Social Policy and Social Work

The aim of the programme is to prepare professionals focused on the exploration of social and public policy issues, social work and human resources development programmes.

„Using reflexive research to improve quality of helping interventions“

The subject of the research are social and public policy, social problems, difficult life situations, interventions social work and the implementation of specific interventions and the evaluation of their effectiveness.

Programme graduates are able to achieve this goal through their research activities, evaluation of existing or development of new measures and their implementation in practice. They can do this at international, national, regional and local levels.

Programme graduates are prepared for further research careers in national and international academic institutions, as well as for employment in public administration, social policy, social work and social service organisations.

Practical training

Research and pedagogical knowledge and skills are developed through hands-on activities.

Research competences: the students carry out their own research projects. They search for research questions and hypotheses, design research studies, collect and analyse data, write publications, gain experience in the publication process and make their expertise available to the general public.

Pedagogical competences: the students are involved in all types of pedagogical activities. They communicate with students, are administratively involved in the running of courses, assess students' course assignments, teach seminars and lectures, supervise and review bachelor theses.

The development of research and pedagogical competences takes place under the supervision of a supervisor, more experienced researchers/pedagogues and through cooperation with foreign experts.

Further information

Admission information: https://www.fss.muni.cz/en/faculty-of-social-studies/what-you-can-study/doctoral-studies

http://spsp.fss.muni.cz/

CEPRES (Centre for practice and evaluation studies) http://www.cepres-muni.cz

The primary areas of employment for graduates are international and national research and academia, public administration, social policy, social work and social services organisations.

In these organizations, they become researchers, creators of policies, programmes, and educators. They become authors of strategies for solving social problems or supporting the coping with difficult life situations at all levels of functioning (national, regional and local), as advisors and experts of political actors, state administration or non-governmental (even transnational) organizations.

Dates for submitting an e-application: 1 August 2024 – 30 November 2024
Dates for inserting supporting documents to the e-application: 1 August 2024 – 15 January 2025
Date of Entrance examination: 30 January 2025 - 5 February 2025
Minimum score for being accepted: 60 points (out of 100)
Supporting documents:

• Outline of the proposed dissertation project
• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Consent of the future supervisor
• Copy of master's degree certificate or proof of current studies
• List of publications and papers (if available)
• Proof of English - minimum B2 level (optional; compulsory only for those who cannot participate personally in the entrance exam)

Those who cannot participate in the entrance exam in person have to provide additionally 2 Letters of Recommendation. They must be sent by the referees themselves to our e-mail or mail contacts.

For being accepted, it is necessary to obtain the formal recognition of prior education in the Czech Republic. See the PhD admission website for further information.

Important information

Criteria for evaluation

The maximum possible score for the entrance examination is 100 points. A minimum of 60 points is required to pass the entrance examination.

Criteria for assessing applicants:

• Research project as a basis for the preparation of the dissertation - max. 60 points
• Professional knowledge in the given research area - max. 20 points
• Language skills (English in both written and verbal form) - max. 10 points
• Previous research experience - max. 10 points