Page 2 of 5, 70 PhD Programs in Prague, Czech Republic for 2024

The purpose of doctoral studies in the field of Biblical Theology is for students to cultivate, in the usual way for advanced studies, their ability to think theologically and to deepen their knowledge in the relevant biblical theology disciplines on an expert level. The field covers all aspects of the specialist study of the Bible, such as theological, literary, and historical factors. Studies focus on either the Old Testament or the New Testament field. They include the examination of biblical texts in their relevance for religious and cultural traditions. Depending on the specific dissertation project, studies may deal with textual, linguistic, literary, literary-historical, historiographical, religious, or cultural issues. Normally, they must also raise questions about the theological profile or overall testimony of Scripture in relation to relevant theological questions, and also deal with issues of understanding, communication, and interpretation. The working field of biblical studies also includes the related specialist disciplines – for example, the philology of the ancient and classical languages, the literature of the ancient Near East and the principal cultures of Antiquity, the phenomenology of religions and the study of the religions of antiquity, the archaeology and historiography of the relevant regions – and also a reflection on methodologies in the biblical field, hermeneutical issues, and the history of biblical research and its current trends. Studies are linked to an appropriate degree with other theological fields, and, like other branches of theology, have an interdisciplinary dimension.

The broadly conceived doctoral study program of (general) anthropology focuses on human behavior, action, and cognition both in their biological (genetic) aspects and evolutionary, social, and/or environmentally conditioned variability. Its general anthropological approach stems from an assumption that (a) it is only a variety and variability of behavior, action, and cognition that can speak of the character of human existence, and that (b) it is necessary to speak of this existence by way of a synthetizing combination of biological-empirical, cultural-interpretative and reflexively philosophical methods. It is supported by the (Anglo-American) conception of integral general anthropology as a discipline studying both biological and socio-cultural aspects of human beings conceived as complex organisms endowed with language, thought and culture (endowed with a capacity of semiotic, symbolical representation). This assumption is broadened by certain aspects of (German and French) philosophical and historical anthropology. Such conception of (general) anthropology takes into account both the diversity of human cultures and common characteristic features of humanity (both partial evolutional processes and general qualities of biological and cultural evolution of man).

At present, there is a consensus that just having a comprehensive understanding of the planet’s natural system does not suffice. It is necessary to understand the complex interactions between the socio-economic system and the vital planetary systems which provide society with the ecosystem and natural services. The Social Ecology doctoral program contributes to the development of the environmental approaches characteristic in their interdisciplinary nature. The goal of the program is the advancement of knowledge, which should contribute to the creation of a theoretical base from within the strategy of making economic, social, and cultural development sustainable, especially from an environmental perspective. Students can come up with their own ideas for topics for their Ph.D. thesis or may use topics provided by supervisors. The objective of the Ph.D. Social Ecology is to provide, as in the above-mentioned domains, the concept of sustainable development with the support of scientifically conducted research. An important aspect of the program is the interdisciplinary character of the stated research domains and the synergies among them. Although it is not the main goal of the course, we hope that the research outputs be an important source of scientifically valid information for objective, relevant and qualified decision-making on environmental aspects, of the economic and social development of the Czech Republic.

The Doctoral program Semiotics and Communications Philosophy provides the demanding training necessary for qualified philosophical and semiotic research into communication, its evolution, changes and relationships with other social spheres. The field of study is interdisciplinary. The intent is to study communication strategies, their social assumptions, and their effects. The field is conceived theoretically but the graduate may also have access to practical processes because it helps to better understand the role of semiosis in the process of mass media communication. Students are encouraged to build on the traditional lines of exploration of both world and Czech semiotics and communication philosophy to acquire the latest theoretical knowledge and to develop them creatively.

Graduates from the Ph.D. program in Romance Literatures are highly qualified specialists trained to conduct research work in their field (the literature of one or more Romance-speaking areas). They are able to analyze the literature of the chosen Romance-speaking area in a qualified manner, applying a synchronic or diachronic approach and modern literary methods and research procedures. Moreover, their expertise comprises the knowledge of general literary theory, the fundamentals of comparative literature and literary theory and criticism with a special emphasis on the chosen Romance-speaking area. Graduates are qualified for positions in the academia (universities, research centers etc.); their language skills and broad education qualify the graduates for employment in cultural institutions, the media, diplomacy, and other fields.

Graduates have a sound knowledge of current trends in the field and are able to adopt a creative approach to the relevant source material. Graduates are equipped to work with original Latin documents, i.e. literary and diplomatic manuscripts, incunabula, paleotypes and old prints, being able to interpret and prepare them for publication and translation. Having been trained in philology and literary history and acquired the foundations of relevant historical disciplines (codicology, palaeography, diplomatic) and of cultural history, graduates are equipped to place mediaeval and early modern works into the context of their time and also to interpret them as a factor influencing the culture and society of subsequent eras.

Graduates from the Ph.D. program in Classical Philology are experts in classical languages/ancient literature, capable of developing their knowledge in a creative manner. Their dissertation theses testify to the graduates’ excellent expertise in the specialization of their choice within classical philology, including a reliable grounding in literary or linguistic theories. Graduates are equipped with knowledge, methods and language skills essential for independent research careers, being able to present their research findings at conferences, in journals, monographs, and editions of ancient texts. Graduates can seek employment as researchers and university teachers, editors, and translators of specialist publications.

Graduates have in-depth theoretical knowledge of the key areas related to the description of human speech and the sound patterns of Czech; in the area of the dissertation, they are very well acquainted with the current state-of-the-art, which includes the knowledge of both primary and secondary sources.

Graduates are highly qualified specialists in literary and cultural studies focused on English-speaking countries, especially the literature and cultures on the British Isles and in North America. They have a good command of theoretical and methodological approaches, are able to conduct independent research and to teach literary and cultural histories of the United Kingdom, USA, Ireland and other English-speaking countries, and related literary and cultural courses, at tertiary level. They can participate in team research projects and work in international research teams. Czech graduates have a good command of the terminology and style of the discipline in their mother tongue and possess basic knowledge of the reception of Anglophone literature in Czech culture.

The Ph.D. graduate has in-depth theoretical knowledge in all principal fields of Egyptology and a detailed overview and an up-to-date understanding of the current state of research and associated problems. On the basis of the upheld Ph.D. dissertation, he/she is able to demonstrate exceptional quality in his/her specific specialization. The scholarly, language and analytical proficiency and skills of the graduate make him/her fully equipped for a professional scholarly and pedagogic pursuit on an international level. The Ph.D. graduate may be employed in many top-rated institutions centered on the study of antiquity, as well as on the level of effective top executives in institutions partaking in cultural, political, economic or trade relations between the Czech Republic and Egypt.

The individually designed attestation system of the doctoral program provides graduates with an insight into the current state of research and methodology of the subject, especially in the selected area of specialization and closely related disciplines. During the course, graduates also explored philosophical issues connected to their doctoral subjects and topics and passed a foreign language exam. The doctoral dissertation is a scientifically valuable contribution to the investigation of the topic and its findings are usually published as a monograph or study in a scientific journal.

Graduates have a sound grounding in research methods in the humanities, particularly in the study of relationships between languages/cultures; knowledge of information sources and the ability to assess their relevance to the pair of languages/cultures of their choice; a thorough grounding in the theoretical concepts of translation and interpreting and the ability to apply them to the analysis of the translation / interpreting market and procedures. They are equipped to produce and edit extensive scientific texts and to evaluate the quality of writings in translation and interpreting studies. They are capable of theoretical reflection on particular products/situations related to translation studies within their linguistic, cultural, historical and social contexts, and are able to present their findings to the academic communities.

Joint program with the Slavic Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, a public scientific institution. Training takes place in Russian.

The graduate of the four-year doctoral program in Theatre Studies is a specialist trained for research in theater history and theory. Her/his specialized professional skills make the graduate qualified for work as a researcher, theatrologist, specialized editor in various (especially professional and academic) media and research institutions, and also as an expert working for state and municipal administration, non-governmental organizations, civic organizations, publishing houses, museums. Moreover, the graduate has been trained for teaching positions in academic institutions.

Graduates of the doctoral study program in Social Psychology and Psychology of Work are experts in the latest and scientifically supported procedures with a critical view of their content and especially their methodological contexts. They have demonstrated a profound knowledge of both the field and the methodology of their major topic of interest, which was the topic of their dissertation project.