Complex examination
Successfully passing the complex examination is required for entrance to the second stage of the doctoral degree programme.
Before taking the examination, graduates must gain at least 90 credits in the instructional and research phase of the doctoral programme. (Exemptions are granted for students who prepare for the doctoral degree individually and whose legal student status begins with the application for the complex examination and have received confirmation of this.)
The complex examination is conducted publicly by a committee. The exam committee comprises of at least three members with at least a third of them being ’external’ members who are not contracted with the institution which oversees the Doctoral School. The chairperson of the committee is a university professor, Professor Emeritus or an instructor/researcher holding a ’Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ title. All the members of the committee hold a scientific degree. The doctoral student’s supervisor also sits on the committee but does not have the right to vote.
The complex exam is comprised of two speaking parts, in the first part the examinee’s theoretical knowledge is tested (theoretical part), in the second part the examinee gives
an account of their scientific/artistic development (dissertation part).
The theoretical part of the complex examination tests the theoretical knowledge of the examinee in two different courses/subjects.
One of these must be a specialisation course which covers the background knowledge essential for carrying out research in their area of study. Examinees choose this specialisation course in consultation with their supervisor during the exam preparation period.
The other course covers the theoretical background of their research topic chosen from the professional subjects of the programme.
Courses of the DLA programme
- Examination and development of historical settlements
- Methodology of heritage protection and architectural planning
- Structural and protection solutions for historical buildings
- Architectural theory and heritage protection
- Specialisation course
Courses of the PhD programme
- Historical and modern materials
- Methodology of historical and modern beam structure design
- Structures of historical and modern buildings
- Architectural theory and heritage protection
- Specialisation course
The course related to the research topic can be chosen by each doctoral candidate in consultation with their supervisor. Course related questions are published by the Doctoral School and its teachers.
In the dissertation part of the complex examination the examinee presents their knowledge of the related literature, the results of their research, and provides an outline of the research plan related to the second part of the training and the timing for completing the dissertation and necessary publications.
The theoretical and dissertation part of the examination is evaluated by each member of the examination committee. Passing the complex examination requires both exam parts to be evaluated as successful by the majority of the committee. The complex examination can be assessed as “satisfactory” or “fail”. The result of the examination is announced on the examination day and unsuccessful examinations can be retaken in the same semester. A written evaluation of the examination is also recorded.
A DLA/PhD qualification is not influenced by the result of the complex examination, however, its successful completion is a requirement for entering the second stage of the doctoral programme.
