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POSTGRADUATE STUDY

  
Information for those interested in studies of Plant Anatomy and Physiology programme:

The application form has to be handed in till 30th April. The annual assessment of students – the deadline for students is 7th October, for supervisors 31st October. The instructions are available at the website of the Faculty http://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng/study?set_language=en. If you are interested in studies supervised by our Programme Committee, please contact the potential supervisor (our supervisors are mainly from the Faculty of Science, Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR, Institute of Botany AS CR and Crop Research Institute), make sure he offers a research topic and go into details for financial support of the project in the frame of postgraduate study.

Information for potential supervisors:

If you are interested in supervising students in the frame of our programme and our Programme Committee, and you have not been a supervisor there yet, please contact the Programme Committee Chairman (Jana Albrechtová, albrecht@natur.cuni.cz) and the Programme Committee Secretary (Kateĝina Schwarzerová schwarze@natur.cuni.cz). The topic has to be from the subject field and it is necessary you have a financial funding for the research activities and optimally also a possibility to grant the student or to employ him partially.


INFORMATION:

The rules of postgraduate study in the programme Plant Anatomy and Physiology at the Department of Experimental Plant Biology at the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, information for students by the Programme Committee (PC):

Programme Committee (pdf in Czech)

Rules to download (pdf in Czech)

These rules are settled by the Programme Committee for the programme Plant Anatomy and Physiology mainly as recommendation and help for the students. The rules are following the College and University law, Study and Examination Rules at Charles University and Study Organization Rules at the Faculty of Science. The rules for postgraduate study: http://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng/study?set_language=en

Principles
  • The postgraduate study is mainly an independent study under the supervisor´s leadership. The primary role in the study plays the research concluded by a Ph.D. thesis and its presentation to scientific public.

  • Part of the postgraduate study is a participation at specialized lectures and doctoral seminars.

  • Part of the full-time study is participation at departmental scientific and pedagogical events.

  • The Programme Comittee comments and evaluates the postgraduate study at least annually.

  • At least once during the postgraduate study, the student has to present his/her work at an international scientific meeting by holding a lecture in English and to have at least one poster.
  • The student should undergo at least one foreign fellowship during his/her postgraduate study. The Programme Committee supports the student´s participation at international collaborations.

  • The postgraduate study of Plant Anatomy and Physiology programme (PAP) is accredited together for Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR and Institute of Botany AS CR.

1. APPLICATION AND ENTRANCE EXAMINATION FOR THE POSTGRADUATE STUDY:

Please see information here: http://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng/study?set_language=en

Recommendation of the Programme Committee:
  • The student is obliged to take part in the entrance examination. The supervisor´s presence is eligible, but not necessary.

  • The entrance examination: The applicants are usually asked questions concerning the topic of their Diploma and foreseen topic of their Ph.D. thesis. The applicant and supervisor are asked for the funding of the postgraduate research.

2. THE STUDY:

Current information about the postgraduate study at the Faculty of Science are available at the website: http://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng/study?set_language=en

Formuláĝe jsou tamtéž: http://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng/study?set_language=en

Up-to-date and supplement information about the studies of Plant Anatomy and Physioloy programme by the Programme Committee are at: http://kfrserver.natur.cuni.cz/english/study/phd-study.html

The student should read information at the websites thoroughly and only in case, he/she does not find instructions there, he/she might contact Mrs. Èuĝíková, administration officer for students of biology at the Faculty of Science.

The current Programme Committee (PAP, in Czech): https://www.natur.cuni.cz/faculty/studium/agenda-phd/pro-studenty/programy/anatomie-a-fyziologie-rostlin

How to communicate with the Programme Committee:

If the student needs to communicate with the Programme Committee, he should contact the Programme Committee Chairman and the Secretary.

The principles of evaluation of the student by the Programme Committee and the requirements of the Programme Committee:

On 13th November 2009, the Programme Committee (PC) settled on a verdict that the student´s study and work should be proposed with the aim to finish the studies (and to defend the thesis successfully) within 4 years.

At the end of each year (i.e. in September, deadline is sent by SIS manager) the student fill in information about his/her postgraduate studies during the last academic year into the SIS and is evaluated there by his/her supervisor. The supervisor´s proposal is one of the sources for evaluation performed by the Programme Committee (the evaluation of the supervisor and of the PC may not be the same). The evaluation should give a true picture about the student´s work and results (not the talent). According to the Programme Committee meeting in 2009, the reasons for grade B and worse in the evaluation may be also:
  • If the doctoral state examination is not passed till the end of the 3rd year of postgraduate study.

  • If no publication with the student as the first author is accepted in reviewed journal with an impact factor till the end of the 4th year of study.
Pedagogical activity mainly in the frame of practical courses provided by the Department is welcome and desirable in reasonable extent, but it is not obligatory (decicion of the PC from 13th November 2009). In the case of interest, students may ask the Chairman of the Department or warranter of the bachelor practical courses of plant anatomy and physiology for potential pedagogical involvement.

The presentation of the results to the scientific public. Within 3 years (4 years for combined study) the student should present her/his results at a significant international (usually foreign) conference (a lecture or a poster). Within the same period she/he publishes at least one paper in a significant journal.

Current requirements of the PC for publication activity of the postgraduate students (approved by the PC in May 2010, in Czech): https://www.natur.cuni.cz/faculty/studium/agenda-phd/pro-studenty/programy/anatomie-a-fyziologie-rostlin

1st year: at the beginning of the postgraduate study:

After acceptation, the student together with her/his supervisor provides the study plan for the first year (for the form, see SIS, information are also available during the enrolment for the study in the study office) and a detailed experimental strategy for the first year of studies. The plan includes study obligations (up to 5 items to be fullfilled till the defence of the Ph.D. thesis). The students who graduated from other universities are expected to have larger study plan to supplement and unify their knowledge. The student, the supervisor and the Chairman of the Programme Committee put their signatures at the end of the study plan. Thereafter, the study plan is approved by the PC. The study plan should be proposed with the aim to finish the studies (and to defend the thesis) successfully within 4 years.

2th year of the postgraduate study:

At the beginning of the second year, the students present their state of work by holding a lecture at the date set by the PC. The elder students may also present their work, in the case they want to discuss their results.

The PC may call for presentations also the students in other years of the study.

3rd year of the postgraduate study: If the state doctoral examination is not passed till the end of the third year of the study, in the annual assessment of students, the student will be evaluated by mark B or worse.

4th year:: If no manuscript with the student as one of the authors is accepted in a reviewed journal with an impact factor till the end of the fourth year of the study, for the current year, it will be the reason to decrease the evaluation mark in the annual assessment.

At the beginning of the fourth year of postgraduate study, the students present the state of their work in the form of presentation at the department. (see the PC decision from 13th October 2009).

The PC supports the conclusion of postgraduate study and handing in the Ph.D. thesis till the end of the fourth year of study.

3. STATE DOCTORAL EXAMINATION (SDE):

The State Doctoral Examination should be passed till the end of the third year of postgraduate studies – possibly also during the first year.

Application form for the SDE: - current information (in Czech):

http://www.natur.cuni.cz/faculty/studium/agenda-phd/pro-studenty/souhrnna-pravidla-pro-doktorske-studium-na-prf-uk/

The PC sets the date of the examination and suggests the members of the examination committee. The subjects for the oral part of the examination are from the areas of: plant anatomy and physiology, plant molecular and cellular biology and from two orher chosen subjects. The facultative subjects are chosen by the PC according to the student´s and his/her supervisor´s suggestion (the subjects are usually from the list of subjects that are teached and concluded by an exam at the Faculty of Science).

4. PH.D. THESIS

Deadlines and conditions:
  • The SDE must be passed before handing in the Ph.D. thesis.

  • The defence of the Ph.D. thesis has to take place till the end of the eighth year of the postgraduate study.

  • For students in the 4-year study programme, the length of the study is 4+5 years, i.e. 9 years (according to the new Charles University Study Order, valid from February 2011).

  • The PC supports and expects the completion of the study and handing in the Ph.D.thesis for defence preferentially till the end of the fourth year of the postgraduate study.

The dates of the defence after handing in the Ph.D. thesis according to the PC PAP:

Handing in the Ph.D. thesis:    The earliest date of the defence (anytime in the time-span, the earlier month is not guaranteed):

Till 30.5.                                    August- September

Till 30.6.                                    September - October

Till 30.7.                                    October - November

The PC asks the students to announce the foreseen date of handing in their Ph.D. thesis 1-2 months before. The earliest date of the defence will be set according to the time possibilities of the opponents and committee members.

To elucidate the dates concerning handing in the thesis: An extract of the Study Organization Rules at the Faculty of Science, Charles University:
  1. After preliminary consultation with the opponents, the chairman of the committee arranges the delivery of the thesis to the opponents within 4 weeks after handing in.
  2. The opponents write their expert opinion within 6 weeks after the delivery of the thesis.
  3. The Chairman of the PC suggests the date of the defence 6 weeks before the defence.
  4. At least two weeks before the defence, the opinions of the opponents are sent to the committee members.

Handing in the Ph.D. thesis and a Summary of the thesis:

For information about handing in the Ph.D. thesis, please see:
http://www.natur.cuni.cz/faculty/studium/agenda-phd/formulare/zadost-o-obhajobu-a-doklady-potrebne-k-odevzdani-dp/view.

For information about handing in the Summary of the Ph.D. thesis, please see:
http://www.natur.cuni.cz/faculty/studium/agenda-phd/formulare/zadost-o-obhajobu-priloha-2-usporadani-autoreferatu/view.

The PC of PAP requires the Summary of the thesis in 20 copies in English and in Czech (in one copy, both language versions are possible). The PC of PAP allows Slovak students to hand in the Summary of the Ph.D. thesis in Slovak.

Opponents:

There are at least two opponents. In the case of positive opinion, at least one of the opponents has to be present at the defence. Otherwise the proceeding of the defence is threatened. The exception to the rule is possible only in a substantiate case. If one of the opponents´opinion is negative, all opponents must be present unconditionally. Exception to this rule is not possible. After the delivery of the thesis, the opponent has the possibility to refuse to write the opinion within 14 days. The opinion has to be written within 6 weeks. In the case the student/supervisor agrees with the opponents on earlier deadline, shorter time span is possible.

The PC supports the conclusion of postgraduate study and handing in the Ph.D. thesis till the end of the fourth year of study.

The forms of Ph.D. theses:

The form of the Ph.D. thesis is customized by the Study Organization Rules at the Faculty of Science. The rules are specified at the website: http://kfrserver.natur.cuni.cz/english/study/phd-study.html

5. THE PH.D. THESIS DEFENCE:

The defence is public.

Even in the case of both positive opinions, at least one opponent must be present at the defence. Otherwise the proceeding of the defence is threatened. The exception to the rule is possible only in a substantiate case. If one of the opponents´opinion is negative, all opponents must be present unconditionally. Exception to this rule is not possible.

The course of the defence:
  1. Introduction and greetings by the committee chairman, introduction, professional CV and publications of the defending student are read by the committee chairman.

  2. The supervisor´s comment (brief assessment of the student and her/his work during the study including the statement of recommentation/non-recommendation the Ph.D. thesis to the defence. The assesment is written and is going to be read during the defence).

  3. The student presents her/his results included in his/her Ph.D. thesis (30-40 min.)

  4. Reading of the opponents´ opinions.

  5. The actual defence – the student responses and answers to the comments and questions included in opponents´ expert opinions.

  6. General discussion on the current Ph.D. thesis. Supplementary questions of committee members and other people present at the defence.

  7. After the end of the discussion – a closed session of the committee members, opponents and supervisor. A secret voting about the result of the defence. For voting, the ballot papers are used.

  8. The proclamation of the result of the defence.
6. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE POSTGRADUATE STUDY

  • The applicant becomes a student of the postgraduate study at the day of enrolment for the Faculty of Science.

  • The postgraduate study is regularly concluded at the day, when Ph.D. thesis is succesfully defended. According to the Study and Exam Order, the state doctoral exam must be passed and the thesis must be defended within eight years (it is not sufficient to hand in the thesis, it also has to be defended).

  • If these requirements are unmet, the student will be expelled from the study for neglecting of duties. Following the Study Oganization Rules, the student has to hand in her/his thesis eighteen weeks before the end of maximum study period of eight years.

  • If the student decides to withdraw for any reason from the study, he/she has to announce it in a written form at the postdoctoral study office of the Faculty of Science (by addressing the announcement to the relevant vice-dean and sending a copy to the Programme Committee).

The Rules are valid from 10th September 2011.

On behalf of the Programme Committee for postgraduate study of Plant Anatomy and Physiology at the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague

Jana Albrechtová
Chairman of the Programme Committee (albrecht@natur.cuni.cz)

Kateĝina Schwarzerová
Secretary of the Programme Committee (schwarze@natur.cuni.cz)

The Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Vinièná 5, 128 44 Prague 2
2007-2011 © fyziol5@natur.cuni.cz