Completion of Studies

Completion of the bachelor's degree study is realized in the form of a defence of the bachelor's thesis and a debate which are part of a state examination for the bachelor's level of study. The defence of the bachelor´s thesis and the state examination of the bachelor´s level of study are public and take place simultaneously on the same date before an examination committee whose chairperson and members are appointed by the Rector.

At AFAD the final work of the bachelor's degree study is a bachelor´s thesis which is comprised of a practical part as well as for some study programmes of a written part, whose content and form is determined by the head of the studio - tutor and is uniform for the entire study programme.

The bachelor's thesis has one tutor (the head teacher of the studio) and during the public defence it is evaluated by an examination committee. Regarding specific study programmes, the bachelor's thesis consists of the realisation of an artwork or a set of artworks, an architectural project, which includes a project documentation, an architectural installation or documentation of architectural research, a design project, which includes a realised prototype, model studies, a realised work or a set of works in the field of visual communication, and a restored work or a set of restored works with complete restoration documentation.

Prior to the defence, the bachelor's works are to be installed by a set deadline in the school premises or in an external environment approved by the tutor, where the bachelor's student defends the thesis. The head teacher of the studio has the right to propose to the main supervising teacher of the study programme and to the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs not to admit the bachelor's thesis for defence. If the main supervising teacher of the study programme and the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs agree with this proposal, the student may apply in writing to the AFAD Rector for a postponement of the defence of the bachelor's thesis. The student may also ask the Rector in writing for a postponement in exceptional cases, which he/she must justify (with the consent of the head of the studio, the main supervising teacher of the study programme and the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs), at least 14 days before the defence.

The  State Examination is part of the debate for the defence of the bachelor's thesis and has a form of discussion bridging the basics of preparation for independent artistic research and experimental creation which contains aspects of reflection and interpretation through the artistic medium and reflection on the artistic medium framed by the two core subjects Image Analysis and Problems of Media, specified according to the focus of the individual study programmes (Architectural Design; Digital Arts; Design; Photography and New Media, Printmaking and Other Media; Intermedia /Specialization Intermedia and Specialization Sculpture/; Painting;  Art Restoration and Conservation; Textile Design, Applied Arts; Visual Communication.

According to their specialisations, students develop their knowledge and skills acquired in the course Fine Arts in Cultural Context. At the same time, the second semester of the Image Analysis course in all study programmes is devoted to the analysis and interpretation of individual bachelor´s theses of the current academic year. Therefore, each student has three pre-determined undergraduate state examination topics based on the assignment of a specific bachelor´s thesis. The individually determined bachelor's state examination topics act as a basic outline for the preparation and discussion of the bachelor's state examination for both the students and the examination committee. The state examination is conducted in the form of a discussion between the members of the examination committee and the students. The discussion immediately follows the defence of the Bachelor's thesis, which precedes the discussion.

The condition for the completion of the bachelor's degree study is the successful defence of the bachelor's thesis and the passing of the  state examination in the form of a professional debate, whereby the committee evaluates separately the defence of the bachelor's thesis and the  state examination carried out in the form of a debate on the three state examination topics. The final result is represented by a single grade, which is determined by the consensus of all members of the examination committee.

The course of the defence and the debate are public, but the decision of the examination committee on the results of the defence is taken in a closed meeting of the examination committee. The announcement of the results may be public only with the expressed consent of the student. The examination committee shall discuss the assessment in a closed session. The final grade is determined by the consensus of all members of the examination committee.  In the event of a tie, the vote of the chairperson shall prevail. A student who fails to pass the defence of the bachelor's thesis or the debate of the state examination topics is entitled to one make-up date. If the student fails the defence of the bachelor's thesis, he/she repeats only this part. If a student fails to pass the state examination in the form of a debate on three topics, he/she repeats only this part. If the student fails both the defence of the bachelor thesis and the state examination, he/she repeats both parts at the same time. 

A student who fails to pass the bachelor's thesis defence may reapply for the state examination within period of two years. If the student fails to defend the thesis at the next deadline or does not register for the state examination, he/she is expelled from studies for academic failure.