PhD in Wood Sciences and Technologies - Cziraki Jozsef Doctoral School University of Sopron

The Jozsef Cziraki Doctoral School of Wood Sciences and Technologies was established in the early 1990s and has been fully accredited since 2002. During this period, 106 students successfully completed their studies.

The students receive strong theoretical, research methodology, and scientific backgrounds, and complete their research individually, with some guidance from their advisors. Supervision is offered by the top experts and wood scientists in Hungary.

Research projects encompass a wide range of topics, including wood science and wood technology, pulp and fiber technology, wood construction, and even more loosely related topics of nanotechnology, architecture, light industry, or wood-related IT and marketing research.

The topics are typically linked to industrial research or innovation projects so that Sopron doctoral graduates have not only strong theoretical backgrounds, but are very practical scientists as well.

Working collaboratively with their doctoral supervisor, students admitted into the doctoral program shall prepare a detailed 48-month study and research plan and submit it to the doctoral council of their field of study for approval. Changes to the study and research plan can only be made with the agreement of their doctoral supervisor and the doctoral school leadership. Before the doctoral school leadership makes a decision concerning changes, it will consult the appropriate doctoral council.

The fulfillment of academic and research obligations for doctoral students is measured in credits. A doctoral student must earn at least 240 credits during their studies and training.

The most important components of the doctoral program are the research activity topics the doctoral school announces. Research activities are evaluated in two ways, both with corresponding credit values. The first is the fulfillment of individual scientific research; the second is through publication.

Doctoral students can also earn credit points by undertaking teaching duties.

With the consent of their doctoral supervisor, doctoral students can publish their research results if they have continuously fulfilled their duties according to the study and research plan. Within the framework of a doctoral conference, doctoral students report on the research they have completed at the end of Years 1 and 3. The report is public. Students take complex exams at the end of Year 2. The requirements of the complex exam include Operational Regulations.

To be eligible to take the complex exam, doctoral students must first obtain 90 credits in the "training and research stages" of the doctoral program (the first 4 semesters) AS WELL AS complete the required courses and earn all the credits as stated in their study and research plan.

The doctoral supervisor shall certify a doctoral student’s completion of independent scientific research each semester in the student’s registration book.

The basic principles of the Doctoral program curriculum are the following:

a) The theoretical part of the complex exam at the end of Year 2 consists of exams completed in a main and elective subject. The main subject must be a six-credit complex examination subject from the student’s doctoral program, while the elective subject can be freely chosen from the selection of elective subjects offered in the complex exam.

b) Course requirements are concentrated at the beginning of the course of study thereby providing doctoral students the opportunity to devote more time to research starting from Semester 3 onward.

c) Research requirements in Semesters 1 and 2 are moderate for independent scientific research, but a review of the literature and bibliographical research is still mandatory. However, Semesters 3 and 4 are more research centered. The doctoral supervisor verifies the completion of this in the student’s registration book each semester.

d) Education credits: one weekly 2-hour course each semester is worth 6 credits; independent laboratory work equals 4 credits; degree planning is 4 credits. Fulfillment of education requirements is confirmed by the institute director.

The doctoral seminar must be completed in the first 4 semesters; every semester the student must participate in five presentations, a comprehensive/complex exam, and a defense. Dr. Antal Kánnár certifies the completion of these requirements through his signature.