PhD in Computer Science

Detailed study information

The goal of the doctoral study of computer science in the branch of study Autonomous Systems is the training of experts for design, research, and applications of a broad spectrum of autonomous and multiagent systems. Students choose their specialization among topics like artificial intelligence (cognitive systems), knowledge systems and knowledge engineering, theoretical and applied robotics, drone control and processing of data streams from drones (UAV – Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles), mathematical modeling of multi-agent systems, bio-inspired multiagent computing, supercomputing technologies and more. They have also wide opportunities for participation in research projects, grant support, short-term and long-term foreign research stays.

Study organization

The study program is available in full-time and part-time form. Standard study duration is 3 years in the full-time form and 5 years in the part-time form. Students of the full-time form will be provided a scholarship according to the actual university regulation. In return, they will participate in teaching duties of the Institute of Computer Science, up to 4 hours weekly.

The study follows an individual study plan under control of the student’s supervisor. The individual study plan is designed in cooperation of the supervisor and the student and must be approved by the scientific council of the study program. The individual study plan contains:

• the Ph.D. thesis theme
• the list of courses the student has to pass
• a list of other duties and suggestions for subsequent years of study (scientific publications, conference and workshop participation etc.)
• a description of continuous control of the state of preparation of the Ph.D. thesis

The individual study plan includes at least 5 study courses concluded by exams conducted by an exam tribunal. The students of the full-time form must pass the exams in the first two years of study, and the students of the part-time form must pass them in the first three years of study. The courses Autonomous Systems and English for Computer Science are mandatory, the student also visits the Seminarium every semester of the study.1 At least four courses are chosen from the list of optional courses according to the topic of the Ph.D. thesis.

Contents, scope, and form of the state doctoral examination

The state doctoral examination is organized as a scientific dispute with the candidate and it includes topics of three courses of the individual study plan, selected so as to be linked with the Ph.D. thesis topic and the exams the student has passed. The scope of these three courses is defined in the actually published list of topics for the final exams, and in more details also in content descriptions of these courses. The student is expected to prove an orientation in theoretical computer science, artificial intelligence and the field of autonomous agents and multiagent systems.