The aim of the doctoral training is to prepare students for academic research and lecturing activities and to provide them with opportunities for further academic training. There are 6 PhD schools and 26 programmes to choose from. The PhD programmes run parallel to those taught at the undergraduate level. The duration of studies is 3 years. During this period the chosen topic is researched with the guidance of a supervisor, organised courses are given and in order to obtain a PhD degree the student has to take a final examination and submit a thesis, written on their special topic.

Since 1993 the Faculty of Science runs PhD programmes in all branches of natural sciences. PhD programmes are organised into PhD schools (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences (since 2006), Mathematics and Physics) approved by the National Accreditation Board. The high scientific standard of the PhD training is guaranteed by members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Doctors of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences as well as many other PhD holders taking part in the programme as lecturers, supervisors or school/programme leaders. Many internationally acknowledged scientists and experts participate in the work of the PhD schools as lecturers of short courses and seminars.

Objectives: In addition to the purely theoretical topics, the programmes are practice-oriented: substantial time is laboratory/field research. The special, one-semester courses and seminar series are organized on current scientific problems to deepen students’ knowledge on the theoretical background of their research project and the methods that they are using. Emphasis is also put on developing skills in publication (writing papers), in preparing grant applications and in project management. Thus Ph.D. graduates will be able to pursue their own research project independently and to organize and supervise their own research group.

Research topics are int he fields of Analitical Chemistry, Colloid- and Environmental Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Synthetic Chemistry, Material Science and Biomolecular Chemistry, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry, Structural Chemistry. Current thesis proposals can be viewed on http://www.chem.elte.hu/departments/doktori/pdf/Thesis_proposals_2008.pdf

Eötvös Loránd University