Palaeontology

The institution defines the learning objectives of the study programme such as student's abilities at the time of completion of the programme and the main learning outcomes.

A graduate who has completed a master's degree in Palaeontology or in a related master's degree program may be admitted to study. The study plan consists of subjects focused on the specific assignment of the PhD thesis, self-study on the topic of the relevant literature and professional consultations on the issue with domestic and foreign specialists. The student gains practical experience through cooperation on scientific projects and in cooperation with professional companies and state institutions in the field. The graduate is able to work independently scientifically and creatively, can design and apply new methods and procedures for solving problems in accordance with world trends and knowledge. He processes and presents the acquired knowledge using modern technologies. The main topics of the knowledge core are provided by the theoretical and methodological apparatus enabling scientific research, formulation of their own methodological procedures for solving research and scientific problems, their creative application in practice, creation of information systems and application databases. He is able to design methods of data processing and present the results of his scientific research activities in domestic and international forums in scientific and professional circles, popularize and bring the field of study and research results to the general public. When designing methods and procedures, he is aware of the ethical, legal and environmental aspects of the proposed way of solving the problem and applies them in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. It applies the principles of scientific work and connection: research - use in practice - protection. Part of the education in the third level will also be the offer of courses in personality development, managerial skills and competencies. He masters the methods of paleontological and geological research, can design and implement solutions to methodological, research and practical problems. He designs solutions for research projects, independently performs field research, carries out laboratory work, works with modern thematic databases and graphic and statistical programs. The graduate of the Paleontology study program is able to analyze and interpret the fossil record in accordance with the latest knowledge of paleontological research and with a high degree of creativity and independence, can handle taxonomic and systematic research of fossil organisms and use them for dating sedimentary complexes based on important global bio-events. Based on facial analysis, it can monitor changing fossil associations as well as entire communities of long-lived mammals, macro-, micro- and nannofossils, and thus interpret the conditions and variability of the environment in which life developed. An integral part of the study will be recommended internships at domestic and foreign institutions.

The institution indicates the professions for which the graduate is prepared at the time of completion and the potential of the study programme from the point of view of graduate's employability.

The graduate can work in the following organizations and areas at home and abroad:

• higher education institutions, such as universities, SAS institutes and other departmental research organizations with a scientific focus
• ministries and state administration bodies
• regional and local self-government
• natural history and patriotic museums
• public and private research organizations of geological and paleontological and environmental focus.
• archaeological and environmental-ecological institutions and societies
• nature conservation organizations
• tourism, geoparks, geo-tourism and museology
• public and private organizations involved in the restoration and protection of cultural heritage.

The graduate of the study program Palaeontology will find employment not only in the conditions of interdisciplinary research (biology, ecology, paleontology, geology) at traditional scientific institutions, but also within the third sector in organizations and associations focusing on popularization of science, nature protection, lifelong learning and legislation in state administration. This will be enabled by the logical connection of thematically related geological, paleontological and biological subjects, forming the study program, by which the graduate will gain a comprehensive overview of the development of the biosphere in the context of the geological development of our planet. The concept of the doctoral study program enables a successful graduate to apply for postdoctoral studies at foreign universities and research institutes, as well as for a job at the Faculty of Science of Comenius University, the Institute of Earth Sciences of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dionýz Štúr´s State Institute, in Slovak natural science oriented museums, but also in paleontological and geological foreign university, scientific and application oriented institutions of this focus. The Department of Geology and Paleontology is the only workplace with a study program focused specifically on paleontology and paleobiology in Europe, the level of creative activity is at a high quality level (predominance of Q1 and Q2 outputs of supervisors and doctoral students), the degree of internationalization of the workplace is one of the highest within PriF UK (foreign students from European as well as third countries are applying for PhD studies). International cooperation takes place through scientific projects, but also individual scientific cooperation, expert activities are performed for economic practice not only in Slovakia but also for foreign companies - all this is a prerequisite for successful employment of PhD graduates in the program Paleontology in prestigious research institutions, universities and also in practice.

For individual study plans, the institution states the requirements for completing the individual parts of the study programme and the student's progress within the study programme in the given structure:

- number of credits for compulsory courses required for proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies, 35 credits – Dissertation 1-3, Dissertation exam and Professional English) for internal form and 45 credits (Dissertation1-5, Dissertation exam and Profesiional English) for external form,
- number of credits for compulsory optional courses required for the proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies, minimum 10 credits for both forms – mandatory selection of at least two compulsory optional subjects,
- number of credits for optional courses required for the proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies, at least 9 credits for both forms, mandatory selection of at least three optional subjects,
- number of credits required for the completion of studies/completion of a part of the studies for the common foundations and for the relevant specialization, in the case of a teaching combination study programme or a translation combination study programme, 240,
- number of credits for the final thesis and the defense of the final thesis required for the proper completion of studies, 30.