Program Overview

PhD in Psychology

The PhD in Psychology program at the University of Pécs offers graduates in psychology, biology, medicine, and other social sciences the opportunity to broaden their theoretical and practical knowledge to achieve new scientific results.

Program Details

• Degree: PhD in Psychology
• Duration of Training: 4 years (8 semesters)
• Language: English
• Intake: Fall
• Deadline of Application: 06/30/2026
• Next Starting Date: 09/01/2026
• Fees:
  • Tuition fee: EUR 3,500 / semester
  • Application fee: EUR 140

Description of the Program

The program consists of two separate blocks (Semesters 1-4, Semesters 5-8). During the first block, doctoral students master advanced research skills and take theoretical courses which help them to elaborate their own research plans and design their experiments. At the end of the 4th semester, students knowledge and research progress is assessed by a complex examination, which is a prerequisite for continuing doctoral studies. In the second block, intensive interaction between students and their supervisors is encouraged. Students are expected to focus mainly on their research, but also participate in teaching activities in order to prepare for a career in an academic environment. Research results have to be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences. A doctoral thesis must be submitted not later than the end of the 8th semester. After a successful thesis defense, the applicant will be awarded a PhD degree in psychology.

Discipline and Academic Level

• Discipline: Human and Social Sciences
• Academic Level/Type: PhD

Application Procedure

For a successful application, please follow the steps below:

1. Register on the application site, fill the application form, upload the necessary documents, and submit your application.
2. After submitting your application, you will receive information on the further steps.
3. If the application fee is received, the evaluation of your application will start.

Application Requirements

• General Entry Requirements: Please refer to the general entry requirements page.
• Documents to Submit:
  • Postgraduate diploma (or higher) (MA or MSc in a relevant field), please attach a transcript for the courses you have completed (title, credits)
  • Transcripts of records showing satisfactory completion
  • MA diploma certificate (120 credits) - transcript of records
  • List of publications (if already) and other scientific, or related professional activities
  • Preliminary Research Proposal in 5,000 to 20,000 characters
  • CV in English
  • Motivation letter (introduction plus field of interest, etc.) in 3000 to 3500 characters
  • Preliminary Research Proposal in 8,000 to 20,000 characters
  • Copy of valid passport or national ID
  • Medical certificate, including:
    • Vaccination card (showing that you are immunized against HEP B)
    • HEP A/B/C test
    • HIV test
    • Chest X-ray: Please attach the chests X-ray result (not the film!) in English/Hungarian! (not older than 3 months)
  • Transfer receipt of the EUR 140 application fee
  • Acceptable online language exams: Please note that tests have to be taken within a year

Preliminary Research Proposal

A written statement of the research design that includes an explanation of the purpose of the study and outlines the research methodology. It should consist of the following parts:

• The intended title of the dissertation
• The aim of the underlying research as well as the clearly stated motivation for the research
• Literature review, i.e., review of the state of the art in the literature
• List of references

Before the application, it is obligatory to contact a preferred supervisor who is able to help you elaborate on your research project, which you can choose from the suggested topics.

Examples of Subjects During the Studies

1st semester:

• Current topics of psychology I. (Cognitive background of person perception)
• Emerging domains of psychology I (Social representation)
• Methods of psychological research I. (Computer-aided experiment design)

2nd semester:

• Frontiers in Research Methodology I. (Qualitative research methods in social psychology)
• Emerging domains of psychology II. (Body representation)
• Methods of psychological research II (Narrative psychology)

3rd semester:

• Methods of psychological research III. (Advanced statistics)
• Current topics of psychology II. (Social identity and minorities)
• Emerging domains of psychology III. (Organizational socialization and organizational culture)

4th semester:

• Emerging domains of psychology IV. (Behavioral and physiological aspects of emotion)
• Methods of psychological research IV. (Psychophysiological and EEG studies)
• Frontiers in Research Methodology II. (Methods of eye-tracking)

5th semester:

• Research seminar I.
• Research and teaching practice I.

6th semester:

• Research seminar II.
• Research and teaching practice II.

7th semester:

• Research seminar III.
• Research and teaching practice III.

8th semester:

• Research seminar IV.
• Research and teaching practice IV.

Research Areas

Available research topics and supervisors include:

• Anita Deák, PhD, habil: Emotional traits and emotion-regulation from affective neuroscience perspective
• Ferenc Kocsor, PhD, habil:
  • Measuring affective responses during face categorization with eye-tracking, EEG, and psychophysiological methods - testing the Multi-level Affective Feedback Model
  • Affective and semantic processing in face perception - measuring the incongruency effect with eye-tracking, EEG, psychophysiological methods
• Ádám Putz, PhD:
  • The effect of beauty stereotypes on the perception of sexual assault
  • The facilitation of within- and between group cooperation in a new economic game
• Orsolya Vincze, PhD:
  • Dynamics of collective memory: how the past weighs on the present vice versa
  • Relationship between national identification and ego identity states
  • Collective traumas and conspiracy theories
• András Norbert Zsidó, PhD:
  • The contributions of the visual, the vestibular, and the postural system to understanding anxiety and fear
  • The effect of statistical regularities in time and space on suppressing task-irrelevant phobia-related stimuli
  • Investigating the effect of phobia-related task-irrelevant stimuli on task performance with subjective (survey) and objective (physiology) measures
• dr. Norbert Meskó: Evolutionary and cross-cultural approaches to understanding personal relationships, sexual strategies, romantic attachment styles, and gender differences in human mating.