Internship (BSc) / Professional practice (MSc)

General information concerning the compulsory BSc and MSc level professional practice (internship)

Internship or professional practice (later practice or internship) is a mandatory part of the higher education, bachelor's (BSc) and master's (MSc) programmes. Its duration is specified in the educational and output requirements of the given programme. Internship provides an opportunity to apply acquired knowledge and practical skills in the field of profession, to combine theoretical and practical knowledge, to learn about the workplace and work processes, and to practise professional competences.

The internship takes place in the semester specified in the model curriculum of the relevant degree programme. During the internship semester, students may take other courses only for the purpose of passing an examination (CV – only exam) (maximum of three CV courses).

The exact dates of the internship are indicated in the timetable for the current academic year (https://ed.uni-mate.hu/academic-calendar )

In general, the internship can be carried out in the following types of locations:

• at the places offered by the University (Institute/Campus);
• at a practice location proposed by the student and approved by the University;

Obligations during the internship

During the placement, the student will work under the supervision and guidance of the host’s professionals. Starting and finishing times are governed by the company's working hours, but the student's working week may not exceed 40 hours. The maximum working time of a student is 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. This may be reduced only for duly justified reasons, and maximum up to 4 hours per week. The student must comply with the current company rules concerning accidents, health and safety at work. During the internship, the student's work must be regularly supervised by the University's designated tutor (supervisor).

The host's obligation to pay

A student who is obliged to do an internship may work on the basis of a student employment contract concluded with the internship host in accordance with Section 44 (1) a) of the Nftv. (National Higher Education Law). In this case, the student may be remunerated, or, in the case of a continuous traineeship of up to six weeks, he/she shall be remunerated at the rate specified in Section 44(3)(a) of the Nftv. The student's fees shall be paid to the student by the cooperating partner.

Work experience offsetting (crediting)

The internship or professional practice can be completed with work experience credit. Credit for previous work experience must be requested from the Institute's Academic and Credit Transfer Committee, which is responsible for the programme. Work experience may be counted/credited only in the field of the training, provided that the duration of the work is at least as long as the duration of the internship in terms of hours worked as specified in the curriculum of the training.

The Institute's Academic and Credit Transfer Committee may request the opinion of the supervisor of the programme / module / specialisation in the case of a request for the credit of work experience as work experience and may request additional information from the student. Applications can be submitted online during the semester (beginning of the semester) during the period specified for this purpose. The online (electronic) submission is done through the NEPTUN TR system via the sample curriculum interface. Further information can be found on the website of the Directorate of Education (HERE).

University regulations related to the internship

• Student Requirements System, III.1. Study and examination regulations 1st Appendix Rules of Professional Training (HERE),
• 23/2023 (VIII.28.) Rector's Instructions: General Regulations of Professional Training (HERE).

• Link of MATE Directorate of Education on professional training (HERE).

  Institute of Food Science and Technology

  In the Institute of Food Science and Technology, the following bachelor's and master's programmes are linked to a professional practice (internship) obligation:

• Bioengineering (BSc),
• Food Engineering (BSc),
• Food Engineering (MSc),
• Food Safety and Quality Engineering (MSc),

• BSc Programmes related internship information

  The Bioengineering (BSc) training requires the completion 4-week full-time mandatory  internship. The preparation of the internships takes place during the spring semester, the internship must be completed during the summer after the 6th semester.

  In the Food Engineering (BSc) training, 14 weeks of continuous  internship is  compulsory during the full-time period and continuous 5 weeks during the part-time period. Only students with a minimum of 120 credits at the end of the 6th semester may participate in an internship. The preparation of the internships takes place during the spring semester. In the case of full-time work, the internship must be completed during the summer and early autumn after the 6th  semester.

  In case of full-time BSc level training, the internship can be completed in one or up to two host sites, but in this specific case, a 6-week + an 8-week practice time split is particularly recommended. In this case, of course, a valid student employment contract must be concluded between the student and the Cooperating Partner for both placements, and separate Cooperation Agreements (and/or its Annex 1) must be concluded between the University (Institute) and the Cooperating Partner.

  For the acceptance and recognition of the internship, a written plant/laboratory assignment (internship/practical report) is required, which the student must present orally to an evaluation committee additionally.

  If and insofar as the student spends his/her compulsory internship time in (maximum) two places instead of (generally) one, the internship report (written and oral) must cover both internship activities.

  As additional information, a detailed set of requirements (Spring Semester 2023/2024) can be downloaded from the NEPTUN Study System (Neptune TR) for the ‘ELTUD189N Internship’ practical course (BSc) for full-time students (ver.06.02.2024).

  MSc Programmes related internship information

  The Food Engineering (MSc) training requires the completion of a continuous 4-week internship. The preparation for the internships is done during the spring semester, the internship must be completed during the summer.

  The Food Safety and Quality Engineering (MSc) training requires the completion of a 4-week continuous internship. The preparation of the internships takes place during the spring semester and the internship must be completed during the summer.

  As additional information, a detailed set of requirements (Spring Semester 2023/2024) can be downloaded from the NEPTUN TR system for the ‘ELTUD160N Professional practice’ practical course (MSc) for full-time students (ver.06.02.2024).

  Additionally, in general, the following common information are valid for BSc and MSc level internships.

  For the acceptance and recognition of the internship, a written plant/laboratory assignment (internship/practical report) is required, which the student must present orally to an evaluation committee additionally.
  The dedicated members of the Institute's Committee for Practical Training (namely the departmental practical training officers/supervisors related to specialized technology [at BSc level] and specialisation [at MSc level]) shall facilitate the internship placement of the students concerned.
  Students will be informed about the dates and means of the oral presentations by the departmental practical training officers in charge (related to the given BSc or MSc specialization) of internship arrangement. These dates are also available on the Institute's internship (professional practice) website, together with other relevant information concerning the internship duties.
  The deadline for submission of the written report is determined by the Institute's Committee for Practical Training. The student proves the completion of his/her internship by submitting his/her written report plus the original signed and stamped document called the certificate of internship completion by the deadline (a prerequisite for obtaining the signature of the related internship course).
  The internship can be completed in Hungary or abroad.

  Simplified procedures for the organisation of internships related to BSc and MSc level education:

• At the beginning of the current semester, the Institute informs the full-time and/or correspondence Students about the mandatory BSc level (ELTUD189N/L) internship or MSc level professional practice (ELTU160N/L) duties by the Departmental Practical Training Officer/Supervisor [who is a member of the Institute's Committee for Practical Training] / Institute's official website / Head of Subject.
• If the Student has pre-selected the planned  internship Cooperating Partner and location, the Institute (i.e. the Departmental Practical Training Officer) will contact the Cooperating Partner and, if the Student and the Cooperating Partner both agree, will have the Cooperation Agreement and/or its Annex 1 signed by the Cooperating Partner in 3 originals.
• Additionally, the Departmental Administrator and/or the Departmental Practical Training Officer will arrange the signature with the Head of the Institute (Director of the Institute) and the Campus Director General.
• The Departmental Administrator (or the responsible officer at the Buda Campus) files the document and sends it electronically and/or by post to the Cooperating Partner and the responsible university officer at MATE Headquarters in Gödöllő.
• After the completion of the internship, the Student submits by the deadline the written (printed) Internship Report and the original (signed and stamped by the Cooperating Partner) copy of the "Certificate and Evaluation" (i.e. the certificate of completion of the internship/professional practice and the evaluation by the Cooperating Partner) to the Departmental Practical Training Officer.
• The Student shall upload the aforementioned documents in electronic form (preferable in PDF form) to the MATE e-learning site of the internship/professional practice course (also as proof of completion of the practice), thus fulfilling the requirements for obtaining the signature of the internship course taken in the given semester. In the absence of the aforementioned, no semester signature can be granted.
• The Institute (Departmental Practical Training Officer) will also keep the original documents of the Internship/Professional Practice Report and the Certificate and Evaluation on paper for later use.
• After the successful (at least satisfactory) oral internship/professional practice presentation of the Student carried out before an evaluation committee at a date agreed with the Student, the Institute (a colleague with Neptun Study System full-access) enters the basic data of the internship/professional practice and the Student's mark for the it in Neptun Study System electronically (online).
• The Institute (Head of the Institute's Committee for Practical Training) forwards the updated list of the Cooperating Partners to the dedicated officer at the Buda Campus for further university use.

For more information on the BSc internship / MSc professional practice related documents, the content and format of the practical report (written/oral), and how to credit any previous work experience, please see below.