Visual Arts Ph.D.

Mandatory attachments to the application (in English), without which the application will not be included in the admission procedure and which must be sent electronically (scanned documents) together with the application by 30 April 2024, are:

Curriculum vitae including an overview of previous professional activities, list of exhibitions, publications, etc.
Motivation letter (max 1 A4 page. In the letter, the applicant should state why he/she wants to study the PhD program at UMPRUM, including an explanation of the continuity with previous studies, especially if the applicant has not studied at master’s level in the same or a related field/program)
Evidence of completed work experience including stamp and signature of an authorized person of the institution (or affidavit of self-employment) - optional attachment
Recommendation from a distinguished expert in the field including his/her signature
Portfolio - mandatory for Visual Arts applicants
A written conception of the dissertation, i.e., a research and artistic project based on the framework topics announced by the Doctoral Studies Board of UMPRUM (see the recommended structure of doctoral projects). Please indicate the topic in the application form (mandatory).
A copy of your university diploma* (graduates of master’s studies) or a written confirmation of the relevant school (stamp and signature of the authorized person are necessary) that the student is studying in the final year of the relevant study program.
* Applicants need to attach only a copy of their university diploma, including the diploma supplement (in English) or a copy of the written confirmation of studies. Accepted applicants are required to provide an officially certified copy of their university diploma (master’s degree) or a nostrification of this diploma (in the case of foreign education) upon enrolment. After that, all legal and other requirements for admission to study will be met.
A copy of your certificate – certified English exam proving English language proficiency at B2 level. If admitted, applicants must provide a certified copy of the certificate upon enrolment. Foreign applicants who provide proof of studies (secondary or university) conducted in English are not required to provide the certificate.
Candidates have the option of attaching to their application the consent of their intended supervisor, with whom the candidate agrees in advance on the topic of the dissertation and the form of its preparation. (This is not a condition for inclusion in the application procedure.)

Recommended structure of doctoral projects:

Title of the project (it should clearly and factually express the research and artistic nature of the project and the specific subject of research; a vague metaphorical title is not appropriate here);
Abstract (800 characters);
Project description (max. 1.5 standard pages, i.e. 2700 characters);
Definition of the specific problem to be addressed by the doctoral project:

             o Justification of the project theme;
             o Project objectives and benefits for target groups;
             o Summary of the current state of the addressed issue;
             o Relevant background literature;
             o Anticipated methodological approach;
             o Time schedule for each year;
             o Expected form of the practical part of the dissertation

Framework topics of doctoral theses announced by the UMPRUM Subject-Area Board for Doctoral Studies:

Digital Technologies in Art and Visual Communication
Application of new materials, technologies, and practices in architecture and design
Art project as an intersection of art, science, and research
Art project as an articulation of contemporary social issues

Individual dissertation topic proposals should be based on the above framework topics. It is recommended to consult them with potential supervisors well in advance. A list of dissertation supervisors by study programs is available for download on the UMPRUM website.

Admission procedure

The admission procedure starts with the receipt of a valid application form with the prescribed compulsory attachments by the above mentioned date.
On the basis of a valid application, the applicant will receive a written invitation to the entrance examinations, giving details of the time and manner of the examination, at the contact address provided by the applicant (if no contact address is provided, the invitation will be sent to the address of the applicant’s permanent residence). The invitation will also be sent to the applicant by e-mail.

Entrance examination

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts program entrance exam is a two-round process. There is no alternative date.

Round 1 is conducted without the candidates present. A committee appointed by the Rector and approved by the UMPRUM Subject-Area Board for Doctoral Studies in Visual Arts Doctoral Program will review the required application attachments (i.e., curriculum vitae, portfolio, dissertation concept, and cover letter). Evaluation criteria: quality of the project, quality of previous work, contribution to UMPRUM. Each item is evaluated on a scale of 0-5 points (maximum 15 points). Candidates scoring more than 7 points will be invited to the second round. The list of advancing candidates will be published on the UMPRUM website - www.umprum.cz. Completion of the first round will take place no later than 15 May 2024.

Round 2 will take place in the form of an interview with a committee appointed by the Rector on 28-29 May 2024. The interview will take place via distance communication tools. In the interview, the candidate will present and defend the doctoral project and demonstrate professional knowledge and aptitude for independent creative research work. The interview is conducted in English.

The interview with each candidate will last approximately 30 minutes and will be structured as follows: a) oral presentation of the project by the candidate (may be supplemented by a brief PPT presentation) - 15 minutes, b) clarifying answers to questions from the members of the admissions committee, discussion - 15 minutes.

The admissions committee appointed by the Rector and approved by the departmental board evaluates the candidates’ qualifications and expresses its evaluation by scoring according to the following criteria:

Quality of the submitted project: 0 - 5 points
Quality of previous work: 0 - 5 points
Ability to argument: 0 - 5 points

Candidates who have achieved at least 9 points in Round 2 will be considered for admission. Ranking is determined by the number of points obtained, and the candidates with the highest number of points are proposed for admission. For detailed admission requirements, see the attachment.

Admission to study

The final admission of an applicant to study is decided by the Rector of UMPRUM in Prague on the basis of the recommendation of the admissions committee.

The maximum number of admitted students in the doctoral study program Visual Arts is 8 applicants.

The total number of admitted applicants also depends on the limit numbers of students in the first year set by the Ministry of Education and Science and on the available capacity. Applicants will be notified of the result of the admission procedure in writing (by registered letter) to their contact address or permanent address and the results will be published on the UMPRUM website.

The number of applicants to the doctoral study program Visual Arts in the last academic year - 8, the number of admitted – 0.

Published on 20/12/2023.