Field Practice

Educational field practice takes place in the second year of study, during the fourth semester. The duration of the practice is two weeks, and assessment is based on a practice report. Field practice is conducted along pre-planned routes in the form of study trips and expeditions within Ukraine (and abroad, where possible). The results are processed at the structural units of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University. The locations and routes of field practice are proposed by the Methodological Council of the Department of Biology and Chemistry:

  • Lowland Field Practice Base and Forest School, Velyka Dobron, Uzhhorod District (Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University), as well as the Prytysianskyi Regional Landscape Park – the Velyka Dobron National Zoological Reserve (forest compartments of the Velyka Dobron Forestry and the floodplains of the Latorica River);
  • István Buczkó Mountain Research and Field Practice Base, Lipovets, Mukachevo District (Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian University), as well as Uzhanskyi National Nature Park (the Polonyna Runa mountain range and Mount Polonyna Runa, 1,482 m);
  • József Szikura Botanical Garden, Velyki Berehy, Berehove District (Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University);
  • Carpathian Biosphere Reserve:
    • “Valley of Narcissi” Protected Area (Kireshi locality, 4 km east of the town of Khust);
    • Kuziy Protected Area (geological, hydrological and botanical natural features of the Carpathians, Rakhiv District);
    • “Chorna Hora” (Black Mountain) and “Yulivska Hora” (Julia Mountain) Botanical Reserves (botanical and zoological natural features, Berehove District);
    • Museum of Mountain Ecology and the History of Nature Management in the Carpathians (Rakhiv).

The aim of field practice is to deepen and consolidate the knowledge acquired by higher education students during their theoretical studies in specialised disciplines (Botany, Zoology, General Geology, Methodological Foundations of Organising and Conducting Scientific Research, and Modern Information Technologies in Natural Sciences Education). Particular emphasis is placed on developing students’ skills in organising and conducting field observations, as well as collecting factual material and data for the preparation of course papers and bachelor’s theses.

The Main Objectives of Field Practice:

  • To provide practical illustrations of theoretical courses and consolidate students’ knowledge of botany, zoology, and general geology;
  • To teach students to recognise the relationships between phenomena occurring in plant and animal life and weather conditions;
  • To develop basic research skills through working with natural objects in the field and on experimental plots;
  • To familiarise students with the design, setup and implementation of field demonstration experiments that can be used in school education or in extracurricular educational institutions focusing on ecology and natural sciences.

In accordance with the requirements of the Educational and Professional Programme (EPP), students are expected to:

They should know:

  • The structure and functions of plant and animal organisms, as well as the fundamental physiological processes of different groups of organisms;
  • The characteristics of water relations in plants belonging to different ecological groups;
  • The duration and characteristics of the phenological stages of plant development and their relationship with growing conditions;
  • The basic methodologies for designing and conducting physiological experiments, laboratory and field research, and analyses;
  • The methodology of field observations;
  • Ecological factors (orographic, climatic, hydrological, and edaphic) and their mechanisms of action;
  • Successional processes in ecosystems and their climax states;
  • The characteristics of altitudinal zonation in mountainous regions, particularly in the Carpathians;
  • The characteristics of interactions between human society and the natural environment, as well as the concept of sustainable development.

Students should be able to:

  • Work with experimental organisms under field and laboratory conditions;
  • Use experimental equipment in compliance with relevant occupational health and safety regulations, set up and calibrate instruments and read and record measurement data;
  • Critically and creatively review scientific literature related to the selected research topic and use modern databases and online resources, particularly Google Maps, Google Earth, the KÉM – Transcarpathian Biodiversity Monitoring mobile application developed by the István Fodor Research Centre (Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University) (https://fodoristvankk.kmf.uz.ua/karpataljai-eloleny-monitorozo/), the Natural Diversity of Transcarpathia portal (https://fodoristvankk.kmf.uz.ua/karpatalja-termeszeti-sokszinusege/), and iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/), as well as access and use electronic versions of contemporary scientific journals and monographs in botany, zoology, ecology, and geology;
  • Plan and conduct ecological observations in natural environments, design and carry out field and laboratory experiments and analyse their results;
  • Perform statistical analyses of research data, critically evaluate published research findings and identify underlying patterns and relationships;
  • Present research findings in the form of tables, graphs and diagrams;
  • Identify limiting factors (e.g., climatic and hydrological factors) affecting particular organisms under specific environmental conditions, including lowland and mountainous habitats;
  • Assess species richness in different ecosystems;
  • Determine the structure and condition of natural populations.

Completed Field Practices

On 12 May 2023, the Department of Biology and Chemistry of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education organised a comprehensive botanical, zoological and ecological field practice for first- and second-year Biology students and first-year Natural Sciences students. The field practice took place at the Valley of Narcissi, part of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, the Museum of Mountain Ecology and the History of Nature Management in the Carpathians, located in Rakhiv District, and the Kuziy Protected Area (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/terepgyakorlat-a-karpati-bioszfera-rezervatum-teruleten/).

From 26 to 29 June 2023, the Department of Biology and Chemistry of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education organised a comprehensive botanical, zoological and ecological field practice for first- and second-year Biology students and first-year Natural Sciences students in the Velyka Dobron Wildlife Reserve (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/terepgyakorlat-a-nagydobronyi-vadvedelmi-rezervatum-teruleten/).

From 27 to 29 June 2024, the Department of Biology and Chemistry of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education organised a field practice focusing on botany, zoology and biogeography for first- to third-year full-time and part-time students enrolled in the Biology and Human Health and Natural Sciences programmes. The field practice was held at the István Buczkó Mountain Research Base of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education, located in the village of Lipovets (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/hallgatoink-terepgyakorlata-az-ungi-nemzeti-parkban-es-a-rona-havason/).

On 19 May 2025, the Department of Biology and Chemistry of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education organised a comprehensive field practice for first- and second-year full-time and part-time students enrolled in the Biology and Human Health and Natural Sciences programmes. The aim of the field practice was to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the natural heritage of Transcarpathia and the importance of nature conservation. The field practice took place in various areas of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, one of the most significant protected areas in Ukraine and Transcarpathia (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/narciszok-kozott-sziklak-alatt-terepen-a-termeszet-nyomaban/).

On 14 August 2025, Natural Sciences students from the Department of Biology and Chemistry of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education visited the Flex manufacturing plant in Mukachevo. Such visits are particularly important in natural sciences education, as they provide students with the opportunity to observe the practical application of physics, chemistry and engineering knowledge in a real industrial environment. During the various manufacturing processes, students were able to observe numerous physical phenomena, including the principles of electricity, thermodynamics, optics and mechanics in practice, thereby reinforcing their understanding of theoretical concepts (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/termeszettudomanyok-szakos-hallgatoink-latogatasa-a-munkacsi-flex-gyarban/).

From 19 to 22 August 2025, the Department of Biology and Chemistry of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education organised a botanical, zoological, and ecological field practice for first- and second-year students enrolled in the Biology and Human Health and Natural Sciences programmes. The field practice took place in the Velyka Dobron Wildlife Reserve, the third-largest protected area of national importance in Transcarpathia (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/terepgyakorlat-a-nagydobronyi-vadvedelmi-rezervatumban/).

On 17 October 2025, first- to third-year students enrolled in the Biology and Human Health programme and first- and second-year Natural Sciences students participated in a botanical, zoological, and biogeographical field practice. One of the main objectives of the field practice was to study a natural population of the strictly protected Hungarian lilac (Syringa josikaea Jacq. fil. ex Rchb.) in the vicinity of Zhdeniievo (Szarvasháza), Transcarpathia (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/terepgyakorlat-karpatalja-termeszeti-es-tortenelmi-helyszinein/).

From 18 to 25 May 2026, students enrolled in the Biology and Human Health, Natural Sciences and Landscape Engineering programmes at Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University participated in a Makovecz Field Practice Programme in Hungary. The programme was primarily organised by the Department of Biology and Chemistry of Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University, while the Department of Ethology at the Institute of Biology of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) served as the host institution and contributed to the implementation of the professional activities (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/makovecz-terepgyakorlaton-vettek-reszt-hallgatoink-az-elte-etologiai-tanszekenek-vendegekent/).

  1. június 25–26. között a II. Rákóczi Ferenc Kárpátaljai Magyar Egyetem Biológia és Kémia Tanszéke botanikai, zoológiai és ökológiai terepi foglalkozást szervezett azon I–III. évfolyamos biológia és az ember egészsége, valamint természettudományok szakos hallgatók számára, akik korábban nem tudtak részt venni valamelyik kötelező terepgyakorlatukon. (https://kme.org.ua/hu/hirek/terepi-kutatasok-a-nagydobronyi-vadvedelmi-rezervatumban/)