During its 17th regular session on 22 April 2009, the Council of the Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – NAKVIS officially accredited the postgraduate study programme "Sociology" (3rd Bologna cycle - PhD), 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 and 64/08), 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). During its 40th regular session on 29 January 2019, the Senate of the University of Maribor confirmed the change in the duration of studies from three to four years.

To advance from the first to the second year, the student must complete the compulsory subjects and the obligations of the year in the amount of at least 54 ECTS. Exceptionally, a candidate who, for justified reasons, fails to complete the established study obligations in accordance with the Statute of the University of Maribor may enrol in the second year, whereby advancing from the first to the second year is in no case possible without completing the study unit IRD I. To advance from the second to the third year, the student must complete all the obligations of the first year and the obligations of the second year in the amount of at least 54 ECTS. Exceptionally, a candidate who, for justified reasons, fails to complete the set out study obligations in accordance with the Statute of the University of Maribor may also enrol in the third year, and in no case is it possible to advance from the second to the third year without completing the study unit IRD III. To advance from the third to the fourth year, the student must complete all obligations of the second year and obligations from the third year in the amount of at least 57 ECTS. They must have a doctoral dissertation confirmed by the mentor and the Department of Sociology. The student can repeat the year once during the study. Repeating the year is possible in cases defined by the Statute of the University of Maribor. The student can also advance faster if they meet the conditions for such advancement, which are stated in the Statute of the University of Maribor. The student can study in several study programs under the conditions specified in more detail in the Statute of the University of Maribor.

The 3rd level degree doctoral study programme Sociology does not contain individual parts.

The study programme "Sociology" (3rd Bologna cycle – PhD) provides the students with specialist knowledge, skills and competences as well as advanced research knowledge, skills and competences. Graduates of this 3rd Bologna cycle – PhD study programme will become qualified for a career in the economic sector. The programme is based on the requirements of employers for highly skilled professionals that understand the nature of inter-systemic and inter-stakeholder relations; professionals capable of discovering, analysing, researching and evaluating opportunities and threats; and professionals capable to approach issues and problems systematically. Thus, the study programme provides students with competences, such as a highly developed ability of analytical and abstract thinking; the ability to conduct highly demanding research work effectively and efficiently; a highly developed ability to accumulate knowledge and means of knowledge acquisition on one's own initiative,; a highly developed ability to engage in lifelong learning; a highly developed ability to articulate etc. The programme is geared toward providing students with knowledge, skills and competences that will qualify them to embark on a career as: CEOs or board members of companies; HR specialists; high-level executives in departments of general services, high-level executives in departments managing employers' relations in companies; high-level company secretaries; executives and high-level managers in research and development departments of companies etc. Graduates of this 3rd Bologna cycle – PhD study programme will become qualified for a career in the non-economic sector, particularly in fields that require efficient communication skills, analytical thinking and broad knowledge in the respective fields of the humanities and social and behavioural sciences. Graduates of this 3rd Bologna cycle – PhD study programme will have acquired knowledge, skills and competences that will qualify them to work as professionals in areas where: (a) problem-solving depends on high-level knowledge of applied research methodology; (b) advanced ICT skills are crucial; (c) specialist and peer communication is conducted in a foreign language; (d) academic, scientific and specialist literature has to be evaluated and interpreted critically; (e) empirical research activities and practical work require advanced knowledge about statistical approaches; (f) individual and autonomous learning is key for professional progress; and (g) individual and autonomous planning and organizing work-related tasks in various fields of action (government administration, journalism, social security and welfare, education, public health and healthcare or business-and-economy-specific communication) is key for maintaining a quality and adaptable system of activities. In this regard, the programme is geared towards providing students with knowledge, skills and competences that will qualify them to embark on a career as: university (tertiary education) lecturers; university (tertiary education) associates; tertiary education specialists; law makers; high-level executives and officers; top-level managers etc.

The content of the individual subjects and modules featured in the 3rd Bologna cycle – PhD study programme "Sociology" is interchangeable and mutually complementing. This is most obviously the case with the obligatory subjects "Social research methods" and "Sociologic conceptualization of social phenomena". On one hand, the application of methodology in Sociology is namely strongly linked to the selection of applicable theoretical perspectives when approaching particular research problems, while an in-depth understanding of modern conceptualizations of social and societal phenomena is key to understanding their methodological grounds on the other. The same applies for elective courses (particularly if we consider individual research work as key elective content), the extent of which enables the students to horizontally combine the specialist study content of their choice. The subjects and modules featured in the 3rd Bologna cycle – PhD study programme "Sociology" represent an upgrade and enhancement to specialist study subjects included in the Master (2nd Bologna cycle – MA) and the undergraduate (1st Bologna cycle - BA) study programmes "Sociology" respectively. The structure of the featured subjects revels a vertical connectedness. During the 1st year of studies, the students are obligated to complete exams from two obligatory subjects from the two basic sociology-specific areas ("Social research methods" and "Sociologic conceptualization of social phenomena"). These subjects represent the base on which the students upgrade and enhance their specialist knowledge, skills and competences by completing additional elective courses on their way to completing their obligatory doctoral thesis.

The examining and grading system is regulated by the Statute of the University of Maribor: http://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Akti%20univerze%20v%20Mariboru/Uradno-10.pdf and the Rules on Examination and Grading at the University of Maribor, No. A4/2009-41 AG: http://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Strani/studij-na-um.aspx . Accordingly, the methods and forms of examining and grading knowledge in the curricula are defined for each individual study unit of an individual study programme. Methods of continuous examining and grading of knowledge are encouraged, which enables students to continuously monitor their own progress and assess the acquired knowledge and skills. Depending on the individual study units and the order of their implementation, the individual obligations of students are mutually coordinated in such a way that some study units require more continuous work, others a greater deal of independent research work (preparation of a quality seminar paper), some units are completed with written or oral exams. All curricula are publicly published in the catalogue of Bologna subjects: https://aips.um.si/PredmetiBP5/main.asp. In addition, students have access to AIPS UM (Academic Information Subsystem of the University of Maribor), which provides insight into the activities of individual students (exam records, detailed insight into the number of exam attempts and all completed and uncompleted obligations).

The objectives of the 3rd level degree doctoral study programme Sociology derive from the characteristics of the sociological and social sciences. Such knowledge forms a postgraduate student into an individual capable of recognizing the importance of knowledge and skills in a modern pluralistic environment, especially in the light of Slovenia's integration into the European Union and consequently increased value and cultural contacts. In addition to deepening the knowledge from the 1st and 2nd level degree studies at the general theoretical and conceptual level, the 3rd level degree student is enabled to apply additional knowledge in practice, and gaining experience prepares them to enter the labor market, both within Slovenia and in other EU Member States. The scope of competencies that a student acquires increases the possibility of their employment, and specific sociological and social science knowledge means high expertise and knowledge of specific work tasks in the fields of sociology and other social sciences, politics, economics, anthropology, pedagogy, philosophy, information sciences, social work, and work in governmental and non-governmental organizations. The student's knowledge and its application derives from scientific research, knowledge and critical assessment of the use of statistical and methodological approaches and starting points, which are the basis for analyzing processes in a global society, identifying their causes and predicting their long-term consequences, as well as developing strategies for mitigating their potentially negative impacts. Within the increased integration of knowledge and relations in the countries of the European Union, the emphasis is on the student's understanding of the importance of cooperation and integration, especially in the light of intercultural dialogue and effective professional communication, in addition to Slovene and foreign languages. The basic goal of the programme is to create an open, flexible and resourceful employee profile, which is also sufficiently specialized and able to perform the specific tasks required by the labor market at a given time. During their studies, students will acquire specific skills in managing social science data, with which they will be able to engage in various work processes within a wide range of economic sectors. At the same time, they will also acquire basic and in-depth sociological knowledge, which will enable them a broader insight into the social processes with which they will deal professionally. During their studies, the student becomes highly motivated, as with the acquired knowledge and competencies they have a wide possibility of inclusion in further learning. The stated objectives are the starting point for the established goals of the curricula of individual subjects, and these are the further basis for various ways of assessing and grading knowledge, as established in the curricula.

The general competencies acquired by students of the 3rd level degree doctoral study programme Sociology are: • knowledge, analysis, and evaluation of sociological and broader social science findings; • insight into modern and past cultural and social processes; • highly-developed ability to observe and synthesize knowledge; • highly-developed ability of own initiative in the accumulation of knowledge of sources; • highly-developed ability of self-criticism and knowledge of the importance of lifelong learning; • highly-developed ability to critically evaluate diverse information sources; • ability of effective research work at a high level of complexity, both quantitative and qualitative; • high level of competence for use and work in information technology; • highly-developed ability to express one's own opinion positioned in broader social science intellectual findings; • developed ability to resolve conflicts through the analysis of social contexts; • highly-developed ability of effective written expression in the form of authorship of articles, and oral expression (discussions, presentations, lectures); • ability to apply social science knowledge to real professional problems; • high level of commitment to professional ethics. In addition to the knowledge itself, while building general competencies, the study process helps develop a professional and ethically correct approach to solving professional problems, and the student is able to formulate and present their views in the context of problem solving.

Subject-specific competencies refer to specific knowledge that a student will acquire during their studies, enabling them individual subject-professional innovation in the educational, scientific, and research and professional fields: Subject-specific competencies refer to specific knowledge that a student will acquire during their studies, enabling them individual subject-professional innovation in the educational, scientific and research and professional fields: • knowledge of in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge in the sociological and social sciences and the creation of a theoretical basis for the analysis of social processes, dynamics and changes; • mastering the knowledge for the integrated solution of concrete social problems at the local, national, and international levels through the application of scientific research approaches and methods; • mastering the knowledge for the analysis and critical evaluation of statistical data, performing complex statistical analyses, and applying the knowledge in specific areas of work; • general interdisciplinary social science knowledge, based on the synthesis of different fields of knowledge; • knowledge and use of modern demanding research theoretical and practical approaches, methods, and tools used in the social sciences and the ability to use this knowledge in practice according to the criteria of effectiveness and suitability; • mastering the knowledge that enables them to respond to challenges and needs from the immediate and wider social environments; • knowledge needed to analyze specific sociological categories and reflect them in guided discussions and in written forms. • ability to evaluate the coherence of theoretical concepts and life processes; • knowledge required for planning and conducting scientific quantitative and qualitative research; • knowledge in the field of efficient use of information and communication technology for work in the sociological and wider social science contexts; • cooperation with other professional profiles (economists, lawyers, etc.). The entire professional profile of a doctoral student is based on basic and specialized theoretical and practical knowledge, which enables them to see, analyze, and critically evaluate social changes and processes. Competences enable the doctoral student to respond appropriately to the requirements of the social environment and the labor market, both in the context of their own advancement and acquisition of competencies, as well as the positive influence and contribution to other commercial and non-commercial entities.

Candidates who completed the following may apply for the 3rd-cycle (doctoral) study programme in Sociology: - A 2nd-cycle (master’s) study programme. - An undergraduate academic study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004. - A specialisation following an undergraduate professional study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004. Prior to enrolment, candidates shall pass the following courses corresponding to 30 ECTS credits: Contemporary Sociological Perspectives (6 ECTS), Social Behaviour Determinants (6 ECTS), Sociology of the Contemporary Culture (6 ECTS), Social Science Research Methods (6 ECTS), and Sociologic Aspects of Globalization (6 ECTS). - A study programme educating students for professions regulated by EU directives or another unified (long-cycle) master’s study programme corresponding to 300 ECTS credits. Candidates who completed an equivalent study programme abroad and have their qualifications recognized in the Republic of Slovenia also meet the admission requirements.

The selection of candidates will be based on: - the average study grade (10%), - diploma or master's thesis grades (10%), and - elective exam (80%). Elective exam obligations can be replaced by specialist and research work in the amount of 50% of the exam obligations. The main criteria for research work are publications such as: research monograph; independent research article in a monograph; original or reviewed research articles in journals with an impact factor (JCR), or in journals indexed in SCI, SSCI or A&HCI databases, and in journals listed by the criteria of the Faculty of Arts for awarding titles. The main criteria for specialist work are: specialist monograph, independent specialist article in a monograph, published specialist papers at conferences, specialist articles and/or peer review of these articles, editing of a monograph or journal, and other forms of documented specialist activity. When it is necessary to accept an assessment about the research and specialist work of a candidate for enrolment, it is accepted by the Commission for Study Matters of the Senate of the Faculty of Arts. The Commission for Academic Affairs of the Senate of the Faculty of Arts may, as a condition for the formation of an assessment, also requires from the students that they successfully pass an elective course exam, which is determined for an individual candidate.

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.

Pursuant to the Rules on the recognition of knowledge and skills gained prior to the enrollment in the study programme (UM News, No. XXVI-3-2008) - http://www.uni-mb.si/dokument.aspx?id=12762), during the process of education at the university programme, students may have their knowledge and skills acquired before enrollment in various forms of formal education recognized, which the student proves with certificates and other documents that show the content and scope of their work. These are evaluated according to the ECTS system, which allows the student to replace comparable obligations according to the planned 3rd level degree doctoral study programme Sociology. In the process of education in the doctoral program, students are also recognized for fulfilling obligations on the basis of submitted documents from the field of non-formal education or completed professional work (project, study, publications, and other author's works), as well as knowledge acquired in the framework of lifelong learning according to the appropriate verified programme. The candidate submits an application to the Commission for Academic Affairs of the Faculty for recognition of knowledge and skills. The commission then seeks the opinion of the Department of Sociology and issues a decision in accordance with the proposal and conditions of the Department.

The student completes the 3rd level degree doctoral study programme Sociology when they complete all study obligations in the amount of 240 credits (ECTS). It is therefore necessary to pass all the exams determined by the 3rd level degree study programme Sociology and to prepare and successfully defend a doctoral dissertation.