Doctoral study programme Archaeology (P7109) – general study information [EN]

Study programme:

P7109 Archaeology (accreditation validity until 31 August 2020)

 

Branch of study:

Archaeology

 

Address of the respective department:

Silesian University in Opava

Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava

Institute of Archaeology

Masarykova trida 343/37

746 01  Opava

Tel: 553 684 472

Email: petra.kuklova (at) fpf.slu.cz

 

Admission conditions:

- Completed master´s (or equivalent university) studies,

- The result of the oral entrance examination,

- Proving the prerequisites for professional work based on the quality of the master´s thesis or other written works of the applicant and published, respectively unpublished results,

- The basis of the interview is the defence of the doctoral thesis project (1-2 pages: a proposal of the topic of the thesis and the procedure for its implementation, including the time schedule).

 

Detailed information about the study:

The study focuses on scientific research and independent creative activity in the field of research of Central European archaeology in the context of prehistoric and medieval history, especially in relation to questions concerning the territory of present-day Silesia and its European connections (the Silesian topic is not a condition, though). The study will have a specialization character.

The standard length of study is three years; the study is organized in full-time and combined form. The PhD students who study at work are expected to have a five-year period of study. Internal PhD students will receive a scholarship according to valid regulations.

The binding document for the organization of study is an individual study programme approved by the Subject Area Board. The individual study programme is prepared in co-operation with the doctoral student by the supervisor, who leads him/her professionally and also checks the fulfilment of the programme. Individual study programmes will respect the needs of scientific research as well as future prospective employment of candidates taking into account their individual interests.

The main direction of preparation of young researchers will be their independent scientific activity (independent study, heuristics and conception of a dissertation).

Within the theoretical and methodological part of the study, PhD students attend courses in the form of consultations and papers. These two courses are the Seminar on Selected Problems of History and Methods of Archaeology of Central Europe as well as Seminar on Selected Problems of Scientific Work in Archaeology; subsequently, they take an exam in History of Research, Theoretical and Methodological Problems of Archaeological Science. Within the framework of study related to professional specialization, they complete the course Selected Problems of Studying a Relevant Epoch in Central Europe, which is also done by means of consultations and papers. They are obliged to take one course of the selective subjects (both according to their specialization) and pass the exam from Archaeology of Central Europe.

During their studies, PhD students (the internal compulsorily, the external according to their possibilities) will attend annual national doctoral seminars, and before the end of their studies, all of them will present the results they have achieved in the course of their doctoral thesis. Everyone must also actively participate in an international conference (according to specialization) at least once during his/her studies.

A relatively independent part of the preparation will be the compulsory study of two foreign languages (that is English and one of the group: French, Russian, German, Polish). The expected schedule of exams (requirements and specification of terms) will be part of the individual study programme). Part of language teaching is also to prepare a professional article in a foreign language for printing.

Another relatively independent part of the preparation will be compulsory study of the subject titled Philosophical and Methodological Grounds and obtaining credit from it.

In addition to the basic duties, the internal doctoral student will be adequately assigned other duties related to the nature of his/her scientific preparation (e.g., pedagogical activity, conducting field surveys and research, assistance in the preparation of conferences and exhibitions, etc.). The cooperation of external PhD students on the pedagogical and scientific activities of the department is not obligatory, but is welcome.

The scientific preparation of the PhD student will be completed by the state doctoral final examination and the elaboration and defense of the doctoral dissertation, the extent of which will be determined by the nature of the subject matter (at least 150 pages of manuscript and 50 pages of appendices – tables, maps, plans, etc.) The dissertation must contain original knowledge that will enrich the current state of research in the field; it is expected that its results will be published or accepted for publication.

At the state doctoral final examinations, the results of the doctoral student are assessed by minimally a five-member committee; at least three of its members are members of the Subject Area Board. The committee for the defence of the doctoral thesis also consists of at least five members and at least three members are members of the Subject Area Board.

 

Basic courses and blocks of courses (recommended semester):

Compulsory subjects (C – credit, Ex – exam):

History of Research, Problems of Methods and Practice of Archaeological Science in Central Europe (2nd – 3rd), Ex

Archaeology of Central Europe (3rd – 4th), Ex

Foreign languages (3rd – 5th) (see Part 2)

Philosophical and Methodological Grounds (1st – 2nd), C

State Doctoral Examination (6th)

Compulsory optional subjects (1st – 4th) (choice from Parts 1, 2, 3)

Seminar on Selected Problems of History and Methods of Archaeology of Central Europe – C

Seminar on Selected Problems of Scientific Work in Archaeology – C

 (For both courses-seminars, the exam “History of Research, Theoretical and Methodological Problems of Archaeological Science” is common; access to it is conditioned by obtaining credits from both courses-seminars).

Selected Problems of Studying a Relevant Epoch in Central Europe – C:

- the student enrols for one of the following seminars according to his/her specialization: 1) Selected Problems of the Study of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic in Central Europe; 2) Selected Problems of the Study of the Neolithic and Eneolithic in Central Europe; 3) Selected Problems of the Study of the Bronze Age and Hallstatt Age in Central Europe; 4) Selected Problems of the Study of the La Téne Period in Central Europe; 5) Selected Problems of the Study of the Roman Era and the Great Migration of Nations in Central Europe; 6) Selected Problems of Early Medieval Studies in Central Europe); 7) Selected Problems of Archaeology of High Middle Ages in Central Europe[V1] .

(Obtaining the credit from this course and obtaining the credit from at least one course from the compulsory optional courses from Part 3 is conditional on access to the “Archaeology of Central Europe” exam.)

Presentation of PhD Students – C

English – Ex

Academic Writing in a Foreign Language – C

 

Compulsory optional subjects:

Part 1:
Seminar for PhD Students
I – C

Seminar for PhD Students II – C

Seminar for PhD Students III – C

Seminar for PhD Students IV – C

 (The student is obliged to attend at least one of these seminars during the standard period of his/her studies.)

Part 2:

French – Ex

Russian – Ex

German – Ex

Polish – Ex

 (The student is obliged to take an exam in one of these languages during his/her studies.)

 Part 3:

Research Methods for the Palaeolithic – C

Two Chapters from the Neolithic and Eneolithic Upper Oder River Region – C

Upper Oder River Region as Communication Link between North and South – C

Historical Circumstances and Material Culture at the Turn of the Eneolithic Age and the Bronze Age – C

The Role of the Coin in La Téne and Roman Society [V2] – C

Archaeological Manifestations of the Cult in the World of Barbarians between the Middle Danube and the Baltic – C

Old Hungarians and Czech Lands in Terms of Archaeology – C

Cups from Loštice as a Phenomenon of Medieval Culture – C

(The student is obliged to attend at least one of these seminars during the standard period of his/her studies).