Study plan

The state exam is comprised of an oral exam, as well as of the defence of the dissertation thesis. A public event, it is held in front of a comission composed of experts in the given specialty. The topics that are covered by the oral exam are based around five academic theses, which the PhD student has submitted to their supervisor for approval in advance (these are sent to the rest of the commission members by the commission chairperson no later than a week prior to the state exam). At the state exam, the ability of reasoning in terms of literary theory is tested, as well as the PhD student’s argumentation skills in regards to two theses chosen by the commission themselves (theses are chosen by the commission members in the PhD student’s absence). The exam takes the form of a discussion.

In the introduction to the defense, the supervisor shall introduce the candidate; the candidate shall then introduce the present to the main theses of their work, and the thesis reports are presented. In the discussion that follows, the PhD student shall respond to the opinions of both the supervisor and the reviewers, as well as to the commission members’ questions.

Pivotal part of students’ responsibilities on the PhD studies in Czech Literature is the preparation and work on the student’s dissertation thesis, which is defined as a coherent academic study based on the student’s authentic research.
The student’s required activities are laid out in the individual study plan. They comprise the compulsory courses, as well as student’s own creative work and the presentation whereof – in the course of the studies, active participation in at least two academic conferences and publication of one study in an academic journal, is required. Other academic activities at the department may take the form of teaching, editing work, cooperation in organizing conferences, for instance, etc.
Another part of the studies is a study stay at a foreign university or another research institution abroad, which can be chosen by the student in relation to their dissertation topic, and the possibilities for consultation with foreign experts in the field, or study of relevant academic literature. The stay abroad should have the total duration of three months (it can be scheduled in smaller intervals of time and realized with different institutions, if needed). Part-time students can choose shorter study stays.
The compulsory courses of the PhD study can be separated into four types:
Courses directly related to the regular completion of the study – Research and Study I (CLDS_a09), Doctoral Dissertation Thesis (CLDS_a02), Doctoral Thesis (CLDS_a01), and Doctoral Exam (CLDS_a03).
The next type of compulsory subjects is focused on the student’s academic preparation – Problems of Czech Literary Methodology (CLDS_a31), Interdisciplinarity in Czech Studies (CLDS_a32), both of which are centered around the field of Czech Literary Studies. The rest of the courses in this category are Writing Seminar I and II (CLDS_a17, CLDS_a18), Conference Presentation I and II (CLDS_a04, CLDS_a05), Essay in Professional Periodicals (CLDS_a07), Review in Professional Periodicals (CLDS_a08) and Internships Abroad I (CLDS_a13).
Part of the required course package are also the courses of the faculty basis – Philosophy for PhD students I (PHDZ1), as well as foreign languages according to the student’s choice (CJV_D_A, CJV_D_F, CJV_D_N, CJV_D_R), or the subject Foreign Language – publication and presentation in a foreign language (CLDS_a40).
Moreover, PhD students are required to acquire 60 credits from the category of the so-called compulsory-optional courses. This category is common for all of the literature-focused study programmes from cooperative departments – Literature and Culture in the Slavonic Area (CLDS_a25), Methods, Analysis, and Interpretations (CLDS_a26), Intermediality and Adaptation (CLDS_a27), Theory of Translation for PhD I (CLDS_a28), Czech Medieval Literature (CLDS_a33), Parallels of Early Modern Period (CLDS_a34), The Methodology of Literary Studies (NARD50; teaching is in English), Fiction and Fictiveness (NARD51), Textual Criticism I and II (CLDS_a37, CLDS_a38), Medieval Latin Literature (LMD_004), The Methodology of Literary and Cultural History (NJDSL4_30), German Medieval Literature (NJDS_002), Chapters from World Literature (NJDSL4_31), Multilinguism on Cultural Frontiers (ROMDJK), Pedagogical Activity I and II (CLDS_a35, CLDS_a36), Education and Didactics at HS (CLDS_a37), Verification of Research Findings in Practice (CLDS_a38).
It is possible to acquire the remaining number of credits from other optional course packages following a consult with the supervisor.
Part-time students do not have teaching requirements.

Mgr. Marek Lollok (učo 134815). Criticism in Motion. Literary Criticism and Metacriticism of the 1990s, https://is.muni.cz/th/134815/ff_d;
Mgr. Aneta Zatloukalová (učo 218183). Literature in early Czechoslovakian sound film, https://is.muni.cz/dok/fmgr?so=nx;furl=%2Fth%2F218183%2Fff_d%2F;
Mgr. Darina Čurdová (učo 52387). Literary Work of Edward Valenta, https://is.muni.cz/th/52387/ff_d/;
Mgr. František Podhajský (učo 282244). Czech Highschool Primers of Poetics in the Context of Czech Theory of Literature, https://is.muni.cz/th/282244/ff_d/;
Mgr. Michal Mráz (učo 64570). Proper Names in Fiction, https://is.muni.cz/th/64570/ff_d/;
Mgr. Marie Hanzelková (učo 13963). "Kancionál český" - Project of a Bohemian Hymnographic Canon, https://is.muni.cz/th/11487/ff_d/.