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CZ / EN

Department of Languages

CZ   / EN  

Doctoral


Language courses and PhD exams
The aim of the language courses for doctoral students is the ability to read technical literature with understanding, to follow lectures, to report and participate in the discussions, to summary a text in writing and to give a report on the experiment. To maintain international contacts also requires the ability to communicate in everyday social situations and especially understanding casual conversation in a foreign language, to make a phone call, to master written communication.
 
Depending on the number of candidates and the capacity the Department provides language courses in English and German on two levels - intermediate and upper-intermediate. The students may also take exams in Russian and French if they prepare on their own.
Arrangement of the classes
The course contains a total of 78 hours spread over three semesters. The classes begin in the summer semester of the first year of PhD studies. The first two semesters 2 x 13 weeks each with two-hour classes (52 hours) - general language, and the third semester: 13 weeks (26 hours) – professional training.
content of the course
Two semesters of general language
Complementing general-scientific terminology, pronunciation of terminology, derivation of words, practicing functional grammar.

One semester focused primarily on professional training
Simulation of professional situations, descriptions of processes, principles of presentations and practical training, graphs interpretation, language training for conference, materials on the subject, accompanied by listening and conversation.
Conditions for admission to the courses
Language skills and knowledge on the level of bachelor language exam (see requirements of the Department of Languages). If the language skills and knowledge of a doctoral student do not meet these requirements, he/she shall work on improvement on his/her own. Recommended reading - see the requirements for the Bachelor exam in English and German (can be obtained at the Department of Languages).
Textbooks and materials used in classes
English
  • Murphy: ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE, 3rd edition, CUP 2001
  • listening: Flying Colours, English Reader, Interfaces, BBC, atd.
  • copies of technical tests for 3rd semester, technical literature for PhD studies

German
  • Myšková Z., Návratová B. aj.: Deutsch im Maschinenbau
  • Zettl E., Janssen J., Müller H.: Aus moderner Technik und Naturwissenschaft
  • Drmlová D. a kol.: Německy s úsměvem
  • Dialog Beruf 2
  • Nekovářová A., Fiegler, D.: Alltagssprache Deutsch
  • addititonal materials: technical journal, newspaper and technical literature for PhD students
Doctoral exam in foreign language
Students who attend courses at the faculty get all the information from teachers. Those who are preparing for the exam on their own, must consult it with the teacher in advance and present him/her a selected book from the field (200 pages of text written originally in the examined language, not a manual), and also to agree on the date of the test and oral exam.
 
The exam has two parts:

Written test
The students are required to master functional grammar, vocabulary taught in the course, prepositional phrases, word derivation, and connectors in the text. The students may be provided with detailed information about the discussed grammar and vocabulary during the consultation. To take the oral exam it is necessary to have passed the written test. The student will hand in the following material one week before the appointed oral exam as the latest: 
  1. The approved book (see above)
  2. Summary of the contents of this book (or its part of 200 pages) in the examined language - about 1 page A4 (heading should contain student's name, code and name of the institution where the student defends dissertation, a book title, author(s), publisher, year edition)
  3. One page A4 of special terminology on the matter, which are usually not listed in dictionaries and their translation into Czech (foreign students will provide definition)
  4. Czech translation of passages the student has selected from the book - foreigners who take the doctoral exam in Czech language can translate into one of the languages taught at the Department of Languages of the FME (the extent of the translation - 5 standard pages, i.e. 30 lines of 60 characters)
  5. CV in the given language (in bullet points)
Students also fills the application form for the exam during this consultation

Oral exam
has the following procedure:
  1. Professional CV and an informal interview about jobs and studies, plans, practice, dissertation, participation in conferences, projects and grants, use of foreign languages at work, etc.
  2. Reading scientific text chosen by the tutor from the submitted books out loud (in the range of 20 to 25 lines) – the student demonstrates understanding of the text (explanation, reproduction, translation of difficult expressions and structures, etc.).
  3. Interpretation of graphs, tables and diagrams from the book.
  4. Reading (on their own) another passage from the book (about 20 lines) and summarizing it briefly.
Guarantors for the languages:
  • AJ: Nina Ayyub
  • NJ: Mgr. Eliška Vítková
  • RJ: Mgr. Dušana Jirovská
  • FJ: Mgr. Dušana Jirovská
  • ČJ: Mgr. Jaroslava Kommová
Recognition of other language exams
The following exams and certificates are recognized as successful passing of doctoral exam:
  1. Internationally recognized certificate at level C1
  2. Internationally recognized certificate at level B2 + oral examination at the Department of Languages
  3. Internationally recognized certificate at level B2 + presentation of the thesis in a foreign language with the participation of a tutor and representatives of the Department of Languages
  4. A written test taken at the Department of Languages + presentation of thesis in a foreign language with the participation of a tutor and representatives of the Department of Languages
In different case the existing terms are applicable: a written test and oral exam at the Department of Foreign Languages - see Requirements for doctoral exam in English. 

 

Exams inforeign languages

 

English

  • B2 - TOEFL 176 - 235 points
  • C1 - TOEFL 206 - 275 points
  • B2 - Cambridge English First (FCE)
  • C1 - Cambridge English Advanced (CAE)
  • B2 - Basic state exam at language school
  • C1 - General state exam at language school

German
  • B2 - Goethe-Zertifikat B2
  • C1 - Goethe-Zertifikat C1
  • B2 - Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Mittelstufe
  • C1 - Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Oberstufe
  • B2 - Basic state exam at language school
  • C1 - General state exam at language school

French
  • B2 - DELF
  • C1 - DALF
  • B2 - Basic state exam at language school
  • C1 - General state exam at language school

Russian
  • B2 - TORFL B2
  • C1 - TORFL C1
  • B2 - Basic state exam at language school
  • C1 - Genearal state exam at language school


Spanish
  • B2 - DELE B2
  • C1 - DELE C1
  • B2 - Basic state exam at language school
  • C1 - General state exam at language school


Czech
  • B2 - at State Language School, Charles University or CTU
  • C1 - General state exam at language school