Topic Selection for the Thesis

Topic selection is done in Neptun.
The supervisor approached by the student will announce the thesis topic, and the student applies for it.

Available Topics

Students should primarily choose their topic based on the College’s designated research areas:
[DGBC Research Plan 2022]

If a student wishes to select a topic not fitting into the Research Plan, the supervisor must request prior approval from the Scientific Council.

Topic Selection Process

• In Neptun:
  Go to Studies / Thesis Application menu / Thesis Application button.

• In the pop-up window, after selecting the appropriate period, click the List button to refresh the topic list for the selected period.

• Locate the topic announced by your supervisor, then click the Apply button at the end of the row, and upload the required attachments in PDF format.

Mandatory Attachments for Topic Selection

• A one-page brief description of the thesis topic;

• A one-page planned table of contents;

• A one-page planned bibliography, listing at least 10 literary works, including at least one in a foreign language.

Topic Selection Deadlines

Bachelor’s Program (BA):

• If the final examination is scheduled at the end of the spring semester (end of June), the deadline is the end of the previous October.

• If the final examination is scheduled at the end of the autumn semester (end of January), the deadline is the end of the previous May.

Master’s Program (MA):

• The topic must be selected one year before the defense, by the end of the exam period of the given semester.

Note:

• In autumn semesters, the exam period usually ends around January 30.

• In spring semesters, it usually ends around June 30.

Master’s Program (MA) Sample Chapter Submission Deadline

It is recommended that the candidate submit one completed chapter of their thesis as a sample chapter to their supervisor approximately six months prior to the thesis submission deadline. The supervisor will prepare a written evaluation of the submitted chapter.

A copy of the sample chapter and the supervisor’s written review must later be submitted to the College together with the final thesis.

Two months before the thesis submission (in January and September), a workshop discussion is held before a committee, with a thesis that is at least 70% complete in length.
The committee consists of the program director, the supervisor, and the potential reviewer.

The sample chapter must be submitted:

• Bound or attached,

• Without hard cover or leather binding,

• Without a table of contents,

• With a cover page labeled “Thesis Sample Chapter” (instead of “Thesis”),

• And otherwise meeting the formal requirements of the final thesis.

Requesting Thesis Acceptance:
NEPTUN: Studies / Thesis menu / Request Thesis Acceptance button

Submitting the thesis is only possible if the student requests acceptance of the thesis via Neptun, and this request is approved by the supervisor through Neptun.
Only with the supervisor’s approval can the thesis and the required attachments and certifications be uploaded!

This step is equivalent to the supervisor’s approval found in the second part of the Consultation Certificate, required for admission to the final examination.

When uploading the thesis, the following documents must be attached according to the specified document types:

NEPTUN: Studies / Thesis menu / Upload Thesis button

• Thesis: the thesis in PDF format

• Thesis Attachment: the thesis in Word format (doc/docx)

• Consultation Certificate (form)

• Plagiarism Declaration (form)

• Confidentiality Statement (form)

• Library Electronic Repository Upload Declaration (form)

• Thesis Abstract: Sample chapter (for MA program)

At the same time as submitting the thesis, the student must also register for the final examination!
The deadline for registration is the same as the thesis submission deadline!

IMPORTANT!
Alongside the digital submission, a physical (printed) copy of the thesis must also be submitted!

The process for registering for the final examination can be found at the following link:

https://www.tkbf.hu/hallgatoknak/tanulmanyok/vegzes/zarovizsga/

Thesis Content and Formatting Requirements

A thesis is a substantial, original, and unpublished written work submitted for the first time to the College. Through the creation of the thesis, the candidate must demonstrate both the ability to apply and further develop the knowledge acquired during the program, and the capacity to independently acquire, process, evaluate, and present new knowledge.
The thesis should reflect the candidate’s familiarity with the national and international scholarly literature on the subject and their professional judgment through analytical, critical, and summarizing engagement with the results.

Where possible, the thesis should rely on primary sources; it may also consist of a translated or edited primary text with commentary.
The thesis should present professionally valid new insights either in terms of factual discovery or interpretation, demonstrating that the candidate has mastered and is able to apply the conceptual tools and methods of Buddhist theology and its auxiliary disciplines.
In terms of form, it must meet the standards expected in professional publications within Buddhist theology and its related academic fields.

Text Translation or Critical Edition

If the thesis involves a text translation or edition, it must be based on a primary source written in a language relevant to the original regions of Buddhism and accompanied by a commentary.
The commentary must include:

• Information on the author, origin, and editions of the text,

• Details about the genre and related works,

• A summary of the topic addressed,

• An analysis from a freely chosen interpretive angle,

• In the case of a translation, an explanation of the translator’s approach.

The original text must also be included if a translation is provided.

Language and Style

The thesis must be written in Hungarian.
This requirement does not preclude the inclusion of foreign-language passages, but all such excerpts must be accompanied by Hungarian translations.

All content—aside from foreign-language excerpts—must follow Hungarian spelling and punctuation rules.
Words and texts in languages traditionally associated with Buddhism must be rendered using the appropriate scientific transliteration systems; original scripts may also be included alongside transliteration.

The thesis must include sources for non-common knowledge, reasoned support for original claims, and presentation of opposing viewpoints where relevant.

The student is expected to research and use the most important Hungarian and foreign-language academic literature on the topic in a manner consistent with academic expectations.

Formatting Requirements for the Thesis

Bibliographic Referencing

The thesis must include:

• A table of contents,

• A bibliography indicating citation formats,

• An introduction that presents the thesis objective, justifies the topic choice, and explains the transcription system used.

The thesis must also contain notes (as footnotes or endnotes), using the same citation formats as the bibliography. Notes should include:

• Sources of quotations,

• Translations of quotations from non-Hungarian sources (and original texts if the translation appears in the main body).

If any of these components are missing, the thesis will be graded as fail (1) and cannot be defended.

Length and Style Guidelines

Bachelor’s Program (BA):

• Length: 50,000–70,000 characters, including spaces (approx. 28–40 pages)

• Based on 8–10 Hungarian sources and at least one foreign-language source

• Dictionaries and encyclopedias may not count toward the minimum, but can appear in the bibliography

• Eastern language translations count toward the length, but the source text does not

• Western language translations cannot be the subject of the thesis

  • No single translated excerpt from a Western language may exceed one paragraph

  • All such quotations together may not exceed 25% of the thesis length

Recommended format:
1.5 line spacing, Times New Roman font

Master’s Program (MA):

• Length: 80,000–100,000 characters, including spaces (approx. 44–55 pages)

• Based on 8–10 Hungarian sources and at least five foreign-language sources

• Same rules apply for dictionaries, translation limits, and inclusion of Eastern source texts

Recommended format:
1.5 line spacing, Times New Roman font

Submission Requirements

Submit the thesis in:

• One hardbound (leatherette) copy

The leatherette cover must include:

• On the outer cover: the candidate’s name, the thesis title, and the year of submission

• On the title page: the candidate’s name, thesis title, the word “Szakdolgozat” (Thesis), “Dharma Gate Buddhist College”, the supervisor’s name, indication of BA or MA thesis, and the year of submission

On the spine: only the candidate’s name and thesis title together

Year of submission:

• If submitted during the spring semester, use the current calendar year

• If submitted during the autumn semester, use the following calendar year

The hardbound thesis must include—bound into the thesis at the end, filled out and signed—the following three declarations:

1. Plagiarism declaration

2. Thesis usage / confidentiality declaration

3. Library electronic repository upload declaration / confirmation

These three declarations, and the bound thesis itself, must be textually identical to the digitally submitted version.

Note: Do not submit glued, spiral-bound, or softcover copies.