Admission requirements:

1. Only candidates who have duly completed their university studies in a Master’s degree programme may be accepted for doctoral studies in the Modern History at the Institute of International Studies of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University (IMS FSV UK). Knowledge of English, at least at the B2 level, is an obligatory part of the applicant's professional qualification.
    
2. Applicants must submit a study application via the Student Information System by 30 April 2026. The application must be accompanied by a dissertation project, a structured curriculum vitae and proof of knowledge of English (an international certificate, a copy from a university registry, a certificate from a language course, etc.) or other languages relevant to the proposed dissertation research.
    

3. The dissertation project has a maximum of 10 standard pages (18,000 characters including spaces, approx. 3,000 words) written in English and must contain the following parts:

   
   • Definition and delineation of the dissertation topic.
   • Concise analysis of the current state of research.
   • Formulation of research questions and/or hypotheses.
   • Outline the proposed research design, including the envisaged methodologies and projected timetable.
   • Presentation of the archival sources under consideration, together with other relevant materials, and discussion of the approach to their use.
   • Standard list of references.

   Applicants may consult their topics in advance (in writing, or orally upon agreement) with the director of the doctoral study programme (Professor Ota Konrád, ota.konrad@fsv.cuni.cz). The purpose of the consultation is to assess, above all, to what extent the topics of the dissertations considered by candidates align with the research focus of IMS FSV UK, or with its current research tasks.
    

4. A prerequisite for admission is completing the entrance examination. The admission procedure is a two-round procedure, and its purpose is to assess the quality of the submitted project and its compliance with the research focus of IMS FSV UK. Applicants will be informed of the results of the first round of the admission procedure by 18 May 2026. For the second, oral round of the examination, which will take place between 8 and 19 June 2026, only those candidates whose dissertation projects achieve a score of 16 or more out of 30 possible points in the first round will be invited.
    
5. In the first round, the admission committee evaluates the quality of the project in terms of content and form. In the second round, the applicant's ability to justify the chosen topic, clearly define it and place it in a broader temporal, factual and research context will be assessed. The applicant must convincingly prove that the topic contributes to the current state of research, i.e., it brings new empirical and theoretical knowledge or original methodological procedures, etc. The interview in the second round is conducted in English.
    
6. Criteria for assessment of the entrance examination:
    First round: 
         • Quality of the submitted dissertation project, its research relevance, and match with the research focus on IMS FSV UK (max. 30 points)
    Second round: 
         • Originality of the proposed topic (max. 20 points)
         • Ability to substantiate the topic and its link to the current academic discussion (max. 30 points)
         • Feasibility within the prescribed timeframe, taking into account the availability and accessibility of primary sources, as well as the methodological, financial, and organizational conditions (maximum of 10 points).
         • Applicant's research, teaching and publication experience to date (max. 10 points)

The number of points necessary to be admitted is set by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, considering the number of applicants and the programme's capacity.

See also General and Faculty admission conditions.
 

Exemption from entrance examination:

Based on the request of the applicant and the recommendation of the director of the doctoral study programme, the Dean may waive the entrance examination if the applicant is a member of the research team of a research project in which IMS FSV UK participates, and the applicant's dissertation research is part of the project.

Study branch characteristics:

The Doctoral Program in Modern History explores modern and contemporary history from the nineteenth century to the present, with a particular focus on transnational and comparative perspectives. Regionally, the program emphasizes Europe, North America, and the post-Soviet space.

The program is organized by the Institute of International Studies in cooperation with the Institute of Contemporary History of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Students benefit from the IMS FSV UK's international partnerships with leading universities worldwide, including the opportunity to pursue joint doctoral supervision (Cotutelle).

According to the thematic and regional focus of their dissertations, students are affiliated with the relevant departments and research centers of the IMS FSV UK, where they actively participate in research projects, teaching, and other academic activities.