research Methodology) – 1st semester (10 credits)
Concepts, Theories, Methods: Seminar II (Academic Writing) – 1st semester (10 credits)
Defense of the Doctoral Dissertation Project – 2nd semester (10 credits)
Concepts, Theories, Methods: Seminar III (International Political Economy) – 2nd semester (10 credits)
Concepts, Theories, Methods: Seminar IV (Philosophy of Mind, Language, and Culture) – 3rd semester (10 credits)
PhD. Seminar 1 – 4th semester (15 credits)
Concepts, Theories, Methods: Seminar V (Anthropology and Social Sciences) – 4th semester (10 credits)
International Conference 1 – 5th semester (15 credits)
Study Stay Abroad – 5th semester (20 credits)
PhD. Seminar 2 – 6th semester (10 credits)
Publication Activity 1 – 6th semester (20 credits)
Preliminary Dissertation Defense – 7th semester (10 credits)
Publication Activity 2 – 7th semester (20 credits)
PhD. Dissertation – 8th semester (30 credits)

 

Elective Courses – Block 1 (A minimum of 20 credits must be earned. The selection depends on student's preferences, study strategy, etc.)

International Conference 2  (10 credits)
Publication Activity 3 (20 credits)
Specific Research (15 credits)
Foreign Expert Course (15 credits)
Language Course (10 credits)
Internship Abroad (15 credits)

 

Elective Courses – Block 2 (A minimum of 20 credits must be earned; the basic selection should accord with the student's research field. Of course, there are no limits on acquiring additional knowledge and skills, so courses from other research field can be also registered)

Political Institutions of Africa (10 credits)
Africa in the System of International Relations (10 credits)
Political Institutions of Latin America (10 credits)
Latin America in the System of International Relations (10 credits)
Power and Values in Global Politics (10 credits)
Political Thought and Democracy (10 credits)

 

 

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(2) Information for doctoral students who began their studies no later than the 2024/2025 academic year

 

Important regulations, basic requirements, and form of program completion

To earn his/her degree, each doctoral student must finally pass the state final doctoral examination (SDE) and defend his/her doctoral dissertation, which is evaluated by at least two independent referees. The shape and content of the SDE and defence are listed below. All related processes follow the applicable provisions (Art. 42–54) of the 2021 Study and Examination Code (SEC UHK), as further elaborated by the Dean’s Decree No. 9/2026
Rules for the Preparation of Dissertations and the Organisation of State Doctoral Examinations at the FF UHK . In general, please keep track of the applicable study regulations which are available here. 

Important notice: Effective from September 1, 2025, the UHK has a new (amended) Study and Examination Code. While many provisions structuring the doctoral study also apply to students enrolled before March 1, 2025, please note that pursuant to the Transitional Provisions (Art . 62)  of the new Code, the state doctoral exam and dissertation defence follow the provisions as stated in the older Code (see above).

There will be a number of opportunities to dicsuss things, either with the persons responsible for the running of the doctoral program, or events organised by the Faculty or University (above all the UHK Doctoral School).

General information on activities and requirements related to the study:

1. Participation in scientific, research and other activities of the Department of Political Science  (only for full-time students) – conferences, projects, entrance exams, open days, journal editing, essay correction, supervision of bachelor theses, opponent reviews, etc.
2. Publication of at least three peer-reviewed articles or chapters in a monograph (or two articles in journals indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus Q1–Q3, subject to further specifications)
3. Participation in teaching in the bachelor or follow-up master programme; it concerns mainly the teaching in seminars or the preparation of their own optional courses (only applies to full-time students) – full-time doctoral students teach 1–2 lessons per week from the summer semester of the first year; from the second year they teach 2-4h a week. In the winter semester of the fourth year they teach 2–4 lessons per week and in the summer semester 1–2 lessons per week if they wish to receive a full scholarship.
4. Twice a year, the student submits (through the Secretary of the Programme Board) a completed Report on the PhD student's activities (including the supervisor's evaluation) concerning the PhD student's study and research activities for the previous semester.
5. Examinations and credits from individual courses must be passed by the end of August of the relevant academic year according to the individual study plan at the latest (the dates of examinations can be arranged with the teacher of the given course). The protocol on completion of the course shall be completed by the examiner and then handed over to the Secretary of the Programme Board.
6. During the first year of study, PhD students and their supervisors consult the PhD thesis intent and write down an extended abstract of the PhD thesis. It should contain the Czech and English title of the thesis, the Czech and English versions of the annotation (about 20 sentences – topic, goals, methodology), and basic literature (10–20 titles). Once the annotation has an acceptable form (approved by the supervisor), the PhD student will enter it in the study agenda system (STAG) – by the end of August of the relevant year at the latest.
7. Subject to demand and/or supply, supervision of bachelor theses (maximum 3 per year) and writing review reports on other theses. (In the case of bachelor thesis management, the doctoral student always consults with his / her supervisor the annotation of the bachelor thesis before it is entered into the system. In the case of an external supervisor, the PhD student sends the annotation for approval to the Head of the Department. The final thesis review shall be always consulted with one's supervisor before being entered into the system. If the PhD supervisor is also the supervisor or opponent of the bachelor thesis, the PhD student will send the review to the Guarantor of the BA programme.)

 

Study plan - courses

The courses of the first and second module are completed by an examination (except publishing activities), the courses of the third and fourth modules are completed by credit.

 

Compulsory module 1

• Methodology of Scientific Research (DMEVT / KDMEV)

Dr. Alberto Lioy

• Theories of Political Systems (DTPS / KDTPS)

Assoc. Prof. Vlastimil Fiala

• Philosophy of Mind, Language and Culture (FIMYJ / KFIMY)

Prof. Jaroslav Peregrin

• Theory and History of International Relations (TEDEM / KTEDE)

Dr. Jan Prouza

• Publication Activity 1 / 2 / 3 (DPUB1 / DPUB2/ DPUB3 )

overseen by each students's academic supervisor

• Ph.D. Seminar 1 (KDSE1) – PhD students participate in doctoral seminars usually held three times per semester (eventual absence must be excused) and continuously consult their supervisor on the procedure for the PhD thesis. Credit is granted by the supervisor on the basis of presentation: public defence of the research plan of the doctoral thesis - the purpose of these presentations is to evaluate methodological and theoretical solutions of the doctoral students' own research, to improve them on the basis of critical discussion and to check whether the methodological, theoretical and empirical knowledge is successfully used. Emphasis is placed on precise formulation of research hypotheses and possibilities of their empirical verification, further on identification and operationalization of studied variables and student's ability to identify a suitable theoretical framework for her/his research and to defend the chosen empirical method.

• Ph.D. Seminar 2 (KDSE2) – Ph.D. Seminar 1 conditions apply

• Dissertation (DISER / KDISE)

overseen by each students's academic supervisor

 

Compulsory module 2 (specialisation module)

students select a specialisation module according to the territorial focus of his / her field of study

(1) Africa

• Africa in International Relations (AFSY / KAFSY)

Dr. Jan Prouza

• Political Institutions in Africa (POLAF / KPOLA)

Assoc. Prof. Vlastimil Fiala

• Foreign Language Exam (other than English) (DZKJA / DKZKJ)

Language centre

• Foreign Research Fellowship (ZASTU / KZAST) – the fellowship must take place in the region of focus and must be at least three months in its entire length; it can be divided into a maximum of three shorter stays (minimum length of one stay is 14 days). The form is approved by the supervisor before the start of fellowship (each doctoral student submits a plan of his / her stay abroad to the supervisor), after his / her return the supervisor evaluates whether the doctoral student has met the objectives of the stay and can be awarded credit (based on the report from the stay abroad).

• Foreign Expert Course 

 

 (2) Latin America

• Latin America in International Relations (LASYM / KLASY)

Dr. Pavlína Springerová

• Political institutions in Latin America (POILA / KPOLL)

Dr. Alberto Lioy

• Foreign Language Exam (except English) (DZKJA / DKZKJ)

Language centre

• Foreign Research Fellowship (ZASTU / KZAST) – the fellowship must take place in the region of focus and must be at least three months in its entire length; it can be divided into a maximum of three shorter stays (minimum length of one stay is 14 days). The form is approved by the supervisor before the start of fellowship (each doctoral student submits a plan of his / her stay abroad to the supervisor), after his / her return the supervisor evaluates whether the doctoral student has met the objectives of the stay and can be awarded credit (based on the report from the stay abroad).

• Foreign Expert Course 

  

Elective courses module – at least two out of three courses must be completed during the study

• Conference abroad (ZAHK1 / ZAKN1) – each student consults her/his participation in a foreign conference with their supervisor before leaving. The supervisor decides whether the character of the conference and the PhD student's contribution corresponds to the relevant professional and regional focus of the PhD study. The supervisor decides on the granting of credit upon the doctoral student’s return and submission of a written form of his / her contribution.
• Foreign Internship (ZAHS1 / ZAST1) – the course takes the form of a foreign internship lasting at least 31 days. Its nature depends on the offer of the host institution and may include lectures, seminars, theoretical training, individual training under professional guidance, work on the PhD thesis, language training or work placement. Before leaving for an internship, each student submits to their supervisor a plan containing the main objectives of the internship. Upon return, the student completes the defence (submits a report from the stay) during which he / she proves the fulfilment of the set plan. The supervisor decides on the granting of the credit.
• Research Project (SPVY1 / SPV1) – a student grant competition is announced annually at FF UHK. The student discusses the content of his / her specific research project with his / her supervisor and submits its final form for approval. The supervisor decides on granting the credit based on the fulfilment of all project objectives and outputs.

 

Schedule of credits (except publishing activities) and examinations can be proposed by the doctoral student within the individual study plan (ISP) - in the first year (by the end of January) he / she submits a binding ISP approved by the supervisor, the Programme Board and the Dean of the Philosophical Faculty. Any subsequent changes to the ISP are then approved by the Programme Board and the Dean upon the student's official request. The postponement of the completion of a course to the next academic year may exceptionally be approved by the Chair of the Programme Board.

Publishing activities must be performed continuously - the supervisor decides on the granting of credits based on the entry of the publication record into the OBD.

To complete the study, it is necessary to  pass the state doctoral examination (SDE) and defend the doctoral dissertation and. All information on the defence and SDE applicable to students enrolled before March 1, 2025 are to be be found in the UHK's Study and Examination Code of 2021 (Art. 42–54), as well as the  Dean’s Decree No. 9/2026 Rules for the Preparation of Dissertations and the Organisation of State Doctoral Examinations at the FF UHK. Here is a brief summary of the proceedings:

 

State Doctoral Examination

1) For the state final examination, the student must submit to the committee in advance a list of 20–25 books not related to the dissertation. The state final examination lasts about one hour. The exam consists of three questions (1 question related to the heading Methods of Scientific Work and Theory, 1 question related to the heading Comparative Politics of the African/Latin American Area, 1 question related to the student’s list of books). The list of topics for both the methods and comparative politics parts, along with basic readings, are available at the bottom of this page (look for the documents titled "Final State Exam").

2) In a closed session, the State Doctoral Examination Board will evaluate the course of the State Doctoral Examination and decide by vote on its classification (Passed/Failed). If a student fails the state doctoral examination, he/she is not admitted to the defence. The Doctorand may re-sit for the State Doctoral Examination only once, no earlier than six months after the date of the failed examination.

 

Defence

The doctoral candidate must submit his/her thesis of the dissertation (The thesis contains in a brief form the basic ideas, methods, results and conclusions of the dissertation in the same structure as the thesis. The theses are of the following length approximately 25 standard printed pages and are presented in A5 format.), curriculum vitae and a list of his/her publications to the committee in advance.

1) The chair of the committee will introduce the doctoral candidate, the topic of the dissertation, and provide the dissertation defence committee with an overview of the doctoral candidate's published scientific work.

2) The doctoral candidate will explain the essential content and main results of his/her dissertation.

3) The supervisor shall inform the dissertation defence committee of his/her opinion on the doctoral candidate's work and the dissertation to be defended.

4) The opponents will present the essential content of their opinions,

5) The doctoral candidate shall give his/her opinion on the opinions of the opponents,

6) The chair of the committee will open a discussion in which all present may participate and which may cover the whole field of the study.

7) In a closed session, the dissertation defence committee, in the presence of the opponents and the supervisor, will evaluate the defence of the dissertation. The doctoral student's supervisor attends the committee meeting with an advisory vote if he/she is not a member of the committee. In a secret ballot, the committee shall decide on the outcome.

7) The doctoral candidate is informed of the decision and its justification.

 

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