Doctoral School of Earth Sciences

Title

Doctoral School of Earth Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Earth Sciences

Type

Degree program

Level

Doctoral

Accreditation number

OH-FHF/883-4/2010

Institute

Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences

Department

ELTE Doctoral School of Earth Sciences

Language

English

Duration

8 semesters (4 years)

ECTS credits

240

Minimum number of students

1

Maximum number of students

5

Description

Main research fields by the thematic programs of the ELTE Doctoral School of Earth Sciences:

  • Geography (Physical Geography, Geomorphology, Environmental and Landscape Geography, Geography of Hungary and Central&Eastern Europe, Carpathian Basin, Human Geography, History of Geography, Ethnical Geography, Regional Science, Regional Planning, Urban Studies, Geoinformatics in Geography and Spatial Research)

  • Meteorology (Dynamic and Synoptic Meteorology, Boundary Layer Meteorology, Climatology, Climate Modelling, Agroclimatology, Statistical Climatology)

  • Geology and Geophysics (Physical and Applied Geology, Hidrogeology, Urban Geology, Petrology, Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Lithology, Paleontology, Volcanology, Sedimentology, Geophysics, Space Science, Geoinformatics in Earth Sciences)

  • Cartography and Geoinformatics (Thematic Cartography, Mathematics in Cartography, Webcartography, History of Cartography, Toponymy, Geoinformatics in Cartography)

Theoretical courses, laboratory works, field studies.
Outcomes: publications, PhD thesis.

Strength of program
  • High scientific quality of the training, personalized research projects.

  • Highly qualified professors, academicians, supervisors, experts from the practice.

  • Possibilities for multi- and interdisciplinary research.

  • Mainstream research theme.

  • Cooperative, cohesive research groups.

  • Wide range career opportunities.

Programs in the Doctoral School

  • Geography and Meteorology

  • Geology and Geophysics

  • Cartography and Geoinformatics

Training phases
Education and research phase (4 semesters)

  • Credits to be gained: 108-132 credits (including 36 compulsory credits from courses and 2 compulsory credits from written report)

  • Complex examination

    Research and thesis writing phase (4 semesters)

  • Credits to be gained: 108-132 credits

Modules: Training Module (courses) , Research module (individualised  research with supervisor)

Obligatory credits in each semester: minimum 20 (courses + research).

Requirements for applying for the doctoral process are: final (pre-degree) examination (’abszolutórium’); fulfilling the publication and language exam criteria set by the council of  the doctoral school; submitting the proceedings of the ‘internal defence’ or an in-depth written opinion of the supervisor; and the PhD thesis.

The groups of the courses in Training Module by Programs

Geography

General physical geography, General human geography, Physical geography of Hungary and the Carpathian Basin, Human geography of Hungary, Regional physical geography, Regional human geography, Urban and regional development, Environmental geography, Regional science, Urban geography, History of geography, 
Methods of teaching geography, Landscape ecology, Political geography, Urban sociology, Quaternary geography, Soil science, soil geography, GIS,  Methods of regional analysis

Meteorology

Theoretical meteorology, Theoretical climatology, Atmospheric physics, Synoptic meteorology, Meteorology of environmental protection, Atmospheric chemistry, Dynamic modelling, Agrometeorology, Numerical prediction, Satellite meteorology, Climatology, Hidrometeorology, Micrometeorology

Geology

Petrology, Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Ore geology, Paleontology, Paleobotany, History of Earth, Stratigraphy, General geology, Sedimentology, Regional geology, Geodynamics, Environmental geology, Hydrocarbon geology and basin analysis,  Hydrogeology,  Geomathematics and geostatistics

Geophysics

Gravity, Physical Geodesy, Geomagnetism, Seismology, Geothermics, Mechanical structure, materials and dynamics of the Earth, Applied geophysics (near-surface geophysics), Geophysical well-logging, Geomagnetism and the physics of the Upper Atmosphere, Geophysical methods in Geology

Cartography and Geoinformatics

Map design and map-making, Thematic cartography, Computer assisted cartography, Map projection, Topography, Geoinformatics, History of cartography, Topographic map systems, Atlas cartography, Toponymy, GPS, Remote sensing

Career opportunities
  • Academic career (universities, research institutes)

  • Governmental career (international organizations, ministries, regional and local authorities)

  • Business career (firms: environmental protection, meteorology, mining, cartography, geo-informatics, urban and regional planning etc )

EU/EEA students
non-EU/EEA students
Tuition fee/semester

1,910 EUR

3,000 - 5.000 EUR (depending on the research topic)

Application fee

9000 HUF (non-refundable)

160 EUR (non-refundable)

non-EU/EEA students
Tuition fee/semester

3,000 - 5.000 EUR (depending on the research topic)

Application fee

160 EUR (non-refundable)


Offered for the next academic year

Yes

Start program

01, Sep, 2025

Deadline for applications - September intake

31, May, 2025

Is there a February intake

No


Admission requirements

Language requirements:

An internationally accredited language examination is required with at least a B2 CEFR level or equivalent result.

Examples of minimum level accepted:
TOEFL iBT 72 pts
IELTS 5.5

Alternatively, an official certificate issued by the applicant’s previous higher education institution can be accepted, stating that the applicant’s previous education (Bachelor’s or Master’s degree) was completed entirely in English.

Basic knowledge of the Hungarian language is an advantage.

Documents to submit with application
Document Comment
Online application form -
Master-level degree -
Transcript of records -
CV -
Language certificate -
Research plan -
Statement of Supervisor -
Proof of application fee transfer -
Letter of recommendation optional
Copy of the main pages of the passport optional
Passport photo optional
Reference work optional
Motivation letter optional
Further comments (if needed)

A master’s degree in earth sciences or in a related field is a mandatory requirement.

Application procedure

The application starts at the online application system. Students need to register in the system, fill in the online application form, upload the required documents and follow the instructions during the application process.

For the thesis topics visit the following website. (Prof. Judit Bartholy and the program leaders deal only with the educational aspects of the admission and do not deal with any administrative and financial issues.)

Important note: It is the student’s responsibility to find a qualified professor at the institute who is willing to act as a supervisor and they write together the research plan which is submitted along the application.

Procedure of the entrance examination:

The application package is reviewed by the admission committee. Then the applicant is expected to take an oral entrance examination. If a personal meeting is impossible, the interview is held through Skype.   The interview focuses on the applicant's knowledge compared to what might be supposed from the submitted documents on former qualification and the goals and methods of the planned research project.

Written supplements and exercises might be demanded in order to measure qualification and language proficiency.

Criteria for ranking in the admission procedure shall include:

  1. previous university achievements (examinations, comprehensive examinations, qualification of degree),

  2. achievements related to previous research work (awards obtained in students’ academic circles, publications in the particular professional area),

  3. the feasibility of the research program.

The decision on admission or rejection is made at the earliest date possible.

 
Program leader

Gábor Timár
Head of Doctoral School

Program coordinator
International Coordinator

Mr. Péter MOLNÁR
inter@ttk.elte.hu
TEL: +36-1-372-2695

More information
Faculty Website

Faculty of Science

Faculty of Science

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