The study programme was approved by the Senate of the University of Maribor on 19. April, 2005 and adopted by the Council for Higher Education of the Republic of Slovenia on 20 May, 2005. The study programme has received international accreditation by the European Council for Business Education – ECBE (E.C.B.E. Absl., Fortis, Avenue Louise 200, B - 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium) and in the USA by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs - ACBSP (7007 College Blvd. Suite 420 Overland park, KS 66211 USA) and AACSB (AACSB International, 777 South Harbour Island Boulevard, Suite 750, Tampa, Florida 33602 USA).

In order to advance to the 2nd year of study, the students must fulfil study requirements in the minimum of 45 ECTS points.

The programme doesn't allow for the recognition of partial completion of programme.

After successfully completing the master's study, the candidate may continue his/her studies at a doctoral level.

Additional information about the study program you can find on the website: https://www.epf.um.si/en/study-programmes/study-programmes/masters-programme-2/about-programme/.

The methods of knowledge evaluation and assessment are regulated by the Rules on the evaluation and assessment of knowledge at UM (‘Pravilnik o preverjanju in ocenjevanju znanja na UM’), which are available at: https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Strani/studij-na-um.aspx. The rules and course syllabi determine the methods of ongoing assessment and assessment of knowledge and thus monitoring the student's own progress in studies.

Overall goals of the programme are: - to broaden the knowledge in economics, management, law and related fields for an integrated and research supported management of demanding economic and business issues; - to ensure adequate scientific foundations in a narrow field of professional specialization – in the selected study field within economic and business sciences; - to develop the skills and competences for a successful research and detailed professional work in the most demanding fields of economics and business sciences; - to acquire the abilities for independent detailed study and research by applying adequate research methodology.

The graduates develop a very high level of professional competences in the field of economic and business sciences. For that reason they will seek employment in the most demanding and leading positions, especially if they studied the 2nd cycle programme as part-time students, which means that they already have the adequate professional experience. On the other hand, the graduates who undertook the master’s programme as full-time students will seek leading and most demanding professional posts within individual functional areas of economic and non-economic organisations and administrative bodies as well as demanding analytic research tasks in various financial organisations (commercial banks, insurance companies, brokerages, Bank of Slovenia) and government professional analytic organisations and bodies (e.g. IMAD, SORS, etc.).

The graduates develop a very high level of professional competences in the field of economic and business sciences. For that reason they will seek employment in the most demanding and leading positions, especially if they studied the 2nd cycle programme as part-time students, which means that they already have the adequate professional experience. On the other hand, the graduates who undertook the master’s programme as full-time students will seek leading and most demanding professional posts within individual functional areas of economic and non-economic organisations and administrative bodies as well as demanding analytic research tasks in various financial organisations (commercial banks, insurance companies, brokerages, Bank of Slovenia) and government professional analytic organisations and bodies (e.g. IMAD, SORS, etc.).

Candidates who completed the following may apply for the 2nd-cycle (master’s) study programme in Economics and Business: 1. A 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme in one of the following fields: social sciences (03) or business, administration and law (04). 2. A 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme in a field not specified under point 1: - for the Data Science in Business and Economic and Business Studies options in any field; - for the Information Systems and E-Business Management option in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (06) or engineering and engineering trades (071); - for the International Business Economics and Marketing Management options in the field of hotel, restaurants and catering (1013), travel, tourism and leisure (1015), or personal services not elsewhere classified (1019). Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass the following courses corresponding to 10 ECTS credits under the 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme, a supplementary study programme, or by taking bridging exams: Basics of Business Communication, Decisions and Information Solutions (10 ECTS). 3. A 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme in a field not specified under points 1 and 2 for the Economics, Finance and Banking, Information Systems and E-Business Management, Management, Organisation and Human Resources, Marketing Management, International Business Economics, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, and Strategic and Project Management options. Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass the following courses corresponding to 12 ECTS credits under the 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme, a supplementary study programme, or by taking bridging exams: Basic Economics (6 ECTS) and Basics of Organisation and Management (6 ECTS). The faculty will organise a preparatory seminar for the exams in September, and assessment will be conducted after the lectures. Dates of the seminar will be published on the website of the faculty (https://www.epf.um.si). The candidate must enclose a written confirmation of the passed exams with the enrolment documentation. The faculty will organise a preparatory seminar for exams in Basics of Business Communication, Decisions and Information Solutions (10 ECTS), Basic Economics (6 ECTS), and Basics of Organisation and Management (6 ECTS) in September. Dates will be published on the faculty's website (https://www.epf.um.si). 4. An undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in one of the following fields: social sciences (03) or business, administration and law (04). 5. An undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in a field not specified under point 4: - for the Data Science in Business and Economic and Business Studies options in any field; - for the Information Systems and E-Business Management option in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (06) or engineering and engineering trades (071); - for the International Business Economics and Marketing Management options in the field of hotel, restaurants and catering (1013), travel, tourism and leisure (1015), or personal services not elsewhere classified (1019). Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass the following courses corresponding to 10 ECTS credits under the 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme, a supplementary study programme, or by taking bridging exams: Basics of Business Communication, Decisions and Information Solutions (10 ECTS). 6. An undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in a field not specified under points 4 and 5 for the Economics, Finance and Banking, Information Systems and E-Business Management, Management, Organisation and Human Resources, Marketing Management, International Business Economics, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, and Strategic and Project Management options. Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass the following courses corresponding to 12 ECTS credits under the 1st-cycle (bachelor’s) study programme, a supplementary study programme, or by taking bridging exams: Basic Economics (6 ECTS) and Basics of Organisation and Management (6 ECTS). The faculty will organise a preparatory seminar for the exams in September, and assessment will be conducted after the lectures. Dates of the seminar will be published on the website of the faculty (https://www.epf.um.si). The candidate must enclose a written confirmation of the passed exams with the enrolment documentation. The faculty will organise a preparatory seminar for exams in Basics of Business Communication, Decisions and Information Solutions (10 ECTS), Basic Economics (6 ECTS), and Basics of Organisation and Management (6 ECTS) in September. Dates will be published on the faculty's website (https://www.epf.um.si). 7. An undergraduate academic study programme or a specialisation following an undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in one of the following fields: social sciences (03) or business, administration and law (04). Candidates are typically awarded up to 60 ECTS credits and may enrol in the second year of study provided they satisfy the transfer criteria laid down in the accredited study programme. The Faculty’s Academic Affairs Committee decides on the recognition of study obligations. 8. An undergraduate academic study programme or a specialisation following an undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004 in a field not specified under point 7: - for the Data Science in Business and Economic and Business Studies options in any field; - for the Information Systems and E-Business Management option in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (06) or engineering and engineering trades (071). Depending on the amount of recognized study obligations fulfilled in the previous study programme in the Republic of Slovenia or abroad, candidates may be admitted to the same or subsequent year of study of the 2nd-cycle (master’s) study programme in Economic and Business Sciences. Under the recognition procedure, fulfilled study obligations that may be recognized fully or partially are identified, and new study obligations required for completion of the 2nd-cycle (master’s) study programme in Economic and Business Sciences are laid down. The Faculty’s Academic Affairs Committee decides on the recognition of study obligations.

To complete the master’s programme ‘Economic and Business Sciences’, the students must complete all study obligations stipulated by the programme and successfully defend their master’s thesis. The master’s thesis must be an independent work in the scope of the programme.