Literary Philology

The admission procedure to doctoral study programmes at the Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University is two-round. In the first round, the documents submitted in advance are assessed. The second round takes the form of an oral interview. Only those applicants who succeed in the first round are invited to the second round. The oral interview is usually conducted in person and, in exceptional cases, remotely (online).

Deadline for submitting applications: January 1 - April 30

Deadline for submitting documents for the admission procedure: April 30

The documents required for the admission process are:

• a) curriculum vitae;
• b) dissertation project in Czech or English;
• c) a list of creative and publication activities (if applicable);
• d) a commitment to cooperation with a specific supervisor and consultant (if applicable).

  Documents for the admission procedure must be inserted into the e-application (rubric “Documents”) by 30 April. Applicants are required to include their full name and application number on all attached documents.

  Requirements and evaluation criteria for the admission procedure

  In the first round of the admission process, the submitted materials are assessed. A committee composed of experts in the field evaluates the adequacy and quality of the materials, and above all, the quality of the dissertation research project.

  The oral interview in the second round takes the form of a discussion about the dissertation project. In the second round, the following will also be assessed:

• a) professional preparedness;
• b) language proficiency;
• c) motivation for study;
• d) previous experience with research work;
• e) a commitment to possible cooperation with a specific supervisor and consultant.

  The assignment of the applicant to a specific supervisor from the list of active supervisors is decided by the field committee upon the recommendation of the admissions committee.

• Round 1: Evaluation is based on (a) the applicant’s preparedness for study, assessed through their curriculum vitae, list of publications and their relevance to the project, and defended master’s thesis with reviews (max. 10 points), (b) the dissertation project including a list of relevant literature for the project (max. 20 points), (c) the suitability of the project in relation to the study program, potential supervisors, and the capacity of the department (max. 20 points).

  In both rounds of the admission process, a minimum threshold for success is set, i.e., for advancing to the next round of the admission procdure (the lowest number of points). These thresholds may be lowered, taking into account the current capacity of the given study program at the time of the admission process. The minimum threshold for success in all programs is 50% of the total score in the respective round of the admission procedure. The maximum score in both rounds of the admission procedure is 50 points.

Graduates will be equipped for careers in academic and research institutions, both in primary and applied research. However, their education and skills will also enable them to pursue careers beyond this framework, particularly in organizations and institutions focused on education or the intersection of literature, literary studies, and other fields. Additionally, they may find opportunities in organizations engaged in producing, publishing, and presenting literature, covering a broad spectrum of national literatures and their scholarly interpretation.

Given the specific topics and areas in which students are trained, it is clear that their career prospects can have both a domestic and a significantly international dimension.

The research topics addressed by doctoral students reflect the scientific research strategy of the philological disciplines at the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, and fall into the following areas:

Literature of a specific language/language group

Literary studies of a specific language/language group

Comparative literature

Literature and literary studies from an interdisciplinary and intermedial perspective

Literary-area studies

Upon successful completion of the programme, the graduate is able to:

• be well-versed in key past and present theoretical approaches, concepts, and strategies at an international level;
• design and conduct both primary and applied research in their field;
• draft grant applications and collaborate on grant-funded projects;
• present the results of their research at national and international research forums;
• successfully apply for employment, postdoctoral positions, or grant opportunities in their field of specialization as well as in related disciplines;
• professionally mentor students in their research area as well as in broader academic contexts;
• navigate the field of research ethics.

Doctoral program graduates can primarily apply their qualifications in academic and university institutions, where they can engage in research within both primary and applied fields and/or in educational activities.

In the broader context of academia, graduates may hold positions related to the practical organizational, educational, outreach, conceptual, or financial aspects of scientific work. However, the academic skills they acquire should also provide ample opportunities beyond the academic environment in roles involving the acquisition, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and potentially the practical application and dissemination of information.

The dissertation addresses a specialized research problem corresponding to the type of study. The student must demonstrate the ability to conduct independent scientific work, which includes formulating a hypothesis, creating an outline and timeline, identifying and analyzing relevant academic literature based on the thematic focus of their research, collecting research material using appropriate methods, and describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating the collected material - all within the appropriate context of the field's current development.

The dissertation must be submitted in the required length and meet the expected content, linguistic, and formal standards in accordance with dissertation requirements. The work is assessed based on reviews from the supervisor and two independent reviewers. The typical dissertation length is between 240,000 and 400,000 characters, excluding appendices and bibliography, depending on the research topic and focus.