Asian Studies

PhD Programme in Asian Studies (4 years)

The Department of Asian Studies at Palacký University Olomouc offers a PhD programme in Asian Studies (in English as well as in Czech) to students of humanities and social sciences specialising in Asia within the following broad topics:

• Language structure, language use and its role in society
• Quantitative linguistics, data mining, translation studies
• Political change and ideology in Asia
• Inter-cultural contacts between Europe and Asia
• Cultural anthropology, ethnology and material culture
• Social structure and social change in Asia
• International relations in Asia
• History of ideas and religion
• Contemporary literature and culture (including visual representation and verbal art)
• Modern and pre-modern Asian literature
• Modern art and architecture
• Language acquisition and teaching

The faculty consists of about two dozen specialists with diverse expertise (see Department Members).

The department offers language instruction in Chinese, Cantonese, Indonesian/Malay, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Uzbek, Uyghur and Vietnamese in its BA and MA programs. Doctoral students can gain teaching experience in the BA program.

The department maintains an active research program, with regular events such as seminars, workshops, conferences, and summer schools. It offers a rich and stimulating environment to budding Asia experts. Doctoral students are encouraged to participate in Department research projects, such as the Sinophone Borderlands Project (2018-2023), EUVIP (2023-), or REMOTE XUAR (2023-).

• An MA degree or equivalent in Asian studies or related field (Chinese philology, Japanese philology, Asian Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Political Sciences, History of Art, etc.)
• Active proficiency in one language related to the region (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, etc.)
• Proficiency in English 
• Knowledge of another language of the area is considered advantageous

The applicants should complete the online application form using this link by the stipulated deadline.

In the process of completing this online application form, the applicants should attach the following documents and pay the admission fee:

1. Cover letter or Statement of Purpose (explaining the applicant's motivation to pursue graduate studies) 
2. Detailed CV (signed by the applicant)
3. Transcript of the academic record of MA studies
4. Research proposal (max 5. pages incl. bibliography)
5. Two reference letters commenting on their aptitude for graduate studies
6. Copy of a Diploma, a study certificate, or a similar document issued by the foreign higher education institution (must be verified – see !Important notice! below)
7. Language certificates such as TOEFL, IELTS, GRE are considered an advantage (but not mandatory) 

Online application submission period: 1 January – 30 April.

For further information, see this link.

Any queries regarding online application may be addressed to Ms. Lucie Kovaříková (lucie.kovarikova@upol.cz) from the Study Affairs Department.

Applicants are encouraged to contact their prospective supervisor before the application (see the list below).

Important Notice

All documents shall be delivered in English, Czech or Slovak. Documents in a language other than English, Czech or Slovak must be provided with an official translation into one of these languages. 

All documents the applicant submits to the Faculty must be certified in accordance with the respective international treaties. Requirements on the format of certification are available here.

If you apply to study at Palacký University Olomouc and you have completed your prior higher education outside of the Czech Republic, the recognition of your prior education is essential for the decision process regarding your admission to the study programme. More information on the diploma recognition procedure is available here. 

For the purposes of the admission procedure at Palacký University Olomouc in the respective academic year, the assessment of whether you have completed the required prior education abroad is sufficient. If you wish to have your prior education and qualifications recognized as equivalent to education obtained in the Czech Republic, you must undergo the standard recognition proceedings. For more detailed information, please see the link above.

Selected applicants will be invited for an interview (video call with students not living abroad).

In addition to the above, the applicants are evaluated based on the following:

1. the quality and feasibility of their research proposal (max. 5 pages incl. bibliography)
2. their ability to present their research proposal
3. their familiarity with the theoretical frameworks of their research
4. their communication abilities in English and the language of the area
5. their understanding of the chosen field
6. their aptitude for graduate studies (must be supported by 2 reference letters).

Selected applicants will be presented to the Dean for approval and, if successful, informed without unnecessary delay.

Duration of application process: see the schedule of the academic year

Internal members

• doc. Mgr. Ivona Barešová, Ph.D., Palacký University in Olomouc (Japanese linguistics; Chair of the Doctoral Board)
• prof. RNDr. dr hab. Jan Andres, DSc., Palacký University in Olomouc (mathematical analysis, nonlinear differential equations and inclusions, dynamic systems, fractals)
• doc. Mag. Dr. Alfred Gerstl, MIR, Palacký University in Olomouc, (international relations of Southeast and East Asia)
• prof. prof. PhDr. Jiří Lach, M.A., Ph.D., Palacký University in Olomouc (history)
• doc. prof. PhDr. Ludmila Veselovská, Ph.D., Palacký University in Olomouc (language universals, typology)

External members

• doc. Pascal Bourdeaux, Ph.D., École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris
• prof. Julie Chen Yu-Wen, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (China's culture and society, China's international relations, comparative politics)
• prof. Olga Dror, Ph.D., M.A., Texas A&M University (history)
• doc. Olaf Günther, Ph.D., Universität Leipzig (ethnology)
• prof. Duncan McCargo, Ph.D., School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds (political science)
• doc. Ing. Jan Sýkora, M.A., Ph.D., Palacký University in Olomouc, FF UK Prague Institute of Far East (modern and contemporary history of Japan, economic and social history of Japan, intellectual history of Japan, contemporary Japanese society)

Members of the Doctoral Board can be supervisors.

• doc. Monika Arnez, Ph.D., Palacký University Olomouc (Anthropology, Gender, Integration, Human-Technology Interactions)
• doc. Lucie Olivová, Ph.D., DSc. (Chinese literature)
• doc. Joanna Sio Ut-Seong, M.Phil., Ph.D., Palacký University Olomouc (Chinese linguistics, drama and communication) 
• Prof. Francis Bond, Ph.D. (Computational linguistics, semantic networks of Chinese, Japanese and Malay)
• Giorgio Strafella, PhD (Chinese art and history)

Collaboration with external supervisors is also possible.

Any queries may be addressed to Dr. Šamajová: katerina.samajova@upol.cz.

Projekt Asijská studia: podpora mladých talentů

reg. č. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/16_018/0002297