mag. geo. in …
magister geografije in …
magistrica geografije in …

03 - Social sciences, journalism and information

0388 - Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving social sciences, journalism and information

5.7 - Social and economic geography

During its 4th regular session, on 17 June 2010, the Council of the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – NAKVIS officially accredited the two-discipline postgraduate teacher-training study programme "Geography" (2nd Bologna cycle - MA), implemented by the Faculty of Arts of the University of Maribor, Slomškov trg 15, SI-2000 Maribor, in accordance with Article 51h and chapter 2 of Article 23 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: U-I-370/06-20, 64/08, 86/09), and with reference to Article 2 of the valid Rules of Procedure of the Accreditation Senate (Pravila o delu Senata za akreditacijo) and article 2 of the 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. 101/04).

In order to progress to the second year of the Geography programme – Geography pathway (two-subject non-teaching programme), students must complete at least 23 ECTS credits and the number of ECTS credits envisaged by the other chosen programme.

The programme does not contain individual segments.

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

The two-subject non-teaching pathway of the second-cycle Geography programme is designed in such a way that students acquire knowledge and the ability to use modern research methods from the fields of physical, social and regional geography, leading to a wide range of options at both the regional and local levels. Thanks to the general and specific competences they acquire, graduates of this programme are employable in various fields. Employment opportunities in the non-economic sector include nature conservation and cultural heritage protection institutions, spatial planning institutions, statistics offices, municipalities (environment/planning and social departments), development agencies, nature parks, project offices, print and other media, and various forms of self-employment. The quality of learning outcomes and competences ensures that graduates are employable in institutions of these types. In recent years there has been increasing demand for suitably qualified individuals to take part in a spatial development projects of various kinds on a fixed-term basis. In the sphere of economic activities, geography is very strongly represented in the programmes of tourism and travel agencies. The design and implementation of such programmes requires suitably qualified personnel, and documents of the Slovenian Tourist Board show a desire to improve the quality of services in this field. There is also a need in today’s society for qualified individuals to participate actively in the social environment at the local, regional and national levels, with the aim of ensuring balanced sustainable development in all its dimensions. The Geography programme is a response to the demand for qualified individuals in specific geographical areas who will be able to contribute to the economic and social development both of the region and of Slovenia as a whole. Exact figures on employment in the economic and non-economic sectors are not available, partly because UM is still in the process of setting up a system for the regular and systematic monitoring of employability. Also to be taken into account is the fact that on 12 April 2013 the Act amending the Labour Market Regulation Act (ZUTD-A) entered into force and did away with the obligation to report job vacancies to the Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS). In the case of employers who do not belong to the public sector and companies that are not majority-owned by the state, the publication of job vacancies is left to their discretion and they are not required to inform the ESS. As a result, the ESS no longer has information on all job vacancies in the country. Internal monitoring of graduate employment outcomes through the activities of the Alumni Club, cooperation with the Programme Council and regular contact with graduates of the current programme provides us with details of employment in all the sectors mentioned above – both non-economic (including education) and economic.

Units in the two-subject non-teaching pathway of the second-cycle Geography programme are horizontally integrated by semesters, with students first familiarising themselves with sustainable concepts in the natural and social environments and then learning about measures for putting sustainability into practice at the regional level, before finally undergoing practical training that teaches them to implement their knowledge in concrete projects, in which they take part via participating institutions such as the Poljcane Nature Development Centre, urban planning bureau ZUM d.o.o., the Tezno Business and Industry Zone, the Maribor Development Agency, the Institute of Public Health, the Environmental Protection Institute, the Nature Conservation Institute, water management bureau VGB Maribor, and others. The compulsory units in the curriculum are also vertically integrated in terms of familiarising students with the concept of sustainability and its integration in natural and anthropogenic systems, economic systems (Geography of Economic Systems, Geography of Tourism and Recreation) and spatial regulation and planning (Spatial Planning, Urban Geography) – all from the geographical point of view. In order to help students understand a concrete manifestation of these aspects in a specific setting, the curriculum also includes a Regionality unit. As an example of measures for the implementation of the concept of sustainable thinking and action, students will also become acquainted with eco-remediation (already recognised as a system for the implementation of environmental, social and economic development) and education for sustainable development, which must be a constant in the sustainability process. Eco-remediation is understood as an applied level of geographical science, the essence of which is understanding, interpreting and predicting the development of a concrete area from the point of view of the interaction of natural and social factors. The Geographic Information Systems unit covers the use of GIS methods in spatial analysis. GIS methods are an essential tool of the geographer that facilitate the analysis and presentation of geographical information in all types of geographical research and are seen by geographers as a means rather than an end of their research. The base of the vertical is thus dedicated to getting to know the concept of sustainability and its incorporation into various geographical areas. Further stages of the vertical are grounded in a transition to a distinctly applied level, namely through the study of the realisation of the sustainability concept in a geographical space, which must take place in combination with aspects of education for sustainability. The highest levels of the vertical are focused on practical project-based research in a direct geographical environment. Vertical connections are thus reflected in a gradual enhancing of geographical content and objectives (from physical and social to regional and applied). Vertical connections are also reflected in methodological and pedagogical approaches, since students’ competence levels are increased in the sense of enhancing their independence, increasing the applicability and practicality of their studies and activities, and improving their responsiveness to the needs of society.

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.

- to train individuals who, on completion of the programme, will possess the knowledge, skills and competences that are recognised as fundamental for geography according to international standards, - to train individuals who will be capable of recognising and analysing current processes and conditions in geography and able to transfer this knowledge into documents and actions that are important for the development of society, - to train individuals who will be capable of critically evaluating physical-geographical, social, economic and ecological conditions in a landscape or geographical area from the point of view of sustainability. Non-teaching pathway: - to train individuals who, on completion of the programme, will possess the knowledge, skills and competences recognised as fundamental in the context of the development opportunities of a geographical region as a whole, in accordance with the geographical aspects of the concept of sustainability, and who will be capable of identifying development problems deriving from the interaction of the physical geographical and social geographical elements of the region and able to remedy and prevent them by adopting the correct approaches; - to train individuals who will be capable of recognising and analysing current processes and conditions in a specific geographical area and of critically evaluating the physical-geographical, social and economic conditions in a landscape or geographical area for the purpose of the sustainable development of geographical regions; - to train individuals who will be capable of planning the development of local communities in conjunction with the public, taking into account sustainable development objectives, and of educating the public (and organising the education of the public), which is one of the fundamental elements of the sustainable development of local communities; - to educate and train individuals who will be capable of using geoinformation models and technology in spatial analyses. The aim of the second-cycle Geography programme is for every student to become a responsible individual (whether working in education or in non-teaching fields) who will use the knowledge and competences they have acquired to contribute actively to the sustainable development of their local, regional and global geographical area while taking into account the complex interactions of all natural and social factors. Both pathways of the programme include a compulsory placement in which students have the opportunity to evaluate their theoretical knowledge and put it into effect in a practical context and in this way make a holistic, competent and competitive transition to the job market.

General competences of the second-cycle Geography programme that are common to both pathways: - the ability to transfer theoretical knowledge into practice, evaluate own performance and develop new theoretical concepts, - the ability to find and create new sources of knowledge, - the ability to apply and develop scientific methods, - the ability to communicate within the discipline and across disciplines in national and international contexts, - the ability to provide technical criticism while showing professional responsibility and initiative, - the ability to manage projects and run professional organisations, - the ability to establish teamwork, - the ability to plan and maintain lifelong learning, - a capacity for ethical reflection and the ability to establish professional ethical standards, - the ability to develop skills for various types of personal and interpersonal communication (written, verbal, graphic, etc.). Students of the non-teaching pathway acquire the following additional general competences: - the ability to participate actively in planning spatial or social development, - the ability to detect socio-spatial problems and remediate or prevent them, - the ability to identify, analyse and critically evaluate current socio-spatial realities, - the ability to work with geographic information tools, - the ability to effectively interpret socio-spatial realities for various audiences.

Students of the non-teaching pathway acquire the following subject-specific competences: - understanding of the socially applicable value of geographical science in development and environmental protection within a specific geographical region, - the ability to coherently assimilate and integrate geographical knowledge with knowledge from other fields and apply it in the development of a geographical region, - the ability to comprehensively analyse factors, phenomena and processes in the formation of landscape and their mutual connections, which is a basis for understanding the principles of sustainable development at the regional, national and global levels and for responsible environmental management, - familiarity with the structure of various landscape types and the ability to apply acquired knowledge to the development possibilities of a geographical region and the protection of its environment, - knowledge of the importance of educating the public for the harmonious regional development of geographical regions; - thorough familiarity with the geographical dimensions of environmental protection, - thorough understanding of the importance of protected areas and ecologically important areas as a potential for the development of a geographical region, - proficiency in cooperation with the public in development planning at local and regional levels, - the ability to participate actively in the preparation of regional development documents and the prevention of environmental problems in a specific geographical region.

Enrolment in the second-cycle Geography programme is open to students who have completed: 1. A first-cycle study programme in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 2. A first-cycle study programme in any other field, provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 30 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: Geomorphology (4 ECTS credits), Climate Geography (5 ECTS credits), Population Geography (5 ECTS credits), Economic Geography (6 ECTS credits), Geography of Slovenian Regions (4 ECTS credits), Cartography (3 ECTS credits) and Geographic Information Systems (3 ECTS credits). 3. A completed professional programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 4. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in any other field, provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 30 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: Geomorphology (4 ECTS credits), Climate Geography (5 ECTS credits), Population Geography (5 ECTS credits), Economic Geography (6 ECTS credits), Geography of Slovenian Regions (4 ECTS credits), Cartography (3 ECTS credits) and Geographic Information Systems (3 ECTS credits). 5. An academic study programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 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. 6. An academic higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in any other field. Such students normally have 10 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. 7. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, and a specialisation programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 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. 8. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, and a specialisation programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in any other field. Such students normally have 10 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 second-cycle Geography 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 second-cycle Geography programme when they have completed all prescribed course units in the chosen pathway in each part of the two-subject programme, corresponding to a total of at least 120 ECTS credits (60 ECTS credits from one part of the two-subject programme and 60 ECTS credits from the other). In two-subject programmes, students can prepare a thesis for an individual half of the programme or as a joint master’s thesis.

mag. prof. geog. in …
magister profesor geografije in …
magistrica profesorica geografije in …

01 - Education

0114 - Teacher training with subject specialisation

5.3 - Educational sciences

During its 4th regular session, on 17 June 2010, the Council of the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – NAKVIS officially accredited the two-discipline postgraduate teacher-training study programme "Geography" (2nd Bologna cycle - MA), implemented by the Faculty of Arts of the University of Maribor, Slomškov trg 15, SI-2000 Maribor, in accordance with Article 51h and chapter 2 of Article 23 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: U-I-370/06-20, 64/08, 86/09), and with reference to Article 2 of the valid Rules of Procedure of the Accreditation Senate (Pravila o delu Senata za akreditacijo) and article 2 of the 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. 101/04).

In order to progress to the second year of the Geography programme – Geography pathway (two-subject teaching programme), students must complete at least 23 ECTS credits and the number of ECTS credits envisaged by the other chosen programme.

The programme does not contain individual segments.

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

The two-subject teaching pathway of the second-cycle Geography programme is designed in such a way that students build on the physical and social geography knowledge acquired in the first-cycle academic two-subject Geography programme with the addition of regional geography of world regions and units tied to the didactic transformation and application of geographical knowledge from all fields of geography for the purposes of education. Thanks to the general and specific competences they acquire, graduates of this programme are employable in various fields. Employment opportunities are primarily in education (primary and secondary schools) and lifelong learning (adult education), while there are also opportunities in the non-economic sector (nature conservation and cultural heritage protection; environment/planning and social departments of municipalities; museums; nature parks and adventure parks; tourism offices, local interest sections of libraries; print and other media; spatial planning bodies; environmental protection organisations and institutions, etc.) and the economic sector (tourism and travel agencies; businesses engaged in research and applied projects; various forms of self-employment) at the local, regional and national levels or even more widely. The quality of learning outcomes and competences ensures that graduates are employable in all of the above contexts, particularly in those that are either fully or partly focused on educating and raising the awareness of various sectors of the public or target groups about environmental and other current social and developmental issues. Analysis carried out in 2021 of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport’s latest staffing projections showed that 45.4% of currently employed geography teachers in Slovenia’s primary and secondary schools are expected to retire over the next 10–15 years (source: Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, 2021). This clearly indicates significant demand for geography teaching staff in the future. The same analysis places geography among the school subjects with the biggest staffing deficit in the time frame covered by the projections. The learning outcomes and competences provided by the teaching pathway of the second-cycle Geography programme respond directly to the EU’s Cohesion Policy objectives for 2021–2027, in particular A Smarter Europe; A Greener Low-Carbon Europe; and A More Social Europe. As regards the employability of graduates of this programme, the fact that the whole of Slovenia’s primary and secondary education system needs geography teachers, across various curricula, for both compulsory and elective subjects is of fundamental importance. Geography is a compulsory subject at primary schools and at the majority of secondary schools. Not only that, but curricula also include various geography-based elective subjects that are likewise taught by geography teachers. For this reason, there will always be a demand for graduates of the two-subject teaching pathway of the second-cycle Geography programme. Finally, another option for graduates of the programme is to continue their education in one of a dynamic range of third-cycle programmes, either in geography or in fields such as spatial planning and environmental protection.

The content of the second-cycle Geography programme is integrated both horizontally within each individual year and vertically by individual units and semesters or years. The horizontal integration of the units of the two-subject teaching pathway of the second-cycle Geography programme is evident both in the structure of compulsory pedagogical-didactic-psychological units in connection with elective units, and in the correlation between the general (Didactics, Psychology, etc.) and the specific (ICT in Geography Lessons, Didactics of Geography 1, etc.). A third type of connection consists of the transfer of theoretical knowledge into practice via an Interdisciplinary Teaching Placement, Geography Teaching Placement 1 (primary school) and Geography Teaching Placement 2 (secondary school). Vertical integration exists among elective units (second and fourth semesters), enabling students to build on specific knowledge from compulsory units (first and third semesters) from all three groups: Didactics of Geography (e.g. Outdoor Learning), units with geographical content (e.g. Fieldwork in Physical Geography, Globalisation) or units with pedagogical-didactic-psychological content (e.g. Authentic Forms of Testing and Assessing Knowledge, Discipline in the Modern School).

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.

- to train individuals who, on completion of the programme, will possess the knowledge, skills and competences that are recognised as fundamental for geography according to international standards, - to train individuals who will be capable of recognising and analysing current processes and conditions in geography and able to transfer this knowledge into documents and actions that are important for the development of society, - to train individuals who will be capable of critically evaluating physical-geographical, social, economic and ecological conditions in a landscape or geographical area from the point of view of sustainability. Teaching pathway: - to train individuals who, on completion of the programme, will possess the knowledge, skills and competences that are recognised as fundamental for geography teachers according to international standards and will thus be qualified to teach geography at the primary and secondary level, - to train individuals who will be capable of recognising and analysing current processes and conditions in education and able to transfer this knowledge into documents and actions that are important for the development of education in the general sense and in the specific context of geography teaching, - to train individuals who will be capable of critically evaluating physical-geographical, social, economic and ecological conditions in a landscape or geographical area for the purpose of making a geographical contribution to education for sustainable development. Teaching pathway: - to train individuals who, on completion of the programme, will possess the knowledge, skills and competences that are recognised as fundamental for geography teachers according to international standards and will thus be qualified to teach geography at the primary and secondary level, - to train individuals who will be capable of recognising and analysing current processes and conditions in education and able to transfer this knowledge into documents and actions that are important for the development of education in the general sense and in the specific context of geography teaching, - to train individuals who will be capable of critically evaluating physical-geographical, social, economic and ecological conditions in a landscape or geographical area for the purpose of making a geographical contribution to education for sustainable development. The aim of the second-cycle Geography programme is for every student to become a responsible individual (whether working in education or in non-teaching fields) who will use the knowledge and competences they have acquired to contribute actively to the sustainable development of their local, regional and global geographical area while taking into account the complex interactions of all natural and social factors. Both pathways of the programme include a compulsory placement in which students have the opportunity to evaluate their theoretical knowledge and put it into effect in a practical context and in this way make a holistic, competent and competitive transition to the job market.

General competences of the second-cycle Geography programme that are common to both pathways: - the ability to transfer theoretical knowledge into practice, evaluate own performance and develop new theoretical concepts, - the ability to find and create new sources of knowledge, - the ability to apply and develop scientific methods, - the ability to communicate within the discipline and across disciplines in national and international contexts, - the ability to provide technical criticism while showing professional responsibility and initiative, - the ability to manage projects and run professional organisations, - the ability to establish teamwork, - the ability to plan and maintain lifelong learning, - a capacity for ethical reflection and the ability to establish professional ethical standards, - the ability to develop skills for various types of personal and interpersonal communication (written, verbal, graphic, etc.). Students of the teaching pathway acquire the following additional general competences: - the ability to adopt a research approach and a problem-solving orientation and responsibly manage own professional development in the process of lifelong learning, - the ability to communicate effectively and the ability to use various strategies to resolve interpersonal conflicts, - the ability to establish a stimulating cooperative environment with various stakeholders, - the ability to adapt the education process to the cognitive, social and emotional maturity of participants, - a capacity for effective leadership, - the ability to plan, implement and evaluate the learning process or work process, - the ability to use modern principles, methods and techniques of educational work, including aspects of (self-)evaluation, - the ability to use modern information and communication technologies in education and work.

Students of the teaching pathway acquire the following subject-specific competences: - 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 at the primary and secondary school levels; - 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 in the education process; - the ability to establish an inclusive school climate; - the ability to master geographical knowledge, integrate knowledge from various areas and apply it in the education process; - thorough familiarity with the geographical research methods and spatial planning processes required to teach geography confidently; - the ability to carry out complex analysis of landscape development factors and their interconnections; - familiarity with the structure of various landscape types and the ability to apply acquired knowledge to the education process; - the ability to analyse natural and social geographic phenomena and processes, which is the basis for understanding the principles of sustainable development at the regional, national and global levels and for responsible environmental management; - the ability to create a stimulating learning environment for the teaching and learning of geography; - the ability to adapt the geography syllabus to the specific educational context and the learning needs and abilities of learners; - the ability to provide learning support during geography lessons; - the ability to evaluate learning materials and teaching aids for geography; - the ability to transfer theoretical knowledge into practice, evaluate own performance and develop new theoretical subject didactics concepts; - the ability to produce learning materials and simple educational visual aids for geography lessons; - the ability to anticipate new educational needs in a sustainably oriented society and introduce new solutions to meet these needs in the context of geography teaching; - the ability to introduce new elements to geography lessons and develop the quality of education; - the ability to organise, run and evaluate geography field trips and fieldwork; - the ability to use educational documents: syllabuses for geography lessons in various types of schools and for the compulsory elective subjects that can be taught by geography teachers, and the corresponding catalogues of educational objectives; - the ability to apply the concept of inclusive education in the teaching of geography; - the ability to participate in the updating and development of school curricula and be involved in research and development activities organised at the school, local, national and international levels; - the ability to take on new roles at school and cooperate with social partners.

Enrolment in the second-cycle Geography programme is open to students who have completed: 1. A first-cycle study programme in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 2. A first-cycle study programme in any other field, provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 30 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: Geomorphology (4 ECTS credits), Climate Geography (5 ECTS credits), Population Geography (5 ECTS credits), Economic Geography (6 ECTS credits), Geography of Slovenian Regions (4 ECTS credits), Cartography (3 ECTS credits) and Geographic Information Systems (3 ECTS credits). 3. A completed professional programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 4. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in any other field, provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 30 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: Geomorphology (4 ECTS credits), Climate Geography (5 ECTS credits), Population Geography (5 ECTS credits), Economic Geography (6 ECTS credits), Geography of Slovenian Regions (4 ECTS credits), Cartography (3 ECTS credits) and Geographic Information Systems (3 ECTS credits). 5. An academic study programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 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. 6. An academic higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in any other field. Such students normally have 10 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. 7. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, and a specialisation programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: 0388 Interdisciplinary Programmes and Qualifications Involving Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, 0114 Teacher Training with Subject Specialisation, 0314 Sociology and Cultural Studies (Social Geography), 0532 Earth Sciences (Physical Geography). 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. 8. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, and a specialisation programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in any other field. Such students normally have 10 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 second-cycle Geography 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 second-cycle Geography programme when they have completed all prescribed course units in the chosen pathway in each part of the two-subject programme, corresponding to a total of at least 120 ECTS credits (60 ECTS credits from one part of the two-subject programme and 60 ECTS credits from the other). In two-subject programmes, students can prepare a thesis for an individual half of the programme or as a joint master’s thesis.