An admission for international applicants to doctoral study at Faculty of Science, Masaryk University.

Cartography and geoinformatics is focused on study of different aspects of analogue and digital representation of the Earth surface and all phenomena taking place in the physio-geographic and socio-economic spheres of the Earth. It is aimed on traditional component-based approach to cartography, as well as on complex solutions of problems within the frame of geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing with the use of latest information technologies and software tools. Doctoral students are led to understand both theoretical and practical utilization of cartographic visualization in cartographic modeling of selected phenomena. Attention is paid to matters of data quality and the ability of critical selection of data from different resources according to individual requirements of different groups of users. During studies, attention is also paid to adaptable electronic cartography, cartographic generalization in digital environment, creation and utilization of national spatial data infrastructures and European and global spatial data projects, such as Global Map, GSDI, Digital Earth and UN Geographic Database. Doctoral students are also made familiar with web cartography and telecartography. Besides aspects related to content and technologies, attention is also paid to security and legislative aspects of spatial data handling. Students also attend to utilization of geographic information in public administration and other (private, academic) portals in connection with basic documents of the Czech Republic and the European Union in the field of information policy and building of information society.

Formal requirements for the entrance process are stipulated by the Application for Doctoral Studies. The person interested in the study, who is a graduate of the master study of geography and cartography or a related branch, chooses topic and supervisor of the studies according to the published offer of topics of dissertation theses, and/or they can address the supervisor directly with a suggestion of the topic. The entrance exam takes place in front of a committee, taking in consideration the following requirements: scientific knowledge within the range of master studies of geography with focus on cartography, geoinformatics and remote sensing a paper written in English about the assumed aims, methods and results of the doctoral thesis in the extent of 1–2 pages and oral presentation of those topics in English presentation of the master thesis and/or scientific publications organizing a part or the whole examination in English.

Part A: includes obligatory subjects according to the chosen study branch, set by the branch committee, finished usually by an examination. Part B: includes the obligatory-elective subjects, recommended to the student by the supervisor of the study with the objective of extending the necessary knowledge with respect to the doctoral thesis. Part C: includes active participation of students in branch geographical seminars (I-IV). Part D: includes help of students in teaching (I-VI) according to the requirements of the Institute of Geography. Part E: elaboration of the tenets of the doctoral thesis. The tenets contain above all an overview of the solved set of problems on the basis of the background research of domestic and foreign literature including the methods of procession of the topics of the doctoral thesis (linking up to the study of literature I-II). They are submitted to the supervisor in the form of a written report. Part F: presentation of the results of the doctoral thesis. It is a publication of the results (a part of the results) in a scientific journal in English in a foreign (except for Slovak) reviewed journal. An alternative is: one publication in a reviewed journal in the Czech Republic, one publication in a reviewed journal in the Slovak Republic and a lecture in a foreign language. Recommended journals are “Kartografické listy“ (Bratislava), „Geodetický a kartografický obzor“ (Prague), „Geografie – Sborník České geografické společnosti“ (Prague), and „Geografický časopis“ (Bratislava). Part G: preparation of the doctoral thesis (I-VII).

Students acquire thorough theoretical and practical knowledge, work habits and skills, which allow them to adequately define and solve scientific problems related to study of processes and phenomena in the landscape sphere of the earth from the point of view of individual components of sustainable development, i.e. ecological, economic, social, technological, cultural, and ethical. Doctoral students master a wide range of methods from the fields of geoinformatics, analytic, web and adaptable electronic cartography, telecartography, remote sensing, mainly methods of cartographic generalization, cartographic visualization, methods of analyzing, processing and interpretation of data and information from remote sensing. Their skills are grounded on knowledge of historical maps, analogue and digital (mainly thematic) maps and atlases. Graduates are also able to enter, cooperate and supply data and information into Czech, European, and global spatial data projects. They are able to constructively react to requirements related to utilization of geographic information for the need of information/knowledge-based society, especially in creation of national geographic information infrastructure of the Czech Republic and public administration portals. Knowledge of analytic and web cartography, use of information technologies in solving both scientific and practical tasks, and the ability of geographic data integration, analysis and interpretation provide graduates with good opportunities of assertion in scientific academic workplaces, as well as in applied research at a wide range of institutions and organizations dealing with spatial information (cadastral and regional offices, public administration, ecological and/or economic institutions, etc.) and in various fields of private enterprise.

The study programme focuses on different aspects of analogue and digital representation of all the phenomena taking place in the landscape spheres of the Earth. It deals with the traditional component-based approach to cartography, as well as the complex solutions of problems within the framework of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing in the era of Big Data. Students are trained to understand both theoretical and practical uses of cartographic visualization in cartographic modelling of selected phenomena. The attention is paid to the issues of data quality and critical selection of data from different resources following the individual requirements of different groups of users. Adaptable electronic cartography, cartographic generalization in digital environment, creation and utilization of national spatial data infrastructures and European and global spatial data projects, such as Global Map, GSDI, Digital Earth, United Nations Geographic Database, Future Earth, Group of Earth Observations(GEO), and the activities of Global Earth Observation System of Systems(GEOSS) also form an important part of studies. The doctoral students are also acquainted with web cartography and telecartography. Besides the aspects related to the content and technologies, attention is also paid to security and legislative aspects of spatial data processing. In relation to the basic documents of the Czech Republic and the EU information policy and the creation of the information society the students deal with the utilization of geographic information, including the information obtained from volunteers (Volunteer Geographic Information - VGI) within the portals of public administration and local government, as well as private or study portals that are part of the implementation of the Geoinfostrategy of the Czech Republic.

The doctoral degree programme of Geography builds upon the knowledge of students obtained in the Master's degree programme of Geography and Cartography. It focuses on deepening and broadening of knowledge, ability and skills in the specialized branches of geographical and cartographic research with the emphasis on the studies of causative relations and connections in a broad complex of the studied phenomena and processes. An important part of studies is also the active mastering of new knowledge obtained mainly from foreign literature and participation in the specialized lectures in their own institutes as well as in other institutions in the Czech Republic and abroad.

The students are encouraged to use modern methods and technologies for data collection, processing, and evaluation of geographical data using existing possibilities of computer data processing and methods of remote sensing.

Also the methods of the integration of structured data (eg. via spatial data infrastructures - SDI, the national spatial data infrastructure - NIPI) or data collected by volunteers (VGI), their interpretation and visualization with regard to the characteristics of a particular user are of a prime importance. The objective of the study programme is to equip students with a deep theoretical knowledge and educate them as outspoken scientists who are able to work in the areas of theoretical as well as applied scientific research. The students are encouraged to formulate scientific problems independently, obtain relevant data, and perform their qualitative and quantitative evaluation. They also select the suitable methodology and evaluate the obtained results regarding the analytical and synthetic perspectives with respect to the creation of the alternative scenarios of the development of geographical phenomena and processes in space and time. The attention is also paid to the virtual geographic environments (VGE) and the possibilities of a closer union and engagement of people with the virtual reality.

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

• demonstrate deep theoretical and practical knowledge, work ethic and skills
• master a wide range of methods used in geoinformatics, and analytical, web, and adaptable electronic cartography, telecartography and remore sensing, especially the methods of cartographic generalization, cartographic visualization, and methods of data p
• enter, cooperate, and supply data and information for the Czech, European, and global spatial data projects
• constructively react to the requirements related to the utilization of geographic information essential for the information/knowledge-based society, especially in creating the national geographic information infrastructure of the Czech Republic and the p
• demonstrate the knowledge of analytical and web cartography, as well as the use of information technologies in solving both scientific and practical tasks
• integrate geographical data, analyse and interpret them
• adequately define and solve scientific problems related to the study of processes and phenomena in the Earth's landscape regarding the individual components of sustainable development

The obtained knowledge gives the graduates a good opportunity to find employment in research institutions, universities, and the Academy of Sciences, as well as in applied research in a wide range of institutions and centres that collect, process and provide spatial information (cadastral and regional offices, government offices, institutions dealing with ecology and economics, institutions addressing issues of disaster risk reduction and early warning systems, and others) as well as a wide range of business activities.

The standard duration of studies is eight semesters. To be admitted to the final state examination, students must earn credits determined in the study plan of required, selective, and elective courses.

The doctoral state examination has two parts: the defence of a thesis and an oral examination.