Systematic Philosophy (PhD.)

Educational objectives and outputs of the study program Several educational objectives are identified at the doctoral level of education:

1. 1. To acquire extensive and profiled professional and methodological knowledge about the priorities that are necessary for the development of several areas of the field of philosophy and to apply them to the solution of theoretical and practical problems.

2. 2. To acquire the skill to creatively reflect, propose, verify and implement new research and work procedures. Practically master the chosen research methods and use them in the search for new procedures, in the analysis of relevant details and important interdisciplinary connections.

3. 3. To acquire the ability of independent, creative, critical and analytical thinking, which can be applied in unpredictable and changing conditions of scientific research and social practice. To independently present the results of research, development and practice before the professional community at home and abroad.

4. 4. To prepare for work in the relevant scientific field in academic institutions or organizations of this type or other social science institutions.

Education outcomes in categories:

1. 1. Knowledge: the graduate has extensive and profiled professional and methodological knowledge about the priorities that are necessary for the development of several areas of the field. He has expert knowledge of his chosen field of research at the level of its current stage of development, which serves him as a basis for carrying out research, development and creation of new knowledge and projects.

2. 2. Skills: the graduate will have intellectual skills in the field of analytical, critical and conceptual thinking, which he is able to apply in the unpredictable and changing conditions of scientific research and social practice. He has advanced skills in conducting scientific debate and controversy, in the creation of scientific text in the field of philosophy and humanities. He can apply critical thinking when analyzing other authors' texts and when creating his own scientific texts.

3. 3. Professional competences: the graduate will have developed competences – to identify and independently solve scientific problems, – to interdisciplinary connect knowledge from philosophy with other scientific disciplines, – to work effectively and critically with textual information sources, – to think in logical contexts, to think independently and to present their own the results of research, development and practice before the professional community and critically evaluate the results of other scientists.

4. 4. Transferable competences: the graduate will have developed oral and written communication skills, organizational skills, digital skills, creativity, interpersonal skills, mentoring skills, metacognitive skills and reasoning in context, will be able to work in and with a team, manage stressful situations , possess language competences in the mother tongue as well as in a foreign language.

Graduates of the 3rd degree of the systematic philosophy study program are qualified to perform professions corresponding to the activities of an independent or team scientific, pedagogical and creative worker:

• worker/manager in socially oriented research organizations and institutions,
• university teacher/researcher in higher education institutions,
• researcher in educational institutions of the non-university type,
• worker in governmental and non-governmental expert commissions,
• worker in governmental and non-governmental humanitarian-oriented institutions and organizations,
• worker in organizations and institutions of the third sector,
• worker in institutions dealing with empirical identification of the state of society (e.g. public opinion research),
• worker/project manager in cultural and social institutions, foundations, civil associations,
• worker/manager in the editorial offices of scientific, professional and social journals,
• worker in publishing houses of scientific (professional, social science) literature,
• worker/manager in political institutions,
• worker/manager in the state administration (human resources area),
• mass media worker/executive.
   

Our doctoral study program in systematic philosophy is structured in such a way as to allow students the best possible preparation for the performance of the activities defined above. For this reason, we place increased emphasis on the development of analytical and critical thinking and on the development of the ability to actively understand the text and the development of students' writing skills. The main focus is on developing scientific and expert skills of doctoral students, on their publication activity, foreign activities (internships, scholarships, participation in conferences) and overall academic growth. Philosophy (systematic philosophy) is mostly understood as a theoretical discipline, but it also has its irreplaceable practical, application dimension. In their dissertations, the doctoral students of our department solve highly specialized theoretical problems of contemporary systematic philosophy, as well as topics that have a practical, application dimension - of course, they do not lose sight of scientific rigor here either - and correspond to the current problems of modern society.

Conditions for Admission for Full-time and Part-time Study

The admission process for doctoral studies is conducted according to § 5 of the Internal Directive 2/2014 on the Organization of Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Arts, UCM in Trnava, and in accordance with the conditions specified in § 54 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. The faculty informs all applicants about the admission conditions within the legally stipulated timeframe by publishing an announcement about the admission process on the FF UCM website under the doctoral studies category. The publication of the admission process is differentiated according to individual study programs. The basic conditions for admission to doctoral studies at FF UCM include:

a) a completed master's degree in the relevant or related field,
b) scientific and pedagogical activity in the field,
c) successful completion of the entrance examination.

Graduates of domestic or foreign universities who have completed a master’s degree in the relevant or related field may apply for admission. Preference will be given to graduates who participated in student scientific activities during their previous studies. Applicants apply for announced topics published on the website of the Department of Philosophy and Applied Philosophy at FF UCM.

The admission process for the study program in Systematic Philosophy is a selection process conducted in the form of an interview, where the applicant presents their motivations, qualifications for study, dissertation project, and knowledge of a foreign language. The applicant chooses from the predefined topics or may propose their own dissertation topic after consulting with the department. For the entrance examination, the applicant must bring a detailed project of the dissertation, a list of studied literature in the field, and an overview of their own publication activities. The admission committee consists of at least five members, with the chair and members appointed by the dean upon the recommendation of the relevant committee. If the admission process involves a topic announced by an external educational institution, a representative of that institution will also be a member of the committee. The committee is quorate with a majority presence of its members; in the event of a tie, the chair has the deciding vote. The admission committee evaluates the results of the entrance examination in a non-public session.

The goal of the entrance examination is to assess the applicant’s potential for independent creative work in the field of science and technology within the Systematic Philosophy program, as well as to ascertain the applicant's level of relevant knowledge. The committee evaluates the quality of the dissertation project, the applicant's ability to respond to committee questions, their potential for scientific work, and their language skills. An applicant becomes a doctoral student upon successfully completing the selection process and enrolling in the doctoral program based on the dean’s admission decree.

The admission process at FF UCM begins with the delivery of a written application for study. It is conducted in accordance with Act No. 131/2002 Coll. on Higher Education and amendments to certain laws, §§ 56 to 58. The admission process allows an applicant who meets the stipulated admission conditions to become a student in the chosen study program. An applicant who does not demonstrate fulfillment of the basic admission conditions at the time of verification may be conditionally admitted, with the obligation to fulfill the basic admission conditions by the day set for enrollment.

The method of admission is also governed by the general conditions approved by the academic senate of the faculty for the relevant academic year, which must be published alongside the offer of study programs and the planned number of admitted applicants within the legally established timeframe through an announcement on the FF UCM website.

Applicants are informed of the results of the admission process for doctoral study programs in writing or electronically. The dean of FF UCM decides on the inclusion of the applicant in the doctoral study program based on the results of the entrance examination and the recommendations of the admissions committee. The admission decision includes the topic of the chosen dissertation and the full name of the supervisor.

The admission process at FF UCM is carried out in accordance with the university directive on the Admission Procedure.

And also according to Internal Directive 2/2014 on the Organization of Doctoral Studies at FF UCM in Trnava.

See the subjects and the study plan that you will take during your studies on the FULL-TIME form of study.

See the subjects and the study plan that you will take during your study on the PART-TIME form of study.