The degree conferment procedure
Frequently Asked Questions about the PhD Degree Graduation Procedure
The PhD degree award procedure is a lengthy process that requires considerable care, attention and familiarity with the relevant regulations on the part of all candidates. The primary prerequisite is a thorough understanding of the University Doctoral Regulations (hereinafter referred to as UDR) and the Faculty of Humanities Doctoral Regulations (hereinafter referred to as FHDR).
The management of the Doctoral School of History and Ethnology (TNDI) considers it important to provide students with all the necessary assistance and guidance. We have therefore compiled the most frequently asked questions concerning the PhD degree award procedure to help candidates navigate the process.
What exactly is the PhD degree award procedure?
The PhD degree award procedure is the process that doctoral students may initiate after completing their doctoral studies and obtaining their certificate of completion (absolutorium).
The following regulations apply to the prerequisites for entering the degree award procedure:
- For students enrolled in the three-year doctoral programme or those who began individual doctoral preparation before 1 September 2016: Regulations of the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities (prior to 1 September 2016).
- For students enrolled in the 2+2-year doctoral programme or those who began individual doctoral preparation after 1 September 2016: Regulations of the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities (after 1 September 2016).
How do I initiate the procedure?
Students who completed the former three-year doctoral programme (prior to 1 September 2016) must apply separately to enter the PhD degree award procedure. Further details can be found in the regulations referred to above.
Students enrolled in the 2+2-year doctoral programme introduced after 1 September 2016 must take a comprehensive examination at the end of their fourth semester. If a student successfully passes this examination, obtains the required number of credits by the end of the fourth semester and registers for the fifth semester with active student status, they officially enter the second phase of their doctoral programme.
This is particularly important because the PhD degree award procedure begins automatically when the student enters the second phase of the doctoral programme.
It is essential to emphasise that doctoral students must submit the final version of their doctoral thesis (following the preliminary defence) within three years of passing the comprehensive examination. If they fail to meet this deadline, they will no longer be permitted to submit the thesis at a later date.
This means that if the thesis is not completed on time, the research undertaken during the four-year doctoral programme will effectively be rendered unusable for the purposes of obtaining the degree, as the student will no longer be permitted to submit a thesis on the same topic, either at the same doctoral school or at another institution.
Furthermore, the student will not be permitted to apply for admission to another doctoral school with the same research topic.
What is a preliminary defence?
The preliminary defence is an important stage in the PhD degree award procedure. Its organisation is governed by detailed regulations.
Guidance on the preliminary defence is available at the following link:
What does a doctoral comprehensive oral examination involve?
The doctoral comprehensive oral examination (doktori szigorlat) is another important stage in the PhD degree award procedure, during which candidates demonstrate their theoretical knowledge and academic expertise.
Candidates must prepare for an examination covering a major subject and a minor subject of their choice.
Further information is available in the document entitled Comprehensive Examination and Doctoral Oral Examination Topics.
A doctoral comprehensive oral examination must be organised for candidates who participated in the former doctoral programme (prior to 1 September 2016) or who began individual doctoral preparation before that date.
For students enrolled in the new doctoral programme (after 1 September 2016), or candidates pursuing the individual degree award procedure under the new system, the doctoral comprehensive oral examination has been replaced by the comprehensive examination.
How is the doctoral examination committee appointed?
The proposed composition of the doctoral examination committee must be prepared in consultation with the Head of the Doctoral School of History and Ethnology and submitted to the Council of the Doctoral School for consideration.
The composition of the committee is governed by the following provisions:
The doctoral examination committee shall consist of at least three members holding an academic degree. The chair of the committee shall be a senior academic member of the University with expertise in the relevant field (preferably a university professor) or a professor emeritus. At least one member of the committee shall be an external expert who is not employed by the University (professors emeriti and retired academic staff of the University shall not be considered external members). The candidate's supervisor may not serve as a member of the doctoral examination committee.
(FHDR, Section 5.3(4))
Following approval by the Council of the Doctoral School of History and Ethnology, the proposed composition of the committee must be submitted for approval to the relevant disciplinary doctoral council, in this case the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities.
- Proposal for the Composition of a Doctoral Examination Committee (DOC)
How is the doctoral defence committee appointed?
As in the case of the doctoral examination committee, the composition of the doctoral defence committee must be approved by the relevant disciplinary doctoral council, in this case the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities.
The doctoral defence committee consists of a chair, official reviewers (examiners) and between two and four additional members.
The chair must be a university professor with expertise in the relevant field or a professor emeritus of the University. All members of the committee must hold an academic degree.
At least one-third of the committee members, including at least one of the official reviewers, must be external experts who are not employed by the University. Professors emeriti and retired academic staff of the University are not considered external members.
Furthermore, neither the candidate's supervisor nor any person who has co-authored publications forming the basis of the doctoral thesis may serve as a member of the defence committee.
(FHDR, Section 18.1(29))
- Proposal for the Composition of a Doctoral Defence Committee (DOC)
What must I do when submitting my doctoral thesis? Which documents must be included?
Following the preliminary defence, the doctoral candidate prepares the final version of their thesis and submits it formally.
It is important to note that several additional documents must accompany the completed thesis, including the thesis booklet (summary of the doctoral thesis), IDEA certificates, language examination certificates and other required documentation.
For a complete list of the documents required for the doctoral defence, please consult Information on the doctoral defence.
We would particularly like to draw candidates' attention to the following regulations, which they must familiarise themselves with and consult throughout the procedure:
- For students enrolled in the three-year doctoral programme or those who began individual doctoral preparation before 1 September 2016: Regulations of the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities (prior to 1 September 2016).
- For students enrolled in the 2+2-year doctoral programme or those who began individual doctoral preparation after 1 September 2016: Regulations of the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities (after 1 September 2016).
What is an IDEA certificate and how can I obtain one?
To submit their doctoral thesis, candidates must obtain an officially certified list of publications issued by the University and National Library of the University of Debrecen (hereinafter referred to as DEENK).
To request this certificate, students must upload their publications to the iDEa Research Profiles platform (iDEa Tudóstér), which is also administered by DEENK.
The platform is available here.
Students can log in using the same network username and password as those used for the Neptun academic administration system.
After logging in, students must enter the bibliographical details of their publications individually.
It is particularly important that, when uploading publications, students clearly indicate which publications form the basis of their doctoral thesis and which do not.
This distinction is necessary because the certified publication list issued by DEENK, based on the information entered into the system, lists publications directly related to the doctoral thesis separately from publications on other topics.
Candidates must have at least four published academic papers related to the subject of their doctoral thesis in order to submit their dissertation.
We strongly encourage all doctoral students to pay particular attention to this requirement.
Further information about the IDEA certificate is available here.
How long does the thesis assessment process take?
The officially appointed reviewers have two months to assess the doctoral thesis once it has been formally sent to them.
What happens after the reviewers' reports have been received?
Once the official reviewers' reports have been received by the Secretary of the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities, they are forwarded to the Head of the Doctoral School, the Head of the Doctoral Programme, the candidate's supervisor and the doctoral candidate.
The candidate must then prepare a written response to the reviewers' comments within a maximum of one month.
Eight copies of the response must be submitted to the Secretary of the relevant disciplinary doctoral council.
When can the doctoral defence be scheduled?
The doctoral defence may be announced once the candidate has submitted their official written responses to the reviewers' reports.
At least one month must elapse between the receipt of the official response and the date of the doctoral defence.
For example, if a candidate submits their official response and the invitation to the defence on 5 March, the earliest possible date for the defence is 5 April.
How should the invitation to the doctoral defence be prepared?
A specific template is provided for invitations to public doctoral defences and can be downloaded from the following website:
- Invitation to a Public Doctoral Defence – Downloadable Templates
What happens after a successful doctoral defence? Are there any further steps to complete?
Following the public doctoral defence, the candidate is not required to take any further action.
The result of the defence, together with the candidate's documentation, is submitted to the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities, which makes a decision regarding the award or approval of the doctoral degree.
This decision marks the formal conclusion of the PhD degree award procedure.
After successfully completing the procedure, the only remaining step is to receive the PhD diploma at the formal doctoral degree conferment ceremony.
Relevant Regulations
Regulations of the Doctoral Council of the Faculty of Humanities (prior to 1 September 2016 and after 1 September 2016)
Doctoral Regulations of the University of Debrecen (prior to 1 September 2016 and after 1 September 2016)
For any further enquiries, please contact: toth.orsolya@arts.unideb.hu