Guide to Internship/vocational practice required for students on Civil Engineering BSc building construction engineering and structural engineering specialization as well as for students on Urban Systems Engineering MSc Program
Civil Engineering BSc/Urban Systems Engineering MSc students have to carry out a 4-week internship. The course ’Industrial practice’ should previously be signed up for via NEPTUN in the prior spring semester right before the internship is due to be completed. Completion of internship is a prerequisite of the pre-degree certificate. The vocational practice can be completed in the semester provided for in the model curriculum after the completion of at least some of the professional subjects.
I. Objective, competence of internship
- The objective of internship is that over the internship period students are supposed to familiarize themselves with the operation, main processes of the company or institute, to carry out tasks individually assigned to them by their professional leaders and to gather experience for fostering their integration into the labour market in the future.
- General and professional competences can be acquired and developed. (General competences are precise work by the deadline set individually or in cooperation with a team depending on the tasks, use of professional language in communication. Professional competences are applying acquired professional knowledge in practice, acquisition of new ideas.)
II. Places suitable for internship
All the organizations, institutions and companies are suitable which provide students with the opportunity to acquire proficiency in accordance with their degree program and specialization. Furthermore
- This organization undertakes in writing to accept the student for internship. (Invitation letter)
- This organization undertakes in writing to certify and evaluate the student’s work at the end of the internship. (Evaluation sheet)
The organization will not compulsorily make a cooperation with the University about providing the place for internship. (Internship Cooperation)
(Due to the changes in the legislation it is not compulsory to make an Internship Cooperation between a tertiary institute and an organization in case of internships shorter than 6 weeks. If a company insists on it in order that it could certify the student’s presence at a control a cooperation can be made.)
An Internship Cooperation has to be transmitted in 4 copies to the Secretariat of Department of Civil Engineering (2-4, Ótemető Street, 4028 Debrecen)
III. Documents necessary for starting and completing internship
(Before applying for an internship place and upon the student’s special request the International Office (Faculty of Engineering) can issue a certificate which proves that internship is mandatory and an integral part of the course of studies.)
After students have found a suitable internship place, the following documents need to be submitted:
| document | copy | signer(s) | submission deadline | receiver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invitation Letter | 1 | company | 31 March every year | room 212 (Mrs Mónika Csákó Tóth) |
| Internship Cooperation (Company abroad) | 2 | company, faculty | 15 April every year | room 212 (Mrs Mónika Csákó Tóth) |
| “Megállapodás” (Company in Hungary)* here | 4 | company, faculty, countersignatory | 15 April every year | room 212 (Mrs Mónika Csákó Tóth) |
| Student Agreement | 2 | company, faculty, student | 15 April every year | room 212 (Mrs Mónika Csákó Tóth) |
| Evaluation Sheet and Certificate | 1 | company | 18 August 2024 | Dr Imre Kovács, room 212 |
*According to Hungarian Law concluding an agreement between the company and the university in case of a 4-week internship is not obligatory. The document marked with "*" is neccesary in case the company insists on it.
In case of a 6-week or 4-week internship (without interruption) concluding an agreement is obligatory. If internship is divided into parts (for e.g. 3-3 weeks), concluding an agreement is not mandatory.
Initiating internship at the company and providing for the documents from the company is the student’s duty. If the student does not specify the receiving company or does not provide for the documents on time, the responsible person for internship may refuse the internship papers.
In certain cases the company gives students insight into confidential documents, so it can happen, the company prefers to conclude a confidentiality agreement with the student. A sample agreement can be found here.
IV. Execution of internship
Duration of internship for Civil Engineering BSc students started the training in 2006 or in 2016 the latest is 4 weeks after the 4th semester.
Duration of internship for Civil Engineering BSc studetns started the training in 2017 or later is 6 weeks after the 4th semester.
Duration of internship for Urban Systems Engineering MSc students started training in 2012 or later is 4 weeks after the 2nd semester.
V. Completion and Certification of internship
(Before applying for an internship place and upon the student’s special request the International Office (Faculty of Engineering) can issue a certificate which proves that internship is mandatory and an integral part of the course of studies.)
1. Besides completing internship every student has to write 15-20 pages of paper illustrated with photos, figures, tables relating to the work carried out. The topic of the paper has to be agreed with the employer on the basis of the work actually carried out. Such a topic should be chosen that can be the basis of a NCSSA paper or even a thesis.
The paper has to be made according to the periodical and formal requirements of Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen.
(http://eng.unideb.hu/index.php?pageid=debreceni_muszaki_kozlemenyek)
Deadline of paper submission electronically to epitomernok.tanszek@eng.unideb.hu
18 August 2023 (to Mrs. Mónika Tóthné Csákó in room 212)
Deadline of submitting original hard copy to Ms. Mónika Tóthné Csákó in room 212
15 September 2024
2. Every student has to certify the completion of internship by having the representative (usually the internship coordinator at the company) of the company ensured internship place to fill in the Evaluation Sheet and Certificate downloaded from the Faculty website. The form has to be submitted with the paper.
A student’s internship can be considered as completed if it is carried out
- at an adequate company/organisation
- on the basis of criteria and competences with the quality required
- accomplishing his/her tasks carefully assigned by his/her employer or professional leader with complying the specific engineering standards.
VI. Deadlines of submitting forms related to internship
Invitation Letter (for each student, 1 copy, room 212 31 March every year), Internship Cooperation (Company abroad) (if the company insists on it, 2 copies): to Ms Mónika Tóthné Csákó, room 212, 15 April every year.
Paper, Evaluation Sheet (both togerther at the same time) after completing internship: to Mrs Mónika Tóthné Csákó, administrator, room 212, 5 September 2024.
Meeting the deadlines, the issue of internship place and its timing are the student’s responsibilities. In case a student will not announce the department in time the program coordinator may refuse his/her Evaluation Sheet.
VII. Duties related to completion of internship and their deadlines:
A student on Civil Engineering BSc program has to register for ‘Industrial practice’ course in the spring semester or a student on Urban Systems Engineering MSc program has to register for ‘Urban Systems Engineering Industrial Practice’ course in the spring semester.
He/she will contacts the company or the institution where he/she intends to complete industrial practice. In case the company is able to accept him/her he/she will submit the Invitation Letter stamped and signed by the company to the Secretariat of Department of Civil Engineering. Moreover on the special request of the company he/she will have to submit the Internship Cooperation signed by the company in 4 original copies to the Secretariat of Department of Civil Engineering. (Having the Internship Cooperation signed on behalf of university and returning the own copy of the company is the duty of the departmental secretariat)
- He/she completes the compulsory 4 week industrial practice during the summer
- He/she is responsible for having signed the document certificates the completion of internship on behalf of the company (Evaluation Sheet) and he/she submits it and his/her paper to Mrs. Mónika Tóthné Csákó at the department (room 212)
VIII. Exemptions
A Civil Engineering bachelor student can request for an exemption if he/she can certify his/her industrial training had been completed in a relevant vocational high school with a diploma or an official certificate. The high school diploma or a certificate of qualified technician insures the exemption of internship addressed to Dr. Imre Kovács, Head of Department has to be submitted to Mrs. Mónika Tóthné Csákó, administrator in room 212 till 7 September 2020.
Completing urban systems engineering practice for students on Urban Systems Engineering master program is compulsory (there is no option for exemption).
In case of any problems or questions related to internship contact Dr. Imre Kovács, Head of Department and program coordinator (room 212, dr.kovacs.imre@eng.unideb.hu) or Mrs. Mónika Tóthné Csákó, administrator (room 212, csmoni@eng.unideb.hu).