Operational Regulations of the Doctoral School of Mathematics at the University of Szeged

The Doctoral School of Mathematics includes training programs in theoretical mathematics, applied mathematics, and mathematics didactics. Program heads are responsible for the scientific standards and educational work of their programs.

Program heads are tasked with proposing members for the complex examination and defense committees, and for procedural requests related to their program. They propose new theoretical subjects for the complex exam, new lecturers and teachers, and new research topics.

Applicants to the doctoral school must take an entrance exam before a committee of at least three members. The aim is to assess applicants’ professional knowledge, intelligence, and orientation regarding their planned doctoral work, previous scientific activities, and language proficiency.

The committee evaluates applicants’ performance, ranking them and recommending or not recommending admission. Evaluation criteria: grades, degree classification, OTDK prize, faculty TDK prize, TDK work, publications, conference participation, realism and promise of the planned research, and applicant’s preparedness.

In justified cases, the entrance exam may be conducted with videoconferencing tools.

The credit requirement for the doctoral program is 240.

Before the end of each reporting period, the doctoral student prepares a report on their work for the DS head; the supervisor reviews and signs it.

At the Doctoral School of Mathematics, credits for studies, research, and teaching activities can be earned as follows.

During the doctoral program, at the end of the fourth semester, as the conclusion of the training and research stage and as a prerequisite for the research and dissertation stage, a complex exam must be passed, which measures and assesses academic and research progress.

Eligibility for the complex exam requires acquisition of at least 90 credits during the first four semesters of the training and research phase and all study credits specified in the doctoral school’s training plan. An exception is made for individual preparation students, whose student status is established upon successful completion of the complex exam.

The complex exam consists of two main parts: one measuring theoretical preparedness (theory part) and the other assessing scientific progress (dissertation part).

In the theoretical part of the exam, the candidate takes exams in at least two subjects/topics, with the list included in the doctoral school’s training plan. The theory exam may include a written component.

In the second part, the candidate gives a presentation on literature knowledge, reports research results, presents the research plan for the second stage, and outlines the dissertation and publication schedule.

Prior to the exam, the supervisor evaluates the candidate in writing, addressed to the exam committee chair.

By the end of the program, the doctoral student must have at least an intermediate level language exam in a foreign language (preferably English) that has significant mathematical literature.

Submitting the doctoral dissertation for evaluation requires at least two publications, published or accepted for publication, on the dissertation topic, which have been (or will be) published in an international, world-language, refereed journal.

For acceptance or rejection of these two publications, the professional standard of the journal is a decisive factor. The doctoral school council evaluates the weight of each publication on a case-by-case basis.

The Doctoral School of Mathematics welcomes if the candidate has a Hungarian-language publication in a domestic journal. If such a publication has been covered by an international abstracting journal, the council may, in exceptional cases, consider it for inclusion.

Within three years of passing the complex exam, the doctoral student must submit a doctoral dissertation in accordance with the doctoral regulations. Prior to submission, a preliminary discussion (internal defense) is held on the dissertation, with minutes prepared.

Submission of the dissertation requires acquisition of the absolutorium. Upon submission, the DDC, based on the relevant doctoral school council’s proposal, appoints the review committee and designates two official reviewers, as well as a substitute reviewer and members.

For the dissertation to be admitted to public defense, it must be screened for plagiarism before uploading to the Doctoral Repository.

At least one bound copy of the dissertation must be submitted to the faculty responsible for the discipline. Theses must be attached to the dissertation.

If the cited publications have co-authors, the thesis must include a section in which co-authors state which results in the dissertation are primarily attributable to the candidate.

At the public defense, the doctoral student presents the theses of the dissertation in a free lecture (maximum 30 minutes). The reviews are presented; the candidate answers the reviewers’ written comments and any questions or observations raised by committee members, reviewers, and attendees.

After the discussion, the committee decides in a closed session by secret ballot, scoring 0–5; at least 60% of the available points is needed for acceptance.

The Doctoral School Council decides on awarding the degree based on the review committee’s report and the scores received; the DDC gives an opinion, and then, based on the above, the UDC makes a decision.

Those wishing to obtain a degree by individual preparation must apply for the complex exam at the Doctoral School of Mathematics (in this case, completion of 90 credits is not required). The DDC decides on acceptance based on a proposal from the DSC.

Upon successful complex exam, the higher education institution recognizes the minimum credits required for eligibility for the complex exam. Upon request, additional credits may be recognized based on previously acquired knowledge and competencies.

It is not compulsory to assign a supervisor for individual preparation students. If the individual does their scientific research at the University, the doctoral school will assign a supervisor/advisor.

The fee is determined by the DDC based on the proposal of the DSC.