Skip to main content

Protection

of Aquatic Ecosystems

Study plans

Full-time mode

Combined mode (a combination of full-time and distance learning)

Overview of the Studies

Studies

The doctoral study programme is structured around an Individual Study Plan. Typically, the Doctoral Studies Board assigns each student seven subjects, selected based on the focus of the student’s dissertation and the recommendations of the Admissions Committee. In addition, the student and their supervisor may choose up to two supplementary subjects.
 
All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in English by passing one of the following exams:
  • FCE (B2)
  • TOEFL (minimum score: 90)
  • IELTS (minimum score: 5.5)

International Experience

During their studies, each PhD student is required to complete an educational stay of at least three months in a laboratory at a foreign institution.
 
In addition, the student must present his/her dissertation findings in at least one international conference.

Practical Training and Field Experience

Students may participate in up to 20 days of practical training. For every 5 days completed, they earn 1 credit.
 
The training involves internships or placements at professional institutions—whether operational, educational, or research-based—that align with the goals of the study program and the graduate profile.

Teaching and Supervisory Responsibilities

Students must do a minimum of 90 hours of teaching activities in the relevant field, to be completed over the course of the entire doctoral study.
 
Each third- and fourth-year student is required to lead 2 projects at FFPW Summer Schools.
 
Teaching responsibilities involve thesis supervision or consultation support at the bachelor's level, or thesis consultation support at the master's level.

Dissertation Work and Publication Requirements

Doctoral students systematically work on the topic of their dissertation under the guidance of their supervisor(s) and consultant throughout the entire study period.
 
At the beginning of their studies, students are required to prepare a literature review on the topic of their dissertation, written in English.
 
Each year, until the defense of the PhD thesis, students must present the progress and results of their dissertation.
 
Students are required to publish and present at least part of their dissertation findings in one of the following ways:
  • Publishing at least two articles in peer-reviewed journals indexed in the Web of Science database. Of these, at least one article must be published in a first-quartile (Q1) journal in the relevant field, or at least two articles must be published in journals ranked no lower than the third quartile (Q3). If a journal is listed in multiple subject categories, the arithmetic mean of its quartile rankings across those categories will be used to determine eligibility. The journal must meet the required quartile ranking in at least one of the three years preceding the acceptance of the manuscript. All published articles must be directly related to the topic of the dissertation. One of the publications may be a review article. Students are expected to be guided and encouraged to publish a coherent portion of their own research results by the third year of study.
  • Participating at an international conference.

 

Duties for Students in Each Year of Study
A summary table outlining student duties for each year of the Protection of Aquatic Ecosystems doctoral study programme is available here.

1st year of study

  • literature review (for the dissertation)

3rd year of study

  • 1st FFPW Summer School project 
  • State Doctoral Exam (only for students enrolled before March 1, 2025)

4th year of study

  • 2nd FFPW Summer School project
  • defence of dissertation

Apart from these requirements, students are expected to work on their dissertation topic, to present and publish their findings, to complete courses specified in their Individual Study Plan, and to gain international experience - particularly through a three-month internship abroad and participation in an international conference. Furthermore, Ph.D. students also teach courses and serve as consultants for bachelor's, master's, or dissertation theses.

Combined Mode of Study
 

Students enrolled in the combined mode of study have the same academic obligations as full-time students, with the following exceptions:

  • They are not required to complete an internship abroad.
  • They are not obliged to attend regular doctoral seminars, although they must still present the progress of their dissertation at least once per year.
  • They are exempt from teaching and other educational activities.
  • They are not required to complete practical training placements.
Authorized Signatories for Credits and Exams

Activity Authorized Signatory
Elaboration of Literature Review Supervisor
PhD Practice 1–8 Supervisor
PhD Seminars 1–4 Vice-Dean for Science and Research – Assoc. Prof. Antonín Kouba
Professional Practice 1, 2 Authorized Person – Prof. Vladimír Žlábek
Summer School 1, 2 Vice-Dean for Study Affairs – Assoc. Prof. Martin Kocour
Exams in Specialized Subjects Examiner
Educational Activities 1–X Vice-Dean for Study Affairs – Assoc. Prof. Martin Kocour
Foreign Internship 1–X Vice-Dean for Foreign Relations – Assoc. Prof. Martin Pšenička
Publication 1–X Vice-Dean for Science and Research – Assoc. Prof. Antonín Kouba
Presentation of Results 1–X Vice-Dean for Science and Research – Assoc. Prof. Antonín Kouba
Thesis Supervision Vice-Dean for Study Affairs – Assoc. Prof. Martin Kocour
List of Supervisors

List of superviosrs is available here.

Elective Specialised Courses

Ecology of Still and Running Waters
Examiner: Otakar Strunecký, Ph.D.

Toxicology Focused on Aquatic Organisms
Examiner: dr hab. Josef Velíšek

Cycles of Elements in Aquatic Ecosystems and Their Catchments
Examiner: Prof. Jiří Kopáček

Bioinformatics
Examiner: Petr Císař, Ph.D.

Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology
Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Martin Pšenička

Biological Invasions in Freshwater Ecosystems
Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Antonín Kouba

Ecological Status of Water Bodies
Examiner: Bořek Drozd, Ph.D.

Sustainable Fishery Management in Open Waters
Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Tomáš Randák

Ecology of Freshwater Crustaceans and Clams
Examiner: Prof. Pavel Kozák

Environmental Analytical Chemistry
Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Roman Grabic

Environmental monitoring
Examiner: Ganna Fedorova, Ph.D.

Ethology of Aquatic Organisms
Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Miloš Buřič

Fish Pathology of Environmental Contaminants
Examiner: Eliška Zusková, Ph.D.

Immunology in Aquaculture
Examiner: Tomáš Korytář, Ph.D.

Omics Methods and Data Analyses
Examiner: Prof. Vladimír Žlábek

Disorders of Endocrine System in Aquatic Animals
Examiner: Pavel Šauer, Ph.D.

Basics of Scientific Communications
Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Borys Dzyuba

Doctoral Studies Board

Doctoral Studies Board Chairman

Prof. Vladimír Žlábek
Rector's Office
Branišovská 1645/31a
370 05, České Budějovice

Doctoral Studies Board members

Assoc. Prof. Miloš Buřič
FFPW USB
Zátiší 728/II
389 25, Vodňany

Assoc. Prof. Roman Grabic
FFPW USB
Zátiší 728/II
389 25, Vodňany

Assoc. Prof. Hana Kocour Kroupová
FFPW USB
Zátiší 728/II
389 25, Vodňany

Prof. Pavel Kozák
Rector's Office
Branišovská 1645/31a
370 05, České Budějovice

Prof. Tomáš Policar
FFPW USB
Zátiší 728/II
389 25, Vodňany

Prof. Tomáš Randák
FFPW USB
Zátiší 728/II
389 25, Vodňany

dr hab. Josef Velíšek
FFPW USB
Zátiší 728/II
389 25, Vodňany

Prof. Luděk Bláha
Masaryk University
Žerotínovo nám. 617/9
601 77 Brno

Assoc. Prof. Pavel Drozd
University of Ostrava
Dvořákova 7
701 03 Ostrava

Prof. Ondřej Slavík
Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Kamýcká 129
165 00, Praha-Suchdol

Prof. Zdeňka Svobodová
University of Veterinary Sciences Brno
Palackého 1/3
612 42, Brno

Stay in touch
social media

Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany Tel. +420 387 774 616 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Branišovská 1645/31a, 370 05 České BudějoviceTel. +420 387 774 601 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

© University of South Bohemia
Cookies

1