Doctoral Studies (PhD)

Doctoral programmes offered by the Faculty of Finance and Accounting assume the form of either full-time or part-time study. Apart for the PhD programme “Theory of Teaching Economic Subjects” which is held only in Czech, the rest of the doctoral programmes may be studied both in Czech and English. Doctoral programmes are focused on research activities (student research, including participation on grants, publication activities, foreign study trips) and advanced analytical methods. The study is tailored individually and focuses on a partnership between the student and his or her supervisor. Students of the full-time form of study also participate on teaching and draw a doctoral scholarship.  

The standard length of study is 4 years for the full-time and 5 years for the combined form of study (for students who had started their studies prior to the academic year 2019/2020, the length of study is only 3 years for the full-time and 5 years for the combined form of study, respectively). The study may be interrupted for the maximum period of two years. Up-to-date study plans are available from PhD programmes in English. General administrative support for all student-related matters is provided by the faculty study assistant for research and doctoral studies. 

Start of the study 

Upon successfully passing the entrance exam and following a decision by the Dean on the admission to study, students enrol with the study assistant and they are matriculated by the Dean. Simultaneously with the start of their studies, under assistance of their supervisors students prepare their Individual Study Plan (ISP); the Plan is binding for the entire period of study and its meeting is subjected to periodical checks. 

The course of doctoral studies 

During October, the doctoral student begins his or her studies. In line with the submitted ISP, he or she studies in individual semesters the chosen subjects. During the first two to four semesters in the full-time form of study, the student passes all the exams, publishes his or her first paper in a peer-reviewed journal and participates in a conference with a contribution published in proceedings. In turn, he or she may apply for the state doctoral exam, which comprehensively tests his or her knowledge and skills, including the research progress. At the same time, he or she works on the proposition (“theses”) [1, 2] of his or her dissertation, which he or she usually submits for the departmental approval by the end of the second year at the latest. Full-time doctoral students participate on teaching at lower levels of study. Students of the full-time form of study receive a doctoral scholarship, set according to the Dean’s decree. 

Following the state doctor exam, the student usually leaves for a foreign study stay, agreed with his or her supervisor (alternatively, the student may get involved during his or her studies in an international project). Upon publishing yet another paper, the student may apply to defend the dissertation. Prior to this step, however, he or she must proceed with the so-called small defence in front of the departmental staff. All students who had started their studies in the academic year 2018/2019 and later are by their ISPs obliged to publish at least one paper in a journal with IF/SJR, registered with the WoS or Scopus databases. 

At the end of each academic year, the ISP is evaluated by the supervisor, by the programme guarantor, and by the Dean. In the case the student does not meet the ISP or other study requirements, he or she may be enrolled into the following year conditionally, or expelled. 

State Doctoral Exam 

After passing all the component exams, publishing at least one professional paper in a journal and issuing one conference contribution in the conference proceedings, the student may register for the state doctoral exam. The exam is oral, held in front of a commission and aimed to comprehensively examine the student’s knowledge of the field of study within the doctoral study programme. Within this exam, the student demonstrates his or her mastery of broader theoretical knowledge, methods of independent scientific work, and ways of applying the new knowledge in the chosen field of study, including the course of his or her previous research. 

Publishing and scientific activities 

Students are required to carry out research and publish its results at conferences and in professional publications. At the same time, they are obliged to follow the rules of research and publication ethics. The dissertation that completes their study may take the form of a monograph or a set of papers. Students are also involved in internal or external research projects. 

Foreign study stays 

Doctoral students are required to complete a part of their study abroad by staying at a foreign institution for the period of at least one month. Alternatively, they may participate on an international creative project with the results published or presented abroad. 

Conclusion of the study 

Upon processing the dissertation project, the student submits his or her dissertation thesis for a small defence to the department along with the check of its originality. Following the incorporation of any comments pointed out within the small defence and meeting all his or her publishing obligations, the student applies to defend the dissertation. Information on the defence process is published here. The doctoral study concludes with a successful defence, following which the student may apply for graduation.