mag. prof. zgod. in …
magister profesor zgodovine in …
magistrica profesorica zgodovine in …
M.A.
Master of Arts
01 - Education
0114 - Teacher training with subject specialisation
5.3 - Educational sciences
Text about acceptance
During its 27th regular session, on 3 May 2011, the Council of the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – NAKVIS officially accredited the single discipline postgraduate study programme "History" (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 (Merila za akreditacijo in zunanjo evalvacijo visokošolskih zavodov in študijskih programov – Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 95/2010).
Advancement criteria of a study programme
In order to progress to the second year, students on the two-subject teaching pathway must complete at least 23 ECTS credits and the number of ECTS credits envisaged by the other chosen programme.
Criteria for completing separate parts of a study programme
The second-cycle History programme does not contain conditions for completion of individual segments of the programme.
Study advancement options
Graduates of the second-cycle master’s programme can continue their studies in third-cycle programmes.
Employment possibilities
The Faculty of Arts at the University of Maribor is well-integrated into its local and wider environment. Within this context, the Department of History cooperates extensively with museums, research institutions and other institutions associated with the humanities in Maribor and the wider surrounding area. Of particular note is its cooperation with the Regional Archives, the Regional Museum and the Museum of the National Liberation in Maribor. The Department of History offers a second-cycle History programme with three pathways in order to meet the demand for historians and history teachers both in Slovenia and abroad, above all in areas where Slovene is an official language.
Precise figures regarding the demand for holders of master’s degrees in history and history teachers with master’s degrees are not available, since the occupation of historian is not a regulated occupation. Instead we offer the data that are available to us and can serve as a starting point to estimate demand for these occupational profiles. As a department, we maintain contacts with graduates through the programme council and, in particular, the alumni club, where we give graduates the opportunity to pass on their experiences to current students. Unfortunately the club’s activities have been curtailed in recent years as a result of the pandemic.
ESS figures for 2021 and 2022 show that 25 holders of bachelor’s degrees in history and 61 holders of master’s degrees in history (both teaching and non-teaching pathways) were registered as unemployed in Slovenia.
The same figures reveal that a total of 24 holders of bachelor’s degrees in history and 56 holders of master’s degrees in history were removed from the register of unemployed persons in Slovenia in the same period.
These figures show that there is still a demand for historians in Slovenia and that this demand has increased visibly in recent years, although the number of individuals removed from the register of unemployed persons is still slightly higher than the number of those with a qualification in this field registering as unemployed. As regards the two-subject pathway of the programme, it should at the same time be emphasised that, given the structure of education in Slovenia, this is an essential programme, in that it is the only one in the entire eastern half of Slovenia to produce graduates who are qualified for direct employment in archives and museums as well as for teaching positions in primary and secondary schools.
The main sector of activity for graduates of both single-subject and two-subject pathways are various cultural institutions (archives, libraries, radio stations, print and electronic media), while they also work in the cultural heritage and tourism sectors. It is possible that the graduates of these two pathways of the second-cycle History programme are in a more difficult position, since they do not have the option of direct access to the teaching profession, which remains the most promising career path for historians. On the other hand, the greater scope of theoretical and methodological content is vital to maintain the scholarly potential of history as a discipline in Slovenia.
The primary field of employment for graduates of the two-subject teaching pathway continues to be schools, although the percentage of those finding employment in other cultural institutions (museums, radio stations, print and electronic media) is growing.
Another comparative advantage is that the content of the second-cycle History programme in all three pathways is comparable to other similar programmes in the EU. On completion of the programme, graduates will be capable of working independently in primary or secondary education or of obtaining employment in cultural institutions that cooperate with various European regions. Planned learning outcomes align with the findings of analysis on employment for historians, in particular history teachers in the case of the two-subject teaching pathway.
Other obligations
Horizontal integration of content
The first group of units in the two-subject teaching pathway of the History programme is referred to as the pedagogical-didactic-psychological (PDP) group. This grouping of units derives from the fact that the teaching profession has a number of common characteristics and principles that cover the pedagogical, didactic and psychological dimensions of teaching work, irrespective of the type or level of education.
The units of individual semesters are horizontally integrated with each other (e.g. Pedagogy with Didactics, Psychology of Learning and Development with Working with Children with Special Needs), since the knowledge acquired by students in these units enables easier and broader understanding of the issues covered.
History units are taught in all four semesters. In horizontal terms (at least
as regards content), these units complement (or build on) the elective History units, which give students the opportunity to adapt the content to their own interests, for example: Selected Chapters from Political History, Selected Chapters from the History of Migration, Selected Chapters from the History of Everyday Life, Selected Chapters from Economic History, Selected Chapters from Military History and Selected Chapters from Cultural History.
Vertical integration of content
Within the two-subject teaching pathway of the programme, history units are taught in all four semesters. It should be emphasised that, given the characteristics of historiography, this results in the vertical development of knowledge. The units Medieval Slovene History: History of the Slovene Lands in the Middle Ages, Modern Slovene History: History of the Slovene Lands in the Early Modern Period, Late Modern Slovene History: Slovene History 1790–1914, Contemporary Slovene History 1: Slovene History 1914–1941, and Contemporary Slovene History 2: Slovene History after 1941 are arranged chronologically and cover the principal periods of history. In view of the importance of national history and the need for teachers to be familiar with the principles of development of Slovene national history, the emphasis in these units is on this aspect of historiography. Two units from European history (one in each semester of the second year of the programme) are also chronologically arranged and thus vertically integrated.
Assesment criteria
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.
Main study programme objectives
The fundamental aims of the programme as a whole are to provide students with knowledge and understanding of history as a discipline and of the methodology of historiographical research, familiarise them with modern research, theoretical and methodological approaches and their logical application, and enable them to link Slovene historiography to world historiography in a comparative context. Students also learn to plan, implement, evaluate and present their own research and respond to current cultural and historical challenges in modern society.
The two-subject teaching pathway of the programme likewise aims to train experts who will be capable of developing new knowledge independently and tackling the most complex problems, and to educate individuals who, on completing the programme, will have acquired the knowledge, skills and abilities that, in line with international standards, are considered fundamental in the training of history teachers. The essential aim of the two-subject teaching pathway of the second-cycle History programme is to train teaching staff, specifically history teachers, who, over the course of the programme, will acquire all necessary knowledge that is tied in the narrower sense to the selected programme of study (i.e. history) and, in the broader sense, to the pedagogical process in all its complexity. The suitable choice of the other half of the programme will give the graduate an advantage in the job market and, at the same time, expand their knowledge of complex social phenomena.
General competences of graduates, gained at a study programme
Upon successful completion of the second-cycle History programme, students will have acquired the following general competences:
- the ability to communicate within the discipline and across disciplines in national and international contexts;
- the ability to work critically and responsibly and show initiative in the context of their specialisation or profession;
- the ability to find and generate new sources of knowledge;
- the ability to develop skills for various types of personal and interpersonal communication (written, verbal, graphic, etc.);
- the ability to work as part of a collective;
- communication skills for successful public speaking/presentations.
Students of the two-subject teaching pathway will also acquire the following general competences:
- the ability to manage educational projects and specialised organisations;
- 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.
Subject specific competences of graduates, gained on a study programme
Subject-specific competences derive from the programme as a whole, which through its compulsory units provides a basic framework of historical knowledge. Upon successful completion of the second-cycle History programme, students will have acquired the following subject-specific competences:
- understanding of history as a discipline;
- proficiency in research methodologies in historiography;
- familiarity with modern research, theoretical and methodological approaches in historiography and their application;
- the ability to respond to the current cultural and historical challenges of the modern age.
Upon successful completion of the two-subject teaching pathway, students will also have acquired the following 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;
- 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.
Access requirements
Enrolment in the second-cycle History programme (two-subject non-teaching pathway) is open to students who have completed:
1. A first-cycle study programme in a relevant field: History and Archaeology (0222).
2. A first-cycle study programme in another field: Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03), Arts and Humanities (02), Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics (05), Business, Administration and Law (04) and Education Science and Teacher Training (01) – provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 9 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: History of the Slovene Lands in the Middle Ages (6 ECTS credits), History of the Slovene Lands in the Early Modern Period (3 ECTS credits).
3. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: History and Archaeology (0222).
4. A professional higher education programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in another field: Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03), Arts and Humanities (02), Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics (05), Business, Administration and Law (04) and Education Science and Teacher Training (01) – provided that before enrolling in the programme the student completes course units essential for further study, totalling 9 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: History of the Slovene Lands in the Middle Ages (6 ECTS credits), History of the Slovene Lands in the Early Modern Period (3 ECTS credits).
5. An academic study programme, adopted before 11 June 2004, in a relevant field: History and Archaeology (0222). 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 another field: Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03), Arts and Humanities (02), Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics (05), Business, Administration and Law (04) and Education Science and Teacher Training (01). Such students have 5–15 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: History and Archaeology (0222). 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 another field: Social Sciences, Journalism and Information (03), Arts and Humanities (02), Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics (05), Business, Administration and Law (04) and Education Science and Teacher Training (01). Such students have 5–15 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.
Selection criteria in the event of limited enrolment
The following will be taken into account when selecting applicants for the second-cycle History 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)
Transfer criteria between study programmes
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 programme relating to compulsory units of the second programme may be recognised under the criteria for recognising knowledge and skills acquired prior to enrolment in the programme.
Criteria for recognition of knowledge and skills, gained before the enrolment in the study 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.
Criteria for completing the study
Students complete the two-subject teaching pathway of the second-cycle History programme when they have completed all prescribed course units 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.