Document is repealed

Dean´s Directive 4/2019

DEAN´S DIRECTIVE
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BACHELOR´S AND MASTER´S DEGREE STUDY PROGRAMMES AT THE FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CTU IN PRAGUE

 

Preamble

 

The regulations for study in Bachelor´s, Master´s and doctoral degree study programmes implemented at CTU faculties are laid out in the Study and Examination Code for Students of the Czech Technical University in Prague (hereinafter "SEC"). In this directive, the Dean lays down detailed conditions for study at the Faculty of Civil Engineering CTU in Prague (hereinafter "Faculty") in all accredited Bachelor´s and Master´s degree study programmes. Pursuant to Art. 4 par. 2 of SEC, this Dean´s directive is part of the documentation of study programmes.

 

Article 1
Study in Bachelor´s and Master´s degree study programmes

 

  1. The study plan is a component part of the study programme and is designed for individual branches of study. It contains a list of courses whose attendance and proper completion is the necessary condition for the proper completion of the study programme. The study plan is structured as follow:
    1. It classifies groups of individual courses according to their relevance into compulsory, compulsory elective and elective courses. Compulsory courses form the basis of study for the respective study programme and branch, by choosing compulsory elective courses within the study programme students themselves determine the professional orientation of their professional profile, and through elective courses they extend their professional profile in keeping with their interests.
    2. It defines the follow-up order of courses if necessary. By the follow-up order is understood the fulfilment of all prescribed duties (a credit, classified credit, examination) in the respective course before taking an examination in this course, unless otherwise stated in the study plan.
    3. It defines reviewed stages of study, so-called blocks of study, including the conditions for their successful fulfilment and the methods of their review. The reviews of the fulfilment of study duties during study are designed to check whether the student has fulfilled all study duties of the respective block of study, i.e. received all credits, classified credits and passed all examinations in the courses prescribed by the study plan, within the specified term.
    4. Through the recommended time schedule of study, it specifies the time sequence of the registration for individual courses of study and the completion of credits, classified credits and examinations. Its observance allows successful completion of study within the standard period of study.

  2. If the study plan specifies the number of credit units for compulsory elective courses in individual semesters of study, a student must register for the total number of credit units granted for these courses during study and complete them irrespective of the number of courses he/she has registered for and completed in individual semesters. Students register for compulsory elective courses based on the offer of courses opened for the respective branch of study.

  3. A student may also register for other courses from the offer of other programmes and branches implemented at CTU which are not a component part of the study plan of the branch in which the student is enrolled. Pursuant to Art. 14 par. 4 of SEC, the credit units gained for these courses, however, are not included in the number of credit units necessary to continue study.

  4. The dates and organization of the registration for semesters are laid down in the Dean´s measure and published on the official Faculty board and on the Faculty web site.

  5. Prior to the start of a semester, the Head of Department ensures for each course offered by the department the elaboration and publication of the following:
    1. time schedule of lectures and practical classes specifying compulsory attendance at individual forms of instruction,
    2. method and time schedule of a continuous review of study during the semester,
    3. requirements for the examination, conditions for granting a credit or classified credit,
    4. proportion of the examination in the total evaluation of the course,
    5. list of required follow-ups,
    6. list of recommended study literature.

  6. Within two weeks after the start of instruction in the semester, a student may apply at the Student Administration for a change in registered courses (cancel the registration or register for a new course). After two weeks, all registered courses become binding for the respective semester regardless of the fact whether the student has or does not have a timetable assigned to these courses. No more courses may be registered or cancelled after this term.

  7. The dates and places of taking examinations are published by departments in the CTU electronic information system (hereinafter "KOS system") no later than 10 working days before the first day of the examination session of the respective semester. The dates of examinations must be spaced evenly over the examination session and the total examination capacity must exceed the number of students registered for the respective course by at least 1.5 x. The guarantor of a respective course authorizes individual academic members to examine.

  8. Pursuant to Art. 8 par. 2 of SEC, a credit or classified credit may be received no later than by the end of the examination session of the semester in which the course was registered; an examination may be taken no later than by the end of the examination session of the semester in which the course was registered.

  9. The result of an examination or a classified credit, a granted or failed credit must be entered in the KOS system within two working days after the date of the announcement of the result of the examination, classified credit or credit.

  10. Pursuant to Art. 9 par. 5 and Art. 10 par. 10 of SEC, the department is obliged to keep its own written records of the results of credits, classified credits and examinations independent of the KOS system and keep them for ten years. The filing method is at the discretion of the Head of Department.

  11. The recognition of a stage of study (semester, academic year or block of study) and individual courses is defined in Art. 13 par. 10 and Art. 15 par. 2 of SEC. An application for the recognition of stages of study or courses is submitted by a student to the Student Administration at the first registration after admission to study.

  12. Depending on the total number of recognized credit units from previous study, the terms set for the reviews of the fulfilment of study duties during study are shortened pursuant to par. 1c). For each 30 recognized credit units, the reviewed term is shortened by one semester.

  13. Students´ applications concerning study matters (e.g. interruption of study under Art. 13 par. 7 of SEC) in which students refer to health reasons must be accompanied by a doctor´s report from a general practitioner or a specialist physician, or from a hospital facility, containing the following data: the starting day and the presumed day of the termination of incapacity for study, the reason of incapacity for study, the date, stamp of the healthcare facility, doctor´s name and signature.

 

Article 2
Placement in branches of study or specializations

 

  1. In the Bachelor´s degree study programme of "Civil Engineering", starting from the fifth semester (second block of study), the students are placed in branches of study or specializations based on the school selection process. The procedure takes into account students´ interest in the respective branch of study or specialization, their study results in the 1st to 3rd semester and the available capacities of individual branches of study or specializations. The final decision on the student´s placement in a branch of study or specialization is within the Dean´s competence and is irrevocable.

  2. The selection process is organized during the fourth semester. The students are informed about the opening of the competition by the Dean´s measure published on the official Faculty board and the Faculty web site. The selection process is entered by all students in the Bachelor´s degree study programme of "Civil Engineering" who will register for the second block of study in the coming year.

  3. For the purposes of placement in branches of study or specializations, the study results are evaluated by the ratio: the number of credit units received / weighted study average (calculated pursuant to Art. 12 of SEC).

  4. During the selection process evaluation, for students who had some of their courses recognized from their previous study this fact shall be considered.

  5. After the selection process closing, the Dean grants permits for transfers to another branch of study or specialization only for serious reasons.

 

Article 3
Pedagogical Boards

 

  1. The Pedagogical Board of a Bachelor´s or Master´s degree study programme (hereinafter "PBP") is the principal professional body of study. It reports to the Faculty Dean.

  2. If study in a Bachelor´s or Master´s degree programme is subdivided into branches or specializations, PBP may be subdivided into Pedagogical Boards of Branches or Specializations (hereinafter "PBB" or "PBS", respectively), which guarantee professional activity within these branches of study. PBB or PBS are obliged to respect the PBP resolutions.

  3. PBP, PBB or PBS consist of a minimum of five members, who are the Faculty academic staff members. Due to their function, PBB or PBS chairpersons are PBP members. PBP, PBB or PBS chairpersons and members are appointed and recalled by the Dean following discussion in the Dean´s Advisory Board.

  4. The PBP chairperson simultaneously acts as the guarantor of the respective study programme, coordinates the content preparation of the study programme, oversees the quality of the study programme implementation, assesses the study programme and develops it.

  5. PBP in particular:
    1. submits proposals for the modifications of branches or creation of new branches to the Dean,
    2. draws up and updates the study plan for the block of study common for all branches,
    3. coordinates the offer of elective courses submitted by departments for the respective study programme,
    4. based on the results of the selection process, submits a proposal for students´ placement in branches of study to the Dean,
    5. oversees the quality of the study programme implementation, assesses the study programme,
    6. if PBB or PBS is not established, PBP fulfils the PBB or PBS function under par. 6.

  6. PBB or PBS, respectively in particular:
    1. draws up and updates the study plan for the branch-oriented block of study,
    2. sets up the offer of elective groups of courses (professional modules or specializations) within the respective branch of study,
    3. coordinates the offer of compulsory elective courses submitted by departments for the respective branch of study.
    4. oversees the quality of the implementation of the branch of study, assesses the branch of study.

  7. PBP and PBB or PBS, respectively meet minimally once a year. The minutes of the meeting are taken. The PBB or PBS chairperson submits the minutes to the PBP chairperson. The minutes of a PBP meeting with enclosed minutes of individual PBBs or PBSs are handed over to the Vice-Dean for Education unless they are identical to the PBP for the respective study programme.

 

Article 4
Final theses

 

  1. The condition for the registration for the Bachelor´s Thesis is obtaining the required number of credit units for courses of the study plan and proper completion of the courses specified by the study plan.

  2. The condition for the registration for the Diploma Thesis is the fulfilment of all study duties for the whole Master´s degree study, i.e. obtaining all credits, classified credits and passing all examinations in the courses prescribed by the study plan.

  3. The topics of Bachelor´s or Diploma Theses (hereinafter "final thesis") are chosen reflecting the needs of practice or research and development activity of departments. Their orientation, extent and demands are differentiated for the Bachelor´s and Master´s degree study. The topics are offered by individual departments and experimental workplaces (hereinafter "departments"), the organization of students´ applications for the topics of final theses (including providing consultants according to the requirements of departments) is within the responsibilities of the respective deputy to the Vice-Dean for Education. In the case of the second registration for the course, the topic of the final thesis must be different or principally modified against the topic assigned to the student in the first registration for the course.

  4. The supervisors of final theses, consultants, elaboration principles of these theses, criteria for their assessment, dates of submission and further practicalities (e.g. the number of compulsory consultations per semester) are specified by the Head of Department as instructed by the Dean.
    The appointed supervisor of the final thesis may be
    1. a CTU academic staff member,
    2. or another CTU employee with minimally a Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree.

  5. The supervisor of final theses may simultaneously supervise the maximum of 8 Bachelor´s and 8 Diploma Theses.

  6. Final theses are assigned by the department no later than in the first week of the semester in which a student has registered for the final thesis. The final thesis is assigned on a prescribed form, including the title of the thesis, the title of the thesis in English, the student´s name, the date of assignment and submission of the thesis, the supervisor and the elaboration principles of the final thesis. The assignment sheet is signed by the Head of Department, the supervisor of the final thesis, and the student signs it to confirm the receipt of the assignment. No later than by the end of the second week of instruction in the semester, the department enters the prescribed data on the final thesis in the KOS system and sends a copy of the final thesis assignment to the Student Administration.

  7. In the elaboration of final theses, students must abide by the Methodological Instruction No. 1/2009 "On the Observation of Ethical Principles during the Preparation of University Final Theses". The majority of final theses are represented by architectural or civil engineering projects in which commonly used anti plagiarism systems, which check portions of text or similarity of figures, cannot be used to detect plagiarism. The supervisors of final theses are obliged to consistently check the state of elaboration of the final thesis and its originality on a continual basis.
    The final thesis must contain the following:
    1. table of content, including a list of potential annexes,
    2. assignment sheet,
    3. abstract and key words in Czech or Slovak and in English, declaration that the student wrote the thesis on his/her own without outside help and that the quotations of used sources are complete,
    4. introductory analysis of the assigned topic,
    5. solution of the assigned task,
    6. final assessment of results,
    7. list of references.
    The final thesis is submitted in one original printed copy and in the electronic version via the KOS information system. The publication of the final thesis can be postponed pursuant to Art. 35 par. 6 of SEC, the postponement of publication is at the discretion of the Head of Department.
    The conditions for granting a credit for the final thesis are as follows:
    1. fulfilment of the final thesis assignment and conditions stipulated by the respective department for the elaborating of final theses
    2. submitting the final thesis in the KOS information system
    3. submitting a printed copy of the final thesis at the department
    No later than 3 working days after the date of submitting the final thesis, the Head of Department shall appoint the opponent of the final thesis.
    In Bachelor´s Theses, the appointed opponents are academic staff members or researchers, or experts from practice.
    In Diploma Theses, the appointed opponents are academic staff members or researchers who do not work at the department where the final thesis was elaborated, or experts from practice.
    The supervisor of the final thesis and the opponent evaluate and classify the final thesis under Art. 11 par. 1 of SEC and enter their expert opinions in the KOS system no later than five working days before the defence date thus allowing the student to become familiar with the supervisor´s and opponent´s expert opinions.

 

Article 5
Final graduation examination

 

  1. The final graduation examination (hereinafter "FGE") is regulated by Articles 16 to 17 of SEC.

  2. FGE in Bachelor´s degree study programmes consists of three parts each of which is classified separately. They are:
    1. defence of a Bachelor´s Thesis,
    2. oral examination in the first thematic area,
    3. oral examination in the second thematic.
    4. The thematic areas of FGE are specified in the study plans of individual branches of study. In the course of FGE, the student also briefly informs of the professional practicum if its completion is a component part of the study plan.

  3. Conditions for admission to FGE in all Bachelor´s degree study programmes except for the programme of Architecture and Building Engineering.
    FGE may only be taken by the student who has complied with the following conditions:
    1. submitted an application form for FGE in the KOS system in the term specified in the time schedule of the academic year,
    2. fulfilled the study plan, i.e. received all credits, classified credits and passed all examinations prescribed by the study plan in the term specified for the respective semester,
    3. was granted a credit for the Bachelor´s Thesis,

  4. Conditions for admission to FGE in the Bachelor´s degree study programme of Architecture and Building Engineering.

    4.1 Examinations in individual thematic areas of FGE may only be taken by the student who has complied with the following conditions:

    1. submitted an application form for FGE to the Faculty Student Administration in the term specified in the time schedule of the academic year,
    2. fulfilled all study duties of the first block of study by the date of submitting the application form,
    3. obtained a minimum of 160 credit units for courses of the study plan by the date of submitting the application form,
    4. properly completed selected courses of the second block of study specified in the study plan by the day of submitting the application form.

    4.2 The Bachelor´s Thesis may only be defended by the student who has complied with the following conditions:

    1. submitted an application form for FGE to the Student Administration in the term specified in the time schedule of the academic year,
    2. fulfilled the whole study plan, i.e. received all credits, classified credits and passed all examinations in the courses prescribed by the study plan,
    3. was granted a credit for the Bachelor´s Thesis.

  5. FGE in Master´s degree study programmes consists of two parts each of which is classified separately. They are:
    1. defence of a Diploma Thesis,
    2. oral examination in one thematic area.
      The thematic areas of FGE are specified in the study plans of individual branches of study.

  6. Conditions for admission to FGE in all Master´s degree study programmes
    FGE may only be taken by the student who has complied with the following conditions:
    1. submitted an application form for FGE in the KOS system in the term specified in the time schedule of the academic year,
    2. fulfilled the whole study plan, i.e. received all credits, classified credits and passed all examinations in the courses prescribed by the study plan by the date of submitting the application for FGE,
    3. was granted a credit for the Diploma Thesis.

  7. The dates of holding FGEs or their parts are specified by the Dean in the time plan of the academic year. Specific lists of names with dates and times of FGE are compiled by individual departments and published by them in the KOS system no later than three working days before the first day of the FGE dates specified by the Faculty Dean. The organization of FGE is within the responsibilities of the respective Vice-Dean for Education, and individual departments are responsible for holding FGE.

 

Article 6
Rules of procedure of FGE Boards of Examiners

 

  1. The rules of procedure of FGE Boards of Examiners are issued pursuant to Art. 16 par. 12 of SEC.

  2. The Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and members of the Board of Examiners are appointed by the Dean pursuant to Art. 16 par. 2 of SEC. The members of the Board for the defence of final theses must include at least one prominent expert who is not a CTU staff member.

  3. The names of all experts approved by the Faculty Scientific Board, who are appointed by the Dean as members of Boards of Examiners for individual study programmes, are published on the Faculty website. The letters of appointment of the Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons and experts approved by the Faculty Scientific Board are filed at the Student Administration.

  4. The Chairperson of the Board of Examiners manages the proceedings of the Board and is responsible for its activity. In the case of the Board Chairperson´s absence, the proceedings of the Board of Examiners are managed by the Deputy Chairperson.

  5. The student´s examination in a thematic area is supervised by a Board member appointed by the Chairperson, and additional questions may also be asked by the other Board members. The classification grade for the examination in a thematic area is decided on by the Board of Examiners taking into account the appointed examiner´s opinion.

  6. In the defence of the final thesis, a student comments on the remarks stated in the supervisor´s and opponent´s expert opinions, and responds to questions raised in general discussion. The classification grade for the defence of the final thesis is decided on by the Board of Examiners taking into account the supervisor´s and opponent´s expert opinions and the quality of the thesis.

  7. The Board of Examiners evaluates the results of the defence of the final thesis and examinations in thematic areas in a non-public part of the proceedings attended also by the supervisor and the opponent of the respective final thesis, if they are present at the proceedings of the Board of Examiners, and the Secretary of the Board of Examiners.

  8. The Board of Examiners constitutes a quorum if the absolute majority of its members are present, and those present must include the Chairperson or the Deputy Chairperson. The Board usually decides by consensus. If it no consensus is reached, the Chairperson opens a voting procedure; in the case of a tie, the Chairperson has a casting vote.

  9. Individual parts of FGE as well as FGE as a whole are classified using the scale under Art. 11 par. 1 of SEC. The numerical value of the resulting classification of FGE is determined as follows:
    1. in Bachelor´s degree study programmes as the weighted average calculated from the numerical value corresponding to the evaluation of the Bachelor´s Thesis defence with a weight of 40% and numerical values corresponding to the evaluation of both oral examinations in thematic areas, each with a weight of 30%.
    2. in Master´s degree study programmes as the weighted average calculated from the numerical value corresponding to the evaluation of the Diploma Thesis defence with a weight of 70% and the numerical value corresponding to the evaluation of the oral examination in a thematic area with a weight of 30%.

  10. The resulting grade for FGE is awarded based on the numerical value of the resulting classification of FGE as follows:

    Resulting grade for FGENumerical value of FGE resulting classification
    A1.00 - 1.24
    B1.25 - 1.74
    C1.75 - 2.24
    D2.25 - 2.74
    E2.75 - 3.00

  11. If any part of FGE was evaluated by grade F, the overall result of FGE awarded is also grade F.

  12. The Board may address the Dean with a proposal for granting a distinction for an excellent elaboration and defence of the final thesis. The Diploma Theses that were granted this award may be nominated by the Board for the Faculty Best Diploma Thesis Award in the respective category.

  13. The Secretary of the Board of Examiners shall make a protocol of FGE, which is signed by the Chairperson and other members of the Board of Examiners present. The protocol is also signed by the student, who hereby confirms the fact that he/she has been made familiar with the result of FGE.

 

Article 7
Final provisions

 

  1. In cases where study matters are within the Dean´s responsibility, students usually apply to him/her through the respective deputy to the Vice-Dean for Education responsible for the study programme or branch of study. They submit their written applications to the official at the Student Administration.

  2. In cases which are not regulated by SEC or by this Directive, and also in controversial cases, the decision is within the Dean´s competence.

  3. The Dean´s Directive for the implementation of study programmes and the final graduation examination at the Faculty of Civil Engineering CTU in Prague of 4. 4. 2018 is hereby cancelled.

  4. This Directive was discussed by the Academic Senate of the Faculty on 2. 10. 2019.

  5. This Directive comes into force starting from 10. 10. 2019.

 

In Prague on 2. 10. 2019

prof. Ing. Jiří Máca, CSc.
Dean