Ph.D. in Egyptology

The study plan is divided into three sections: (A) requirements connected with the supervision of the work on the PhD thesis; (B) basic study requirements; (C) professional science-research or teaching activities.

Individual study requirements are set in bold. Unless stated otherwise, the examination takes the form of a credit course.

A. PHD THESIS

Requirements related to the monitoring of Thesis Progress

1) Doctoral Seminar(AXEGDOS01–04); in Year 5 and above, AXEGDOS04 with repeated registration

- The student is obliged to attend the Doctoral Seminar throughout their period of study.

- The Doctoral Seminar is used to present the students’ work on their thesis, their professional activities (publication outputs, conference presentations, sharing of experience, etc.) and ensure mutual and regular contact between the PhD students and teachers at the Czech Institute of Egyptology.

- Students who are away on an internship need not attend the seminar but must still give their presentation.

- Term: The requirement of the Doctoral Seminar will be registered for the student automatically in every year of study.

2) Annotated Bibliography of PhD Thesis(AXEGDIS02)

- The student prepares bibliographic research on the topic of their thesis. It is a critical overview of sources including their summary and an assessment of one particular topic that will be chosen based on a consultation with the supervisor (overall extent: 5–10 pages).

- Term: typically Year 1 of study

3) Annotated Plan of PhD Thesis(AXEGDIS03)

- An annotated plan of the thesis listing the estimated extent of all chapters.

- Term: Year 2 of study

4) Presentation of PhD Thesis Propositions (AXEGDIS04)

- In connection with item 3 (handing in of an annotated plan), the student presents the topic and basic propositions of their PhD thesis at the Doctoral Seminar.

- Term: typically Year 2 of study, following requirement 3.

5) Chapter of PhD Thesis (AXEGDIS05)

- The students hands in a coherent part (chapter) of the thesis to the supervisor (overall extent: 25–30 pages).

- Term: Year 3 and the subsequent years of study

6) Presentation of PhD Thesis Results (AXEGDIS06)

- The comprehensive presentation of the conception of the thesis and the results achieved at the Doctoral Seminar.

- Term: typically Year 4 of study (following the PhD Thesis)

b. BASIC STUDY REQUIREMENTS

Requirements mandatory for all students of the PhD programme

7) Foreign language

- Examination in English (AXJAZ0001) is compulsory. If English has been the subject of MA studies (mentioned in the Diploma), the options are: German (AXJAZ0005), French (AXJAZ0002). If any combination of the two languages listed figures on the diploma, the student is exempt from this examination.

- Term: Year 1 to Year 2 of study as agreed with the supervisor

8a) Theoretical and Methodological Seminar I-II (exam) (AXEGTMS02-03)

- The Theoretical and Methodological Seminarprovides the students with complex insight into the methodology used and theoretical issues currently discussed within the field of study.

- The basic topics discussed include theoretical and methodological issues stemming from the topics of the students’ PhD theses, and analyses of more generally focused professional texts or professional discussions led at other institutions.

- The seminar has a strongly multidisciplinary character, not only in the humanities (archaeology, history, philology) but with an overlap into technical and natural sciences.

- After completing the Seminar, the student should be versed in the broader issues of scientific knowledge.

- Term: Years 1–2 of study

or

8b) Philosophy (exam) (AXOBEC002)

- The Philosophy examination will have the form of a written assignment on a theme related to the topic of the student’s PhD thesis in an extent of 10–20 normed pages (1,800 keystrokes per page). Specific details of the work will be determined by an agreement between the student and the supervisor.

- Term: Years 1 and 2 of study

Requirements assigned individually upon consulting the supervisor

9) Individual study requirements (AXEGSPE…+ various codes according to the topics)

- The supervisor sets more requirements in the extent of one or two examinations according to the character of the PhD thesis topic. The supervisor sets these specialised examinations as a study requirement based on the thesis topic in the ISP, and specifies the particular examination in it. An examination or essay deepening the student’s knowledge in a sphere related to the thesis topic can thus be set as a study requirement, for instance.

- Term: Years 1–3 of study

C.RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

10)Active conference participation(AXEGOAK09)

- Presentation (lecture, poster) of the student’s own research at an international scientific conference.

- Term: Year 3 of study at the latest

11) Scientific publication (AXEGOAK10)

- Publication of a foreign-language article in a professional periodical that is included at least in the List of Reviewed Non-Impact Periodicals Published in the Czech Republic (Seznam recenzovaných neimpaktovaných periodik publikovaných v ČR), or an original foreign-language chapter in a reviewed professional book.

- At the time of assessment, this article/chapter must have been at least accepted for print (following successful review proceedings).

- Term: Year 4 of study at the latest

Other professional activities beyond the framework of the above-mentioned requirements are welcome; if they are related to the topic of the PhD thesis, the student reports them within the regular annual assessment.

12) Internship abroad (AXEGOAK11)

- The standard length of the internship is three months, but it can be divided into shorter sections. The internship need not have the form of a formally confirmed stay with an academic institution, other forms, such as field research, research stays in libraries, etc., are acceptable as well.

- The year of fulfilment is not prescribed because the possibility of an internship depends on scholarship offers and cannot be fully predicted in advance. The requirement can be fulfilled even after passing the state doctoral examination; its fulfilment is a condition for applying for PhD thesis defence.

- For serious reasons (care for children, etc.) and based on an application approved by the dean, internship abroad can be substituted with another professional activity with an international overlap, such as active participation in a conference abroad, professional editorial activity, translation of a professional text, academic teaching (at least 52 hours of teaching), or professional publication.

13) Final State Examination (ASDZK0001)

- Year 3 of study

- Completion of ALL study requirements from the Basic Study Requirements section of the plan is a prerequisite for submitting an application for the Final Examination.

Final examination – components:

- Submission of a completed part of the PhD thesis approved by the supervisor.

- Oral examination focused on theoretical and methodological aspects of the thesis within domestic and international contexts, based on the submitted reading list of academic publications.

- The fulfilment of all study requirements stipulated above in section B. BASIC STUDY REQUIREMENTS is a necessary condition for taking the state doctoral examination.

The state doctoral examination has the form of a scientific discussion on the topic of the PhD thesis. Within it, the student presents the topic of their thesis and states its basic methodological starting points. From the formal point of view, this part has the form of an oral presentation (c. 20–25 minutes, similar to a presentation at a scientific conference). The subsequent discussion makes it possible to ascertain the student’s overall mastery of the given specialisation and preparedness for independent scientific work.

14)Thesis defence (AX0007305)

- Completion of ALL study requirements prescribed in the Individual Study Plan, including the minimal requirements from the Research Activities section, is a prerequisite for submitting the application for PhD thesis defence.

Standard duration of study: 4 years

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL STUDY PLAN (ISP)

The template of the ISP is created in the SIS by the Research Office (“Oddělení vědy”), assigning automatically to every doctoral student all of the requirements common to all students of the PhD programme – that is, the requirements in the plan’s framework above, with their respective codes. As soon as this basic ISP is created, the student – having consulted the supervisor – needs to add the following in the SIS:

1. Foreign Language, choosing from languages associated in the SIS with the respective study plan.

2. One of the three Specialized courses (chosen from the list in the SIS designed for the TS plan).

3. Individual Study Requirements as specified above. These requirements may be added either by choosing an existing course, or (if such course does not exist in the SIS yet), by entering the so-called “course description” (“popis předmětu”), which describes the given requirement and will be paired with a particular course in the SIS later.

4. Year of completion: for all requirements in the plan above without a designated year of completion.

The Ph.D. graduate has in-depth theoretical knowledge in all principal fields of Egyptology and a detailed overview and an up-to-date understanding of the current state of research and associated problems. On the basis of the upheld Ph.D. dissertation, he/she is able to demonstrate exceptional quality in his/her specific specialization. The scholarly, language, and analytical proficiency and skills of the graduate make him/her fully equipped for a professional scholarly and pedagogic pursuit on an international level. The Ph.D. graduate may be employed in many top-rated institutions centered on the study of antiquity, as well as on the level of effective top executives in institutions partaking in cultural, political, economic, or trade relations between the Czech Republic and Egypt.