Detail programu/oboru

The graduates of the Digital Social Science Program are equipped to handle data analytical tasks involving shifting and complex digital phenomena that evolve in online environments. Their training is interdisciplinary, including security, digital technologies, law and human values, which allows them to rapidly understand new digital issues and suggest highly effective solutions to challenges arising from large social and political changes. The structure of competencies makes the graduates ideal candidates for basic research as well as for policy making roles involving online environments and digital technologies.

The graduates will be able to analyze digital issues involving security and safety, digital technologies and law, and evolving human values in online environments. The graduates will possess a wide range of analytical skills based on training in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including advanced machine learning techniques. The program will produce interdisciplinary experts capable of analyzing multifaceted digital issues based on rich and large datasets. It, thus, responds to recent shifts in the labor market that emphasize the need for data-oriented experts trained in multiple disciplines.

Admission procedure follows the Code of Admissions Procedure of Charles University and the admission requirements published in the SIS.

The admission procedure is based on a PhD dissertation proposal. Applicants are required to send the proposal by May 12, 2025 to vit.stritecky@fsv.cuni.cz. 

The application must include a PhD dissertation proposal that defines the following:

●        state of knowledge about the investigated problem
●        data sources for its analysis
●        proposal of a theoretical-methodological framework
●        list of literature reflecting disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge of the investigated phenomenon
●        preliminary plan of works in individual years of study

For more details see the program dedicated webpage .

Applicants for the doctoral program in the field of Digital Social Science may choose a dissertation topic from the following five areas – Security Science, Financial Technologies and Services, Digital Anthropology, Law and Data: Research and Policy, and Language Technologies.

For more details see the program dedicated webpage.

Furthermore, the application must include an internationally recognized certificate proving knowledge of the English language, which can be replaced by a completed bachelor's or master's degree in English.

The applicants are strongly advised to consult a potential supervisor regarding the research proposal prior to its submission. The main point of contact is vit.stritecky@fsv.cuni.cz.

The admission procedure is two-round. In the first round, the admissions committee evaluates the research proposal based on its academic value and its compatibility with the program. The evaluation of the project by the admission committee in the first round is based on the individual assessment of its members and is determined as an arithmetic average (max. 30 points). The threshold for the invitation to the second round is 15 points. Applicants who cross this threshold are invited to the second round, which takes the form of an interview.

Evaluation criteria:

●        clearly formulated and disciplinarily sound, it shows only minor flaws: 23-30 points;
●        clearly formulated and disciplinarily sound, with major shortcomings, but acceptable: 15-22 points;
●        weak and unconvincing, the successful project implementation is only hypothetical: 7-14 points;
●        totally inadequate, without any understanding of the problem: 0-6 points.

The interview is also scored, and the applicant can get up to 30 points. The admissions committee collectively decides to evaluate the applicant's responses to a fixed set of questions focusing on the project’s aims and theoretical and methodological grounding.

Second (oral) part (max. 30 points)

Discussion of submitted proposal for PhD dissertation: 0–20 points
Assessment of the applicant’s previous academic activities: 0–10 points

 The aim of the interview is to assess the applicant's ability to explain:

●        objectives of the research project
●        theoretical and methodological framework of the proposed project
●        feasibility of the research project, including its limits

In the second round, the candidate can get up to 30 points. The applicant may receive up to 60 points in total.

Criteria for the final evaluation:

The applicant must be a master's degree graduate.

The point threshold for accepting applicants is set by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the UK, taking into account the number of applicants and the faculty's capacity. A successful candidate must obtain at least 30 points.

See also the General and faculty requirements

Podmínkou přijetí ke studiu v doktorském studijním programu je řádné ukončení studia v magisterském studijním programu.

The graduates of the Digital Social Science Program are equipped to handle data analytical tasks involving shifting and complex digital phenomena that evolve in online environments. Their training is interdisciplinary, including security, digital technologies, law and human values, which allows them to rapidly understand new digital issues and suggest highly effective solutions to challenges arising from large social and political changes. The structure of competencies makes the graduates ideal candidates for basic research as well as for policy making roles involving online environments and digital technologies.