BSc Guidelines

Terms and rules of BSc Horticultural Engineering studies at the Faculty of Horticultural Sciences

Credit system - Courses

In the credit system, the curriculum serves as a guide for students to organize their studies. By following its schedule of semesters and subjects, one can complete his or her studies in the time frame given in the law.

Each semester, the student should be provided an adequate timetable, so one can complete all compulsory and specialized subjects with no conflicting times.
 

The student shall register for each semester, with the possibility of continuing his or her studies (active semester) or suspending his or her studies (passive semester). Registering for subjects automatically results in an active semester, while not registering for any subject automatically results in a passive semester.

The student is allowed to have two passive semesters continuously. During his or her studies, one can not have more than four passive semesters, except in cases of equity, including accidents, illness, childbirth, or other reasons out of the student’s influence. In all such cases, the student shall request equity in written form.
 

No exams can be completed during a passive semester.

Schedule of the Academic Year

University education is partitioned into academic years in general, and semesters in particular. The winter semester usually lasts from the beginning of September to the end of January, while the spring semester usually lasts from the beginning of February until the end of June.

The study period in a semester consists of 13-15 weeks. It is followed by a 6 week long exam period.

There is usually a one week fall break and a one week spring break. There is a 8-10 week long summer break between the end of the spring semester and the beginning of the fall semester. National holidays, including a usually 2 week long Christmas break, are also study breaks.
 

The length of a class is usually 45 minutes. Several classes can last 90 or more minutes, with possible 15 minutes breaks between classes.

Horticultural engineering bachelor programs has two practice periods. After the 2. semester there is a 3 day obligatory summer practice in the Experimental Farm, Soroksár and in the 6th semester a 15 week professional internship.
 

Registration at the University

After enrolment, the student shall register at the university at the time and place given by the faculty.

Registration can only be completed in person. Registered students are entitled to a student ID card, which is validated for each active semester.

Registration of Subjects - Neptun

The student shall register for each compulsory, specialized and optional subject in the Neptun system at the beginning of each semester. Subjects offered by the curriculum should be taken, paying attention to prerequisites. 

Certain subjects can have prerequisite subjects. Prerequisite subjects always shall be completed in an earlier semester than that of the subject to be taken.

Subjects registered in Neptun have the following information: name of subject, name of teacher(s), number of classes (per week or per semester), credit value of subject.
 

Students are entitled to select optional – outside the curriculum – subjects. Other than recommended subjects, these can be chosen from the selection of other programs, faculties, or universities. In the latter case, rules of exemption should be used.

Compulsory (A) and specialized (B) subjects can be taken in the semester defined by the curriculum.

If the student can not obtain the credits for a subject during the semester, he or she can take the subject again in a later semester.

Registration for subjects usually opens up in the Neptun system two weeks before the beginning of the semester, and it is closed by the second week of the study period. After this deadline, no subject can be taken or cancelled.

Certain (usually optional) subjects might not start because of the low number of applicants. In this case, the student has to choose a different subject.

All credit values of the subjects are compatible with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
 

Attending Classes

Lectures are classes that communicate the theoretical part of a given subject. As this is an integral part of the subject material, it will be required for a successful exam. Attendance is strongly recommended.

Practices are classes in which students do practical or field work, and get first-hand experience of a given field. Practices are usually held in smaller classes (5-20 students) and might include field trips or visits outside the university. Attendance is mandatory.

Skipping a practice class is possible, but there are rules for making up for missed classes. These rules can vary from subject to subject, but usually three classes can be skipped per semester. Missing more than the allowed number of classes results in an automatic fail grade.
 

Forms of Knowledge Assessment

In the Hungarian education system, grading is based on a five-grade scale:

• excellent (5)
• good (4)
• average (3)
• satisfactory (2)
• failed (1)

Some subjects require only a signature by the teacher as a certification of completion. Therefore these only have a two-grade scale:

• signed
• failed

A failed subject shall be repeated, if it is a compulsory (A) subject in the model curriculum. Usually, specialized (B) subjects also shall be repeated, but there might be exceptions. Optional (C) subjects shall not, but can be repeated.

A subject can be taken up to three times during the studies, if the repeated number of exams (up to six exams for one subject) makes it possible.
 

Getting a Signature

A signature means that the student has completed the requirements of a subject for the study period. It is a prequisite to be allowed to have an exam from the subject.

Denial of a signature means that the student can not register for an exam, and the subject will not be completed.
 

Exams

A student can apply for an exam only through the Neptun system. The deadline for application and cancellation – unless otherwise noted – is 12 a.m., one day before the date of the exam.

All information regarding an exam is available in Neptun, including: the name of teacher(s) at the exam, exact date and time, minimum and maximum number of participants, location. The exact requirements should be communicated to the students at least 3 weeks before the exam period.

If the student applies for an exam, but does not appear, he or she will not get a grade. A missed exam counts as one opportunity out of the allowed maximum number of exams. If not justified by the student, missing an exam can incur a fine.

The student should be identified before the exam, therefore an ID is needed for entering an exam.

The teacher shall register the exam grade in the Neptun system two working days the latest after the exam. All grades shall be registered in Neptun 14 days the latest after the end the exam period. This is also the deadline for the student to check his or her grades and contact the teacher in case of any problems. After this deadline, no addition or modification of grades is possible.

The student can repeat an exam to get a better grade (improving exam) or to correct a failed exam (retried exam). In any case, an exam can be repeated up to two times per semester per subject (it means up to three exams per semester for one subject). Altogether during the studies, an exam can be repeated up to five times (it means up to six exams for one subject).

The first repeated exam for each subject is free, but after that, all repeated exams incur a fee.
 

Specialization

After the 4th semester students have to choose between the offered specialities to become more adequate in their professional topic. 

Students have to fill the Application form for specialization document and submit it at the Study Office.
 

Internship

A practical training of fiftheen weeks is also a compulsory element of the bachelor degree programme. Your supervisor or host Department is responsible for the coordination of internship which can be executed in Hungary or abroad. Alternatively, we may also offer the Research Station of the Faculty (Budapest-Soroksár) as an internship site. Application form for internship is available on our website. At the end of your internship a Practical training certificate has to be completed (filled, signed and stamped) by the host company and a final report on the internship has to be prepared and submitted by the student (in free form, in a maximum of 5 pages).
 

Finishing the Program

Finishing their studies, students attain a pre-degree certificate. It certifies that the student has completed all subjects, passed all exams, and finished all field practices, therefore acquiring all credit points required by law. It does not require the completion of the thesis work. The pre-degree certificate is issued in the same semester in which the student completes his or her studies.

A student who attained a pre-degree certificate, can enter the final exam.
 

The Final Exam

After attaining a pre-degree certificate, a program is finished with a final exam.

To enter a final exam, the following are required:

• Attainment of a pre-degree certificate.
• Handing in a thesis work and having the reviewer’s evaluation.
• Having no debt toward the university.

The final exam consists of the following parts:

• Defense of the thesis.
• A complex oral exam.

Optionally, some programs might require other parts, including written or practical exams.
The final exam takes place in the final exam period, determined by the faculty. A final exam is conducted by a committee. The defense of the thesis and the result of the oral exam is determined by the closed consultation of the committee. The final result is communicated by the chairman of the final examination committee.

The result of a successful final exam cannot be improved.
 

The Thesis Work

As part of finishing a program, the student has to make a thesis work.

Thesis topics are issued by the departments.

The exact format and other requirements of a thesis work are regulated separately. There is a Guideline for thesis preparation where you can find all the necessary information concerning formal and comprehensive aspects.