PhDDoctoral School of Psychology [Arts and Humanities]
| Study location | Hungary, Budapest |
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| Type | Doctoral, full degree studies |
| Nominal duration | 8 semesters |
| Study language | English |
| Awards | PhD |
| Course code | Arts and Humanities |
| Accreditation | FF/597-2/2014 |
| Entry qualification | Master diploma (or higher) Applicants are expected to present the documentation of their Master’s diploma with at least good average in any study field. If the applicant is taking the final examination during the current semester, and their degree certificate (diploma) is not issued before the application deadline, a certification is required which verifies that the applicant will presumably receive a degree. In case of being accepted as a student, however, the applicant must present the diploma upon enrolment at the latest. Official English translation of the postgraduate/Master’s degree, if the language of the original is not English. The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. - You must take the original entry qualification documents along with you when you finally go to the university. You must bring the original copies for the enrolment. |
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| Language requirements | English Minimum level of language proficiency (oral) (A1-C2): C1 The language of instruction for the entire programme is English, so a very good command of English is required during the oral entrance exam and throughout the whole programme. |
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| Other requirements | A motivation letter must be added to your application. Please, specify why you want to come to Hungary, to Budapest, to our university, to our faculty, to this programme. Please, tell us what makes you a successful candidate, what your future plans are, what do you think, how our programme is connected to your future plans. Besides the motivation letter, a reference work should be also submitted. It can be any academic paper written in English by the applicant within the field of the applicant’s earlier studies (MA thesis extract, a research paper, a seminar paper, a research report, a published journal article or a book chapter, a case study, a literature review, etc.) Either a new paper or an improved version of an earlier work can also be written for the current application. The ideal length should be between 5-15 pages excluding references and the appendices. There are no special requirements concerning the format.) A professional CV A Supervisor Statement from potential future supervisor needs also be submitted. It is a document signed by a supervisor of the doctoral school in which s/he understakes the duties of being your supervisor. Click here to find supervisors. You need to submit an elaborated research plan, approximately 3-4 page-long, including the research idea, methodology, timing, and literature. |
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| More information |
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Overview
Short description, aim of the programme, tracks/specializations:
PhD Programme is intended for students that wish to pursue a research-oriented career in Psychology, students who interested in carrying out distinguished scholarly activities: have original, independent and critical thinking, and are able to develop of research-based knowledge in their selected fields of specialization. Students who are awarded Ph.D. degrees, are expected to have developed competence as teachers. Psychology PhD Programme provides you academic degree, promotes acquisition of advanced skills and abilities for academic research, and gives academic (teaching) practice.
The entrance exam is an interview, based on the applicant’s research plan. The aim of the interview is to see whether the research topic of the candidate fits the profile of the doctoral programme. The exam is approximately a 30 minute-long conversation with the head of the doctoral programme and other professors about the research plan, its feasibility, and the candidate’s previous academic path (publications, results, research). It can be taken in person or via Teams (you do not need to download the application).
There are currently six programmes running at the Doctoral School:
(We cannot guarantee that each doctoral programme will start in September as it depends on the number of applications received.)
Cognitive Psychology Programme
The training focuses on one central and rapidly developing field of modern psychology, cognitive psychology and some of its co sciences, primarily on psychophysiology. Education and related research therefore mainly focus on the experimental study of the (broadly defined) cognitive processes (perception, attention, memory, language and communication, social cognition, behaviour management and control). The methodological background is primarily based on various behavioural and EEG/event-related potential procedures, including the eye-tracking process. The topics focusing on mature cognition, development (from infancy to old age) and atypical cognition (e.g. autism) are included in the programme’s framework, both in education and research. During the training, besides methodological preparation and intensive participation in research, there is a strong emphasis on conceptual foundations relating to the global issues of cognition. The programme is the result of close cooperation between the ELTE Institute of Psychology and the Institute of Psychology of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Behavioural Psychology Programme
The aim of the programme is to provide an introduction to the modern Systems approach to the theory and to the empirical study of the regulation of behaviour. The courses of the programme cover the roles of genetic, perinatal and biological factors in behaviour regulation, and discuss the processes of behaviour regulation with a special emphasis on the role of consciousness and altered states of consciousness – as for example hypnosis. The programme discusses the broad spectrum and neuroscientific background of affective phenomena of vital importance in human interactions from the perspective of the ‘affective revolution’, which has recently taken place. We aim to develop a critical approach in our students to enable them to identify possible confounding contextual factors and plan for controlling them in their empirical studies of behaviour.
Personality and Health Psychology Programme
The primary and special objective of this programme is to provide an up-to-date presentation and processing of personality psychology and health psychology that can be considered as an applied science of personality psychology, as well as current trends in clinical psychology and addiction. The programme’s objective is to introduce and analyse the healthy and pathological functioning of the personality and the acquisition of modern personality theories and methods of measurement. Another basic objective is to prepare PhD students to conduct international standard research in the fields of personality, health and clinical psychology and addiction, in order to be able to contribute effectively to the intensive development of these fields. The programme, considering both the approach and the methodology, combines biological, psychological and social aspects; it aims to integrate these aspects regarding the understanding of human functioning. The programme shares the general goals of the Doctoral School in Psychology: its intention is to develop proficiency in scientific research methodology and in the application of complex data management methods, as well as in forms of activity that are integral part of scientific work, such as the written and oral presentation of scientific work and the inseparable scientific-critical analytical activity.
Socialisation and Psychology of Social Processes Programme
The aim of the programme is to prepare the students for doing creative research, enabling them to study research areas related to the relationship between the individual and society and fields related to the psychological components and factors in social processes. By including the perspectives of related branches of social science, this doctoral school aims at conveying the phenomena and rules of socialization, namely, the development, integration and role-taking of the individual in society, in an integrated way. Thus, the range of preparation for scientific work extends beyond social psychology, to the significant areas of educational psychology and cross-cultural psychology as well, while also discusses some aspects of decision making in economy and organizations and those of political psychology. Society, culture, and economy all depend upon and shape natural and built environments – as systematically demonstrated by studies in environmental psychology. The programme creates a frame and prepares for the scientific study and application of historical, political, environmental, and organizational psychology as well (the latter aiming at the non-profit sphere, like school organizations).
Clinical Psychology and Addiction Programme
Aim of the programme is to train researchers in the field of clinical psychology and addiction science. Professors involved in this programme are internationally known experts of psychiatry, clinical psychology, and addiction science and have wide experience in running research projects using qualitative and quantitative methodology. Epidemiologic approaches, survey methods, as well as self-reports, behavioural, neuropsychological and neuroimaging methods are used in this respect. Recent research interest is focused especially on mood disorders, schizophrenia, psychopathy, substance use and behavioural addictions (internet gaming disorder, exercise addiction, gambling, compulsive buying, hypersexuality), and neurological disorders (e.g. Huntington’s Disease, Spinocerebellar Ataxia). Behavioural and psychological characteristics as well as cognitive (e.g., learning, memory) and affective (e.g., emotion processing and regulation) processes in the background of these disorders are in focus.
Sports and Health Psychology Programme
The programme is focusing on life-style, recreation, physical activity and health. The aim is to approach these topics on a multi- and interdisciplinary. Students will become acquainted with the holistic concept of health and with the basic elements of healthy lifestyle. In addition, life-style will be explored from the perspective of recreation, leisure, and well-being. Physical activity, a major factor in mental health, will also be explored in the programme, including exercise addiction. The students will also get acquainted with those exercise physiological and sport psychological methods by which they become able to characterize the psycho-physiological fitness which can help them to determine the optimal load. The programme also deals with representations of the body, which provide the basis for the self and are closely connected to characteristics important in education like self-esteem, perceived competence and well-being. The placebo/nocebo phenomenon is also a topic approached from a psychophysiological point of view.
Strength of the doctoral school:
The Institute of Psychology of the Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University is situated in the heart of Budapest and is one of the main institutions of Hungarian psychological education and research. The number of our lecturers exceeds 100 and we maintain good professional relations with more than 50 organizations including major Hungarian research institutes.
The doctoral programme in psychology began at ELTE in 1993, and from the outset, covered a wide spectrum of areas of psychology. Within its framework, both basic and applied research has gained ground, and various disciplines of psychology have gained representation. The programme – according to the differentiation of psychological sciences, ELTE’s tutoring capacity and the diversified disciplines – was originally complex and divided into several branches, but these branches have also always been intertwined, forming an integrated unit. Over the past two decades, the programme has changed to a small extent, partly owing to the improvement of certain disciplines, partly to personnel changes and partly to the restructuring of the Doctoral School.
Head of the doctoral school:
Name: Róbert Urbán, professor
Contact:
Violetta Frank
admission@ppk.elte.hu
Programme structure
Please, click here to check the curriculum.
Career opportunities
A psychological doctoral programme from ELTE qualifies their doctoral fellows to conduct high-level research in psychology by providing sophisticated theoretical and methodological background to them. After obtained PhD degree, our PhDs find jobs or apply for postdoctoral grants successfully all over the world.
Job examples
•Researcher
•University lecturer
•Data-analyst