General characteristics of doctoral studies at the Faculty of Science of the UO
Doctoral studies is the highest level of study at the university and is focused on independent creative activity in the field of research and development. In doctoral studies, we prepare students primarily for a career as a researcher in the public sphere (academic worker at a university, researcher in research institutes or in the state administration), but graduates can also find employment in the commercial sphere (in companies or self-employed). The following is a prerequisite for admission to the Ph.D. programme:
- a Master's degree in the subject or a related scientific field,
- successful evaluation of an admissions interview.
Length, form and financing of studies:
Doctoral studies are based largely on an individual approach, so the choice of the right supervisor and topic is crucial. You can study full-time or combined for the standard duration of 4 years; the maximum duration is 6 years. A full-time PhD student in the standard form is awarded a PhD scholarship; further funding of the PhD student depends on the possibilities of the supervisor and the department (grant projects, involvement in teaching, etc.).
Prerequisites:
Candidates are expected to be highly motivated to study and to have professional prerequisites for scientific activity (knowledge of English, working with literature, sufficient knowledge of the subject). Most of these competences will be further developed in compulsory or elective courses during the course of the doctoral studies.
In general, applicants are advised to contact the supervisor or consult the chair of the departmental board or its members about the topic of the potential dissertation. Once admitted to the programme, the student, under the guidance of the advisor, will develop an individual study plan and schedule for their own research activities. The activities are reviewed annually by the supervisor and the departmental board, to which the student submits an activity report. The departmental board also approves any proposed changes to the study plan.
Selected activities within the study:
- The compulsory activities within the study include the realization of own research project and publication activities (including presentation of results at international conferences and in scientific journals) and a study stay or internship abroad, which contributes to the acquisition of international experience and contacts and also deepens the student's language skills.
- The OU Doctoral School offers courses for students of all degree programmes. Such courses increase general skills and competences (knowledge of academic English, research methodology and data processing, basic principles of writing scientific publications, publication strategies, system of evaluation of scientific results, increasing pedagogical competences).
- If the department or supervisor is a research grant holder, students have the opportunity to collaborate on cutting-edge research projects (see the Faculty of Science project database).
- Talented students have the opportunity to work on projects within the internal grant competition and other programmes, or to receive various types of scholarships (e.g. extraordinary scholarships for publishing or support for talented students within the Moravian-Silesian Region and City of Ostrava competition).
- In case of interest and agreement with the department, PhD students can participate in teaching, with the possibility to deepen their pedagogical knowledge in elective courses and a number of seminars.
Specific information to study programmes:
- Applied Informatics
- Biology
- Biophysics and nanostructure physics
- Chemistry of porous materials
- Environmental geography
- Mathematics
- Political and economic geography
Faculty of Science – Department of the Vice-Dean for Research and Doctoral Study
Research and Doctoral Studies Officer
Phone: +420 553 46 2114
E-mail:
Updated: 30. 07. 2024
