The studies aim at mastering research methods and acquiring knowledge and skills necessary for independent research and team work in the computer science area.  For a successful pass, each and every PhD student has to create some (maybe relatively small) clearly original and novel result in some research theme in the given area - a technical, implementation-only result is not enough. The student publishes the achieved research results at international conferences and journals, and at the end of the studies defends the doctoral thesis (dissertation) as a larger, consolidated work summarizing his/her results adding to the state of the art in the area.

Scientific and methodology help is provided by a supervisor. For success in the study, the choice of the supervisor is more important than the initial choice of the theme. The student and the supervisor must go together well and need each other.

Each PhD student at DCSE has an individual study plan. The plan comprises at least three courses relevant to the research theme, finished by an exam. Each student is expected to publish the interim results of the research; at least several peer-reviewed conference publications and an (accepted) journal paper are required prior to the dissertation defense.  Evaluation of how the plan is being followed and fulfilled happens once a year, during PhD Study Board meeting.

Usually after two years, the student undertakes the state doctoral exam which verifies the acquired knowledge, research abilities and research intentions for the dissertation.

During the studies, the student should complete at least one shorter (several weeks) stay abroad, to get outside inspiration and comparison, experience the international aspect of research and build important contacts.

The final defense of the dissertation, typically in the fourth year of study, is to prove that the student collected deep domain-specific scientific knowledge, followed established scientific methodology, used both in a creative way and developed his/her own novel contribution, accepted by the international research community, to the state of the art in the given area. The acceptance of the results is supported by the scientific papers, published by the student to the given research theme, and the evaluation of at least two reviewers; however, the opinion of the defense committee is decisive.

As a general rule, students in PhD programmes taught in English at the Faculty of Applied Sciences are exempt from tuition fee payment. However, they are also not supported by any Czech government stipend (this is unlike in Czech study programmes).

The Department is able to provide a scholarship for one candidate, enrolled in a given year and judged as the best by the PhD admissions board. Additional sources of income, available for interested and eligible students:

• bonus scholarships for good publication results;
• additional bonuses for passing the state exam in 2 years of study;
• teaching, in a TA or similar position (this is useful both for the department and for the PhD student for developing presentation skills).

Information on visas, living costs and other practical aspects is provided by UWB International Office.