mag. prof. angl. in …
magister profesor angleščine in …
magistrica profesorica angleščine in …

01 - Education

0114 - Teacher training with subject specialisation

5.3 - Educational sciences

During its 27th regular session, on 3 May 2011, the Council of the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – NAKVIS officially accredited the two-discipline postgraduate teacher-training study programme "Teaching English" (2nd Bologna cycle - MA), implemented by the Faculty of Arts of the University of Maribor, Slomškov trg 15, SI-2000 Maribor, in accordance with paragraph 7 of chapter 11 of Article 51h and chapter 7 of Article 51p of the Higher Education Act of the Republic of Slovenia (ZVis) (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 119/06 – official consolidated text, 59/07 – Scholarship Act of the Republic of Slovenia (ZŠtip), 15/08 - Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia, 64/08, 86/09 and 62/2010 – Exercise of Rights to Public Funds Act of the Republic of Slovenia (ZUPJS)), and with reference to Article 56 of the valid Criteria for the Accreditation and External Evaluation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programmes (Merila za akreditacijo in zunanjo evalvacijo visokošolskih zavodov in študijskih programov – Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 95/2010).

In order to progress from the first year to the second year, students must complete at least 24 ECTS credits from the English Studies programme (the same requirement applies to both pathways) and the number of credits envisaged by the other half of the two-subject programme. Students on the English Teaching pathway must complete Didactics of English 1, Didactics of English 2 and Teaching Practice 1 before they can progress to the second year.

The programme does not contain individual segments.

Graduates of the second-cycle master’s programme can continue their studies in third-cycle programmes.

The second-cycle study English Studies programme is designed to respond to the needs of educational and research institutions, pedagogical and adult education institutions and other institutions for staff with qualifications in English language and literature and, above all, the didactics of English language and literature, while at the same time enabling employment in other sectors. Graduates of the programme are qualified to engage in educational, research and pedagogical processes at primary, secondary and higher education institutions, undertake research at research institutes, prepare a wide range of programmes and fulfil advisory and leadership roles in a range of institutions such as libraries, publishing companies, media organisations and various government bodies. The programme also provides teaching staff at primary and secondary schools with current knowledge that increases their opportunity to work as leaders of, for example, study groups. Graduates are capable of undertaking independent research and of organising and leading a range of activities connected to the teaching of English language or literature. At the same time, the programme enables the acquisition of various competences that allow graduates to find employment in various sectors. The number of English teachers among current jobseekers is vanishingly small. We are currently planning to offer 20 places on the English Teaching programme and 15 places on the English Studies programme. In both cases these are full-time programmes. In view of the clear demand for teachers (see below) and the growing interest in enrolment in the English Teaching programme, we are considering increasing the number of places available. The number of places on the English Studies programme is adequate for the time being. During teaching placements as part of the English Teaching programme, students and subject didactics teachers cooperate with the future employers of our graduates – primary and secondary schools. Regular meetings with mentors and members of the programme council serve to check that our students are adequately qualified for work, and we are constantly updating the programme. Unfortunately we have no influence on demand in the job market. The English Teaching programme provides a qualification for the regulated occupation of teacher in Slovenia and thus enables graduates of the programme to take up employment in primary and secondary schools. Graduates of the English Teaching programme can find employment as English teachers in primary and secondary schools, among other options. Figures available on the website of the Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS) show that there is growing demand for the occupations of secondary school English teacher and primary school English teacher (Tables 1 and 2). At the same time, there is considerable interest in enrolment, and we have consistently filled all the available places on the existing English Teaching programme. Educational institutions frequently contact the Department of English and American Studies directly with offers of employment for students currently training as English teachers.

The two-subject English Teaching programme has a cohesive structure in that it is carefully designed to take into account two key aspects: the horizontal and vertical integration of units and their progression from semester to semester. Both horizontal and vertical integration reflect the fact that the aim of the programme is to train future English teachers. The emphasis in all the units is on the pedagogical component, from both theoretical and practical points of view. This programme, which is specially designed for future teachers, follows a carefully designed plan where the building of knowledge progresses step by step, with every unit starting from the knowledge already acquired in previous years and semesters. In each individual unit, particular attention is paid to the pedagogical principles that are crucial for the successful formation and education of future generations. The vertical and horizontal integration of units in individual pathways is complex, since each unit in the following semester is based on the knowledge, skills and competences acquired in the previous semesters and integrated with the other units in the semester. Horizontal integration of content The programme is based on the clear horizontal integration of units. Knowledge acquired from the units of an individual semester is the basis for successful work in the semesters that follow. The programme is conceived in such a way that units and content are coherent and interconnected. The single-subject teaching pathway incorporates systematic efforts to encourage the professional development of students in such a way that they acquire essential general skills and abilities in intercultural fields along with key competences. They also acquire general psycho-pedagogical and didactic skills along with subject-specific didactic skills while simultaneously deepening and extending their knowledge and competences in the field of English language, literature and culture. The units of the curriculum are horizontally integrated in the following way: In the first semester students study the core units of the programme, which cover the basics of psychology, didactics and pedagogy (Psychology of Learning and Development, Pedagogy, Didactics, Working with Children with Special Needs). Through the unit Didactics of English I, students acquire basic knowledge about language skills and abilities in the context of English language instruction and reflect on their transfer. They complement this by acquiring key competences for pedagogical work (Developing the Language of Future Teachers) and refining and developing their oral expression skills. A placement (Interdisciplinary Observation Placement) gives them the opportunity to participate in an authentic learning process and observe work in a school as an active and critical observer. In the second semester students attempt to put the knowledge and skills they have acquired into practice via a placement as a student teacher of English at a primary school, where they also gain their first professional practical experience (Teaching Practice I). By choosing two elective units and two pedagogically focused elective units, students extend their knowledge and skills to other areas of their professional development. The two elective units offer a wide selection of linguistic, literary and pedagogical content (Applied Linguistics, Psycholinguistics with an Introduction to Bilingualism, Corpora and Research Methods, Selected Authors), while the two pedagogical elective units offer a wide selection of general pedagogical and didactic content (e.g. Games in Teaching, Professional Development of Teaching Staff, Discipline in the Modern School). The third semester focuses on pedagogical and didactic content. Students familiarise themselves with national and international standards of knowledge, the testing and assessment process and the flexible use of didactic concepts (Didactics of English III, Selected Topics from Pedagogical Linguistics). The third elective unit likewise enables students to choose between units that develop their professional skills in chosen areas (Teaching English for Special Purposes, Teaching English in the Early Years of Primary School, and Testing and Teaching a Foreign Language). Teaching Practice II gives students the opportunity to broaden and deepen their professional practical experience working with secondary school students. In the fourth semester students focus on theoretical and practical pedagogical and didactic content (Teaching Practice III, Didactics IV). In the case of Teaching Practice III, students can choose whether to do this placement in a primary school or a secondary school. A free elective unit gives them the opportunity to choose additional content related to pedagogical and professional development (e.g. Discourse Analysis in Education) and content related to the green transition and digital transformation. All the knowledge, skills and competences acquired over the course of the programme are then synthesised in a successfully prepared and presented master’s thesis in which linguistic or literary research is linked to a pedagogical problem, with the chosen topic addressed from theoretical, empirical and applied points of view. Vertical integration of content: The units of the English Teaching programme are also vertically integrated. Pedagogical, psychological and didactic content is vertically integrated with subject-specific didactic units (Pedagogy, Psychology, Developing the Language of Future Teachers, Didactics of English I, II and III), an observation placement and three teaching practice placements (Interdisciplinary Observation Placement, Teaching Practice I, II and III). The emphasis in the vertically integrated language and literature units is on pedagogical and didactic aspects (Applied Linguistics, Corpora and Research Methods, Psycholinguistics with an Introduction to Bilingualism, Stories and Film in the Classroom, Selected Authors). Students can further develop their knowledge in the vertical sense through their choice of elective units, either within their own department or by choosing units from other programmes. Respecting the fundamental principles of the integration of units is essential for the all-round development of students, in particular those aiming for the teaching profession. This in-depth approach permits the construction of solid foundations of knowledge, something that is of key importance for further professional growth and successful practical work in educational institutions.

Criteria and methods for testing and assessing student outcomes are made publicly available and are implemented in accordance with the adopted learning programme, unit syllabuses and information on the unit. The assessment system is regulated in accordance with the Statutes of the University of Maribor and the Rules on testing and assessing knowledge at the University of Maribor. Both documents are available online at: https://www.um.si/o-univerzi/dokumentno-sredisce. Learning outcomes are defined by syllabuses. These are made publicly available and are accessible to all. They can be consulted in the collection of programmes of study at the University of Maribor, which is aimed at students wishing to enrol (accreditation is shown for the cohort of students who will enrol in the following year), and on the Faculty of Arts website (Programmes of study | UM Faculty of Arts). The method of assessment and testing is defined in each syllabus. This means that, on the basis of the published syllabus content, students can compare or check the content and levels of knowledge associated with specific skills. Academic staff encourage continuous work and continuous testing of knowledge, in this way enabling students to maintain a constant overview of their own progress. Students are also verbally informed about assessment criteria and methods when they begin a unit. Following analyses of pedagogical work and evaluation of the programme, appropriate amendments are made to syllabuses. Verification of whether students are successfully meeting the requirements of the programme is done through the testing and assessment of knowledge, which is the basis on which students obtain marks and credits in individual units of the programme, allowing them to progress through the programme and move on to further studies. At the same time, it provides students with feedback on the level of knowledge they have attained. Exam results are entered in an electronic register called the Academic Information Subsystem (AIPS). Results are entered by the exam administrator, who has access to the details of the students entered for the exam. After entering the marks for an individual exam, the exam administrator submits a signed exam report to the Student Affairs Office. This report is kept permanently and represents an official record of the institution. Students are informed of exam results as soon as they are entered and confirmed by the exam administrator, via their personal AIPS account, which they access using a username and password. Students’ knowledge is tested in examinations, colloquia and other forms of testing and assessment, and awarded a positive or negative mark. Positive marks are “excellent” (10), “very good” (9 and 8), “good” (7) and “satisfactory” (6). Negative marks are all marks from 1 to 5. Examination timetables are published in the publicly accessible calendar for each individual academic year (http://ff.um.si/studenti/urniki). Lists of scheduled exam dates for individual units during the academic year are prepared by Departments and published by the Student Affairs Office in the AIPS by no later than 15 November for the current academic year.

Primary aims: The primary aims of the English Studies programme are: - to provide students with in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of English language and literature, - to develop students’ ability to recognise the different cultures and literatures of English-speaking nations, - to develop students’ general intellectual abilities that will help them adapt to professional environments on taking up employment, in particular the ability to reflect critically on their own performance, - to help students understand the broader context of their future professional work, in particular the school and the wider community, - to help students develop a capacity for independent study and self-evaluation, both of which are a prerequisite for their professional development after completing their studies or starting a job. The principal aims of the English Teaching programme are: - to provide students with an ability to teach English that is rooted in the latest findings of the linguistic and pedagogical, psychological and didactic sciences with regard to language acquisition and foreign-language learning, and help them develop pedagogical thinking, - to train students to teach English and carry out pedagogical work in the classroom through a gradual and supervised introduction to teaching practice, - to develop students’ language skills to the point that they can become good models for effective communication in English through their teaching.

On completion of the English Studies programme, students will have acquired the following general competences: - the ability to work creatively and independently within the field; - the ability to present findings and viewpoints cogently in a range of professional and public contexts; - the ability to independently find, interpret and use new sources of knowledge; - the ability to read sources critically, - the ability to use quantitative, qualitative, descriptive and inferential approaches in research, - a capacity for intercultural communication, - the ability to communicate effectively in a range of social situations, - the ability to plan, monitor and critically evaluate their own professional development, - the ability to plan, implement and evaluate the long- and short-term aims of their work, - the ability to use modern information and communication technologies in their work, - understanding of the importance of research for practical application, - understanding of the (philosophical, sociological, moral, ethical) dimensions of education in their professional environment and society. Rationale: The competences acquired by graduates give them easier access to the labour market, in that these are general or transferable competences that are also useful outside the narrow fields of language, literature or (in the case of the English Teaching programme) teaching. They also include so-called soft skills that are becoming increasingly important in occupations that involve working with people.

On completion of the English Teaching programme, students will have acquired the following subject-specific competences: - understanding of phenomena and principles in the English language and the ability to demonstrate the modes of thinking and action that are characteristic of the subject, with a special focus on the needs of English language teaching; - knowledge and understanding of the principles and rules of English language teaching in accordance with modern pedagogical, psychological and didactic approaches and the ability to apply them in the planning and implementation of teaching activities; - knowledge of English that is adapted to the purpose of teaching a foreign language in a school context (subject-specific pedagogical knowledge); - familiarity with English literature that is adequate for the needs of English language teaching at various levels; - familiarity with the processes of second language acquisition or foreign language learning; - familiarity with the appropriate terminology for teaching English in schools (classroom English); - familiarity with current syllabuses for teaching English at primary and secondary school and with their use in planning and implementing pedagogical work; - familiarity with learning unit planning (individual lessons and sets of lessons) on the basis of an annual plan; - the ability to prepare various learning activities and teaching aids in order to achieve desired learning outcomes; - the ability to integrate language learning with the learning of specific content (so-called content-based teaching and learning of English); - the ability to use learning materials and resources effectively when teaching and create own material for foreign-language teaching and learning (e.g. language exercises); - the ability to plan and implement class activities in a manner that develops and encourages multicultural awareness and international cooperation; - the ability to communicate effectively with learners and establish a stimulating learning environment; - the ability to adapt lessons to the cognitive, social and emotional maturity of learners; - the ability to plan, implement and evaluate the learning process; - the ability to use modern principles, methods and techniques of testing and assessing knowledge; - the ability to use modern information and communication technologies in teaching and other pedagogical work; - the ability to manage a class effectively; - the ability to connect with colleagues and the wider environment as part of a team; - the ability to communicate effectively with parents; - the ability to reflect critically on own teaching practice and plan own professional development; - a capacity for ethical reflection; - the ability to establish an inclusive school climate. Rationale: Subject-specific competences ensure that graduates are capable of high-quality independent work in the English teaching (English Teaching programme) or English studies (English Studies programme) sphere. At the same time they prepare graduates to pursue further studies in a doctoral programme. Subject-specific competences are defined in individual unit syllabuses, in the context of the programme as a whole, as transferable/key skills that develop a specialised profile of graduates for the performance of specialised work and the development of theoretical knowledge in the English studies field.

Enrolment in the English Studies programme is open to students who have completed: 1. A first-cycle study programme in English (Language Acquisition – Foreign Languages, Second Languages (0231)). 2. A first-cycle study programme in another field: Language Acquisition – Translation Programmes (0231) in the subject area of English, Arts and Humanities (02) and Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03) – provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 12 ECTS credits, and a corresponding number of ECTS credits in the other half of the two-subject programme. These course units may be completed during the first-cycle programme, during programmes of further study or by passing differential examinations before enrolling in the programme. Course units essential for further study: Functional Literacy in English (3 ECTS credits), English Language – Morphology (3 ECTS credits), English Literature up to the Enlightenment (6 ECTS credits). 3. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in another field: Arts and Humanities (02) or Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03) – provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 12 ECTS credits, and a corresponding number of ECTS credits in the other half of the two-subject programme. These course units may be completed during the first-cycle programme, during programmes of further study or by passing differential examinations before enrolling in the programme. Course units essential for further study: Functional Literacy in English (3 ECTS credits), English Language – Morphology (3 ECTS credits), English Literature up to the Enlightenment (6 ECTS credits). 4. An academic higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field in the subject area of English: Language Acquisition – Second Languages, Foreign Languages, Sign Languages, Translation Programmes (0231). Such students normally have 30 ECTS credits recognised within the programme, along with a corresponding number in the other half of the two-subject programme, and are admitted to the second year provided their recognised credits are sufficient to meet the conditions for transfers between programmes laid down by an accredited programme of study. 5. An academic study programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in another field: Arts and Humanities (02) and Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03). Such students have 10–20 ECTS credits recognised within the programme, along with a corresponding number in the other half of the two-subject programme, and are admitted to the year corresponding to the number of credits recognised. 6. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, and a specialisation programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in another field: Arts and Humanities (02), Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03). Such students have 10–20 ECTS credits recognised within the programme, along with a corresponding number in the other half of the two-subject programme, and are admitted to the year corresponding to the number of credits recognised.

The following will be taken into account when selecting applicants for the English Studies programme: Results in previous studies: Average mark: 70% Bachelor’s thesis mark: 30% (if previous studies included a bachelor’s thesis) or Average mark: 100% (if previous studies did not include a bachelor’s thesis).

Transfers between programmes are possible in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of the Criteria for Transfers between Study Programmes (UL RS 14/19). Applicants who meet conditions for enrolment in the proposed programme and the conditions for transfer between programmes will be told what year they may enrol in and what missing course units they must complete if they wish to conclude their studies under the new programme. Transfers are possible between programmes: – which guarantee the acquisition of comparable competences on completion and between which at least half the course units under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) from the first study programme relating to compulsory units of the second study programme may be recognised under the criteria for recognising knowledge and skills acquired prior to enrolment in the programme.

Procedures for identifying, verifying and recognising knowledge and skills acquired by a student through formal or non-formal learning before enrolling in the programme (“prior learning”) are regulated pursuant to the Rules on the recognition of knowledge and skills in programmes of study at the University of Maribor (https://www.um.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Pravilnik-o-priznavanju-znanj-in-spretnosti-v-studijskih-programih-UM-st.-012-2019-2.pdf). Procedures for identifying, verifying and recognising knowledge and criteria for recognising knowledge and skills apply both to students enrolling at the University of Maribor and to already enrolled students who wish to have prior learning counted towards completion of a course unit in an existing programme.

Students complete the programme when they have completed all prescribed course units in the two-subject teaching pathway and, at the same time, all prescribed course units in the other subject or programme, corresponding to a total of at least 120 ECTS credits (60 ECTS credits from the two-subject teaching pathway English Teaching and 60 ECTS credits from the other subject or programme). In two-subject pathways, students can prepare a thesis for an individual subject or as a joint master’s thesis.

mag. angl. in …
magister anglistike in …
magistrica anglistike in …

02 - Arts and humanities

0231 - Language acquisition

6 - Humanities

During its 27th regular session, on 3 May 2011, the Council of the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – NAKVIS officially accredited the two-discipline postgraduate teacher-training study programme "Teaching English" (2nd Bologna cycle - MA), implemented by the Faculty of Arts of the University of Maribor, Slomškov trg 15, SI-2000 Maribor, in accordance with paragraph 7 of chapter 11 of Article 51h and chapter 7 of Article 51p of the Higher Education Act of the Republic of Slovenia (ZVis) (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 119/06 – official consolidated text, 59/07 – Scholarship Act of the Republic of Slovenia (ZŠtip), 15/08 - Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia, 64/08, 86/09 and 62/2010 – Exercise of Rights to Public Funds Act of the Republic of Slovenia (ZUPJS)), and with reference to Article 56 of the valid Criteria for the Accreditation and External Evaluation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programmes (Merila za akreditacijo in zunanjo evalvacijo visokošolskih zavodov in študijskih programov – Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 95/2010).

In order to progress from the first year to the second year, students must complete at least 24 ECTS credits from the English Studies programme (the same requirement applies to both pathways) and the number of credits envisaged by the other half of the two-subject programme. Students on the English Teaching pathway must complete Didactics of English 1, Didactics of English 2 and Teaching Practice 1 before they can progress to the second year.

The programme does not contain individual segments.

Graduates of the second-cycle master’s programme can continue their studies in third-cycle programmes.

The English Studies programme does not lead to a qualification for a regulated occupation, so figures on the demand for graduates of this programme are not collected in official registers or in one place. Not only that, but the University of Maribor has yet to establish a system for the regular and systematic monitoring of graduate employment outcomes. We thus do not have concrete figures on employment in different sectors, given that, since 2013 (the year of the entry into force of the Act amending the Labour Market Regulation Act (ZUTD-A)), employers not in the public sector and companies not majority-owned by the state are no longer required to notify the ESS of job vacancies and the publication of vacancies is left to their discretion. This means that the ESS no longer has information on all job vacancies in the country, with the result that any statistics are incomplete and of questionable relevance. These difficulties notwithstanding, graduates of the English Studies programme are employable in various fields thanks to their general and specific competences. Favourable trends in graduate employment outcomes are aided by the status of English in the international context and in general communication, where it plays a leading role. Data provided by the Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor on the employment outcomes of English Studies graduates in the period 2016–2020 show that the latter find employment in the visual arts, as teachers of occupation-specific subjects and content, and as teachers of foreign languages in non-formal contexts. According to the available figures, the majority of employed English Studies graduates have found work in the field of education.

Courses in the English Studies option within the eponymous study program are appropriately connected both horizontally and vertically. As a non-pedagogical study option primarily dedicated to expanding and deepening knowledge in the areas of English linguistics and literature, most subjects cover either linguistics or literature. Linguistics-focused subjects include Modality in English, Theory of Language, Multimodal Discourse Analysis, English Pragmatics, Psycholinguistics with an Introduction to Bilingualism, and Discourse Analysis in Education. Among linguistic subjects, students can choose one of the following: Corpora and Research Methods, Contemporary Linguistics, or Organizational Communication in Business and Society. Literary subjects consist of Modern Poetry in English, Selected Authors, British Drama, and Modern Novel and Literary Critical Approaches, with options for Short Prose in English and Canadian Literature. Stylistics serves as a connecting course between language and literature, while Language Awareness II enhances language competence. Editing and Preparation of Texts for Publication introduces students to academic writing, and the program concludes with a MA Seminar and Master's Thesis. Horizontal Connection: Horizontal connection in the English Studies program is evident primarily in the internal cohesion of linguistic and literary courses. This cohesion is further linked by the course in stylistics, which draws on both practical linguistic and theoretical linguistic competencies while applying linguistic knowledge and skills to selected literary works. In the second year, Language Awareness II maintains the students’ language ability, while Editing and Preparation of Manuscript for Publication imparts technical knowledge and skills on shaping research problems from both language and literature into a suitable scientific discussion, culminating in an article prepared in accordance with academic writing standards and submitted for publication. The MA Seminar and Master's Thesis are dedicated to the preparation and writing of the final thesis, inherently connected with both language and literature subjects, particularly with the theme chosen in the final thesis. Vertical Connection: Modality in English builds upon the student's already acquired knowledge of English morphology, especially the verb, and prepares them for language use in a multimodal and pragmatic context. Theory of Language comprehensively gives meaning to linguistics, acting as an enhancement to all linguistic subjects that students completed at the undergraduate level, providing a foundation for linguistic subjects in the next semester and next year (Multimodal Discourse Analysis, English Pragmatics, Psycholinguistics with an Introduction to Bilingualism, Discourse Analysis in Education, and elective language subjects). Mandatory literature subjects cover three basic literary genre groups: poetry, drama, and prose (Modern Poetry in English, British Drama, and Modern Novel and Literary Critical Approaches), connecting vertically down to the undergraduate level and upward to courses Editing and Preparation of Manuscript for Publication and Master's Thesis, provided the student chooses a literature-related topic for their final work. The subject Studies in a Major Author combines and upgrades the student's literary theoretical knowledge by applying the acquired theory to the works of a single significant author, typically one who writes in various genres. The pivotal role in connecting both areas is played by the subject Introduction to Stylistics, vertically and horizontally linking the student's theoretical knowledge and practical skills from both linguistic and literary fields of study. Therefore, it is evident from the curriculum and the provided description that the student's acquired knowledge from both the undergraduate and graduate levels is meaningfully connected, with the final synthesis of knowledge and competencies represented by the Master's Thesis.

Criteria and methods for testing and assessing student outcomes are made publicly available and are implemented in accordance with the adopted learning programme, unit syllabuses and information on the unit. The assessment system is regulated in accordance with the Statutes of the University of Maribor and the Rules on testing and assessing knowledge at the University of Maribor. Both documents are available online at: https://www.um.si/o-univerzi/dokumentno-sredisce. Learning outcomes are defined by syllabuses. These are made publicly available and are accessible to all. They can be consulted in the collection of programmes of study at the University of Maribor, which is aimed at students wishing to enrol (accreditation is shown for the cohort of students who will enrol in the following year), and on the Faculty of Arts website (Programmes of study | UM Faculty of Arts). The method of assessment and testing is defined in each syllabus. This means that, on the basis of the published syllabus content, students can compare or check the content and levels of knowledge associated with specific skills. Academic staff encourage continuous work and continuous testing of knowledge, in this way enabling students to maintain a constant overview of their own progress. Students are also verbally informed about assessment criteria and methods when they begin a unit. Following analyses of pedagogical work and evaluation of the programme, appropriate amendments are made to syllabuses. Verification of whether students are successfully meeting the requirements of the programme is done through the testing and assessment of knowledge, which is the basis on which students obtain marks and credits in individual units of the programme, allowing them to progress through the programme and move on to further studies. At the same time, it provides students with feedback on the level of knowledge they have attained. Exam results are entered in an electronic register called the Academic Information Subsystem (AIPS). Results are entered by the exam administrator, who has access to the details of the students entered for the exam. After entering the marks for an individual exam, the exam administrator submits a signed exam report to the Student Affairs Office. This report is kept permanently and represents an official record of the institution. Students are informed of exam results as soon as they are entered and confirmed by the exam administrator, via their personal AIPS account, which they access using a username and password. Students’ knowledge is tested in examinations, colloquia and other forms of testing and assessment, and awarded a positive or negative mark. Positive marks are “excellent” (10), “very good” (9 and 8), “good” (7) and “satisfactory” (6). Negative marks are all marks from 1 to 5. Examination timetables are published in the publicly accessible calendar for each individual academic year (http://ff.um.si/studenti/urniki). Lists of scheduled exam dates for individual units during the academic year are prepared by Departments and published by the Student Affairs Office in the AIPS by no later than 15 November for the current academic year.

Primary aims: The primary aims of the English Studies programme are: - to provide students with in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of English language and literature, - to develop students’ ability to recognise the different cultures and literatures of English-speaking nations, - to develop students’ general intellectual abilities that will help them adapt to professional environments on taking up employment, in particular the ability to reflect critically on their own performance, - to help students understand the broader context of their future professional work, in particular the school and the wider community, - to help students develop a capacity for independent study and self-evaluation, both of which are a prerequisite for their professional development after completing their studies or starting a job. The principal aims of the English Studies programme are: - to train students to apply their acquired knowledge and skills in practice - to enable students to use their acquired theoretical grounding for abstraction and integration with the previous cycle of study in such a way that they are able to use the basics of more in-depth knowledge acquired through the English Studies programme in a third-cycle (doctoral) programme, if they choose to pursue one. Elective units on English language and literature allow students to broaden and deepen their knowledge of topics that interest them.

On completion of the English Studies programme, students will have acquired the following general competences: - the ability to work creatively and independently within the field; - the ability to present findings and viewpoints cogently in a range of professional and public contexts; - the ability to independently find, interpret and use new sources of knowledge; - the ability to read sources critically, - the ability to use quantitative, qualitative, descriptive and inferential approaches in research, - a capacity for intercultural communication, - the ability to communicate effectively in a range of social situations, - the ability to plan, monitor and critically evaluate their own professional development, - the ability to plan, implement and evaluate the long- and short-term aims of their work, - the ability to use modern information and communication technologies in their work, - understanding of the importance of research for practical application, - understanding of the (philosophical, sociological, moral, ethical) dimensions of education in their professional environment and society. Rationale: The competences acquired by graduates give them easier access to the labour market, in that these are general or transferable competences that are also useful outside the narrow fields of language, literature or (in the case of the English Teaching programme) teaching. They also include so-called soft skills that are becoming increasingly important in occupations that involve working with people.

On completion of the English Studies programme, students will have acquired the following subject-specific competences: - proficiency in specific research methods in linguistics and literature, - a capacity for oral and written academic communication in English, - mastery of English orthographic norms and pronunciation rules at higher levels, - detailed knowledge of the English linguistic system at all levels, - the ability to transfer theoretical descriptions of the English language into practical work with texts, - the ability to produce and use texts in English in business communication and in public relations, - the ability to use ICT in the communication and analysis of linguistic phenomena and texts in a specific social context, including from a contrastive point of view, - mastery of advanced concepts from the theory of language, - understanding of linguistic phenomena from the point of view of modern theoretical approaches, - the ability to evaluate contemporary literary phenomena from the point of view of historical literary development, - the ability to place knowledge of current literary phenomena in the context of already acquired knowledge, - detailed knowledge of selected older and modern currents in English literature, - the ability to find and use English scholarly literature and critically evaluate the quality of accessible sources, - familiarity with and understanding of the processes of interlingual or intercultural mediation, - proficiency in outline analysis and evaluation of individual segments of Slovene and English history. Rationale: Subject-specific competences ensure that graduates are capable of high-quality independent work in the English teaching (English Teaching programme) or English studies (English Studies programme) sphere. At the same time they prepare graduates to pursue further studies in a doctoral programme. Subject-specific competences are defined in individual unit syllabuses, in the context of the programme as a whole, as transferable/key skills that develop a specialised profile of graduates for the performance of specialised work and the development of theoretical knowledge in the English studies field.

Enrolment in the English Studies programme is open to students who have completed: 1. A first-cycle study programme in English (Language Acquisition – Foreign Languages, Second Languages (0231)). 2. A first-cycle study programme in another field: Language Acquisition – Translation Programmes (0231) in the subject area of English, Arts and Humanities (02) and Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03) – provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 12 ECTS credits, and a corresponding number of ECTS credits in the other half of the two-subject programme. These course units may be completed during the first-cycle programme, during programmes of further study or by passing differential examinations before enrolling in the programme. Course units essential for further study: Functional Literacy in English (3 ECTS credits), English Language – Morphology (3 ECTS credits), English Literature up to the Enlightenment (6 ECTS credits). 3. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in another field: Arts and Humanities (02) or Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03) – provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 12 ECTS credits, and a corresponding number of ECTS credits in the other half of the two-subject programme. These course units may be completed during the first-cycle programme, during programmes of further study or by passing differential examinations before enrolling in the programme. Course units essential for further study: Functional Literacy in English (3 ECTS credits), English Language – Morphology (3 ECTS credits), English Literature up to the Enlightenment (6 ECTS credits). 4. An academic higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field in the subject area of English: Language Acquisition – Second Languages, Foreign Languages, Sign Languages, Translation Programmes (0231). Such students normally have 30 ECTS credits recognised within the programme, along with a corresponding number in the other half of the two-subject programme, and are admitted to the second year provided their recognised credits are sufficient to meet the conditions for transfers between programmes laid down by an accredited programme of study. 5. An academic study programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in another field: Arts and Humanities (02) and Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03). Such students have 10–20 ECTS credits recognised within the programme, along with a corresponding number in the other half of the two-subject programme, and are admitted to the year corresponding to the number of credits recognised. 6. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, and a specialisation programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in another field: Arts and Humanities (02), Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03). Such students have 10–20 ECTS credits recognised within the programme, along with a corresponding number in the other half of the two-subject programme, and are admitted to the year corresponding to the number of credits recognised.

The following will be taken into account when selecting applicants for the English Studies programme: Results in previous studies: Average mark: 70% Bachelor’s thesis mark: 30% (if previous studies included a bachelor’s thesis) or Average mark: 100% (if previous studies did not include a bachelor’s thesis).

Transfers between programmes are possible in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of the Criteria for Transfers between Study Programmes (UL RS 14/19). Applicants who meet conditions for enrolment in the proposed programme and the conditions for transfer between programmes will be told what year they may enrol in and what missing course units they must complete if they wish to conclude their studies under the new programme. Transfers are possible between programmes: – which guarantee the acquisition of comparable competences on completion and between which at least half the course units under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) from the first study programme relating to compulsory units of the second study programme may be recognised under the criteria for recognising knowledge and skills acquired prior to enrolment in the programme.

Procedures for identifying, verifying and recognising knowledge and skills acquired by a student through formal or non-formal learning before enrolling in the programme (“prior learning”) are regulated pursuant to the Rules on the recognition of knowledge and skills in programmes of study at the University of Maribor (https://www.um.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Pravilnik-o-priznavanju-znanj-in-spretnosti-v-studijskih-programih-UM-st.-012-2019-2.pdf). Procedures for identifying, verifying and recognising knowledge and criteria for recognising knowledge and skills apply both to students enrolling at the University of Maribor and to already enrolled students who wish to have prior learning counted towards completion of a course unit in an existing programme.

Students complete the programme when they have completed all prescribed course units in the two-subject non-teaching pathway and, at the same time, all prescribed course units in the other subject or programme, corresponding to a total of at least 120 ECTS credits (60 ECTS credits from the two-subject non-teaching English Studies pathway and 60 ECTS credits from the other subject or programme). In two-subject pathways, students can prepare a thesis for an individual subject or as a joint master’s thesis.