Article 1

1. An internal regulation of Charles University (hereinafter referred to as the “University”) provides a detailed specification of the procedures of creation, approval, and changes of proposals of programmes of study.¹

2. An internal regulation of the University specifies the provision and quality evaluation of educational activities, scientific and research, developmental and innovation, artistic, or other creative activities (hereinafter referred to as the “Creative Activities”) and associated activities implemented in all programmes of study at the University. ²

3. An internal regulation of the University specifies the internal evaluation of educational activities in programmes of study which is based on feedback processes, in particular on a poll and quantitative and qualitative surveys; the academic staff, students, relevant professional chambers, subject-area associations or employers’ organizations, or other professionals from practical fields are involved in these processes to an appropriate extent, taking into account the types and possible profiles of the programmes of study. The evaluation also concerns the success rate in the admissions procedure, the dropout rate and the completion rate of the programme of study and the employability of the graduates.³

4. The development of curricula, including the specification of any practical teaching carried out also possibly by another natural or legal person and the duration of such practical teaching, is governed by the rules and conditions laid down in the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University, by the rules and recommended procedures for the development of programmes of study at the University21 and the rules for the organization of studies at the individual faculties.

Article 2

1. In organizing studies and teaching, the faculty applies criteria set out in the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University and the rules for the organization of study at the faculty which correspond to the objectives of the study, enable its objective evaluation, and are used to evaluate students. The evaluation enables students to improve during their studies.

2. The faculty has developed an effective strategy for the personal development of the academic staff and has motivational tools for this development. This strategy is taken into account in the staffing of all programmes of study implemented at the faculty.

3. The faculty offers programmes of study implemented in foreign languages.

4. An internal regulation of the faculty specifies the requirements for the supervision of bachelor’s and master’s theses or dissertations (hereinafter referred to as “qualification theses”) and qualification requirements on persons who supervise qualification theses, including the highest number of theses which one person may supervise. The Internal Evaluation Board may set the maximum number of theses supervised by one person for each area of study, but it is recommended that the number of theses per member of the academic staff should not exceed 20 for bachelor’s studies, 15 for master’s studies, and 10 for doctoral studies. The total number of qualifying theses supervised by the supervisor in the different programmes of study and at the different departments is taken into account, as is whether the supervisor has sufficient time to appropriately supervise the qualifying theses. As a general rule, the total number of supervised theses should not exceed 20. Qualification theses supervised by external persons must be supported by an academic member of the faculty or the University.

5. The faculty develops cooperation with practical training, taking into account the types, relevant area or areas of study, and possible profiles of programmes of study. This means in particular practical teaching, assigning of qualification and rigorosum theses, awarding of scholarships, and involving practitioners in the educational process, etc.

Article 3 – Consistency of the programme of study with the aim of the university

1. In terms of type, content, form, and possible profile, the programme of study is in accordance with the aim and the Strategic Plan of the educational and scientific  research, development and innovation, artistic, or other creative activities of the University⁴ and other strategic documents of the University and with the strategic documents of the faculty or faculties implementing the programme of study.

2. When creating a programme of study⁵, the content of the new programme should not overlap substantially with the content of another programme of study which is already implemented at the University in a given area of study, except for study programmes where implementation at several faculties is relevant for specific and justifiable reasons.

Article 4 – Profile of the graduate of the programme of study and content of the programme of study

1. The content of the programme of study corresponds to the objectives of the study and to the relevant area or areas of study and enables the achievement of the specified profile of the graduate of the programme of study.

2. The professional knowledge, professional skills, and general competences acquired by the graduates of the programme of study are in accordance with the given type and possible profile of the programme of study and correspond to the relevant area of study.

3. The content of the subjects taught, the teaching methods, the provision of practical teaching, the method of evaluation, the content of state examinations, and the topics and focus of qualification theses are in accordance with the planned outcomes of the teaching and with the profile of the graduate in the given programme of study and they form a logical whole. This requirement applies with necessary modifications to the state rigorosum examinations and the topics of the rigorosum theses of graduates of master’s programmes of study who have obtained the academic degree of “Magistr” (Master).

4. Approaches which support the active role of students in the teaching process and modern teaching methods which achieve the expected outcomes of teaching the programme are used in the implementation of the programme of study.

5. The ratio of direct teaching and self-study in the study load corresponds to the given study programme, the form of study, the possible profile of the programme of study, and the teaching methods. The study load is effectively distributed within the structure of the subjects and the curriculum.

6. The study load associated with the completion of the individual subjects in bachelor’s and master’s programmes of study is expressed in terms of credit evaluation. The credit evaluation of subjects is carried out in accordance with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

7. The composition of the study literature as well as the composition of the teaching resources and information sets which will replace the student’s direct teaching (hereinafter referred to as the “study materials”), which are listed in the requirements of the core subjects, reflect the current state of knowledge and take into account the international dimension of the study. Study literature and study materials listed in the requirements for the core subjects are made available for students.

Article 5 – Staffing of programmes of study

1. The programme of study is taught by academic staff and possibly also by other experts with the appropriate qualifications to provide the individual subjects. The relevant qualification is demonstrated by academic education achieved, the acquisition of a scientific and pedagogical degree (associate professor or professor), and by the most significant professional outputs related to the subject which they teach and by creative activities appropriate to the type of programme of study.

2. The number of academic staff providing a programme of study corresponds to the type of the programme of study, the area or areas of study within which the programme is to be implemented, the form of study, the teaching methods, the current or expected number of students and the possible profile of the programme of study.

3. If the sum of an academic staff member’s weekly working hours from all concluded employment or service relationships for the activities of an academic staff member at the University or other higher education institution exceeds 1.5 times the weekly working hours stipulated under s. 79 of the Labour Code, the academic staff member will not be taken into account when assessing the staffing of the programme of study.

4. Any employment or service relationship of a member of the academic staff agreed for a maximum period of one year with weekly working hours not exceeding 0.2 times the weekly working hours set in accordance with s. 79 of the Labour Code is not to be taken into account when assessing the requirements on the length of the academic staff member’s weekly working hours.

5. In the case of programmes of study with a specialization in healthcare, the requirements for the length of weekly working hours of the academic staff are deemed to have been met even if the length of the working hours stipulated by these requirements can be achieved by adding to the length of the academic staff member’s weekly working hours at the University the weekly working hours of that person given by his employment relationship with a university hospital or other healthcare facility with which the University or faculty concluded a contract on cooperation in the provision of clinical and practical teaching or research and development activities.

6. Teachers who ensure the implementation of the programme of study have a university education obtained by completing at least a master’s programme of study or they have its equivalent obtained at a foreign university.

7. Requirements for staffing, creative activities, etc. may be specified for individual types of programmes of study with regard to the relevant area of study.

Article 6 – Guarantor of a programme of study – general requirements

1. The programme of study is guaranteed by a member of the academic staff who meets the requirements laid down in s. 44 (6) of the Higher Education Act and who has the professional qualifications appropriate to the programme of study or to a study programme of close or related content specialization. The guarantor is a member of the academic staff at the University and, at the same time, at the faculty which implements the given programme of study, and he participates in teaching the given programme of study.

2. A member of the academic staff may be only:

   a.	the guarantor of no more than one programme of study,
   b.	the guarantor of no more than one bachelor’s programme of study and one master’s programme of study of the same, similar, or related content specialization, or
   c.	the guarantor of no more than one master’s programme of study and one doctoral programme of study of the same, similar, or related content specialization.

   In all of the above cases, programmes of study which have identical content and differ only in the language of instruction are regarded as a single programme of study from the point of view of guarantorship.

3. The competences and responsibilities of the guarantor of the programme of study and, in the case of doctoral programmes of study, also of the subject-area board are specified by the Constitution and the Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of the University, and are specified in detail in a Rector’s Directive⁶.

4. The guarantor of the programme of study works at the University as a member of the academic staff on the basis of an employment relationship or relationships with total weekly working hours corresponding to the weekly working hours specified pursuant to s. 79 of the Labour Code. At the same time, the guarantor of the programme of study works at the faculty⁷

   which implements the programme of study as a member of the academic staff on the basis of an employment relationship as referred to in the first sentence with weekly working hours corresponding to at least half of the weekly working hours stipulated in accordance with s. 79 of the Labour Code. If part of the academic staff member’s employment relationship consists of workload resulting from his commitments in the creative or educational activities of the faculty (Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR), Charles University Grant Agency (GA UK), Operational Programme: Research, Development and Education (OP VVV) etc.), this part of the employment relationship is considered part of his competence if these creative and educational activities are demonstrably related to the programme of study.

5. Any other employment or service relationships of the guarantor of the programme of study, on the basis of which he works as a member of the academic staff at the University or other higher education institutions or at a foreign higher education institution or a domestic legal entity pursuant to s. 93a of the Higher Education Act, do not give rise to an obligation to perform work or to be present at the workplace in a total amount exceeding half of the stipulated weekly working hours pursuant to s. 79 of the Labour Code.

Article 7 - Financial, material, and other support of a programme of study

1. The department has an infrastructure for teaching the programme of study, in particular, it has adequate material and technical support, sufficient and operational teaching and study facilities, classrooms and laboratories are equipped with aids and laboratory and teaching equipment which corresponds to the type of the programme of study, its content, objectives and the relevant area of study, and, in the case of a bachelor’s or master’s programme of study, to the profile of the programme and the number of students.

2. Students have sufficient access to domestic and foreign scientific literature and other information sources corresponding to the type of the programme of study and, in the case of a bachelor’s or master’s programme of study, also to the profile of the programme of study.

Article 8 – Content of study in bachelor’s and master’s programmes of study

1. The curriculum is designed to enable students of academically-oriented programmes of study to acquire, in particular, the theoretical knowledge necessary for the exercise of their profession, including application in creative activities, and also to acquire the necessary practical skills.

2. In the case of an academically-oriented programme of study, there is a demonstrable link and connection between the creative activities of the faculty, faculties, and other cooperating departments and institutions, including foreign higher education institutions with which the programme of study is jointly implemented (hereinafter referred to as the “departments”).

3. Students of the academically-oriented master’s programme of study are allowed to participate in the creative activities of the department.

   
   

   Professionally-oriented study

4. The curriculum is designed to enable students of a professionally-oriented programme of study, in particular, to master the practical skills necessary for the exercise of their profession, supported by the acquisition of the necessary theoretical knowledge.

5. In the case of a professionally-oriented programme of study, the given programme of study involves demonstrable cooperation with practical training.

6. The curriculum of the professionally-oriented bachelor’s programme of study is designed to include practical training for students in the scope of at least 12 weeks.

7. The curriculum of a professionally oriented master’s programme of study is designed to include practical teaching of students for at least 6 weeks, or 12 weeks in the case of a master’s programme of study which is not a continuation of a bachelor’s programme of study.

   
   

   Bachelor’s study

8. The content of studies in the bachelor’s programme of study is based on the application of contemporary knowledge and methods of research, development, and other creative activities in the given area of study.

9. The curriculum of a bachelor’s programme of study includes theoretical and methodological disciplines which are the content of the core theoretical subjects.

10. As a general rule, at least 30% of the lectures of compulsory and elective subjects in the bachelor’s programme of study should be delivered by associate professors or professors or academic staff with a scientific degree, but the Internal Evaluation Board may, in justified cases, set this requirement differently for individual areas of study.

    
    

    Master’s study

11. The content of studies in the master’s programme of study is based on the current state of scientific knowledge, research, development, and other creative activities in the given area of study.

12. The curriculum of a master’s programme of study includes theoretical and methodological disciplines which are the content of the core theoretical subjects.

13. As a general rule, at least 30% of the lectures of compulsory and elective subjects should be delivered by associate professors or professors, but the Internal Evaluation Board may, in justified cases, set this requirement differently.

    
    

    International dimension of a programme of study

14. The international dimension of the study programme is considered by taking into account the type and possible profile of the study programme.

15. In a broader context, the educational and creative activities of the department are based on the current knowledge and have an international character.

16. Taking into account the type and possible profile of the programmes of study, subjects taught in foreign languages should be offered in particular in academically- oriented master’s programmes of study⁸.

17. The programme of study has demonstrable international mobility of students and academic staff and other forms of international cooperation.

18. The programme of study is designed in such a way that in performing his study obligations in the course of his studies the student demonstrates the ability to use the acquired professional knowledge, professional skills, and general competence in at least one foreign language.

Article 9 – Staffing of bachelor’s and master’s programmes of study

1. In terms of qualifications, age, length of weekly working hours, and experience of working abroad or in practice, the overall structure of the team of academic staff providing the study programme corresponds to the structure and content of the curriculum, the objectives of the study, and the possible profile of the study programme, and:

   a.	in the case of an academically-oriented programme of study, the academic staff carry out creative activities corresponding to this or a related programme of study,
   b.	in the case of a professionally-oriented programme of study, adequate representation of practitioners involved in teaching is ensured.

   
   

   Guarantor of a subject

2. Subjects in the study programme have guarantors who participate in the teaching of the said subjects. Key teachers who are important in terms of the teaching of the subject or its continuity and who are substantially involved in teaching may be listed for each subject.

3. The programme of study is sufficiently staffed even in terms of the duration of its implementation and the prospects for its development, in particular with regard to:

   a.	the length of the weekly working hours of the guarantors of the core subjects of the study programme,
   b.	the age structure of the guarantors of the core subjects and key teachers and the age of the guarantor of the study programme,
   c.	the number of the core subjects, including the core theoretical subjects, which the teacher guarantees or possibly participates in them as a key teacher.

4. The core theoretical subjects of the bachelor’s programme of study are guaranteed by academic staff appointed as professor or associate professor or by academic staff with a scientific degree. The guarantors of these study subjects participate in the lectures proportionately. In exceptional and justified cases, a renowned expert may be accepted as a guarantor of a subject, even if he does not meet the required qualifications.

5. The core subjects of the master’s programme of study are guaranteed by academic staff with a scientific degree. The guarantors of these subjects sufficiently participate in their teaching to a minimum of 20%, although the Internal Evaluation Board may, in justified cases, set this requirement differently.

6. The core theoretical subjects of the master’s programme of study are guaranteed by academic staff appointed as professor or associate professor in the area which corresponds to the area or areas of study within which the given master’s programme of study will be implemented or in a related area. The guarantors of these study subjects participate in the lectures significantly.

Article 10 – Guarantor of bachelor’s and master’s programmes of study

1. The guarantor of a bachelor’s programme of study is an academic staff member who has been appointed professor or associate professor or has the academic degree of “candidate of sciences” (abbreviated as “CSc.”) or has an education obtained by completing a doctoral programme of study (hereinafter referred to as the “scientific degree”).

2. The guarantor of an academically oriented bachelor’s programme of study has professional qualifications relevant to the given bachelor’s programme of study or to a programme of study with a similar or related content specialization and has carried out, within the last five years, creative activities corresponding to the area or areas of study within which the bachelor’s programme of study is to be implemented.

3. The guarantor of a professionally oriented bachelor’s programme of study has a professional qualification relevant to the given bachelor’s programme of study or to a programme of study with a similar or related content specialization and has carried out, within the last five years, creative activities corresponding to the area or areas of study within which the bachelor’s programme of study is to be implemented, or has been engaged in professional practice of corresponding content.

4. The guarantor of a master’s programme of study is a member of the academic staff who has been appointed professor or associate professor in the field which corresponds to the given area or areas of study within which the given master’s programme of study is to be implemented and who has carried out creative activities in the given field in the last five years.

Article 11 – Creative activities in bachelor’s and master’s programmes of study

1. The department carries out creative activities which correspond to the area or areas of study within which the programme of study of the relevant type is to be implemented. The Internal Evaluation Board may divide the requirements for creative activities according to the individual areas of study.

2. The departments which provide academically oriented bachelor’s programme of study carry out creative activities which correspond to the area or areas of study within which the programme of study is or is to be implemented.

3. The departments which provide academically-oriented master’s programme of study:

   a.	Carry out creative activities with an international dimension9 which corresponds to the area or areas of study within which the programme of study is to be implemented,
   b.	Carry out scientific or artistic projects in the Czech Republic or abroad (or possibly apply for funds intended to support research, development, and innovation from major international or foreign grant schemes) which are professionally related to the area or areas of study within which the programme of study is or is to be implemented.

4. The departments which provide professionally-oriented master’s programme of study carry out or have, in the last three years, carried out scientific or artistic projects or applied for contract research projects in the Czech Republic or abroad (or possibly apply or have applied, in the last three years, for funds intended to support research, development, and innovation from major international or foreign grant schemes – in particular from the relevant European Union framework programme) which are professionally related to the area or areas of study within which the programme of study is or is to be implemented.

Article 12 – Authorization to hold state rigorosum examinations for graduates of the master’s programme of study who were awarded the academic degree of “Magistr” (Master)

1. The content of the state rigorosum examination and the topics of the rigorosum theses are related to the master’s programme of study implemented in the same area or areas of study¹⁰ or to a master’s programme of study whose accreditation or authorization to implement it is requested by the faculty, or to a doctoral programme of study implemented in the same area or areas of study and which is of the same, similar, or related content specialization as the relevant master’s programme of study¹¹. The content of the state rigorosum examination and the topics of the rigorosum theses are based on the current state of scientific knowledge, research, development, and other creative activities in the given field.

2. The authorization to hold the state rigorosum examination may be exercised only if the faculty implements at least one doctoral programme of study in the given area of study which has the same, similar, or related content specialization as the relevant master’s programme of study.

3. The faculty has published rules specifying the requirements for state rigorosum examinations and rigorosum theses and regulating the organizational procedures in preparation for state rigorosum examinations and the defence of rigorosum theses.

Article 13 – Content of study in the doctoral programme of study

1. The content of study in the doctoral programme of study is based on the contemporary state of scientific knowledge or artistic creation in the given area of study and on current theoretical and methodological foundations, it corresponds to the objectives of the study, and enables the achievement of the specified profile of the graduate of the programme of study.

2. The curriculum is designed to enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for creative activities.

3. The doctoral study programme has a demonstrable connection to the creative activities of the department.

4. Any professional study subjects of the doctoral programme of study through which the student, in performing his study obligations, acquires professional knowledge, professional skills, and other competences which are reflected in the profile of the graduate are not identical in content to the compulsory or elective study subjects of the bachelor’s or master’s programme of study.

5. Part of the study obligations in the doctoral programme of study is the completion of part of the study at a foreign institution in the cumulative duration of at least one month or another form of direct participation of the student in international cooperation, e.g., participation in an international creative project with results published or presented abroad, etc.

6. The topics of dissertations are in line with the creative activities of the department in the area or areas of study within which the programme of study is implemented.

7. Any additional obligations to be fulfilled by the student during his studies must be directly related to the study and must be part of his individual curriculum.

8. A prerequisite for the public defence of the dissertation is the submission of professional outputs of creative activities.

Article 14 – Staffing of a doctoral programme of study

1. In terms of qualifications, age, length of weekly working hours, and experience  working abroad or in a practical field, the overall structure of the team of academic staff implementing the doctoral programme of study corresponds to the structure and content of the general curriculum and the aims of the study, and the academic staff carry out creative activities corresponding to this or a related study programme.

2. The guarantor of a doctoral programme of study is a member of the academic staff who has been appointed professor or associate professor in a field corresponding to the given programme of study or to a programme of similar or related content, and who has carried out creative activities and acted as a supervisor in the given field in the last five years.

3. Supervisors may only be associate professors and professors and possibly other experts approved by the relevant research board of the faculty who have a scientific degree and creative activities which correspond to the content specialization of the dissertation.¹².

4. Members of the subject-area board of the doctoral study programme are limited to those who, within the last 5 years, have carried out creative activities corresponding to the area or areas of study within which the doctoral programme of study is to be implemented.

5. The subject-area board has at least five members; at least two thirds of the members of the subject-area board must be associate professors or professors or persons who have attained a comparable status abroad; at least one quarter of the members of the subject-area board must not be employees in an employment relationship with the University assigned to the relevant faculty or participating faculties, and at least one of them must not be employed by the University.22 The chair of the subject-area board is the guarantor of the doctoral study programme.¹³

Article 15 – Creative activities in the doctoral programme of study

1. The department carries out creative activities with an international dimension which correspond to the area or areas of study within which the doctoral programme of study is, or will be, carried out and which correspond to the type of programme of study. The Internal Evaluation Board may elaborate the requirements for creative activities according to the different areas of study.

2. The department is a long-term researcher of scientific or artistic projects in the Czech Republic or abroad (or applies for funds intended to support research, development and innovation from major international or foreign grant schemes which are professionally related to the area or areas of study within which the programme of study is or is to be implemented).

Article 16 – Specific requirements for the distance and combined forms of study

1. The method of implementing the study programme in the distance¹⁴ and hybrid¹⁵ forms of study must be demonstrably functional.

2. The bachelor’s and master’s programmes of study in the combined form are designed to include at least 80 hours of direct teaching per semester¹⁶, except for the last semester of study which is intended primarily for the preparation of the qualification thesis.

3. Study materials¹⁷ are provided for subjects which are implemented wholly or partly by distance teaching¹⁸. Study materials, teaching using computer technology and the Internet, and the method of contact with the teacher, including the system of consultation and possibility of communication between students themselves, are specified for each such study subject.

4. Study materials for learning in a foreign language are prepared in the relevant foreign language.

Article 17 – Specific requirements for programmes of study implemented in a foreign language

1. A translation of the applicable internal regulations into English or the relevant foreign language is available for programmes of study conducted in a foreign language.

2. Information about the admissions procedure and the course of study is available for applicants and students in the relevant foreign language on the websites of the University and the faculty.

3. If the study includes practical training and an internship, the faculty will provide professional guidance and other conditions for the implementation of this training and internship in the relevant foreign language.

4. Qualification theses are written in the relevant foreign language. Examiners’ reports are prepared in the relevant foreign language and also in English or Czech.

5. The faculty will provide information and communication on the schedule of study, on the requirements arising from the study in the given programme of study, on the study documents, and on other information related to the study in the relevant foreign language.

6. Academic staff and other experts involved in the delivery of lectures, seminars, and other forms of teaching have sufficient knowledge of the foreign language.

7. Students and academic staff have access to information resources and other services, particularly counselling services, in the foreign language in which the programme of study is conducted.

Article 18 – Specific requirements for the programme of study implemented outside the seat of the faculty

¹⁹

1. The content of the programme of study implemented outside the seat of the faculty must be identical to the content of the programme of study implemented at the seat of the faculty.

2. Teaching which takes place outside the seat of the faculty, with the exception of practical training and internship, is staffed using a similar qualification structure as at the seat of the faculty.

3. The material, informational, and technical support of a programme of study implemented outside the seat of the faculty must be comparable with the provision for the implementation of the programme of study at the seat of the faculty. If only practical teaching is carried out outside the seat of the faculty, the material and technical support must correspond to the needs of this teaching.

Article 19 – Changes in the programme of study in the course of its implementation

Any changes to the programme of study in the course of its implementation will be submitted by the Dean, through the Rector, to the Internal Evaluation Board for consideration sufficiently in advance according to the nature of the changes²⁰, which include:

Article 20 – Common provisions

The Internal Evaluation Board may further specify the individual standards for specific areas of education.

Article 21 – Transitional and final provisions

1. Programmes of study and areas of study accredited by the decision of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, including their curricula which are specified by these programmes and which are part of the programmes authorized by the Internal Evaluation Board, are subject to this Directive with the necessary modifications.

2. Rector’s Directive No. 32/2017 is repealed.

3. Programmes of study submitted to the Rector before the entry into effect of this Directive are subject to the existing Rector’s Directive No. 32/2017.

4. This Directive comes into effect on 1 September 2019.

Transitional provision for the amendment:

Rector’s Directive No. 13/2019, in the wording which had been in effect before this amendment came into effect, will be used for programmes of study submitted to the Rector before the effective date of this amendment.

Effect of Rector’s Directive. 13/2022:

Effect of the consolidated version:   1 June 2022

Prague, 1 June 2022

.pdf to download

Notes:

²¹ Appendix No. 2 to Rector’s Directive No. 14/2019 Draft of a Programme of Study within Institutional Accreditation.

²² Article 22 of the Constitution of Charles University.

²³ Characteristics of a subject according to Appendix No. 1 to Rector’s Directive No. 14/2019 Draft of a Programme of Study within Institutional Accreditation.