Masaryk University Advanced Master’s State Examination Regulations

In accordance with Section 36(2) of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on the Modification and Amendment of Other Acts (Higher Education Act), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports registered the Masaryk University Advanced Master’s State Examination Regulations under Ref. No. MSMT-6350/2024-2 as of the date of signing the registration.

Mgr. Karolína Gondková
Director of the Department of Higher Education Institutions

(in the version effective from 1 September 2024)
PDF for download

Section 1
Introductory Provisions

(1) The Masaryk University Advanced Master’s State Examination Regulations (hereinafter referred to as the “Regulations”) regulate the process of submitting applications for the advanced master’s state examination (hereinafter referred to as the “advanced master’s examination”), general rules of the organization of the examination at Masaryk University (hereinafter referred to as “MU”) faculties, its
proceedings and evaluation, fee associated with admission to the examination and its administration and payment for the preparation for the advanced master's examination.

(2) The conditions of the advanced master’s examination not regulated hereby may be defined by MU faculties through a regulation.

Section 2
Advanced Master’s Procedure

(1) In accordance with Section 46(5) of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Modification and Amendment of Other Acts (Higher Education Act), as later amended (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”), academic degrees are awarded after the completion of the advanced master’s examination.

(2) The advanced master’s procedure is commenced by submitting an application with requisites under Section 3(4).

(3) The procedure shall be terminated:

a) by the successful passing of the advanced master’s examination with a passing grade,

b) by receiving a failing grade at a resit or a failing grade in cases under Section 3(14),

c) by a written statement of the candidate on the termination of the advanced master’s procedure,

d) by the lapse of a period for remedying defects of the application or its annexes without the candidate having remedied the defects,

e) by failure to submit a revised advanced master’s thesis within the specified period,

f) by a decision of the dean in the event of a violation of the MU Code of Ethics by the candidate, incorrectness of any of the information provided in the application or its annexes, violation of copyright, plagiarism or unoriginality of the thesis, or any other violation of the conditions set by the faculty.

(4) The day of termination of the advanced master’s procedure under:

a) subsection 3(a) to (b) shall be the day of the advanced master’s examination,

b) subsection 3(c) shall be the day of delivery of the candidate’s statement,

c) subsection 3(d) and e) shall be the last day of the period,

d) subsection 3(f) shall be the day of legal force of the dean’s decision.

Section 3
Advanced Master’s Examination

(1) A graduate of a master’s degree programme who obtained the degree of “magistr” (Master) is allowed to sit for an advanced master’s examination in the same area of studies. In the case of doubt regarding the area of studies, the issue shall be decided by the guarantor of the master’s degree programme (hereinafter referred to as the “guarantor”) with which the advanced master’s procedure that is the
subject of the application is associated.

(2) The advanced master’s examination includes the defence of the advanced master’s thesis (hereinafter referred to as the “defence”).

(3) Payment for the use of facilities and information technology required for the preparation for the advanced master’s examination under Section 46(5) of the Act may be determined by the faculty through a regulation.

(4) The application for the examination is submitted by the candidate via the Information System of MU (hereinafter referred to as “IS MU”). The application shall include:

a) the title of the advanced master’s thesis,

b) an authorized conversion of documents certifying previously completed education, except for graduation of MU after 1 January 1998,

c) an overview of the candidate’s professional activities in the field of the advanced master’s examination, including a list of published outcomes or outcomes accepted for publication,

d) the advanced master’s thesis and

e) a statutory declaration stating that the thesis was not used in any other successfully completed procedure for the award of an academic degree or scientific rank.

(5) An application for the advanced master’s examination may include the candidate’s request for the consideration of special needs. An MU regulation stipulates the conditions and procedure for the exercise of rights and obligations under these Regulations in respect of candidates with specific needs arising from a physical or sensory impairment by means of emergency measures under these Regulations.

(6) The date of the advanced master’s examination shall be determined by the dean upon a proposal of the guarantor so that the examination takes place no later than within one year after submitting the application unless this is prevented by serious reasons of which the candidate must be informed.

(7) The advanced master’s examination is held before an advanced master’s examination board (hereinafter referred to as the “board”) during one day and consists of:

a) the defence of the advanced master’s thesis and

b) if the defence is successful, an oral examination in thematic areas determined by the guarantor from the relevant area of studies.

(8) The language of the defence and the oral examination shall be determined by the chair of the board from the options under Section 4(3).

(9) The advanced master’s examination and announcement of its result are open to the public. The board’s discussion about the result of the defence and of the advanced master’s examination is not public. In case the reviewers of the thesis are not members of the board, they are entitled to participate in the non-public part of the board’s discussion in an advisory capacity.

(10) Written minutes are taken from the advanced master’s examination.

(11) The result of the examination is expressed as: “passed” or “failed”.

(12) The board decides by an absolute majority of the members present. In the case of equality of votes, the vote of the chair is decisive.

(13) In case a candidate failed the advanced master’s examination, one resit is possible on the date determined by the dean upon a suggestion of the board (Section 6); the resit must take place by the end of the immediately following semester. If the defence was successful, it need not be repeated.

(14) If a candidate fails to appear for the advanced master’s examination on the scheduled date and to excuse their absence within 5 subsequent days, the result of the examination shall be “failed”. In case a candidate provides due excuse, a resit shall be set in accordance with subsection 13, as appropriate.

Section 4
Advanced Master’s Thesis

(1) An advanced master’s thesis presents original outcomes of the candidate’s creative activities proving that the candidate has enhanced their professional knowledge beyond the scope of their master’s studies and developed the ability to work independently with new theoretical and practical findings. The professional level of the advanced master’s thesis exceeds the standard required for master’s theses in
the area of studies concerned.

(2) The advanced master’s thesis may be in the form of a set of works published or accepted for publishing, which shall be accompanied by a comprehensive introduction and a commentary unless the faculty determines otherwise through a regulation.

(3) The advanced master’s thesis is written:

a) in the language of a degree programme concerned,

b) in the language specified for this purpose in the degree programme specification,

c) in English or Slovak unless expressly prohibited by the degree programme specification or

d) in another language upon a consent by the guarantor.

(4) The advanced master’s thesis is submitted via the IS MU. The requirements for the form and arrangement of the thesis may be set by the faculty through a regulation.

(5) Unless otherwise determined by the faculty through a regulation, the dean upon a proposal of the guarantor shall appoint two reviewers of the thesis, of whom at least one is not an MU employee.

(6) Each of the reviewers shall prepare a report of the thesis. The report shall assess the quality of the thesis, the candidate’s own merit and, in particular, the candidate’s ability of independent creative activity in the given area of studies. The linguistic and formal aspects of the thesis shall also be assessed. In conclusion, the reviewer shall state whether the thesis meets the requirements mentioned in
subsection 1.

(7) The provisions of subsection 3 shall apply to the language of the report, as appropriate.

(8) The advanced master’s thesis that has gone through the defence process is published, including the reviewers’ reports, minutes of the defence and its result, via the IS MU. Other requisites concerning the publication, inspection and archiving of advanced master’s theses are set out in the MU Study and Examination Regulations.

Section 5
Board

(1) The advanced master’s examination board has a minimum of five and a maximum of nine members, of whom at least one is an associate professor or full professor. At least two members of the board are not employees of the faculty of whom at least one is not an MU employee.

(2) The board members are appointed by the dean upon a proposal of the guarantor.

(3) Associate professors and full professors may become members of the board; appointment of other members from among experts in the relevant area of studies requires prior approval by the faculty’s scientific board.

(4) The Rector appoints the chair of the board from among its members upon a proposal of the guarantor. The chair presides over the board’s meetings.

(5) The board chair and members may be dismissed by the appointing body upon or without a proposal of the guarantor.

(6) The advanced master’s examination board constitutes a quorum in case an absolute majority of all its members, the chair and at least one member who is not employed at MU are present.

Section 6
Fees

(1) The fee applicable to acts associated with admission to the advanced master’s examination and with the organization of this examination are stipulated by faculty.

(2) Candidates are obliged to pay the fee together with filing the application for the advanced master’s examination via the MU Shopping Centre.

(3) The details of the payment and refund of the fee or its part, as the case may be, shall be determined by the faculty through a regulation.

Section 7
Diploma

After the advanced master’s examination is passed, the university shall issue a diploma and diploma supplement stating the academic degree awarded.

Section 8
Final Provisions

(1) These Regulations were approved in accordance with Section 9(1)(b)(3) of the Act by the Academic Senate of Masaryk University on 8 April 2024.

(2) In accordance with Section 36(4) of the Act, these Regulations shall enter into force on the day of registration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

(3) These Regulations shall enter into effect as of 1 September 2024.

Prof. MUDr. Martin Bareš, Ph.D.
Rector