Length of the program: 4+4 semesters (+2 semesters) – Downoald programme structure here

Periods:

• educational and research phase, 4 semesters
• research and thesis writing phase, 4 semesters

At the end of the first two years there is a complex exam

The four-year educational period ends with the preliminary discussion of the full draft version of the dissertation, the absolutorium, and defense of the dissertation

Options: Full-time education, correspondence education 

Finances: limited number of state scholarship available, tuition fee

Requirements: university MA degree in social sciences, or MSC degree, enrolment interview, study plan

Language requirements: one complex intermediate level state exam in a foreign language (non Hungarian)

Full credit requirements: 240 credits

Ways of obtaining credits (modules):

A) Course work: 70

B) Research work and academic activities: 155

C) Teaching experience: 15

A) Educational and research phase: course work and scientific research

I. Introductory seminars

Introductory seminars are around the topics of social theory, history of social thinking, research design and method. Minimum requirement: to complete the introductory module in the 1st  semester, obligatory for 30 credits altogether. In the 2nd semesters from the three fields two courses have to be selected; obligatory for 10 credits altogether.

Students must prepare a study plan during the first semester until the end of the academic period with the direction of their tutors. This contains the types of subjects the student will be attending from the following semester. (The study plans have to be handed in for the officer in he Registrar’s office. They will be also handed over to the program leader.)

II. Elective research seminars

Elective seminars dedicated to topics relevant to the doctoral programme, and the research field of the students. These seminars provide an opportunity for students to meet professors and researchers from different areas to discuss their research works and results. Whereas during these seminars all doctoral students are expected to present their ongoing work and have the opportunity to present and debate the theoretical and methodological problems of their own researches. Completing them is recommended during the 3rd and 4th semesters, number of credits per subject: 5, obligatory together 20. 

III. Research Colloquium  

One of the central courses at the PhD programme is the research colloquium where all candidates are given the opportunity to present and discuss their projects in their initial stages. This course is coordinated by the program director. The courses are obligatory, number of credits all together 10. 

The third semester there is a mandatory tutoring seminar. number of credits 5.

IV. Elective complementary subjects

Complementary subjects can be special seminars to develop special skills in academic English writing, presentation technics, research project building, and curriculum developing. Certain subjects can be also taken announced for MA students, in order to enhance knowledge in variety of areas. The program leader will announce these subjects and he invites the lecturers. 

The structure of the first training and research phase (4 semesters)

Credit requirements of the first training and research phase (4 semesters)
Course	1. semester	2. semester	3. semester	4. semester
Social theory I	10 credits, lecture, obligatory
Social theory II.		5 credits seminar, obligatory optional
History of sociology I.	10 credits, lecture, obligatory
History of sociology II.		5 credits, seminar, obligatory optional
Research design and method I.	10 credits, lecture, obligatory
Research design and method II.		5 credits, seminar, obligatory optional,
Research Colloquium I, II		5 credits, seminar, obligatory		5 credits, seminar, obligatory
Tutorial seminar			5 credits, seminar, obligatory,
Supporting course: academic English and essay writing			5 credits, seminar, optional	5 credits, seminar, optional
Elective seminars I.			5 credits, lecture, optional	5 credits, lecture, optional
Elective seminars II.			5 credits, lecture, optional	5 credits, lecture, optional
Elective seminars III.			5 credits, lecture, optional	5 credits, lecture, optional
Elective seminars IV.			5 credits, lecture, optional	5 credits, lecture, optional
Conference participation with lecturing and publication, workshops, submission of papers and articles (in Hungarian language)			5 credits, optional,	5 credits, optional,
Conference participation with lecturing and publication, workshops, submission of papers and articles (in foreign language)			10 credits, optional	10 credits, optional
Complex final exam: course work and scientific work				20 credits (10 course work and 10 scientific), obligatory, the scientific no reproducible
Total credits	min.: 30 credits	min.: 15 credits	min.: 20- credits	20 (+20) credits

Minimum credits to be completed by the end of 4th semesters (including complex final exam) 120 credits

Educational Module:

I. semester:

Social theory I., History of social thinking I. and Research design and method I. classes are obligatory, total credit 30 

II. semester:

Social theory II., History of social thinking II., and Research design and method II., 2 courses are obligatory, Total credits 10 

III. semester:

Supporting course: academic English and essay writing, presentation techniques, proposal writing, elective, 5 credits

Elective seminar   I., 5 credits

Elective seminar  II., 5 credits

IV. semester:

Supporting course: academic English and essay writing, presentation techniques, proposal writing, elective, 5 credits

Elective seminar   III., 5 credits

Elective seminar   IV., 5 credits

Science Module:

II. semester: Research Colloquium I., obligatory, 5 credits

III. semester: Tutorial consultation, obligatory, 5 credits

IV. semester: Research Colloquium II , obligatory, 5 credits

During II., III. and IV. semesters: research activities and scientific works

Conference participation with lecturing and publication, workshops,

submission of academic research papers and articles, total credits 20 

Complex final exam, obligatory, 20 credits (10 credits for study work, 10 credits for scientific)

Subject of comlex final exam: social theory, research designe and method, and scientific work of thesis

Valuation of final exam: passes, no passes

B) Research and thesis writing phase

The structure of the second research and thesis writing phase (4 semesters)

Credit requirements: The accomplishments of credits granted on the basis of the decision of the tutor.

Credit requirements of the second research and thesis writing phase (4 semesters)
Tutoring Seminar I, II., III., IV. In every semester, seminar, which includes ongoing research work, and reports, mandatory, 4 * 10 credits	total credit 40
Teaching a full independent academic course, in Hungarian or foreign language, in any field, obligatory	In Hungarian 15 credits, in foreign language 20 credits
Supplementing and publishing an independent scientific publication, in Hungarian language	15 credits
Supplementing and publishing an independent scientific publication, in foreign language	20 credits
To write an independent scientific review, in Hungarian language	5 credits
To write an independent scientific review, in foreign language	10 credits
Participation in a conference with lecture, in Hungarian language	8 credits
Participation in a conference with lecture, in Hungarian language	5 credits
Participation in a conference with lecture, in foreign language	15 credits
Participation in a conference with poster, in foreign language	10 credits
Public discussion of the first full draft version of the dissertation	15 credits

Minimum credits to be completed during the research an thesis writing period is 120 credits.

I. TRAINING AND RESEARCH  PHASE

PHDElmE1 – Social theory I

10 credit, lecture, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDElmE2 – Social theory II

5 credit, practice, obligatory optional, no reproducible

PHDSocTE1 – History of sociology I

10 credit, lecture, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocTE2 – History of sociology II

5 credit, practice, obligatory optional, no reproducible

PHDSocMOE1 – Research design and method I.

10 credit, lecture, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocMOE2 – Research design and method I.

5 credit, practice, obligatory optional, no reproducible

PHDSocKutE1 – Research Colloquium I

5 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocKutE2 – Research Colloquium II

5 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocTUE1 – Tutorial I

5 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocTANE1 – Supporting course: academic English and essay writing

5 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocTANE2 – Supporting course: academic English and essay writing

5 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocVE1 – Elective seminar I

5 credit, lecture, optional, no reproducible

PHDSocVE2 – Elective seminar II

5 credit, lecture, optional, no reproducible

PHDSocVE3 – Elective seminar III

5 credit, lecture, optional, no reproducible

PHDSocVE4 – Elective seminar IV

5 credit, lecture, optional, no reproducible

PHDSocTanKonfE1 – Conference participation with lecturing and publication, workshops, submission of papers and articles (in Hungarian language)

5 credit, optional,

PHDSocTanKonfE2  – Conference participation with lecturing and publication, workshops, submission of papers and articles (in Hungarian language)

5 credit, optional,

PHDSocTanKonfE3 – Conference participation with lecturing and publication, workshops, submission of papers and articles (in foreign language)

10 credit, optional

PHDSocTanKonfE4 – Conference participation with lecturing and publication, workshops, submission of papers and articles (in foreign language)

10 credit, optional

PHDSocKomplexE – Complex final exam: course work and scientific work

20credit, obligatory, no reproducible

II. RESEARCH AND THESIS WRITING PHASE

PHDSocTUTE1 – Tutoring seminar

10 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocTUTE2 – Tutoring seminar

10 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocTUTE3 – Tutoring seminar

10 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDSocTUTE4 – Tutoring seminar

10 credit, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDOktE1 – Teaching a full independent academic course

15 credit in Hungarian, 20 credit in foreign language, practice, obligatory, no reproducible

PHDTANE1 – Supplementing and publishing an independent scientific publication, in Hungarian language

15 credit, optional

PHDTANE2 – Supplementing and publishing an independent scientific publication, in foreign language

20 credit, optional

PHDTANRE1 – To write an independent scientific review, in Hungarian language

5 credit, optional

PHDTANRE2 – To write an independent scientific review, in foreign language

10 credit, optional

PHDKonfE1 – Participation in a conference with lecture, in Hungarian language

8 credit, optional

The evaluation system and requirements

The graduate program has three types of courses: compulsory, compulsorily chosen, and elective. In the classes instructors evaluate the student's performance on five-point scale: excellent (5), good (4), medium (3), sufficient (2) and insufficiency ( 1). The exams can be performed either orally or in writing essays which is specified in advance of the academic year by the instructor.

The scientific module incorporates scientific research work, publications (in progress), academic conference presentations, book reviews, tutoring consultations, participation in the doctoral seminars. The evaluation of research activities occurs in three-point scale (excellent pass, pass, fail).

The participating doctoral students are required to undertake teaching duties. Regular educational activities can be credited by the Faculty of Social Sciences at ELTE and other universities. The amount of credits granted at the end of each semester by the tutor and the supervisor of the course.

Other provisions

The classes take place on a weekly basis. Due to the nature of courses exceptions are possible. Based on the request of the teachers, claims must be approved by the Board of the Doctoral School.

To start an elective course the minimum number  is 3 students  who signed up.

In the credit calculation of the publications accountable the followings:

• monographs
• articles in collected essays
• articles published in journals

In the case of the articles published in journals the following journals may be taken into account: (see attached in a separate EXCEL file)

List of journals by Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Precondition of the complex exam is two language exams: two medium-level language exam certificate, or one advance level and one basic level language exam certificate.

Precondition of the thesis defense is minimum two academic publications, which closely connected to the topic of the dissertation. 

In the research and thesis writing phase (in the third and the fourth year) the tuition fee is half of the regular tuition fee.