EUROPEAN PH.D. NETWORK IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND STATISTICAL STUDIES

Regarding the programme, there are seven major areas of research that are prioritized in dissertation projects:
- The interrelationship between economic and social structures
- Processes of change of economic organizations and institutions
- Markets as social structures and networks
- Labour market, employment, and conflict
- Welfare state analysis and social security
- Economic and social inequality and social justice
- Social ethics of the market in face of globalization

Programme Structure

All students on the SESS EuroPhD will first be admitted to a PhD Programme at their own institutions. At FEA MU they will be admitted first or at the same time to a general PhD Programme.

Sess.EuroPhD students will follow a three-year curriculum including the following elements:

• Dissertation supporting courses: seminars and methodological courses where projects are regularly presented in order to discuss and reflect on dissertation topics and projects with peers and faculty.
• Research design and methods courses: courses aimed at deepening knowledge and understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods and applying them to individual projects.
• Development of additional scientific skills: research stays, internships abroad at partner institutions, participation in conferences, teaching assistantships, submission of papers and articles.
• Work on the dissertation.

Students expected to participate in three elements specific to the Sess.EuroPhD Network

• Annual Seminars
• Semester abroad
• Research internship

Annual Seminars

Annual Seminars, dedicated to topics relevant to the European PhD Network aims and objectives, are organized on a rotating basis by partner universities. These seminars provide an opportunity for teachers and students from different universities to meet in order to discuss their research. During these meetings all doctoral students are expected to present their ongoing work; some may be invited to give special lectures.

Semester abroad

An essential part of the curriculum is the experience gained through the study at partner universities abroad. PhD candidates within the Sess.EuroPhd network are obliged to spend at least one semester at another partner university within the network. They are encouraged to make additional shorter visits as well. Visiting students are strongly encouraged to follow language courses in the countries of the chosen partner universities that host their visits.

Research Internship

In order to gain insights into ongoing research work and learn to conduct research independently, PhD candidates are encouraged to complete a research internship of at least three months before starting the PhD programme or after the first semester. The partner universities offer a great variety of interuniversity opportunities and research institutes with which they cooperate, where the internships can be conducted. PhD candidates should select a field of research for their internship that is in line with their own research ideas and interests. An internship report, in need of approval by the supervisor, may well be the first step in preparing thesis work. Often the internship will also be used to collect the data for the dissertation project. In any event, the choice of the internship should match the research interests of the candidates and should be discussed carefully with the advisors.

Requirements

The requirements for students within the SESS EuroPhD network may differ from candidate to candidate depending on personal qualifications and experience and vary among partner institutions.

At FEA MU the requirements are the same as for the students in general PhD Programmes only.

Admission is based upon academic excellence and is open to students with an economic or social science background who meet the admission requirements of the FEA MU. Candidates may be citizens of countries other than those of the partner universities.

Admission Requirements

• Candidates must have completed an academic education with above average results of a minimum of five years in the fields of Social Sciences or Economics.
• By the time they start their PhD studies, they should have fulfilled the degree requirements equivalent to a Master of Science as established by the respective national grant authorities or laid down in the guidelines of the respective university.
• English language proficiency at an academic level.

Application Process

The application process is in two stages.

Stage 1. Application for admission to the PhD programme at FEA MU.

This follows the admissions procedure in general PhD programmes at FEA MU.

Stage 2. Application for admission to the Sess.EuroPhD network.

This is identical for candidates from any partner university.

The following documents are compulsory for the application:

• statement of purpose
• Curriculum Vitae
• copies of degrees and certificates
• certificates of English language ability
• research plan
• statement of skills and experience with quantitative and qualitative methods
• two letters of recommendation

Where these documents have already been supplied as part of Stage 1, the same documents can serve for Stage 2.

Deadline

Same as in general PhD Programmes. Available here.

For questions about applying please contact FEA MU Coordinator for Doctotoral Studies at phd@econ.muni.cz

Students in the SESS EuroPhD network will be awarded a doctoral degree by their home university according to the regulations of that university. At the Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University participants are given the standard PhD certificate of the Masaryk University together with an additional document, signed by the President of the Sess.EuroPhD network, describing the activities they have undertaken through their membership of the network.

After the completion of their PhD studies, students who have fulfilled the formal requirements may be awarded the additional title of Doctor Europaeus marked in the diploma supplement. The criteria laid down by the European University Association are following:

1. at least two professors from two higher education institutions of two European countries, other than the one where the thesis is defended, have given their review of the dissertation;
2. at least one member of the examination board should come from a higher education institution in another European country, other than the one where the dissertation is defended;
3. a part of the dissertation defence must take place in one of the official languages other than the one(s) of the country where the dissertation is defended;
4. the dissertation must partly have been prepared as a result of a research period of at least one semester spent in another European country.