PhD students admitted to doctoral programs after September 1, 2016, are required to take a comprehensive exam at the end of the fourth semester, marking the conclusion of the first phase of their doctoral training, which includes coursework and research.
(PhD students admitted after September 1, 2016, in the form of individual preparation must complete this exam at the beginning of their training.)
The comprehensive exam assesses and evaluates the student’s academic and research progress. The application deadline for the exam is March 31 each year.
Application is possible by completing the application form (available in DOC and PDF formats) and submitting it along with the completed and signed original of the supervisor's statement (also available in DOC and PDF formats) to the secretary of the doctoral program.
The exam is organized by the Doctoral School Council, but the doctoral student and their supervisor may recommend members for the examination committee in advance, together with the application.
The comprehensive exams must be conducted by June 30 each spring.
Important information regarding the comprehensive exam
Detailed regulations related to the comprehensive exam are outlined in §13 of the Doctoral Regulations.
The exam can only be conducted if all three members of the committee (chair, internal member, and external member) are present—either in person, online, or in a hybrid format. The exam consists of two parts:
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In the theoretical part, the student demonstrates their knowledge of their major and minor subjects.
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In the dissertation part, the student presents their knowledge of the relevant literature, research findings, research plan for the second phase of the doctoral training, as well as the timeline for completing the dissertation and publishing the results.
Major and Minor Subjects related to the theoretical part are determined by the individual doctoral programs.
History Program
- Major Subjects
- History of Hungary
- Universal History
- Economic History
- Social History
- Minor Subjects
- Auxiliary Sciences of History
- Historiography
- Research Methodology
- Archival Studies
Ethnography Program
- Major Subjects
- Ethnography
- Folklore
- Minor Subjects
- Research Methodology
- Social Ethnography
The syllabi of the major and minor subjects are available here.
For the “dissertation part” of the comprehensive exam, students are required to submit a written report on their research activities during the first two years of their doctoral studies. This can be done in the form of a dissertation chapter, which must be submitted to the secretary of the doctoral program by April 30. Members of the examination committee will receive the chapter prior to the exam, which will demonstrate the student’s familiarity with the relevant literature and their research results. The student should also outline their research plan for the following two years and the timeline for completing the dissertation. During the exam, the student will present the chapter orally and respond to the comments made by their supervisor.
The result of the comprehensive exam is evaluated by the committee members individually for each part of the exam, using a “pass” or “fail” grade. The result must be announced immediately after the examination. A written record of the exam must be created, and the committee’s decision must be recorded in the student’s official academic record.
In case of questions regarding the comprehensive exam, students are advised to contact the program secretaries and their supervisors.
A brief guide for committee members is available for download here.
The comprehensive exam subjects and training plan of the Doctoral School of History and Ethnography can be downloaded by clicking here.