Program Details

How Does It Work?

Below is an outline of the program that most students follow, particularly those who intend to continue with the PhD program at CERGE-EI.

• 1st year: Take the CERGE-EI core sequence (3 semesters from early September to mid June).
• End of 1st year: Pass CERGE-EI Core General exams.
• 2nd year: Take the remaining IES courses, spend one semester at Erasmus exchange abroad (optional), write the Master’s thesis. The thesis is supervised either by a CERGE-EI or IES faculty member, or can be written under joint supervision.
• End of 2nd year: Pass IES State exams, defend the Master’s thesis. Transfer to the PhD program at CERGE-EI.

First Year - PhD Core Courses at CERGE-EI

Organization of the academic year at CERGE-EI and at IES is different: there are three semesters in the 1st year at CERGE-EI (Fall, Spring, and Summer) while the academic year at IES is divided into two semesters (Winter and Summer).

In the 1st year, students follow a common curriculum designed to provide a strong foundation in the following areas:

• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Statistics & Econometrics
• English Academic Writing

Equivalent Courses

Students may earn up to 80 credits: 21 core credits, 30 track-obligatory credits, and 29 elective credits.

In order to receive recognition for credits, students should meet with the Master's Program Director at IES (doc. Oldřich Dědek) with the list of courses they wish to have recognized as equivalents. Arrange the meeting by the end of each examination period at IES (end of January for Winter Semester, beginning of September for Summer Semester) at the latest.

Students who do not pass a CERGE-EI course, can opt into the IES equivalent course(s). Students who fulfill the criteria for the IES courses - had registered for the course and fulfilled the course requirements - may even try to pass the course in the same semester. If not, enroll for the course next year.

The CERGE-EI 1st year curriculum also includes the English course Academic Writing I, and students have the option of enrolling in this course as well; it will be recognized as an elective by IES. If you do not take the English course and later continue to the CERGE-EI PhD program, the individual study plan will specify a minimum English curriculum (based on the decision of the Academic Skills Center).

General Examinations

Students are required to take final examinations at the end of each semester and General exams at the end of the academic year. Although passing the General exams is not required to obtain a Master's degree from Charles University, it is required for continued study in the PhD program at CERGE-EI; one make-up is allowed for each exam. See the CERGE-EI PhD program outline for more details.

Second Year - Elective Courses and/or Erasmus Exchange at IES

Students take courses at IES in order to complete the IES Master's program requirements. The curriculum includes several required courses and a variety of electives. Details are available at the IES website.

Transferring to the CERGE-EI PhD Program

Students who want to continue in the CERGE-EI PhD program are required to go through the regular CERGE-EI application procedure during the 2nd year of the Master's program at IES.

The application deadline for the CERGE-EI PhD program is April 30.

Students who complete all three core sequences (Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Statistics & Econometrics) and pass all three Core General exams are admitted directly to the 2nd year of the CERGE-EI PhD program. Those students who complete one or two sequences (for example, only Microeconomics) may start the PhD program on an individual study plan.

Admission to the Czech PhD Program at CERGE-EI is conditional on having a Master's degree or its equivalent that can be nostrified in the Czech Republic. The IES Masters's degree fulfills this legal requirement.

Joint Masters Courses

Joint Masters Courses 2013/2014