After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• Analyse various forms of social behaviour, social institutions, processes, and relationships.
• Conduct independent empirical research and produce creative scientific work.
• Reflect critically on both the expert/scientific literature and social reality.
• Identify and analyse important social and demographic processes and trends.

Graduates of this study programme can enter careers in the academic and research sector, applied sociological research, NGOs, public service, private sector, politics and administration, or as secondary school teachers.

The doctoral degree programme in Sociology at the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University is a four-year programme and can be studied in full-time or combined (part-time) study mode; the overall requirements are the same for both modes of study. Students use the framework study plan and their own customized study plans to schedule and complete their courses and work on their dissertation projects under the supervision of assigned supervisors. Students’ study and dissertation progress is evaluated by their supervisors and the board for doctoral studies once a year.

Students are required to follow their framework study plan (outlined at the beginning of their studies), which includes individual steps and requirements for each year of studies. The plan is developed by the students and their supervisors and approved by the board for doctoral studies, and it is a binding document with yearly progress checks. The plan is designed for four years (standard duration of the programme) or less. Students must earn 240 credits before they can complete their studies and defend their doctoral dissertations. For more information please go to http://soc.fss.muni.cz/studies/phd_studies

To earn their PhD degrees, students need to complete their study with a final state doctoral examination and dissertation defence.

The doctoral state examination tests the students’ theoretical and methodological knowledge. The exam is based on a list of literature representing the following areas: basic scientific and methodological approaches; crucial theoretical paradigms in sociology; and current discourse about the nature of societies and theories and their ongoing changes, based on the topic of the dissertation. For the list of required literature please see Doctoral Programme Regulations at http://soc.fss.muni.cz/studies/phd_studies

Dates and requirements of the final state doctoral exam (including the grading system) are regulated by the Masaryk University Study and Examination Regulations and by the Faculty of Social Studies schedule for the given academic year. The doctoral state examination must be taken in accordance with students’ approved framework study plan no later than at the end of the fourth year of studies.