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Masaryk University Faculty of Science

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Instructions and templates for Bachelor’s and Master’s theses

• Bachelor's & Master's Studies
• Advanced Master's State Examination
• Lifelong Learning

Dean’s Measure 3/2019  stipulates mandatory sections that must be included in the Bachelor’s and Master’s theses at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University. You can download the mandatory sections to be included in you thesis below.

The final thesis must include a copy of an official valid assignment without handwritten signatures, which will be firmly and inseparably bound with the thesis. A valid scanned copy of this assignment without handwritten signatures shall also be a part of the electronic version.

Final theses in a foreign language

If the specification of the final thesis does not expressly enable that the thesis be drawn up in a foreign language (e.g. in Slovak), the student may apply for this option. The application is submitted through the Document Office in the Information System of Masaryk University. Information on how to proceed in submitting the application can be found  here . The application will be granted if it is recommended by the thesis supervisor and his/her superior, i.e. the director of the respective department. It is not necessary to apply for permission to write the final thesis in English, but it is necessary to have the language of the thesis included in the assignment of the final thesis.

In the case of final theses drawn up in a foreign language, the name of the thesis and the print on its binding must also be given in the Czech language. The description (objective) of the thesis can be given in Slovak/English. The acknowledgements and declaration may be made in English.

Theses drawn up in the Slovak language shall include bibliography and abstract in the Czech, Slovak and English languages (in this order); the remaining mandatory sections shall be governed by  Dean’s Measure 3/2019 .

Templates and instructions on how to use them can be found  here .

How to write a final thesis – a free video course for students of Master’s and Bachelor’s degree programmes

Within the Masaryk University Development Fund, video lectures that give students advice about the process of writing a Master’s or a Bachelor’s thesis were created. The course includes, amongst other things, tips on how to prevent procrastination and be productive. The videos are available in the Information System in the following folders: Documents --> Faculty of Science --> Video Recordings --> How to write a final thesis /do/sci/video/Jak_napsat_DP/

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Template for theses at Faculty of Science (Masaryk University)

Template (v.2.2) for theses at Faculty of Science (Masaryk University). This template agrees with faculty rules, see https://www.sci.muni.cz/student/bc-a-mgr/pokyny-a-sablony-pro-bakalarske-diplomove-a-rigorozni-prace

Read also the attached file "Pruvodce sablonou"

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What is fithesis ?

Fithesis is a document class for the typesetting of theses using the LaTeX document preparation system . Historically, the fithesis classes were used primarily by the students of the Faculty of Informatics and the Faculty of Science at the Masaryk University in Brno. With fithesis , students of any faculty can benefit from the typesetting prowess of LaTeX with a class that was designed for compliance with the requirements of every faculty at the Masaryk University. The students and staff of other academic institutions are encouraged to extend the class to fit their specific requirements.

If you are curious what fithesis looks like, take a peek at the example documents for the Faculty of Economics and Administration , Informatics , Sports Studies , Social Studies , Law , Medicine , Education , Arts , or Science .

Frequently asked questions

Do I still need to concern myself with the thesis formal requirements, if I use fithesis ? Yes, the use of the class does not guarantee the fulfillment of every formal requirement of your faculty or department. It does, however, make the task of fulfilling these requirements easier.

How do I get started?

Just open an online template for the Faculty of Economics and Administration , Informatics , Sports Studies , Social Studies , Law , Medicine , Education , Arts , Science the official theme by Petr Zemánek )-->, or Pharmacy and write away. Economics and Administration , Informatics , Sports Studies , Social Studies , Law , Medicine , Education , Arts , or Science .-->

More information

The user guides and --> The technical documentation – No matter who you are—a user looking for basic directions or a seasoned programmer on a mission to fully customize your thesis—the extensive documentation of fithesis has you covered.

The ctan repository – This is where the current release version of fithesis lives. From here it is brought to the end users through TeX distributions.

The Git repository – This is where the latest development version of fithesis lives. fithesis/guide/mu directory and in the technical documentation stored within the fithesis/fithesis.pdf file.--> Should you wish to report a bug or take part in the development, this is where you can send us either a bug report or a pull request. Alternatively, you can e-mail or --> come visit us in the lemma lab in person.

Fithesis, the typesetting of theses in LaTeX – This is forum was founded to foster discussion about the typesetting of theses at the Masaryk University. You are invited to discuss any topic ranging from the fithesis classes and fibeamer to TeX and LaTeX in general.

The Form of Theses Written in LaTeX – The bachelor's thesis of Vít Starý Novotný describes the design and implementation of fithesis3 . The thesis itself was typeset using fithesis3 and serves as a demonstration of its capabilities. The source code of the thesis is also available in a Git repository and can be a useful starting point for writing your own thesis.

Updating the fithesis LaTeX templates to UVS MU – The bachelor's thesis of Tereza Vrabcová describes the design and implementation of fithesis4 . The thesis itself was typeset using fithesis4 and serves as a demonstration of its capabilities.

Twitter – On our Twitter account, you will find the latest news regarding fithesis .

What is fibeamer ?

Fibeamer is a beamer theme for the typesetting of thesis defense presentations using the LaTeX document preparation system . By default, the theme only supports the faculties of the Masaryk University, but it can be easily extended to provide support for other academic institutions as well.

If you are curious what fibeamer looks like, take a peek at the example documents for the Faculty of Economics and Administration , Informatics , Sports Studies , Social Studies , Law , Medicine , Education , Arts , or Science .

You are encouraged to use the mubeamer beamer theme instead of fibeamer . Unlike fibeamer , mubeamer will receive future updates to reflect changes to the unified visual style of the Masaryk University.

Just open an online template for the Faculty of Economics and Administration , Informatics , Sports Studies , Social Studies , Law , Medicine , Education , Arts , or Science and write away. Economics and Administration , Informatics , Sports Studies , Social Studies , Law , Medicine , Education , Arts , or Science .-->

The user guides and the technical documentation – No matter who you are—a user looking for basic directions or a seasoned programmer on a mission to fully customize your thesis—the extensive documentation of fibeamer has you covered.

The ctan repository – This is where the current release version of fibeamer lives. From here it is brought to the end users through TeX distributions.

The Git repository – This is where the latest development version of fibeamer lives. fibeamer/fibeamer.pdf file.--> Should you wish to report a bug or take part in the development, this is where you can send us either a bug report or a pull request. Alternatively, you can e-mail or --> come visit us in the lemma lab in person.

Twitter – On our Twitter account, you will find the latest news regarding fibeamer .

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International Relations and European Politics – Faculty of Social Studies

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• Master's thesis
• International Student Guide

Your Master's thesis

Your Master’s thesis is part of receiving your degree. It is written over two semesters, graded by your supervisor and a reviewer, and finally defended in front of the master’s degree committee.   

The thesis shall consist of between 20,000 and 26,000 words, including notes and a bibliography. Format and submit the manuscript according to the  university template (the first page must follow the template exactly, others may loosely). The thesis may be written in five specific genres:  

Deadlines and guides

SEMESTER DEADLINES

Creating a topic (GUIDE)

• The Master's thesis is written over the course of two semesters. SEE DEADLINES IN SIDEBOX. 
• In your penultimate semester (typically 3 rd ) ,   enroll   in Diploma Seminar I.    
• Seek a supervisor based on the topic   on which you would like to work.   There are various strategies how to find one. Firstly, you might ask according to themes and topics you have seen them discuss during your courses. Secondly, look at supervisor general fields or at medallions of lecturers on the Department’s website. Finally, if   these avenues have been exhausted ,   contact the program’s study advisor ,   who will help you to choose a supervisor.  
• Contact   the selected advisor  personally or by email  and consult   them   about the topic. Create a specific topic and enter it into the IS list (see sidebox for .pdf visual guide and deadline ). 
• Fulfill the requirements of Diploma Seminar I. by submitting part of the thesis into the homework vault labeled by the name of your supervisor.    
• You will   receive   feedback; unsuccessful submissions may be resubmitted before the end of the examination period.  
• In your final semester (typically 4 th ) ,   enroll   into Diploma Seminar II.  
• You continue cooperating with your supervisor and fulfill the   course requirements   by submitting   the majority of the thesis as per Diploma Seminar II course instructions.  
• You will receive   an   evaluation ; unsuccessful   submissions will not proceed to the handing of a final thesis . They   rework   the thesis   next semester.  
• Students submit   complete   thesis according to the deadline.  

Theses genres

Students choose among four* types of thesis format: 1) Research paper 2) Literature review 3) Policy paper 4) Extended position paper

* Other Master's thesis formats which do not correspond to any of the above are permitted only in exceptional, duly justified cases, and only with the express consent of the head of program.

• Each Master's thesis must contain an abstract explicitly stating which of the it follows.
• An active approach to consultations with the supervisor, as well as the student's own initiative in writing the thesis is part of the thesis evaluation.

1. Research paper

The aim of the research paper is to enrich our knowledge of a certain phenomenon or topic. The basis of the research paper is therefore the novelty of the knowledge it brings. The research paper sets out a research question, evaluates how existing scientific literature answers this question, determines what is missing in the existing literature, and fills this knowledge gap. In doing so, the research paper proceeds to answer the question with reference to its theoretical underpinnings.

A research paper should adhere to the following structure:

• Introduction: The introduction of the topic, the justification of its practical and theoretical importance, the formulation of the main research question (i.e. the general objective of the paper), a brief explanation of why a given phenomenon needs to be examined. It concisely summarizes the results of the analysis and briefly introduces the main thesis of the paper that the author has developed. • Literature review (theoretical part): Conceptualization of concepts, presentation and critical abbreviated evaluation of the existing literature on the topic (a short version of section 2. literature review). A more detailed presentation of the rationale for why a given phenomenon needs to be examined (why existing literature is not enough). Formulation of hypotheses or specific research questions. • Data and methods: Description of the data used in the analysis (including data collection description), variable operationalization, data processing method. Of course, data and variables may be qualitative to quantitative depending on the subject matter of the research. Chosen method of analysis is presented. • Analysis: Presentation of analysis, discussion of results, evaluation of hypotheses / answers to research questions. • Conclusion: Will briefly recall the goal of the paper and the contribution of the paper. It concisely summarizes the results of the analysis and answers the research questions. It will give thought to aspects that potentially weaken the validity of analysis results. It can propose the direction of future research.

The topic of the research paper must consider the extent of the thesis and the necessity to cover all parts of the research paper (literature review, theoretical grounding, data, method). The problem to be examined should therefore be rather limited and well defined and testing should be limited to specific parts of theories or models. We recommend that the topic and the assignment of the research-oriented paper be consulted in a timely manner with the potential supervisor.

Recommended literature: Murray, R. (eds.). How to write a thesis . 3rd ed. Maidenhead, England: McGraw Hill, 2011, 325. ISBN 9780335244294

2. Literature review

The aim is to describe and evaluate the state of research on a topic. The aim of the literature review is to familiarize the reader with existing research on the subject and find out which areas are unexplored and require further research. In other words, the literature review critically summarizes what we know about the subject, what we do not know, and what needs to be further explored.

A literature review is not intended to be a list of annotations for individual scientific papers but should be structured according to topics and sub-topics. Thus, the literature review structure is not based on individual authors (or works), but is based on individual concepts, theories or approaches. While reference to authors and their works is important, it serves only as support for the discussion of concepts, theories, and approaches.

A literature review should have the following characteristics:

• summarizes relevant literature and analyzes it critically • evaluates the current state of knowledge in terms of its completeness and quality • presents the author's insight into the strong and weak points of current knowledge. Furthermore, it identifies which topics do not yet have unambiguous conclusions and where blanks remain in the topic. • presents and analyzes the state of knowledge of the given topic in a synthesizing form, not in the form of a list of authors or scientific works • at the end, clearly summarizes the current level of knowledge, identifies its strengths and weaknesses, and proposes appropriate research questions or hypotheses for future innovative research • a literature review may include a description of the subject, but a critical discussion of the literature still represents the core of the thesis.

Recommended literature: Knopf J.W. 2006. Doing a Literature Review. PS: Political Science and Politics 39(1): 127-132 .

3. Policy paper

The aim of the policy paper is to provide a proposal for solving a social problem. Unlike "research work", the policy paper does not have the ambition to contribute to the theoretical debate on the issue. The policy paper identifies a practical, politically relevant issue that needs to be resolved (such as religious intolerance, corruption, human rights violations in foreign countries, etc.), identifies possible solutions, evaluates these solutions, and clearly suggests a recommended solution to the problem.

The policy paper sometimes distinguishes between "policy study" and "policy analysis". The bachelor thesis expects a policy study, not a policy analysis (see Young and Quinn 2002 for more about differences). Therefore, a work that is not written for a particular client with a specific assignment is expected, but will be about the problem itself. The work will target readers from experts on public policy analysis, not decision makers (i.e. policy makers). In order to support the argumentation, this genre admits and in specific cases even requires the collection of primary data, not just summarizing the already tested one. With regard to the target audience of the readers, the language of the work should be expert and the reasoning should be appropriate in depth.

A policy paper should include the following points: • Abstract clearly summarizing the main argument / recommendation • A description of the serious policy issue and the rationale for addressing the problem. It is necessary to clearly describe the context in which the problem arises and to communicate clearly the purpose / aim of the paper. • The policy paper contains a methodological section (although it differs from a research paper). It is necessary to clearly describe what data is used, how it is analyzed, and what pattern the workflow and argumentation will follow. • Limits of the paper are stated and acknowledged as one study cannot include all aspects of the policy issue being examined. Likewise, data availability issues must be acknowledged. • A description of possible solutions to the problem. • Analysis of the likely impacts of each of the described alternatives, their strengths and weaknesses. • Suggestions of preferred alternatives and arguments for the choice of the offered best solution to the problem.

Recommended literature: Eóin Young a Lisa Quinn. 2002. Writing Effective Public Policy Papers. A Guide for Policy Advisers in Central and Eastern Europe. Open Society Institute.

4. Extended position paper

The aim of the extended position paper is adopting an argumentative stance developed in response to a specific position or theory typically exemplified by a monograph or monographs presenting a coherent view (e.g. world becoming more peaceful as exemplified S.Pinker, normative power Europe as exemplified by I. Manners, microfinancing in international development as exemplified by M. Yunnus).

The position should be made clear throughout the paper. An extended position paper differs from a research paper in lacking the necessity of a methodological approach in answering a yet unanswered question, but does require research. It must consider and evaluate relevant evidence both in support and against the adopted stance and present coherent and persuasive argumentation which will stand up to refute. Furthermore, the extended position paper should not only borrow criticism or supportive arguments from already existing works, but also offer some innovative insight as part of the adopted stance.

An extended position paper should include the following points: • Abstract clearly summarizing the main topic chosen and the stance adopted • A clear introduction of the relevance of the topic to the readership, the reasons for varying stances on the issue at hand, and the stance adopted • A concise and analytical revision of the target monograph/text’s main points, strengths, and weaknesses while identifying clearly the tenets to be argued for or against • Clear argumentative sections encompassing evidence and counter-evidence on the chosen points which best represent the body of the argument • Innovative insight into argumentation on the topic and suggestions on types of research which might strengthen the stance adopted • A conclusion which does not simply restate the position adopted, but assesses its strength in light of the evidence provided and refuted

Recommended literature: Ian Johnston. 2000. Essays and Arguments: A Handbook on Writing Argumentative and Interpretative Essays. VIU.

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Energy Policy Studies Masters program

Master's thesis

What topic should you choose? With whom and when should you begin consulting? What are the formal requirements? How can you be sure to avoid plagiarism? To answer these questions, first read our detailed thesis writing guidelines  and check the thesis template .

The thesis writing process in a nutshell

• 1st semester: read the thesis guidelines and check the template –
• 1st and 2nd semester: read, learn and think about what your topic might be –
• Early 3rd semester: contact your prospective supervisor and get the topic ready –
• Mid 3rd semester: register the topic via IS (see "Current semester" for exact deadlines) –
• Late 3rd until mid 4th semester: do the research and write the thesis –

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Bachelor's and Master's theses: guidelines for supervisors and opponents

Criteria for thesis supervisors.

Bachelor and Master theses may be supervised by:

• MU academic and professional staff with a Ph.D. degree or equivalent,
• PhD students of FI MU after passing the state examination and defending their theses,
• graduates of doctoral studies at FI MU who have gained experience in supervising theses at FI MU (at least 3 successfully defended theses as a supervisor or consultant)

Bachelor theses may additionally be supervised by:

• FI MU doctoral students

In addition to the above, students may qualify to supervise bachelor's and master's theses with the approval of the Vice-Dean for Undergraduate Studies if they meet any of the following criteria:

• Academic and professional staff of universities and research institutes with a Ph.D. degree or equivalent,
• MU doctoral students,
• professional staff with a master's degree and at least 5 years of experience (after obtaining a master's degree) in computer science or a related field, who have gained experience in supervising theses at FI MU (at least 3 successfully defended theses as a supervisor or consultant)

Criteria for thesis opponents

Opponents of bachelor's and master's theses are proposed by the supervisors of these theses and approved by the head of the department. Additional criteria may be attached to the approval (e.g. that at least one of the supervisor-opponent pair is an academic staff member of FI MU). In particular, bachelor and master theses may be opposed by:

• All those who can supervise bachelor and master theses,
• academic and professional staff of universities and research institutes with a Ph.D. or equivalent,
• doctoral students of MU,
• professional staff with a master's degree and at least 5 years of experience in computer science or a related field

Duties of the thesis supervisor

The supervisor must be familiar with the formal requirements for bachelor's and master's theses, and ideally should be familiar with the complete guidelines for students .

The thesis supervisor guarantees the thesis assignment, which is reviewed and approved by the field supervisor. Assignment Requirements:

• The thesis assignment must be adequately challenging in terms of professionalism for the degree being completed,
• the assignment must define specific objectives, the fulfilment of which can be evaluated by the committee,
• the assignment must be formally correct, clearly formulated and understandable not only for experts in the specific field (e.g. the use of abbreviations is not desirable).

The official assignment is filled in by the thesis supervisor in the IS MU Final Thesis Topics Schedule . The student and the thesis supervisor are obliged to confirm the topic in IS MU within the deadlines set by the final study schedule for Bachelor's or Master's studies. Subsequently, the official assignment is approved by the guarantors of the fields of study.

After the approval of the official assignments, the supervisor proposes the opponents of the thesis. If the thesis advisor has participated in the supervision of the thesis, he/she may prepare an opponent's report, but the thesis must then have another independent opponent . The thesis opponent(s) is appointed by the head of the department on the basis of the proposal.

Theses are by law public. If the thesis or part of the thesis cannot be made public immediately (e.g. due to the filing of a patent), the law allows the thesis to be hidden for a maximum of 3 years. At the Faculty of Computer Science, it is not infrequent that theses are solved in cooperation with commercial companies that have problems with the publication of some parts of the thesis. Potential conflicts should be resolved during the selection of the topic and well discussed during the development of the thesis assignment.

Full credit in the SBAPR/SDIPR course is a prerequisite for acceptance of the thesis.

Immediately after the submission of the thesis, the supervisor checks the thesis in the IS, checking whether the student has also submitted electronic attachments and whether the thesis is not plagiarized (using IS tools).

Assessments

The submitted thesis will be reviewed by the supervisor and at least one independent referee who has not been involved in the supervision of the thesis. The thesis consultant may review the thesis, but his/her review is not considered independent. A text template for the preparation of the referee's report can be obtained here .

The creation, submission, publication and evaluation of final (bachelor and master) theses are regulated and specified in:

• Dean's Directive No. 1/2021 Creation, Submission, Publication and Evaluation of Final Theses

FI assessments have a loose structure, which means that the assessment can always be tailored to be relevant to the specific type of thesis. The assessment must be of high quality in terms of content and form. For students, the assessments are an important feedback on their usually most extensive project. The testimonials are also freely available afterwards, and by the quality of the testimonial you are doing a calling card for yourself and the Faculty of Computer Science. Also pay attention to the correctness of the language of the testimonial.

As part of the thesis review, focus on the following:

• Evaluating the quality of the work, including e.g. checking the functionality of the implementation and looking at the electronic attachments (especially the source code),
• assessing the quality of the text, specifically the content, overall consistency of the work, use of references, quality of citations, linguistic accuracy, typographical and graphic design.

It is also necessary to pay attention to plagiarism checking, not only by automatic checking in the IS, but also by "feel". Unfortunately, it happens that students take texts or images from the Internet without citing the source or without proper explicit citation. Such passages are usually relatively easy to identify, for example by an obvious change in language style from the rest of the text. In such cases, you should detect plagiarism.

The report is also expected to:

• A brief summary of the topic of the thesis and its results (it is not necessary to repeat the information given in the assignment or in the thesis itself),
• a verbal commentary on the various aspects of the thesis, it is appropriate to mention both the strengths and the weaknesses,
• specific comments from which the student can learn,
• an explicit proposal for an overall grade that reflects the verbal commentary, do not give a range of grades (e.g. conditional on a successful defence), the proposed grade relates to the form of the work at the time of the assessment,
• if the proposed grade is an A and you consider the thesis to be particularly outstanding, you may nominate the thesis for the Dean's Award,
• or questions for the defence.

Assessments for Bachelor's (or Master's) theses must be deposited in the IS at least one week before the start of the Bachelor's (or Master's) state examinations.

The thesis defence is part of the final state examination and the participation of the thesis supervisor and the opponent is expected. If you are unable to attend the thesis defence as a supervisor or opponent, please always send an apology in advance to the chair of the relevant examination committee.

Supervisors and opponents are asked to send in advance to the Vice Dean for Undergraduate and Master's Studies the dates when they are unavailable during the state examinations (e.g. due to business travel), and every effort is made to schedule all students' state examinations so that their supervisors and opponents can attend the defense.

If the supervisor or opponent borrows a printed version of the thesis, it should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar (even if the supervisor or opponent is a member of the relevant committee) at the same time as the reports so that they can be prepared in advance for the state examinations.

Responsible contact: studijni 0%Q%Vup2s @fi OExgyql-E .muni q%lOSQw8Y .cz

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Bakalářské a magisterské práce

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What’s Included: The Dissertation Template

If you’re preparing to write your dissertation, thesis or research project, our free dissertation template is the perfect starting point. In the template, we cover every section step by step, with clear, straightforward explanations and examples .

The template’s structure is based on the tried and trusted best-practice format for formal academic research projects such as dissertations and theses. The template structure reflects the overall research process, ensuring your dissertation or thesis will have a smooth, logical flow from chapter to chapter.

The dissertation template covers the following core sections:

• The title page/cover page
• Abstract (sometimes also called the executive summary)
• Table of contents
• List of figures /list of tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction  (also available: in-depth introduction template )
• Chapter 2: Literature review  (also available: in-depth LR template )
• Chapter 3: Methodology (also available: in-depth methodology template )
• Chapter 4: Research findings /results (also available: results template )
• Chapter 5: Discussion /analysis of findings (also available: discussion template )
• Chapter 6: Conclusion (also available: in-depth conclusion template )
• Reference list

Each section is explained in plain, straightforward language , followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover within each section. We’ve also included practical examples to help you understand exactly what’s required in each section.

The cleanly-formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX.

FAQs: Dissertation Template

What format is the template (doc, pdf, ppt, etc.).

The dissertation template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.

What types of dissertations/theses can this template be used for?

The template follows the standard best-practice structure for formal academic research projects such as dissertations or theses, so it is suitable for the vast majority of degrees, particularly those within the sciences.

Some universities may have some additional requirements, but these are typically minor, with the core structure remaining the same. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalise your structure.

Will this work for a research paper?

A research paper follows a similar format, but there are a few differences. You can find our research paper template here .

Is this template for an undergrad, Masters or PhD-level thesis?

This template can be used for a dissertation, thesis or research project at any level of study. It may be slight overkill for an undergraduate-level study, but it certainly won’t be missing anything.

How long should my dissertation/thesis be?

This depends entirely on your university’s specific requirements, so it’s best to check with them. As a general ballpark, Masters-level projects are usually 15,000 – 20,000 words in length, while Doctoral-level projects are often in excess of 60,000 words.

What about the research proposal?

If you’re still working on your research proposal, we’ve got a template for that here .

We’ve also got loads of proposal-related guides and videos over on the Grad Coach blog .

How do I write a literature review?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack how to write a literature review from scratch. You can check out the literature review section of the blog here.

How do I create a research methodology?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack research methodology, both qualitative and quantitative. You can check out the methodology section of the blog here.

Can I share this dissertation template with my friends/colleagues?

Yes, you’re welcome to share this template. If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, all we ask is that you reference this page as your source.

Can Grad Coach help me with my dissertation/thesis?

Within the template, you’ll find plain-language explanations of each section, which should give you a fair amount of guidance. However, you’re also welcome to consider our dissertation and thesis coaching services .

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Grant Agency

Excellent diploma thesis

About the grant.

The aim of the Excellent Diploma Theses Support is to support the creative activity of students in their Master's studies.

Applicant´s profile

The project applicant may be:

a student enrolled in the seventh term of his/her master's degree programme at MU, or in the eighth term of his/her master's degree programme if he/she started this study in the spring term,

a student enrolled in the first term of his/her undergraduate degree programme at MU, or in the second term of his/her master's degree programme if he/she started this study in the spring term.

The proposal can only be submitted by a student whose bachelor's thesis has been assessed with a final grade A if it was part of a previous successfully completed study. If the bachelor's thesis was not part of a previous successful degree, a student in the top 15 % of students in the programme according to the average grade achieved may submit a proposal.

Project proposal

The application for the Call is a project proposal prepared in the ISEP system containing the following elements:

• annotation,
• characteristics of the problem addressed,
• the current state of the research area, problem,
• the aims of the project and how to achieve them,
• timetable for the activities,
• expected outcomes,
• in case of planned participation in a conference, workshop or other presentation event, the expected presentation form (poster, lecture, publication in proceedings),
• a request for the level of support and a corresponding financial budget,
• a proposal to spread the requested financial support over the period March 1 st – July 31 st 2024 and August 1 st 2024 – February 28 th 2025.

By submitting a project proposal, the student undertakes to acknowledge to GAMU in his/her thesis if the project receives financial support.

Important documents

Do you have any questions contact us.

Mgr. Pavla Pospíšilová

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Department of English and American Studies

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Suggested topic areas for Diploma theses

(These are areas offered by the individual teachers. You can also approach most teachers with your own suggestions.)

Nikola Fořtová, B.A., M.A.

• E-learning, m-learning: application of new technologies in teaching

prof. Milada Franková, CSc., M.A.

• Medieval English Literature
• Contemporary British Literature
• British cultural studies

Stephen Paul Hardy, B.A., P.G.C.E, M.A., Ph.D.

• British & Irish 17th, 19th, & 20th Century Literature (all genres)
• British Poetry (1558–2012) and North American 20th Century Poetry
• British Cultural History (20,000 B.C.–2012)
• British Film/TV/Media or any aspect of 20th C British Cultural Studies and North American Film and Popular Music

Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D.

• Australian literature and cultural studies
• Contemporary American literature
• Ethnic minority literatures in North America and Australia
• Indigenous literatures

doc. PhDr. Jana Chamonikolasová, Ph.D.

Prof. Jan Chovanec, Ph.D.

• Methodology: Discourse analysis, pragmatics, critical discourse analysis, stylistics, sociolinguistics
• Areas: Language in the media, language and law, language and society
• Topics: Representation of social groups, interaction and interactivity,discourse coherence in spoken and written language, discourse patterns in media communication, modern genres of English, diachronic genre analysis (historical pragmatics)

doc. Mgr. Tomáš Kačer, Ph.D.

• Modern and contemporary British drama and theatre (plays, playwrights, performance analyses; history/theory)
• American drama and theatre (plays, playwrights, performance analyses; history/theory)
• British theatres and theatre festivals
• Other forms of performance and culture

PhDr. Simona Kalová, Ph.D.

• Practical aspects of teaching and learning
• Educational assessment and evaluation

Mgr. Renata Kamenická, Ph.D.

• Empirical translation studies of contemporary translation practices
• Translator’s style; style in/of translation
• Psycho-cognitive aspects of/in translation
• Individual vs. shared discursive strategies in translation
• Translations vs. non-translations; translation-specific tendencies
• Translation practice/theory interface (in both directions)
• Intralingual translation

doc. Michael Kaylor, M.A., PhD

• Romantic and Victorian poetry
• The Modernist novel in Britain and Ireland
• English Decadence
• The Bloomsbury Group
• Walt Whitman
• Theory of Biography
• Gay Studies, homoeroticism in the Arts
• Literary canonicity

Mgr. Filip Krajník, Ph.D.

• William Shakespeare/Early-Modern English Drama (BA/MA)
• Late Mediaeval English Literature (BA only)
• Literary Representations of Sleeping and Dreaming (BA/MA)
• Philip K. Dick (BA/MA)
• Literary Translation (BA/MA)

doc. PhDr. Naděžda Kudrnáčová, CSc.

• Syntax-semantics interface

James Little, Ph.D.

• Irish studies
• Theatre studies
• Samuel Beckett studies
• The literature of coercive confinement

Mgr. Linda Nepivodová, Ph.D.

• Language Testing
• Error Correction
• Second Language Acquisition

Mgr. Jana Pelclová, Ph.D.

• Stylistic analysis - analysis or comparison of the register of advertising, e_communication, F2F conversation, narrative stylistics (BA)
• Discourse of advertising - linguistic analysis of selected topics (e.g. figures of speech, spokenness vs. writtenness, pragmatic principles, humour, word-picture contextualisation, etc.) (MA)
• Topics in Pragmatics - analysis of authentic conversation, fictional conversation, pragmatic aspects in the discourse of advertising, etc. (MA)
• Discourse analysis - selected topics in the discourse of children's literature, advertising, CMC, politics, etc. (MA)

doc. Tomáš Pospíšil, Ph.D.

• Canadian film and TV
• American film and TV
• Cinematic representation of American minorities; films by minority filmmakers
• American literature
• American history and/or culture
• American cultural studies

Ing. et Mgr. Jiří Rambousek, Ph.D.

• History and bibliography of Czech translations from English
• Reflection of older translations in contemporary Czech periodicals
• Selected contrastive aspects of English and Czech as reflected in translation
• Cognitive views of translation and the translator
• Personalities of the early history of the Department of English and American Studies

Mgr. Jitka Sedláčková, Ph.D.

• Second Lanuage Acquisition
• Individual Learning Differences in Second Language Learning
• Students with Specific Needs and EFL
• Reading Skills and Reading Strategies in EFL

Jeff Smith, M.F.A, Ph.D.

• Literatures and cultures of the United States
• Popular arts, culture and media
• Relationship of politics to literature and the arts
• Historical development of US cultures and politics

PhDr. Don Sparling, B.A.

• Canadian literature (all genres, with a special interest in historical fiction and drama)
• Multiculturalism in Canada, interculturalism in Quebec
• The French-English relationship in Canada (all aspects - historical, social, cultural, educational [e.g. immersion schooling], etc.)
• Canadian culture (all aspects except film, where doc. Pospíšil is your man)
• Contemporary issues relating to the indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)
• Depending on the topic, other areas that you might have a particular interest in

PhDr. Kateřina Tomková, Ph.D.

• Accents of English and their perceptions
• Oral presentation, rhetorics and elocution
• Common pronunciation mistakes and theire radication
• Statistical procession of most common pronunciation errors
• Articulatory settings in E and CZ
• The use of authentic material such as sitcoms and films in teaching oneself better speaking skills
• Musical aptitude correlating with FL acquisition

Jeffrey A. Vanderziel, B.A.

• History, culture, representation and/or literature of indigenous peoples in North America
• History and/or culture of minorities in North America
• LGBTQ history, culture, literature

PhDr. Jitka Vlčková, Dr.

• Australians in different historical periods (BA)
• Indigenous and other minorities in Australia - history and/or cutlture (BA)
• Australian cultural studies (BA/MA)
• Registers in English. Australian English. Aboriginal English. Intercultural communication (MA)
• Gender roles, language, media, communication, legislation, minorities, mainstream cultures; issues of discrimination and/or racism (MA)

Mgr. Olga Zörnerová

• marketing transcreation
• localisation and related topics (MT, MTPE, style guides, terminology, working with agencies and LSPs)
• video game localisation

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Primary in Pennsylvania is here: A 2024 election guide from ballot issues to House races

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have essentially clinched their party’s 2024 nominations for the White House. But Pennsylvania voters on Tuesday will cast their ballots in a slew of contentious and potentially decisive congressional and state races that are still sure to make waves as the campaign chugs toward November.

The primary results in this pivotal swing state are certain to reveal insights about the major issues shaping the general election, namely on abortion and the Israel-Hamas war.

All 17 members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation are running for re-election in 2024 and three of those incumbents are facing serious primary challengers. Several others are also watching to see who their opponent will be in the fall. And, in some cases, the outcome of Tuesday’s races could determine which way those seats swing on Election Day. 

While it's a far-flung possibility, which party has a majority in Pennsylvania's congressional delegation also could have major implications on the presidential race. If the 2024 White House election is contested or tied, each state’s congressional delegation will have a single vote in deciding the winner. Currently, Democrats have a 9-8 advantage — meaning one general election race in November could make all the difference.  

At the state level, Democrats are hoping to hold on to their majority in the state House and take control of the state Senate. Republicans currently hold a 28-22 majority in the Senate, and Democrats are hoping to flip at least three seats to make it 25-25, giving them the majority via a tie-breaking vote from Democratic Lieutenant Gov. Austin Davis.  

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Five Democrats and two Republicans are also battling for the open state attorney general position, once held by Democratic Gov.  Josh Shapiro . Michelle Henry, who is completing the remainder of Shapiro’s term since he was elected governor in 2022, is not running for the position.   

Candidates across these races are running on some of the biggest issues facing the country — from abortion to the war in Gaza to election integrity. And the candidates whom Democratic and Republican voters pick on Tuesday could give larger insights about their views on topics that appear central to this fall's general election.  

Here's a look at what to expect in Tuesday's primary. 

Abortion at play in Pennsylvania races  

Abortion has roiled down-ballot races across the country, and Pennsylvania is no exception. Reproductive rights have been a major topic in the attorney general’s race and in the Republican primary for the 1 st Congressional District.  

All five Democratic candidates for attorney general have committed to protecting the right to abortion and access to FDA-approved medications such as mifepristone . Meanwhile, the Republican candidates have said that they do not believe the state constitution guarantees the right to an abortion. As attorney general, both would leave the issue for the state legislature to decide. 

In Pennsylvania’s 1 st Congressional District, longtime Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is being challenged on his right flank by a candidate who believes abortions should be banned in nearly all circumstances — including in cases of rape and incest.  

Mark Houck, Fitzpatrick’s opponent, was acquitted of criminal charges stemming from an altercation at an abortion clinic.  The incident reportedly inspired him to run for public office. A devout Catholic, Houck co-founded the men's religious group The King's Men. He's worked as an author, motivational speaker and human resources manager.

Fitzpatrick is a moderate Republican. He is one of a handful of Republican representatives serving in districts that Biden won in 2020.  

The primary race could demonstrate just how important the issue of abortion is for the Republican Party’s base.  

Pennsylvania Democrats clash on Israel-Hamas war  

In Pennsylvania’s 12 th District, which includes Pittsburgh and some of its suburbs, first-term progressive Rep. Summer Lee, is facing a primary challenge over her opposition to the Israel-Hamas war. Bhavini Patel, a more moderate Democratic congressional candidate has tried to closely align herself with President Joe Biden. 

Lee, who is affiliated with the “squad,” was among the early advocates in Congress calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. She has been an outspoken opponent of providing U.S. military aid to Israel. 

Patel is a 29-year-old municipal council member who also describes herself as a progressive. She has framed the incumbent's criticism of Israel as detrimental to Biden’s re-election efforts and unrepresentative of a district that is home to a large Jewish community. 

The election on Tuesday could reveal just how salient the issue of the war is for Democratic voters — particularly in swing areas of the country. It may also forecast how other progressives facing similar challenges from moderate Democrats could fair in their races.  

What are the key Pennsylvania House races to watch? 

There are several other high-profile House primary races to watch in Pennsylvania.  

Six Democrats are competing for the chance to challenge GOP Rep. Scott Perry in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, which includes Harrisburg and Hershey.  

Perry was a former chair of the Freedom Caucus, one of the most conservative factions of the Republican Party, with members including Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Perry was also a key figure in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

While the area leans Republican, Democrats say they can win over independents and moderate conservatives in the area with a message centered around protecting democracy. They plan to tie Perry to Trump and conservative extremism.  

Out of the six Democratic candidates running to unseat Perry, news anchor Janelle Stelson and former "Top Gun" fighter pilot Mike O’Brien appear to have the best shot. The other candidates include Harrisburg City Council member Shamaine Daniels, progressive businessman John Broadhurst and former radio executive Black Lynch.  

To the northeast of Harrisburg, in the Lehigh Valley, three Republicans are competing to take on Democratic Rep. Susan Wild. Her seat, in Pennsylvania’s 7th District, is a top target for Republicans in November.  

Wild barely eked out a victory against her Republican opponent, Lisa Scheller, in 2022. She won 51-49.  

Pennsylvania’s state legislature hangs in the balance  

If Pennsylvania Democrats hold their narrow majority in the state House and win the state Senate in November, it would give Gov. Shapiro enormous power to pass his agenda in the last two years of his term.  

It would also mark the first time in three decades that the party controlled the state Senate; Tuesday’s elections could determine whether that’s possible.  

Because the local districts tend to lean Democratic or Republican, the results of the primary elections can have a large sway on the race.  

Democrats currently hold a two-seat majority in the state House, and Republicans hold a five-seat majority in the state Senate.