In the Czech Republic, the CSc. degree has not been awarded since 1998 and was replaced by the Ph.D. title.
Who received the CSc. degree?
The Candidate of Sciences, or candidatus scientiarum in Latin, was awarded in various fields, both scientific and artistic. It could be earned after completing higher education, which at the time was not structured as it is today—there were no separate bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral (postgraduate) programs. The length of study varied from 4 to 6 years, depending on the chosen field.
In addition to completing higher education, other requirements applied, such as passing exams, defending a candidate’s thesis, and completing the prescribed period of study. The standard duration of full-time study to obtain a CSc. was up to 3 years (for part-time study, up to 5 years).
The next higher degree was DrSc. (Doctor of Sciences), later replaced by the unofficial scientific title DSc., currently awarded by the Czech Academy of Sciences as the highest recognition for a researcher. Unlike its predecessor, it is not obtained through university study but based on an application and evaluation of the candidate’s scientific level.
Ph.D. as the new CSc.
Until 1990, CSc. degrees could be awarded by universities and the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. After the Velvet Revolution, the 1990 Higher Education Act granted this right solely to universities and introduced a new education structure, including postgraduate study. Graduates then received the title Dr. (Doctor). For a transitional period, the two titles (Dr. and CSc.) existed simultaneously, depending on the year a student began their studies.
In 1998, a new Higher Education Act replaced both titles with the internationally recognized Ph.D.
How to correctly write the CSc. title
The CSc. title is written after the name and separated by a comma:
First Name Last Name, CSc. → Petr Novotný, CSc.
When addressing a person, the title does not need to be mentioned, and forms like “Mr. Candidate” are not used.
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