Students who obtained the pre-degree certificate will finish their studies in the Professional Pilot undergraduate (BSc) program by taking the final exam. Final exam means the testing and evaluating of the knowledge (skill) necessary to obtain higher education qualification. In the final exam candidates prove that they can apply the acquired knowledge.
Final exam can be taken in the first exam period after the award of the pre-degree certificate or within 2 years after the termination of student status in any exam period according to the requirements of the training program. After the fifth year of the termination of student status the candidate is not allowed to take the final exam. Only students who do not have outstanding charges are allowed to take the final exam.
In each academic year there are two final exams: one in January, another one in June, and in case of a sufficient number of students a thrid one may be held in September. Final exam is conducted in front of a committee on the previously announced exam dates. If the candidate fails to take the final exam until the termination of his/her student status, then he/she is allowed to take the final exam any time after the termination of his/her student status on the final exam dates according to the regulations (in relation to final exams) which applied when the candidate was supposed to take the final exam for the first time.
Final exam board:
The final exam board consists of the chair, the vice-chair, the members and the examiners. Committee chair is called upon and mandated by the Dean with the consent of the Faculty Council. He/she is selected from the acknowledged external experts of the professional field. Traditionally, it is the chair or in case of his/her absence or indisposition the vice-chair who will be called upon. The exam board consists of – besides the chair or the vice-chair – at least one member (university professor, college professor or associate professor) and at least two examiners (associate professor /college level/, senior lecturer, junior lecturer, dept. teacher). In case of equal votes it is the committee chair who will take the decision.
The mandate of the final exam board is limited to 3 years. The Faculty Education Office will publish the order of candidates taking the final exam with the committees assigned.
Conditions on taking the final exam:
- obtaining the credit points defined in the requirements and the curriculum of the program,
- fulfilling requirements to which no credit points have previously been assigned,
- thesis reviewed and accepted by the referees
- holding licences, passing the exams of the Hungarian Aviation Authority.
Final exam process:
Final exam consists of two parts:
- Thesis presentation and defence,
- The candidate is expected to select a topic randomly from the subjects of the final exam and will be examined after preparation.
Final exam may start if thesis has previously been accepted by the referee and the department. The two parts of the final exam may not be separated.
Final exam (both parts) is evaluated on a five-point scale by the members of the committee. Final grade for the final exam will be decided on by voting in a closed sitting after the end of the exam. Final exam results will be announced by one of the members of the committee. A grade is awarded for thesis, thesis defence and the answers to the questions relating to thesis.
Notes will be taken of the final exam.
Final exam topics:
Aircraft General Knowledge:
Aircraft General Knowledge I-II (Airframe/Systems/Power plants) ATPL
Aircraft General Knowledge – Instrumentation
Communication:
Communication I-II VFR IFR
Improving failed final exam:
If thesis has been evaluated with a fail mark by the final exam board, the final exam has to be retaken with a new or modified thesis. If any part of the final exam is a fail, final exam has to be retaken according to the regulations of the University.
The soonest that a retake final exam is allowed is the ensuing final exam period.
Final exam grade:
Final exam grade is the average of the grades awarded for the oral part of the final exam and thesis. Final exam grade is calculated as follows:
x=(b+c)/2
, where
x= final exam grade
b) average of the grades awarded for the oral part of the final exam, rounded down to two decimal places,
c) grade awarded for thesis.
Award requirements:
Langauge exam in English (level: B2, type: complex) or GCSE exam or a certificate of the same level and type and a good command of Professional English according to Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1178/2011 (03/11/2011) which lays down the conditions on professional pilot training.
The chief forms of testing and assessing knowledge are included in Article 18 of Rules and Regulations of the University of Debrecen, the order of examinations is specified in Article 19. The supplement along with special provisions for the Faculty of Engineering is included in Rules and Regulations, as well. Course requirements of the training program have previously been specified.