Analytical Geochemist

More information about admission process for international applicants in general can be found in the section Admission Process.

Date of the entrance exam
The applicants will receive information about the entrance exam via e-mail usually at least 10 days before the exam.
Please, always check your e-mails, including spam folders.

Conditions of admission
To be admitted, a candidate must obtain a total of at least 120 points out of 200, with at least 60 points in both parts.
Successful applicants are informed of their acceptance via e-mail and subsequently receive an invitation to the enrolment.

Programme capacity
The capacity of a given programme is not fixed; students are admitted based on a decision by the Doctoral Board after assessing their aptitude for study and motivation.

The aim of the interdisciplinary doctoral study program Analytical Geochemist is to prepare highly qualified specialists with knowledge and skills in the fields of Analytical Chemistry and Geology. The PhD students are prepared at two institutes of the Faculty of Science, the Institute of Chemistry and the Institute of Geological Sciences. The study is based on independent creative activity and research of experimental character under the guidance of a supervisor. The theoretical knowledge of analytical chemistry and geology, which the student acquires by completing courses with a deepening and broadening focus, is complemented by practical experience with modern techniques of instrumental analysis. Students will learn to critically evaluate the knowledge gained by studying literature and independently create publications and research reports in English. During their studies, they will acquire the pedagogical experience and the ability of management in helping with the teaching of students of bachelor or master studies. The student publishes the achieved scientific knowledge in reputable professional journals and summarizes it in the form of a doctoral dissertation. The aim of the study is also to gain a broader scientific insight, international experience and language skills, which is made possible by stays at partner workplaces at home and abroad and by active participation in national and especially international scientific conferences.

The study is designed so that the graduate is prepared not only for scientific research activities, but also for the fulfillment of tasks of geological practice and generally for employment in industry. At present, the geological activities place a strong emphasis on economic indicators of preparatory, monitoring and implementation work, which requires a multidisciplinary knowledge of the properties and behavior of a diverse rock environment, the design of a targeted analytical procedure and the selection of a suitable methodology. Assessment of already implemented projects and their practical impacts also requires knowledge of the rock environment and analytical methods. The graduate preparedness to solve these tasks will be ensured in this doctoral study by linking basic geological disciplines with modern instrumental analytical chemistry. The graduate will master modern methods of spectrometric analysis, principles of good laboratory practice, computer processing of results and chemometry and metrology for correct evaluation of analysis results and method validation. They will realize the links between geosciences and analytical chemistry. He / she is able to apply the acquired knowledge and skills from both scientific disciplines to the solution of assigned tasks in the academic environment and in the industrial sphere.

By increasing the proportion of experimentally oriented courses and introducing practice, new studies strengthen the practical competencies of graduates in accordance with labor market requirements. In addition to the student's own experimental work in the implementation of research related to the dissertation topic and beyond the practice at another workplace, the current curriculum design includes approximately 30% of experimental teaching in the form of laboratory exercises. The graduate is therefore flexible; is able to adapt to the requirements of workplaces with analytical and geological focus when solving complex tasks.

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

• independently and creatively plan and implement scientific and research activities and master experimental methodologies and theoretical models in the field of analytical chemistry and geology;
• to write and prepare a scientific text in the form of scientific articles in the area of its research focus, to prepare a research report in the application sphere for the realization of production activities;
• to develop new analytical methods and apply them to specific tasks of geological research and practice;
• to present and defend the results of his / her own research at an international scientific forum in the field of his / her research focus;
• be familiar with chemical and geological literature and other sources of information;
• understand and use theoretical knowledge and practical skills of analytical chemistry and geology as a whole;
• understand and communicate fluently in English in the field of chemistry and geology;
• make use of the experience and contacts gained from international cooperation projects, participation in conferences and foreign stays;
• effectively transfer their knowledge, scientific results and experience to others thanks to their good pedagogical skills;
• use the transferable experience for the preparation and management of smaller projects, defence of results and project solutions, team communication and collaboration, and to motivate younger students to pursue research in their specialisation;
• acquire responsibility for the operation of the research laboratory and participation in practical training and be able to apply this competence in practice in the operational / research laboratory and in the management of its working team;

By increasing the proportion of experimentally oriented courses and introducing practice, new studies strengthen the practical competencies of graduates in accordance with labor market requirements. In addition to the student's own experimental work in the implementation of research related to the dissertation topic and beyond the practice at another workplace, the current curriculum design includes approximately 30% of experimental teaching in the form of laboratory exercises. The graduate is therefore flexible; is able to adapt to the requirements of workplaces with analytical and geological focus when solving complex tasks.

Thanks to the interconnection of analytical chemistry and geology, graduates of the Analytical Geochemical Doctoral program will find employment in scientific and research institutions such as the Academy of Sciences, universities, Czech Geological Survey, Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, but also in technologically oriented jobs: the collection and treatment of waste, eventually waste water treatment, in state administration, especially the environmental protection departments. Graduates will be prepared to work in the mining and energy industries, such as companies engaged in mining, geological exploration and projection, as well as in industrial companies focusing on metallurgical, engineering, glass and ceramic production.

According to the Government Order, students are obliged to complete an internship abroad for at least one month. As part of the Analytical Geochemist program, a semester internship is recommended.

The dissertation thesis contains a summary of existing literary knowledge in the given field of science, important impulses for own work, experimental part describing in detail experiments, results of own work describing it in detail, documenting and discussing it in the context of current knowledge of science. English abstract, list of literature and list of abbreviations used in the dissertation. The condition for successful completion of doctoral studies is the publication of results in specialized literature. The results obtained must be published or at least accepted for publication in a reputable professional journal. The access to the defense of the doctoral dissertation is subject to the following criteria:

1. A PhD student is the author of two publications in a periodical that fall within the Q1 or Q2 quartiles in a given field according to Web of Science or Scopus. If a publication is spanning multiple disciplines, the best placement counts. The PhD student is the first author of at least one of these publications. The authorship or co-authorship of an international patent application filed or granted may be considered as the authorship of one of these publications, but only with the express approval of the Doctoral study board.

or

2. The PhD student is the first author of one publication in the first decile of a periodical of the relevant field according to Web of Science or Scopus, with the exception of review articles (this alternative is possible only with the explicit approval of the Doctoral study board).

The dissertation may be submitted in Czech or English. The PhD student submits the following documents to the application for defense:

1. Abstract of work in Czech and English language summarizing motives and results of the work

2. Biography of the author

3. List of publishing activities and conference presentations