The postgraduate PhD study program Education in Engineering was adopted by the Senate of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics on 20 June 2008 and by the Senate of the University of Maribor on 3 July 2008. On the basis of Article 51 of the Law on Higher Education (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 119/06-UPB3) and on the basis of the Measures for the Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and Study Programmes (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 101/04), the Council for Higher Education at its 15th meeting on 12 March 2009 gave consent to the programme. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology issued a decree No. 60392-125/2009/5 on 20 May 2009, by which the study programme is included in the register for higher education institutions under the serial number 17. On 20 October 2016, the Council of the National Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Quality Assurance in Higher Education extended the accreditation of the doctoral study program Education in Engineering for seven years. On 28 November 2017, the Senate of the University of Maribor approved the renewal of the doctoral study program Education in Engineering according to the Doctoral School of the University of Maribor’s principles.

A student advances to the second study year if they collect at least 50 ECTS credits by completing 1st year obligations. A student advances to the third study year if they complete all 1st year obligations and collect at least 50 ECTS credits by completing 2nd year obligations. A student advances to the fourth study year if they complete all 2nd year obligations and collect at least 50 ECTS credits by completing 3rd year obligations.

Postdoctoral study.

In the framework of the PhD study Education in Engineering candidates upgrade their graduate knowledge and competences, so that they can carry out the work and tasks in all areas of education, from primary through secondary, higher, and university education. In addition, they are also trained for independent developmental and research work on complex national and international projects. They can find employment in education, in primary schools and secondary schools of engineering, engineering grammar schools, at university level, and they can also be organizers and managers of educational services and the organizers and performers of various professional training courses in business and in public service.

The summations provide the average values of hours to PhD study program Education in Engineering. Inconsistencies in the numbers are the result of choice of elective courses. Independent student work per PhD study program Education in Engineering amounts up to 7015 hours.

Examination and assessment of student learning outcomes is performed in accordance with the criteria and methods defined in the Rules on the Examination and Assessment of Knowledge at the University of Maribor: https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Dopolnitve2013/Pravilnik%20o%20preverjanju%20in%20ocenjevanju%20znanja%20na%20UM%20-%20NPB3,%20AVGUST%202019doc.pdf. Knowledge examination and assessment methods at the University of Maribor are regulated by the Statute of the University of Maribor and the Rules on Examinations and Grading of the University of Maribor, No. A4/2009-41AG (University of Maribor Journal, No. XXVII-6-2009); Amendments to the Rules on Examinations and Grading of the University of Maribor, No. A4/2009-41AG (University of Maribor Journal, No. XXVIII-7-2010); Amendments to the Rules on Examinations and Grading of the University of Maribor, No. A4/2009-41AG (University of Maribor Journal, No. XXX-2-2012); Amendments to the Rules on Examinations and Grading of the University of Maribor, No. A4/2009-41AG (University of Maribor Journal, No. XXXII-5-2014); Rules on Examinations and Grading of the University of Maribor – unofficial consolidated text (2015); Amendments to the Rules on Examinations and Grading of the University of Maribor, No. A4/2009-41AG (2019): https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Dopolnitve2013/Pravilnik%20o%20preverjanju%20in%20ocenjevanju%20znanja%20na%20UM%20-%20NPB3,%20AVGUST%202019doc.pdf. Forms and methods of assessment are defined in Article 5 of the Rules on Examinations and Grading. Criteria and methods for knowledge assessment of individual subjects are part of the Subject Specification, and are publicly available on the faculty’s website: https://www.fnm.um.si/index.php/predstavitev-tudija/podiplomski-tudijski-programi/.

- to provide students with in-depth knowledge in the field of education in engineering and to introduce them to the width, the role, importance and interdisciplinary nature of the presented field; - to provide students with the necessary organisational knowledge and expertise on the development and research, both in the field of engineering as well as education; - to introduce modern methods and technologies of work in the field of engineering and train students to use these methods and technologies, and to follow developmental trends in the profession; - to train students for independent designing of classes and the professional development of the subject field; - to present the latest didactic and pedagogical approaches and methods in learning and teaching the subject area and to familiarize them with contemporary trends in the field of learning technologies; - to deepen theoretical knowledge in conjunction with course didactics; and expand the methodological knowledge for solving complex technological, engineering, organizational and developmental tasks and projects; - to train candidates for independent internationally competitive research work in the field of education in engineering.

- ability of systemic thinking; - control of critical and self-critical assessment; - ability and willingness to work in a cooperative group in the domestic and international environment; - ability to apply theoretical knowledge in the solving of practical problems; - in-depth knowledge of experimental and other methods demonstrating scientific theories; - the ability to search for various sources of knowledge in solving professional problems; - ethical reflection and commitment to professional ethics in the fields of engineering and training; - initiative and autonomy in decision-making and management of professional and scientific projects; - ability to present results of scientific research at scientific and professional conferences and in scientific and professional journals.

- in-depth knowledge of the educational system in the field of engineering in different periods of time and in different educational systems; - knowledge of individual and group research work in the field of education in engineering; - usage of information-communication technologies in the field of education in engineering; - ability to integrate scientific research methods into concepts and models of the educational process in engineering subjects in primary and secondary schools and at university; - in-depth knowledge of project work in planning instruction; - management of qualitative research in the field of education in engineering; - management of statistical methods in the field of education in engineering; - management of the methodology of planning, monitoring and evaluation of the results and achievements within the framework of research work.

Candidates who completed the following may apply for the 3rd Cycle (Doctoral) Study Programme Education in Engineering: - a 2nd Cycle Study Programme; - an undergraduate academic study programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004; - a 1st Cycle Higher Education Study Programme adopted prior to 11 June 2004, and a Specialization Study Programme, after having passed additional study obligations corresponding to 60 ECTS, whereby the additional obligations are determined by the Department of Technical Education, taking into account the type of completed Higher Education Study Programme or the direction of the Specialization; - a study program educating for professions regulated by EU directives, or other Single Major 2nd cycle Study Programme ranked with 300 ECTS.

In the event of limited enrolment, the Faculty shall publish the selection criteria in accordance with Article 41 of the Higher Education Act. In the selection procedure, candidates shall be ranked according to: grade point average (30%), the grade awarded for their MA thesis (30%), and the grade awarded for their elective exam (40%). The elective course should focus on basic technical and pedagogical contents, the knowledge of which is crucial for a succsessful doctoral study.

According to the Criteria for transitions, a transfer to the 3rd Cycle Study Programme Education in Engineering is possible for candidates enrolled in the study programmes from the fields of Natural Sciences, Technology, Economy, Environmental Sciences and Social Sciences, who ensure the acquisition of comparable competences at the end of their studies, and for whom at least half of the ECTS obligations from the first study programme are recognised according to the Criteria for recognition. The relevant Commission of the Member determines the missing obligations which the students have to fulfill if they want to graduate according to the new study program.

Students of 3rd Cycle Study Programmes can obtain full recognition of the knowledge and skills acquired through various forms of formal education before enrolment, which the student demonstrates with relevant qualifications (certificates, degrees, diplomas and other documents). The recognition process shall take into account the following criteria: the assessment of the achieved knowledge and skills must be based on the educational goals of the study program; the relevant skills must be properly documented and at an appropriate level of complexity; the acquired knowledge and skills are recognized regardless of where and when the student acquired them. The process of identification, verification and recognition of knowledge and skills entails the submission of an application, amendments to the application, consideration of the application at the competent authority of the member faculty, the issuing of a decision, and the procedure for the appeal of a candidate against the issued decision. The faculty recognises the knowledge and skills of the candidates if, in terms of their scope, content and complexity, these correspond fully or partially to the general or subject-specific competences determined by the study programme in which the candidates wish to enrol or are enrolled. Recognition of knowledge and skills is defined in the RULES ON THE RECOGNITION OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN THE STUDY PROGRAMMES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARIBOR No. 012/2019/2: https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/GlavniDokumenti2013/Pravilnik%20o%20priznavanju%20znanj%20in%20spretnosti%20v%20%C5%A1tudijskih%20programih%20UM%20%C5%A1t.%20012-2019-2.pdf.

A student completes his/her studies once they have completed all obligations laid down in the study programme, having collected at least 240 ECTS, and successfully defended their doctoral thesis.