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FRAMEWORK
AIMS AND SCOPE The Budapest Semester in Cognitive Science (in short BSCS, or “the Programme”) is a non-degree undergraduate programme for students from the US and other countries to study abroad in the field of cognitive science from an interdisciplinary perspective. Lecturers of the Programme are established experts with a high-level international research and teaching experience. AFFILIATION WITH EÖTVÖS UNIVERSITY The Programme is run by the Hungarian Cognitive Science Association (www.makog.hu) and is affiliated via a bilateral contract with Eötvös University of Budapest (Hungary) where it is entitled to use the name and the facilities of the University. Supervision is provided by and responsibility lies with the Department of History and Philosophy of Science (http://hps.elte.hu). THE UNIVERSITY Eötvös University (pronounced Ötvösh, ’ö’ as in German) is Hungary’s premium science and liberal arts university. Founded in 1635 by Cardinal Péter Pázmány as a Catholic institution, the University owes its name to Baron Loránd Eötvös (1848-1919), an eminent statesman and physicist with considerable reputation of his time. He gave first compelling evidence for the identity of gravitational and inertial mass in 1889.
Today the University has more than 30,000 students and is dispersed at several locations and buildings in Budapest. The most recently built is the Lagymanyos Campus where BSCS is held (hereafter Campus). The University home page, www.elte.hu, provides more information about the University. HIGHLIGHTS OF BENEFITS • STUDY ABROAD AND SAVE MONEY
The main student benefit is the completion a study abroad semester of high standard recognised by the students’ home university, at no more, and probably less, cost than they would spend at home in the same period. Staying and studying in Budapest is much cheaper than in the US or in the Western part of the EU. • OBTAIN CULTURAL EXPERIENCE
An important side benefit is to learn about life in Hungary and the Region in a safe and assisted way. Students and faculty come from several countries, some of them from Eastern Europe. • GATEWAY TO VIENNA, PRAGUE, AND THE REST OF EUROPE
Hungary is a full member of the European Union since May 1, 2004. Budapest is just 250 km to Vienna and 300 km to Prague. These cities as well as many other European destinations are easiliy accessible from Budapest on a long weekend. BSCS provides assistance to students who wish to organise their personal trips within Europe during their stay. BASIC INFORMATION OBJECTIVES
To obtain an introduction to the cognitive sciences at an undergraduate level.
To gain safe and assisted experience of living in a European environment.
To give an opportunity to learn about Hungarian and European culture and history.
To give students an opportunity to learn (some) Hungarian LANGUAGE
All courses are taught and all communications are conducted in English. TUITION FEE
The tuition fee for 2009 is USD 5000 (see also Stipends). STIPENDS
For students whose social conditions do not permit them to pay a full tuition fee, and for students from eligible countries, a stipend (from the practical point of view: a partial waiver) is available upon request. Stipends are distributed by the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis. Together with the request for a stipend, we will require proof of parental income and other financial aids obtained. Students should inquire at their local universities and grant-giving organizations for additional support. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE TUITION AND WHAT IS NOT
The tuition fee includes:
• a 5-day orientation upon arrival
• courses and course handouts as described separately
• unlimited free Internet access on University machines and WiFi
• two weekend excursions within Hungary
• Hungarian language course
• cultural courses and other cultural programs. The tuition fee does not include:
• accommodation
• visas, passports, photographs, necessary health insurance
• travel from home to Budapest and back
• travel within Europe
• health insurance and other insurances
• local transportation costs
• telephone bills, medical costs, damage reparations, etc. NO-REFUND POLICY
The Programme runs on fixed costs (e.g. dormitory, teachers’ fees, excursions etc.) and is fully tuition driven. As a general practice, we adopt a strict no-refund policy towards all enrolled students. ACCOMMODATION
The accommodation is in a student dormitory (simple rooms in new condition, 30+ minutes travel from Campus) for the 2009 Semester for 700, 1400 or 2100 USD in 3, 2, or 1 bed rooms respectively. BSCS students wishing to stay in the dormitory are placed in:
Kerekes Kollégium, 1135 Budapest, Kerekes u. 12-20 (phone +36 1 350- 1456 ); http://www.kerekes.elte.hu/ ACADEMIC INFORMATION STUDENT STATUS
BSCS students obtain guest student status in Eötvös University, with an access to Eötvös’s student facilities. FACULTY AND COURSES
BSCS faculty and courses are detailed separately. TEACHING AND RESOURCES
Students are not required to buy textbooks (with the exception of language courses). All courses are based on lectures. Teaching material is developed (or, in the case of readings, collected) by the faculty and distributed to the students. Classroom teaching is supplemented by readings and by further assignments (such as Internet or library-based student research) outside of class hours.
Resources available to students include a library with a number of select professional books and reviews in the English language, as well as a limited number of PC-s will permanent Internet access. Internet is available in the classroom and free WiFi in various University areas. CREDITS TRANSFER AND TRANSCRIPT
Transcript: Every BSCS student who attends at least 90% of the classes and meets the requirements of every examination receives a Certificate from Eötvös University which shows the duration and other specifics of the courses attended as well as the grades obtained. US compatible official transcripts are also provided for all completed courses.
Credits: Students’ home universities typically require the achievement of credits as result of a study abroad stay. Recognition of the credits by the students’ home university must be negotiated in the application phase in the case of doubt. BSCS’s credit system is fully compatible with the credit system of Eötvös University, which strictly follows the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). For official ECTS information, please consult: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc48_en.html and additionally http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Credit_Transfer_and_Accumulation_System.
In the ECTS framework, a one-semester course with 20 contact hours typically earns 2 ECTU (European Credit Transfer Units). Accordingly, the whole BSCS semester earns altogether 24-30 ECTU (see separately; see also “Grades” below).
Credits Transfer Official: the Credits Transfer Official of the BSCS is the General Director. QUALITY CONTROL
We are currently seeking external accreditation through a US University. At the moment the main quality control is exercised by the board of directors and by Eötvös University. The Department of History and Philosophy of Science has received “excellent” marks in the last national Teaching and Research Quality Assessment in Hungary. A further component of surveillance is exercised through the US Director and the students’ host Institutions. In 2004 & 2005 three on-site visits were performed by US home College administrators. EXAMINATIONS
Typically, there will be an oral examination at the end of each course. Students receive a grade for each examination as well as a summary grade (the average of the grades obtained) in the Certificate.
Oral examinations are a common means in the European higher education system. An oral examination is conducted in the form of a dialogue between the teacher and a student. As a rule, the student may take time to prepare for the answers. Oral examinations at Hungarian universities are open to the public (practically: fellow students) to ensure transparency. Dates and places are announced in the courses. GRADES
In Hungary, grades are on a five-degree scale that ranges from 1 to 5, with 5 being the best and 1 the worst. The grades and their official meanings are: 5 “excellent”, 4 “good”, 3 “medium”, 2 “sufficient”, 1 “insufficient”. As implied by the name, grade 1 means failure to pass.
Equivalence issues concerning the different national grading systems and credit systems should be consulted with the Study Abroad Office of the student’s home university and with the Program Chair of BSCS. In most cases, it is easy or straightforward to establish equivalence between different systems. ELIGIBILITY
Undergraduates of all disciplines with a sufficient personal maturity to function in a different society. Any university undergraduate in good standing who by the time of the Budapest Semester has completed the first two semesters is eligible. Students from all disciplines are acceptable, although priority areas are given as: computer science and mathematics, natural sciences, philosophy, or psychology. Students from other disciplines should contact the BSCS Program Chair before application time, to discuss their personal backgrounds and expected benefits.
Selection of students takes place on a competitive basis, with previous student records being a sole criterion. On a US scale, the normally required grade at application time is GPA 3.0, on the 4 point scale. Students with a GPA less then 3.0 should inquire at the BSCS administrators or Directors. COURSES INFORMATION COGNITIVE SCIENCE IN GENERAL
Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary approach to the human mind. It is generally considered a new “superscience” in the sense that it offers a common platform and a common language for numerous traditional disciplines ranging from biology and brain science to computer science to linguistics and philosophy.
The benefit of studying cognitive science lies in the fascinating integrative world view that can be obtained which enriches the disciplinary knowledge of the student’s own field. Successful completion of BSCS capacitates the students to pursue graduate studies in the cognitive sciences at a later stage of their carrier. BASIC TIMING & THE SEMESTER SYSTEM
Eötvös University runs a genuine two Semester system, with independent 14-week Semesters. The Spring Semester is held from early February to mid-May, and the Fall Semester is from early September to mid-December. This Semester System fits well into the US “Long-Term Study Abroad” programs.
BSCS is held in the Fall Semester of each year since 2003. In the year 2009, the program dates are August 31 – December 6. COURSES IN BSCS
Every course is designed for the nonspecialist student who has little or no prior knowledge of the given subject but is equipped with curiosity and good general intelligence to absorb new concepts, methods, and modes of thought.
The Department of History and Philosophy of Science, which hosts BSCS, has been providing service teaching at the Science Faculty of Eötvös since 1994. The Department’s students mix in an average course and represent all disciplines. The Department has experience in handling various student backgrounds, interests, and levels of competence within a single course. BSCS courses were designed and professors were selected to fit these criteria without compromising teaching quality. BLOCK COURSES SYSTEM
BSCS is based on a block courses system. A block course means a one-week (i.e. 5 days), 5 hours per day, intensive course of 20 contact hours altogether. All BSCS block courses are in the form of lectures (occasionally accompanied with independent student work). Because of the many foreign BSCS professors who only spend part of the Semester at Eötvös, the Block Course System is the only viable solution to teach full courses during the Semester. Each BSCS course is a block course except some special courses (see below). Classes of the special courses are in the afternoon. To a limited extent blocks may move within the block course system without prior warning.
Block courses are not uncommon at Eötvös and are generally welcomed by the students because of their highly focused character. A block course ends with an oral examination at the time of the course’s end. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH MODULE The BSCS Semester takes four month. For students who need more credits or want to spend more time in the study abroad framework we offer an Independent Research (IR) package. IR can be taken consecutively to the BSCS semester or separately as a summer program.
The cost of IR in 2009 is USD 1200. Within IR, students are placed in various Eötvös research Departments according to their majors and receive research tasks suitable for their general background.
IR is available in conjunction with BSCS or separately and under identical conditions (student status, dormitory, infrastructure etc.). IR dates for the 2009 BSCS Semester are from the first Monday to the last Friday of January or July, 2010.
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