VŠE Study regulations

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports registered under Section 36(2) of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., On Higher Education Institutions and on Amendments and Supplements to Some Other Acts (the Higher Education Act), on July 18, 2017 under Ref. MSMT-19508/2017 Study and Examination Rules of the University of Economics, Prague.

Mgr. Karolína Gondková, in her own hand,
Director of the Department of Higher Education Institutions

Study and Examination Rules of the University of Economics, Prague

July 18, 2017

Part One
FUNDAMENTAL PROVISIONS

Article 1
Introductory provisions

These Study and Examination Rules (hereinafter referred to as “Study Rules“) have been adopted under Act 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Modification and Amendments of Other Acts (hereinafter referred to as ” Higher Education Act“), as amended (“Act”), as the Statutes of the of the University of Economics in Prague (hereinafter referred to as “VSE”), and apply to all students enrolled in Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral (PhD) degree program implemented at VSE and its faculties.

Article 2 Competences of the Deans and Rector

(1) The Dean’s competence under these Study Rules applies to students enrolled in study programs which are carried out by the relevant faculty of VSE, except in the cases referred to in Articles 10 (8), 11 (2) and 15 (8), where the Dean of the faculty, on which the study obligation is accredited, has competence.

(2) In case that the study program is carried out by VSE, the Rector shall exercise the Dean’s competence under these Study Rules.

Article 3
Definitions of terms

For the purpose of the Study Rules, the terms below have the following meaning:

a) The term “accreditation“ means the granting of the authorization and setting the conditions for the realization of a study program, subject or other study obligations in accordance with the Study rules, quality assurance of educational, creative and related activities and internal evaluation of the educational, creative and related activities of VSE. The conditions laid down in the accreditation include documentation of a study program, subject or other study obligations.

b) The term “individual curriculum“ means a time schedule and content sequence of the passing of study obligations, the form of their study and the way of verifying the study results, that must be fulfilled by the student in the given Doctoral degree program.

c) The term “major specialization of the study program“ means thematically substantial part of the curriculum of the Master’s degree program according to the accreditation of the study program, completed by the state examination.

d) The term “compliance credits” means credits gained upon the successful completion of all obligations, and credits gained upon the recognition of obligations successfully completed by the student while on a study abroad program as part of his or her studies at VSE. The compliance credits do not include credits gained in the semester when the student’s study was interrupted.

e) The term “credit” means a unit of evaluation of study obligations in Bacherol’s and Master’s degree programs, except for sports activities, which expresses the student study load from participation in lessons and preparation for the fulfillment of study obligations related to his or her participation in lessons and preparation for or completion of study obligations. The student is awarded credits upon the successful completion or recognition of completed study obligations.

f) The term “credit voucher“ means a voucher allowing the student to enroll in or get recognized study obligations in Bacherol’s and Master’s degree programs.

g) The term “grade point average” means a weighted grade average of all the successfully completed and unsuccessfully completed examinations (including completed examinations by the student on a study abroad program as part of his or her studies at VSE). The weights are the credit evaluations of all study obligations. The decisive moment for calculation of the grade point average is the end of the semester.

h) The term “subject of study” means all the study obligations, including classes. It can be implemented semesterly, i.e. throughout the teaching period, or in blocks, i.e. in or outside of the teaching period.

i) The term “enrollment for study obligations” means the student’s enrollment for performance of obligations in study in compliance with the rules and the acceptance of such requirements. If the relevant study obligation is a subject, the term “enrollment for a study obligation” means “enrollment into a subject”.

j) The term “year of study” means two consecutive semesters of student studies.

k) The term “study obligations” means the student’s obligations stipulated by the accreditation of the study program and by the curriculum or the individual curriculum. The study obligation includes mainly the subject of study, the state final examination or a part thereof, the state doctoral examination, the defence of the final thesis, publication and pedagogical output, professional practice, presentation at a professional conference and sports activities.

l) The term “curriculum” means schedule of time and content sequence of the required completion of study obligations, the form of their study and the way of verification of study results, to be completed by the student in the given Bacherol’s or Master’s degree program.

m) The term “minor specialization” means a thematicaly integral part of the Master’s degree program completed by the state examination, chosen by the student based on the rules and conditions specified in the accreditation of the respective Master’s degree program.

n) The terms “teaching” or “classes” mean lectures, tutorials, seminars, and consultations together with professional training and methodological workshops.

o) The term “enrollment card” means a list of subjects the student enrolled into.

p) The term “final thesis” means Bacherol’s thesis, Master´s thesis, or Doctoral dissertation.

Part Two
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STUDY ORGANIZATION

Article 4
Organization of the Academic Year of Study

(1) The academic year of study lasts 12 calendar months and is divided into winter and summer semester. Its schedule is determined by the Rector after discussion with the Deans.

(2) The schedule for the academic year of study determines in particular

a) teaching periods,

b) examination periods,

c) registration and enrollment periods,

d) the main holiday season.

(3) The teaching period of one semester lasts 13 weeks; the examination period lasts for 6 weeks in a Bacherol’s and Master’s degree program, in a Doctoral degree program the examination period takes place throughout the year. In justified cases, the Rector may make exceptions from these rules.

Article 5
Course of Study

(1) An admitted applicant becomes a student on the enrollment date. Upon the enrollment to study, the student is required to take an academic matriculation oath. The conditions and term of enrollment for studies and matriculation are set by the Dean.

(2) For a student in a Doctoral’s degree program, the Dean appoints a supervisor when enrolling into the studies and assigns the student to the department where he or she is responsible for the dissertation, usually at the department where his or her supervisor is working.

(3) During the course of study, the student shall immediately notify the relevant Study Department about any change in the contact details (in particular the name, surname, address, telephone number). Should the student fail to do so, neither VSE nor any of its divisions shall be liable for any consequences of such omission for the student.

(4) A student in a study program in a foreign language is obliged to pay the study fees according to the Statute of VSE.

(5) A student may not commit any illicit acts in carrying out his or her study obligations, in particular

a) any form of cheating, copying, or unauthorized cooperation, including all forms of prompting,

b) publishing of someone else´s work for own use, especially by using a part of someone else´s work in his or her own work without proper reference or literal use of a part of someone else´s work without an obvious indication of the quotation,

c) submitting the same or partially modified work to fulfill various study obligations,

d) any recording or propagation of the test or examination content.

Article 6
Language of Study

(1) The student is taught and fulfills his or her study obligations in the language determined by the accreditation of the study program.

(2) In a study program accredited in the Czech language, the Dean may, at the student’s request, authorize the preparation and submission of the final thesis in a foreign language; the Dean determines in what language the examiner´s reports should be processed and the defence will be held. The Dean may delegate these powers to another person.

Article 7
Interruption of Studies

(1) The Dean may, at student´s justified request, interrupt his or her studies, even repeatedly. The student is required to apply for an interruption immediately after the reasons for the interruption of studies have arisen. During the time of the interruption of studies, the person is not a student.

(2) The Dean always interrupts the student´s studies on the basis of his or her request, even repeatedly, in connection with pregnancy, childbirth or parenthood, for the entire recognized period of parenthood. Interruption of studies for this reason shall not be counted into the total duration of the interruption of studies pursuant to paragraphs 5 and 6.

(3) The Dean shall grant the application if the person in the recognized parenthood period asks for re-enrollment for studies before the period of interruption of his or her studies expires. If the re-enrollment date is not the first day of the semester, the student is not entitled to enroll for semester subjects in this semester.

(4) The end of the interruption of studies is always the same as the end of the semester. In the Doctoral degree program, the Dean may, in justified cases, set the end of the interruption of studies differently

(5) In the Bacherol’s and Master’s degree programs, the number of semesters in which the student has interrupted his or her studies must not exceed the number of semesters of the standard study period.

(6) In the Doctoral degree program, the total duration of the study interruption must not exceed in total 24 months.

(7) If the person whose studies were interrupted was not authorized by the Dean for another interruption of studies on the basis of a request before the end of the period in which the study was interrupted, applies the rule that the person has exercised his or her right and the first day after the expiry of the period of interruption of studies, he or she re-enrolled in the study.

Article 8
Accreditation

(1) A study program, which may include minor specialization, state final examination, state doctoral examination, subject and professional practice must be accredited.

(2) Substantial change in accreditation must be made public

a) in the case of a subject within a Bacherol’s and Master’s degree program prior to the beginning of the registration period for subjects,

b) in the case of a subject within a Doctoral degree program before the beginning of the period for enrollment of subjects,

c) in the case of a state final examination or state doctoral examination at least 6 months before the date of the state final examination or state doctoral examination,

d) in the case of a change in the structure of the compulsory subjects of the study program at least 3 months before the beginning of the semester to which the change according to the curriculum or the individual curriculum relates.

Article 9
Subjects and Their Enrollment

(1) Subjects are implemented within one semester.

(2) The dates for enrolling subjects are set by the time schedule of the academic year; the dates for enrolling subjects implemented in blocks can be determined by the guaranteeing department differently.

(3) The student is required to check the correctness of the data contained in the enrollment card, provided such check must be performed within the deadline and in the manner prescribed in the Dean’s ordinance.

(4) A student of a Bacherol’s degree program may enroll into a subject from a Master’s degree program in addition to the curriculum if he or she needs no more than 30 credits to gain the total number of credits required to complete the Bachelor’s degree program.

Article 10
Grading of Study Obligations

(1) The way of completing the subject is determined by the accreditation. The subject is completed by gaining a credit or passing an examination. The gaining of a credit is possible only for sports and language subjects followed by another subject in a logical series, whereas the last subject in the series must be completed with passing an examination.

(2) An examination may be assessed on the following grading scale:

a) excellent (1); if the examination result is measured by points, the result is at least 90% of the maximum score,

b) very good (2); if the examination result is measured by points, the result is at least 75% but less than 90% of the maximum points,

c) good (3); if the examination result is measured by points, the result is at least 60% but less than 75% of the maximum points,

d) failed with the option of repeated examination (4+); if the result of the examination is measured by points, the result is at least 50%, but less than 60% of the maximum score, or this grade is awarded at the discretion of the examiner even at a lower score or when the student rejects the assessment under (b) or (c),

e) failed (4); if the examination result is measured by points, this grade belongs to a student who has scored less than 60% of the points and has not been awarded the grade 4+. This grade is also assessed to the student in the case of non-fulfillment of a study obligation or in the case of unauthorized conduct during the examination in accordance with Article 5 (5).

To obtain a given grade of assessment, the accreditation may require to meet other conditions.

(3) A student in a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program who has been graded at grade 4+ may use another term for repeating the examination under the conditions of accreditation of the subject. If the student does not use the possibility of repeating by the end of the examination period, the 4+ grade is changed to 4. The grade 4+ can not be used at the examination taken in the last set examination term of the semester, and this degree of assessment can not be given twice in succession.

(4) In a Doctoral degree program, assessment by grade 4+is not used, but the examination can be repeated once. Repetition of the examination is possible after at least four weeks from the date when the student was assessed by “failed”.

(5) The credit can be assessed by one of these grades

a) credited (passed); if the result of the credit is measured by points, the result is at least 60% of the maximum score,

b) not credited (did not pass); if the result of the credit is measured by points, this result score is less than 60% of the maximum points. This grade is also assessed to the student in the case of non-fulfillment of the study obligation or during unauthorized conduct during the fulfillment of the conditions of the credit under Article 5 (5).

(6) Successful completion of the examination shall be considered as an examination graded in accordance with paragraph 2 (a), (b) or (c), and a credit graded according to paragraph 5 (a).

(7) The grading is recorded by the teacher or examiner in the information system of VSE within 5 working days of the examination or from the fullfilment of the last condition for the credit. In the case of an oral examination, the teacher or examiner will inform the student of the grading on the day of the examination.

(8) If the student has reasonable doubts that the grade was granted by the examiner or the teacher in accordance with these Study Rules or accreditation, he or she may submit a reasoned request for review of the assessment to the head of the department, within five working days of the date of award of the assessment to the information system of VSE. If the head of the department finds that the grade has not been awarded in accordance with these Study Rules or accreditation, he shall decide, without undue delay, on the remedy measures, otherwise he or she shall confirm the grade. The decision of the head of the department is final. If the examiner or teacher is the head of the department, the Dean decides to review the assessment.

Article 11
Impediments to Fulfillment of Obligations

(1) If a student could not meet a study obligation for serious reasons, he or she may apply for an excuse within 5 working days of the day he or she was due to fulfil it or when the impediment to the student’s fullfilment of obligations passed.

(2) Applying for an excuse to fullfilment of obligations is made directly to the teacher or examiner, and, if this is not possible, through the secretariat of the department where the teacher or examiner works. The teacher or examiner decides on the application without undue delay. If the application fails, the student may submit an application for an excuse to fullfilment of obligations within 3 working days of notification of the decision stating the reasons for disagreement with the decision of the teacher or examiner, to the head of the department. The head of the department decides on the application without undue delay definitively; when deciding on the application of the head of the department as an examiner or a teacher, he or she shall pass the application for decision to the Dean.

(3) In the case that the study obligation is a state doctoral examination or defence of a dissertation, the application for an excuse to fullfilment of the study obligations is submitted to the guarantor of the study program, who shall decide on it without undue delay. If the application fails, the student may, within 3 working days of notification of the decision, file a request for an excuse stating the reasons for disagreement with the guarantor´s decision to the Dean. The Dean decides on the application without undue delay definitively.

(4) If the request for an excuse to fullfilment of obligations is accepted, it shall mean that the student has not fullfilled the obligation; the teacher or examiner may recognise the fullfilled part of the study obligation in the new fullfilment of obligations. If the request for an excuse is not met, it shall mean that the student was unsuccessful.

(5) If the student has more than 15 calendar days of impediment to the student’s obligations, the student is obliged to inform about this situation the designated member of the Study Department immediately.

Article 12
Recognition of Study Obligations

(1) The study obligations, which the student has successfully completed at VSE or another university, can be recognized by the Dean in the current study program at the student’s request. The terms of recognition are laid down by the Dean in his or her measures.

(2) The student of a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program is required to apply for recognition of all study obligations he has completed during his or her study at a university abroad, for which he or she was sent to study as part of his or her studies at VSE. Study obligations approved in “Learning agreement” are recognized in case of a successful completion, while, in case of unsuccessful completion, they are listed in the student’s study record with the assessment “failed “.

(3) A student of a Master’s degree program who completed his or her Bachelor’s degree program at VSE may apply for recognition of only such obligations which he or she has completed under Article 9 (4).

Part Three
ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION OF STUDY IN BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM AND MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM

Article 13
Credit System

(1) The total number of credits required for completion of study in the study program equals to a thirty-fold of the number of semesters of the standard study period specified in the accreditation; an exception may be a study program implemented in cooperation with a foreign higher education institution, for which accreditation may provide for a different number of credits.

(2) After each semester the student must have

a) in the full-time study form, the number of control credits at least twenty times the number of semesters in which the study was not interrupted,

b) in distance or combined form of study, the number of control credits at least fifteen times the number of semesters in which the study has not been interrupted.

(3) After the first semester of study in which the student has not interrupted the study, he or she must have at least 9 control credits; if the student fails to fulfill this obligation, the Dean decides to terminate the studies.

(4) The number of semesters referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 does not include the number of semesters that may take even only part of the maternity leave.

(5) The requirement in paragraph 2 is considered to be fulfilled if the student has already completed the condition for taking a state examination from the study program.

(6) If a student fails to comply with the requirement under paragraph 2, credit vouchers shall be withdrawn from him or her, the number of them being equal to the number of credits missing to the number required under paragraph 2, but not more than the number of credits required to complete the course in the study program less the number of credits for the non-completed part of the final state examination.

(7) In the event that a student does not request recognition of all his or her study obligations he or she has completed during his or her studies at a university abroad where he or she has been sent during a study at VSE, during the semester immediately after the last semester of studies abroad he or she shall be taken away 30 credit vouchers for each semester of study abroad.

(8) Credit vouchers are received by the student after the initial enrollment in the study, amounting to 1.2 times the total number of credits referred to in paragraph 1. The Dean may assign additional credit vouchers according to the principles set by him or her.

(9) Credit vouchers a student draws

a) by signing up for the student’s obligation, the student draws the number of credit vouchers corresponding to its credit valuation; in the case of a state final examination or a part thereof, credit vouchers are drawn only on the first date set for the passing of the exam,

b) by acknowledgment or unsuccessful completion of his or her study obligation during the study at a university abroad to which he or she was sent during the study at VSE, the student draws the number of credit vouchers corresponding to its credit valuation,

c) By recognizing of another student’s obligation, the student draws the number of credit vouchers by one fifth higher than corresponds to its credit valuation.

(10) Students must have the number of credit vouchers required to complete their studies at the end of the semester; if the student fails to fulfill this obligation and the Dean does not award him additional credits, the Dean decides to terminate the study.

Article 14
Curriculum

(1) The curiculum may require to complete up to six study obligations in one semester; this does not include language subjects nor sports activities.

(2) The time schedule of study obligations is recommended in the curiculum for the full-time form of study; for the distance and combined forms of study is mandatory except for repeated study obligations or study obligations beyond the curriculum.

(3) Part of the curriculum of the Master’s degree program is minor specialization; the exception is a study program in a foreign language in which the accreditation of a study program may establish a curriculum without any minor specialization. Authorized minor specializations for the given study program are stipulated by the Dean. The student enrols in the minor specialization within the terms set in the academic year of study schedule. If the declared capacity for a given semester is higher than the number of students enrolled, students are enrolled in the minor specialization. If the number of enrolled students exceeds the declared capacity of the minor specialization, the students are enrolled according to the fulfillment of the announced criteria.

Article 15
State Final Examination and its Assessment

(1) The state final examination is a comprehensive examination of knowledge within the scope of the study program.

(2) The student is obliged to successfully complete all the parts of the final state examination stipulated by the curriculum according to the accreditation of the study program and in accordance with these Study Rules within one year from the end of the semester in which he fulfilled the condition for the passing of the state examination in the study program; the Dean may extend this period.

(3) Each part of the final state examination is assessed separately under Article 10 (2) and (6), with grade 4+ not being used.

(4) Each part of the state final examination is held in front of the examination board; its course and publication of the results are public.

(5) The examination board and its chairperson are appointed by the Dean; there are at least two members. The chairperson shall be responsible for the function of the examination board and for the proper conduct of the state final examination.

(6) The assesment of the state final examination will be decided by the examination board in non-public closed voting of its members. If the number of votes is equal, the chairperson has the deciding vote.

(7) The course and assessment of the final state examination is recorded in the final state examination report, signed by all members of the examination board, and the assessment is entered into the information system of VSE.

(8) If the student has reasonable doubts that assessment has been awarded in accordance with these Study Rules and accreditation, he or she may submit a reasoned request for revision of the assessment to the Dean within 5 working days of entering the assessment into the information system of VSE. If the Dean finds that the assessment has not been awarded in accordance with these Study Rules or accreditation, the decision of the examination board shall be annulled and the Dean shall decide on the holding of the contested part of the state final examination; otherwise the Dean will confirm the decision of the examination board. The Dean’s decision is final.

(9) If the student failed to complete any part of the final state examination, he or she is required to repeat only that part of the final examination.

(10) Each part of the final state examination may be repeated only twice. Repetition of parts of the final state examination, with the exception of defence of the final thesis, is possible not sooner than 1 month from the day of the unsuccessful examination. Repetition of defence of the final thesis is possible not sooner than 3 months from the date of the unsuccessful examination. The examination board may recommend the manner, extent and form of the revised final thesis. The student may submit the same or modified thesis for a repeated defence, or process and submit a new thesis in accordance with the Article 17.

Article 16
Parts of the Final State Examination

(1) The compulsory parts of the final state examination in the Bachelor’s degree program are the state examination of the study program and the defence of the final thesis. The precondition for taking the state final examination of the study program is to obtain all credits from study obligations in the structure prescribed by the curriculum according to the accreditation, with the exception of credits for individual parts of the final state examination.

(2) The compulsory parts of the final state examination in the Master’s degree program are the state examination from the major specialization of the study program, the state examination from the minor specialization (if the curriculum according to the accreditation of the study program contains minor specialization) and the defence of the final thesis. The condition for taking a part of the final state examination in the major specialization is to obtain all credits from the study obligations of the major specialization in the structure prescribed by the curriculum according to the accreditation. The condition for taking part of the final state examination from the minor specialization is to obtain all credits from the study obligations of the minor specialization in the structure prescribed by the curriculum according to the accreditation.

(3) The prerequisite for the defence of the final thesis is the processing of the final thesis and its proper submission.

(4) If the curriculum according to the accreditation of the study program stipulates another part of the final state examination, it shall also specify the preconditions, which fulfillment is a condition for taking the examination.

Article 17
Final Thesis and its Defence

(1) The final thesis demonstrates the student´s ability to work out systematically and on ones´s own in writing a topic related to the curriculum content, and apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the study.

(2) The student in the Master’s degree program prepares the final thesis within his or her major specialization. The Dean, at the request of the student, may authorize the final thesis to work out even within the minor specialization, in which the student has enrolled.

(3) The Dean ordains in his or her measure

a) workplaces on which the final theses can be worked out,

b) deadlines in which the heads of designated workplaces announce the themes of the final theses,

c) the manner and requirements for appointing the supervisor and the opponents of the final thesis,

d) formal and content requirements of the final thesis,

e) the way how to check the originality of the final thesis,

f) the procedure from the selection of the topic of the final thesis and the registration to it until its submission and defence, including the timetable.

(4) The supervisor of the final thesis is usually a member of the academic staff at VSE. The opponent of the final thesis must be a university graduate.

(5) The opponent of the final thesis or the supervisor, if the Dean so determines, shall prepare a written expert opinion on the submitted thesis, which must include the proposed assesment of the thesis.

(6) The defence of the final thesis takes place at the workplace, where the thesis was worked out. The supervisor will allow the student to get acquainted with the thesis expert opinions at the latest 3 working days before the date of the defence. The defence also takes place even if the expert opinions contain the assesments “failed”.

Part Four
ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION THE STUDY IN THE DOCTORAL’S DEGREE PROGRAM

Article 18
Individual Curriculum

(1) The individual curriculum determines the time and content sequence of the completion of study obligations, the form of their study and the way of verifying the study results, which must be fulfilled by the student in the given Doctoral degree program during the studies and for the completion of the study.

(2) An individual curriculum is prepared by a supervisor along with the student at the beginning of the study; subsequently the guarantor of the study program in the information system of VSE, and, based on his or her recommendation, the Dean.

(3) The individual curriculum usually has a study part, specifying the specialization focus of the student’s education, then it also has a scientific and research part related to the solution of a particular scientific or research task and to the dissertation processing together with the expected publishing activity. The individual curriculum includes a schedule of student’s obligations by individual years of study, a working title of the dissertation, and the expected terms of the small and final defence of the thesis.

(4) The student is required to complete an individual curriculum under the supervision of a supervisor, in particular

a) successfully pass the prescribed examinations,

b) conduct scientific and research based publishing activity under the supervision of a supervisor, and present the results regularly at a department meeting or other similar opportunity and record in the information system of VSE,

c) to participate in the scientific and research and other activities of the relevant department to the extent determined by the regulations of the faculty,

d) pass part of the study at a foreign institution of at least one month, or participate in an international creative project with results published or presented abroad, or otherwise be involved in direct participation in international cooperation,

(5) The individual curriculum may be changed subject to the procedure in paragraph 2.

Article 19
Supervision of Study

(1) Every year of study, within the deadline set by the Dean, the individual curriculum of every student is checked. The student is obliged to submit to the supervisor the prescribed documents for checking the fulfillment of the individual curriculum within the deadline set by the Dean. The supervisor supervises the study in cooperation with the head of the department and the guarantor of the study program.

(2) The result of the supervision is recorded in the Report on the course of study, which contains an evaluation of the course of study, publishing activities and the student’s participation in the scientific, research and teaching activities of the department, and binding conclusions for further study. A Report on the course of study is provided by the supervisor for approval by the Dean. The student’s positive assessment contained in the Report on the course of study, approved by the Dean, is a prerequisite for enrollment of the student into a higher year of study according to Article 20.

Article 20
Enrollment into a Higher Year of Study

(1) A student has the right to enroll to the second year of study, when he or she has passed at least two of the prescribed examinations in the previous academic year of study, and has completed further study obligations as set out in the individual curriculum.

(2) A student has the right to enroll to the third year of study, when he or she has passed all the prescribed examinations, and has completed further study obligations set out in the individual curriculum.

(3) A student has the right to enroll to the fourth year of study, when he or she has successfully passed a state doctoral examination, and has completed further study obligations set out in the individual curriculum.

(4) A student has the right to enroll to the fifth year of study, when he or she has successfully passed a small defence, and the thesis was recommended for defence, and he or she has completed further study obligations stipulated by the individual curriculum.

(5) The maximum duration of studies is five years. The time of study does not involve the period during which the student would otherwise have taken her maternity leave, on condition that she does not interrupt the studies at that time.

(6) A student is enrolled in the higher year of study on the day on which the Dean gives his or her consent on the basis of the Report on the course of study.

(7) A student who does not meet the conditions for enrolling in a higher year of study may request the Dean for conditional enrollment if he or she does so immediately after he or she finds out that he or she does not qualify for a higher year of study. The request for conditional enrollment must be substantiated.

(8) The enrollment into the higher year of study is recorded in the VSE information system.

Article 21
Conditions for Passing a State Doctoral Examination

(1) The state doctoral examination is a comprehensive examination of knowledge within the scope of the study program. During this examination, the student demonstrates the level of mastery of broader theoretical knowledge, methods of independent scientific work and ways of applying new knowledge in this study program, and presents the results of his or her scientific and research activities. The content of the state doctoral examination is defined by the accreditation.

(2) State doctoral examination is commisional, public and oral.

(3) A student who has passed all the prescribed examinations and has completed further study obligations set out in an individual curriculum may apply for a state doctoral examination.

(4) State doctoral examinations usually take place once a semester. The faculty shall notify in writing the student about the date and place of the state doctoral examination and shall publish it in the public section of its website at least three weeks in advance.

(5) Part of the state doctoral examination application should be an overview of the publication activity confirmed by the supervisor, and the supervisor’s report on the student’s scientific activities, which must be approved by the guarantor of the relevant study program.

Article 22
Examination Board for the State Doctoral Examination

(1) At the latest two weeks before the date of the state doctoral examination, the Dean appoints, upon the proposal of a guarantor of the study program, an examination board for the state doctoral examination, including its chairperson. The examination board for the state doctoral examination has at least three members (the chairperson and two members).

(2) Only professors, associate professors and other relevant experts in the field approved by the faculty scientific council may become chairperson and members of the examination board for state doctoral examinations.

Article 23
Course and Assessment of the State Doctoral Examination

(1) The state doctoral examination and the activities of the examination board for the state doctoral examination within the relevant term is the responsibility of its chairperson, in the extraordinary case then the deputy chairperson designated by the Dean. The board shall have a quorum if the chairperson, or by the Dean designated deputy chairperson, and at least two members of the board appointed pursuant to Article 22 are present.

(2) The state doctoral examination is assessed in accordance with Article 10 (2) and (6), with grade 4+ not being used.

(3) The result of the assessment of the state doctoral examination shall be decided in a closed session on the day of the state doctoral examination by the examination board for the state doctoral examination by voting. In case of equality of votes, the voice of the chairperson or his or her deputy shall decide in accordance with paragraph 1. The student shall be informed about the result of the assessment immediately after the vote.

(4) The course and the result of the assessment of the state doctoral examination is recorded in the state doctoral examination statement signed by all the members of the examination board for the state doctoral examination, and in the VSE information systém, or, if applicable, also in the study report signed by the chairperson of the board or his or her deputy.

(5) If a result of the assessment is “failed”, the student can repeat the state doctoral exam once. Repetition of the state doctoral examination may take place at the earliest four months after the date when the student did not pass the state doctoral examination.

(6) If the student has reasonable doubts that the assessment of the state doctoral examination has been granted in accordance with these Study Rules and accreditation, he or she may file a reasoned request to review the assesment to the Dean within 5 working days from the day of the state doctoral examination.

(7) If the Dean finds out that the assessment has not been awarded in accordance with these Study and Examination Rules and accreditation, the decision of the examining board shall be abolished and the Dean shall decide on the re-examination of the state doctoral examination; otherwise the Dean shall confirm the decision of the board. The Dean’s decision is final.

Article 24
Dissertation Thesis

(1) The dissertation thesis demonstrates the ability of independent creative work in the field of the study program. The dissertation thesis can also be recognized for by a set of published high quality scientific articles with a unifying commentary. Other requirements for dissertation thesis may be regulated by faculty regulations.

(2) The supervisor and the student shall inform the department, in which the student is working scientifically, or where, from the point of view of the dissertation thesis, the dissertation thesis belongs.

(3) The prerequisite for the public defence of the dissertation thesis is the presentation of the expert outputs of the creative activity according to the requirements stipulated by the individual curriculum.

Article 25
Small Defence

(1) A small defence is a defence of the first version of the dissertation thesis in front of a team of the department, where the student is scientifically working or where he or she belongs from the point of view of the topic of the dissertation thesis. In case of doubt the Dean will determine the relevant department.

(2) The student presents his or her work to the head of the department, who organizes a small defence without any unnecessary delay. The aim of the small defence is to evaluate whether the dissertation thesis meets the requirements imposed by the law on these papers, including checking the originality of the submitted thesis. For this purpose, the head of the department may request the assessment of the thesis by other experts.

(3) From a small defence, a record is made, indicating whether the thesis is recommended for defence, or for redrafting and re-submitting to another small defence. The record is handed over by the head of the department to the Dean immediately. The protocol of the results of checking the originality of the submitted thesis is annexed to the record.

Article 26
Dissertation Defence Commission

(1) The chairperson, the deputy chairperson and the members of the dissertation defence commission shall be appointed by the Dean at the proposal of the guarantor of the study program not later than three weeks before the date of the defence. The commission shall consist of at least six members, and, at least two members of the commission may not be members of the academic community of VSE.

(2) The chairperson and the deputy chairperson of the dissertation defence commission shall only be professors or associate professors in the given or related field, approved by the scientific board of the faculty.

(3) The members of the dissertation defence commission shall only be professors, associate professors and other relevant experts in a given or related field, approved by the faculty scientific board.

(4) The commission for the dissertation defence has a quorum if at least five of its members (including the chairperson or his or her representative) are present, and at least one of them is not a member of the VSE academic community.

Article 27
Dissertation Defence

(1) An application for defence of the dissertation is submitted by the student to the Dean in writing only after successful passing of state doctoral examination and small defence.

(2) Together with the written application for the defence of the dissertation, the student presents

a) a brief professional CV,

b) at least three bound copies of the dissertation thesis, including the protocol on the originality of the work confirmed by the supervisor,

c) at least ten specimen of the dissertation autoreferate; by the autoreferate is meant a brief summary of the entire dissertation thesis, usually in 20 standard pages, with the aim, contents, and results of the dissertation thesis and the characteristics of the original solution, the literature used,

d) a list of all the published and unpublished specialist papers of the student, especially reviewed articles, his or her presentations at seminars and professional conferences describing the work done during the studies in the doctoral study program, confirmed by the guarantor of the study program and the supervisor.

The referent for a doctoral study program will include a record from a small defence into the application of the student.

(3) The Dean shall appoint a dissertation commission and forward the papers referred to in paragraph 2 to the chairperson. The chairperson of the commission shall assess in particular whether the dissertation thesis has a reasonable scope and all formal requirements.

(4) If the dissertation thesis has serious deficiencies of a formal nature, the chairperson of the doctoral thesis defence committee asks the student to remedy them and sets a reasonable time for it. After removing the shortcomings the proceedings to defend the dissertation procedure continue. If the student insists on defending the thesis originally submitted, then the proceedings continue without interruption.

(5) The chair of the dissertation commission will propose to the Dean at least two dissertation opponents; at least one of them must be a professor or associate professor, and at least one of them must not be a member of the academic community of the faculty on which the defence is held. The Dean shall appoint the opponents or ask the chairperson of the commission, without undue delay, for the proposal of other persons.

(6) Opponents prepare a written report of the presented dissertation thesis and submit it both in paper and electronic form to the chairperson of the dissertation commission, who will provide for publication in the information system of VSE and filing of a written form in the student’s file. The conclusion of each report should always be a sentence: “I recommend the thesis to the relevant commission for the defence of the dissertation.” Or “I do not recommend the thesis to the relevant commission for the defence of the dissertation.”

(7) Reviews of the submitted dissertation thesis must be made available to the student at least two weeks before the date of the defence.

(8) The student is informed of the date and place of the doctoral dissertation in writing at least three weeks in advance. The faculty publishes the date and place of the defence in the public section of its website.

Article 28
Course and Assessment of a Defence of a Dissertation

(1) The dissertation defence is public and can be repeated once.

(2) The course of defence of the dissertation thesis and the work of the commission for the defence of the dissertation is the responsibility of its chairperson, in his or her absence the deputy chairperson.

(3) Dissertation defence is also attended by a supervisor. If the supervisor for serious reasons can not take part in the defence, the program guarantor will propose a substitute from the members of the department where the dissertation thesis thematically belongs. The supervisor (or his or her alternate) has the right to attend a non-public meeting of the dissertation defence commission, but is not a member of the commission and does not vote on the result of the defence. Dissertation defence must also be attended personally by at least one of the opponents. Opponents have the right to attend a non-public meeting of the commission, but if they are not members of the commission, they do not vote on the result of the defence.

(4) The dissertation defence will also be held even if the opponents did not recommend the dissertation thesis to the defence in their testimonies.

(5) The defence of the dissertation includes the introductory speech of the student, the comments of the supervisor and the opponents, the answers to the questions from the opinions, and the scientific debate. After the public part of the defence, the dissertation defence commission votes in a closed session on the outcome.

(6) The vote of the defence commission is secret. On the ballot papers, the members of the commission shall present one of the alternatives “Defended” or “Did not defend” the dissertation; if a member of a defence commission does not sign the ballot paper in the manner specified, or does not submit the ballot, the vote is invalid. The resolution that the student has defended the dissertation thesis is accepted if an absolute majority of the members of the commission present during the vote voted for him or her. Otherwise, the student did not defend the dissertation thesis. The student did not defend the thesis also if he did not appear for the defence of the dissertation, except in the case where the Dean, in accordance with Article 11 (3) and (4), accepted his or her request for apology. The result of the defence shall be announced by the chairperson to the student publicly immediately after the counting of votes.

(7) If a student did not defend the dissertation thesis, the commission for the defence can recommend the term, the way, the scope, and the form of its reworking. Repetition may take place no earlier than four months from the date of the unsuccessful defence, subject to the conditions of Article 27.

(8) A protocol is being made about the course of the defence of the dissertation, stating the name of the doctoral study program, the names of the members present for the defence of the dissertation thesis and the opponents, and all important facts in the course of defence. At the end of the protocol, the voting result is recorded. The protocol shall be signed by the chairperson of the commission, in his or her absence by the chairperson’s representative. The protocol on the defence of the dissertation is handed over by the chairperson of the commission to the Dean.

(9) If the student has reasonable doubts that the assessment of the defence has been granted in accordance with these Study Rules and accreditation, he or she may file a reasoned request to review the assessment to the Dean within 5 working days of the date of the defence. If the Dean finds that the assessment has not been awarded in accordance with these Study Rules or accreditation, the decision of the commission for the defence of the dissertation will be canceled and he or she will decide on the new defence; otherwise the Dean will confirm the decision of the commission. Dean’s decision is final.

Part five
END OF STUDY AND PUBLICATION OF FINAL THESES

Article 29
Proper Completion of Study

(1) In order to complete the study properly, the student has to fulfill all the study obligations stipulated in the curriculum or individual curriculum according to the accreditation of the study program and in accordance with these Study Rules.

(2) A graduate diploma with honors will be awarded to the graduate of a Bachelor´s or Master’s degree program who during the course of study has completed all the study obligations set out in the curriculum and

a) achieved an average assessment of up to 1.5 inclusive,

b) from each part of the final state examination was graded “excellent”,

c) duly completed the study at the latest in the standard period of study of the study program; for students who have been sent to study abroad the lenght of study abroad is not counted for this period.

Article 30
Other Termination of Studies

(1) The Dean decides on the termination of studies in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program pursuant to Section 56 (1) b) of the Act to a student who

a) he or she does not have at least 9 compliance credits after the first semester,

b) the student, after the end of the semester, does not have the number of credit vouchers needed to complete the study properly and the Dean will not allocate to him or her additional credit vouchers,

c) failed to successfully pass a part of the final state examination nor even at the second repetition,

d) has not successfully passed all parts of the state final examination within one year of the end of the semester in which he or she fulfilled the condition for taking the state examination from the field of study, and the Dean has not extended this term.

(2) The Dean decides on the termination of studies in the doctoral study program pursuant to Section 56 (1) b) of the Act to a student who

a) did not cooperate with a supervisor or a specialized department according to the individual curriculum or did not submit to the supervisor the prescribed documents for checking the fulfillment of the individual curriculum within prescribed time,

b) repeatedly failed to fulfill the obligations and tasks specified in the individual curriculum, imposed on him by the head of the department in agreement with the supervisor,

c) has not been enrolled in a higher grade due to non-compliance with the conditions set out in Article 20,

d) at the repetition of the state doctoral examination was assessed by the degree of „failed“,

e) did not defend his or her dissertation thesis during the repeated defence,

f) exceeded the maximum duration of study.

(3) The day of termination of studies under paragraphs 1 and 2 is the date on which the decision to terminate the studies came to force.

Article 31
Publication of Final Theses

(1) The student submits the electronic version of the final thesis to the database of qualification papers kept in the information system of VSE, within the deadline set by the department or the faculty at which the defence is held. The submission is recognized when the VSE information system confirms the successful submission of the thesis.

(2) The final thesis submitted by the student for the defence must be published at the department or the faculty in which the defence is held, at least five working days before the defence, open to the public, with the exception of thesis that has been postponed to publication in accordance with paragraph 4.

(3) The final thesis, which was defended, is published through the database. The dissertation, which has already been published in another way (a publication according to paragraph 2 is not considered here), is not published through the database.

(4) The student may request postponement of the publication of the final thesis or part of it. The request is submitted to the Dean before the defence. The Dean decides to postpone the publication of the final thesis. He or she may authorize postponement of the publication of the final thesis, of its part or its annex, for a maximum of 3 years.

Article 32
Review Committee

(1) Proceedings for the declaration of annulment of the state examination or its part or defence of the dissertation shall be held pursuant to § 47c to 47e of the Act.

(2) The review committee for the declaration of annulment of the state examination or its part or defence of the dissertation has 7 members, of which 6 members are appointed by a Rector from professors, associate professors or other experts, and the seventh appointed member should be a student from VSE. A member of the examination commission at the state final or state doctoral examination of a person whose state examination or defence of the dissertation is dealt with, the opponent of his or her final thesis, or his or her supervisor can not become a member of the review committee.

Part six
TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 33
Transitional Provisions

(1) The obligation laid down in Article 13 (3) applies to students who begin their studies in the academic year 2017/18 and later.

(2) The Article 18 (4) d) does not apply to students of a doctoral study program who started their studies in the academic year 2016/17 and earlier.

(3) In study programs classified according to previous legal regulations for study fields, the provisions of these Study Rules relating to study programs apply adequately to the study fields.

Article 34
Final Provisions

(1) They are canceled

1. Study and Examination Rules of VSE in Prague for study in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs by VSE in Prague or its faculties in accordance with the principles of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, registered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on August 2, 2007, under Ref. 18 184 / 2007-30 as amended by its later amendments.

2. Study and Examination Rules of VSE in Prague for study in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs by VSE in Prague or its faculties, with the exception of study programs carried out according to the principles of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, registered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on August 2, 2007 under Ref. 18 184 / 2007-30 as amended by its later amendments.

3. Study and Examination Rules for study in Doctoral study programs at VSE in Prague registered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on July 1, 2011 under Ref. 7 814 / 2011-30 as amended by its later amendments.

4. Study and examination regulations of VSE for study in the follow-up Master’s Degree Program „Economics of International Trade and European Integration“, registered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on June 21, 2006 under Ref. 15 004/2006430.

(2) These Study and Examination Rules were approved pursuant to Section 9 (1) b) of the Act by the Academic Senate of VSE on June 19, 2017.

(3) These Study and Examination Rules become valid on the date of registration by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

(4) These Study and Examination Rules become effective on September 1, 2017.

prof. Ing. Petr Berka, CSc., in his own hand
President of the AS VSE in Prague

Prof. Ing. Hana Machková, CSc., in her own hand
Rector of VSE in Prague