Text about acceptance
On the basis of Article 51 of the Law on higher education (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 119/06-UPB3) and the Measures for the accreditation of higher education institutions and study programmes (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 101/04) the Senate for accreditation with the Council of Higher Education of the Republic of Slovenia at its 4th meeting on 16th November 2007, adopted or gave consent to the university BA single-major study programme Psychology (Decree No. 2/81-2007 dated 20th November 2007).
Advancement criteria of a study programme
To advance to the second year, the student must collect at least 55 ECTS.
To advance to the third year, a student must complete all the obligations of the first year and the obligations determined by the study programme in the second year courses in the amount of at least 55 ECTS.
The conditions for advancing with missing requirements and the conditions for repeating the year are defined by the Statute of the University of Maribor: http://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Strani/statut_um.aspx.
Criteria for completing separate parts of a study programme
The 1st level degree study programme Psychology does not contain individual content parts of the programme that can be completed individually.
Study advancement options
The graduate of the BA study programme Psychology may continue studies in the second (MA) cycle in Psychology or in a study programme in the field of social sciences in the institution - holder of the programme, or in other higher education institutions in the Republic of Slovenia and other countries (sociology, anthropology, pedagogy, philosophy, information science, social work, special pedagogy, social pedagogy, pre-school education, sports, economics, journalism, etc.).
Employment possibilities
The BA study programme Psychology is structured in accordance with the European guidelines for education and training of psychologists (EuroPsy Project) and represents the first level of education and training of psychologists. With the methodological and non-psychological contents it enables graduates to work in a wide range of professional activities and in economic and public services. Graduates can also resume studies at the MA level of Psychology or other social programs. It is the case of working positions which require knowledge and skills in the fields of psychology and other social sciences, specific medical expertise, communication skills, analytical skills, etc. The areas can be classified into the following categories:
- sociological and market research;
- work in politics and administration;
- management and co-management of organizations;
- work in the wider field of marketing;
- project work (organizing social events and processes);
- work in research institutions and cultural institutions (profit, non-profit);
- agency for work with human resources (human resource management);
- child-care and educational institutions;
- facilities for work with adolescents;
- facilities for work with the elderly;
- family counseling;
- educational institutions;
- the media.
As the BA study programme Psychology is in accordance with the General guidelines of EuroPsy, it should be noted that it encompasses introductory courses in all psychological disciplines and sub-disciplines, in theoretical approaches and techniques of psychology, and represents the first contact with psychological skills and research in psychology. At the same time, however, the BA study programme Psychology alone does not lead to a professional qualification and does not provide the necessary skills for independent practice in psychology. For the latter it is necessary to continue studies at the MA level.
Other obligations
The program is based on a strong vertical and horizontal integration of courses. Each semester comprises courses that complement each other, the knowledge from the courses in each semester a basis for successful work with the courses in the semesters to follow. The study program is designed in such a manner that individual courses or groups of courses are related in the following way:
- in the first year the students listen to the fundamental courses of the programme which provide the basics of psychological disciplines and methodologies and acquire fundamental knowledge from supporting non-psychological disciplines (Physiology, Sociology or Philosophy) and a foreign language;
- in the second year students expand their fundamental knowledge and upgrade them with special and applied psychological disciplines, obtain additional non-psychological knowledge (Psychopathology of Social Pathology, Social and Cultural Anthropology), they deepen their knowledge in the field of psychological methodology and its application in psychological research (psychological-methodical practice);
- in the third year students gain a complete overview of the most important special and applied psychological disciplines, they obtain their first professional practical experience, monitor the latest trends in the different psychological disciplines;
- the synthesis of all the acquired knowledge, skills and competences is successfully carried out and graduation seminar thesis presented.
The study programme includes a systematic effort to promote the personal development of students, so that students familiarise with the basics of effective higher education study, teamwork, professional research and writing, and searching for professional sources in databases and resources even before they start their study. Additional vertical deepening of skills is provided to the student with the choice of electives within the program, or with other courses outside of the home department.
The student completes the single-major study programme with the completion of all the study obligations required by the study programme, by completing the graduation seminar thesis and by gaining at least 180 ECTS points.
Assesment criteria
The examining and grading system is regulated by the Statute of the University of Maribor: https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/GlavniDokumenti2013/Statut%20Univerze%20v%20Mariboru%20(NPB%203).pdf and the Rules on Examination and Grading at the University of Maribor, no. A4/2009-41 AG: https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/GlavniDokumenti2013/Pravilnik%202009.pdf.
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 published on the web link: http://www.ff.um.si/studenti/studijski-programi/prva-stopnja/psihologija/enopr-psih.dot (Accreditations of study programmes and curricula by years).
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).
Main study programme objectives
The basic objective of the first level of the study programme Psychology is to introduce students to professional and scientific research work in the fields covered by psychological science. With the completion of the first level, the student acquires knowledge and analytical and social skills in the field of basic and applied disciplines of psychological science and other, psychology-related, sciences. These are the basis for further education and training in various forms of postgraduate studies and professional development in psychology (and similar study programmes), and at the same time they are useful in employment that: (a) uses knowledge from scientific research methodology in solving most problems; (b) uses basic computer skills; (c) uses a foreign language in professional communication; (d) critically interprets and uses scientific and professional literature; (e) uses statistical approaches in the preparation and conduct of empirical research and in practical work; (f) uses independent learning skills; (g) independently plans and organizes work tasks in various fields of activity, such as public administration, economy, journalism, social welfare, etc.
Outcomes of education in terms of the above-mentioned knowledge and skills are acquired by students through various forms of contact work (lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory work, practice) and individual work, and holders of learning content check and assess students' outcomes through various methods; namely: active individual and group work on lectures and tutorials (discussions, assignments, small projects, quizzes, case studies and presentations, reports on completed assignments, etc.); individual/group seminar projects; projects; mid-term exams, tests; portfolio; case study; written exam; oral exam; preparation and presentation of a diploma seminar paper.
General competences of graduates, gained at a study programme
With the first-cycle program of psychology, the student acquires the following general competencies: general and study-specific scientific and professional knowledge; ability to independently accumulate and use knowledge and means and sources of knowledge; ability to critically interpret scientific and professional literature; ability to observe, analyse, synthesize, and critically evaluate; developed self-criticism and the ability to control one's own professional development; developed ability for individual and team work; use of a foreign language in professional communication; use of modern information technology in solving work problems; developed ability to express, represent, and argue their position in problem situations; ability to solve concrete work problems by finding sources of knowledge and using scientific methods; knowledge and use of methods of scientific research and problem solving; mastering statistical thinking in the preparation of empirical and practical work; independent planning and organization of work tasks in various work areas; development of personal integrity and the ability to act in accordance with professional ethics; learning competence and a sense of lifelong learning.
Subject specific competences of graduates, gained on a study programme
Subject-specific competencies that students acquire through the 1st level degree programme Psychology are: knowledge and understanding of basic approaches and history of psychology as a basic and applied scientific discipline; ability to analyse psychological problems in a professional manner; understand and apply methods of critical analysis and develop of theories and their use in solving work problems in psychological fields; master of research methods, procedures, and tools used in the field of psychology, and the ability to apply this knowledge in practice; ability to work successfully in professions where psychological knowledge and skills are required; ability to connect different psychological approaches and areas and connection with other scientific disciplines (interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge); ability to plan, organize, conduct scientific research in the psychological field (quantitative, qualitative, action); ability to monitor the development of the psychological profession.
Access requirements
The proposed single-major BA university study program Psychology can be entered by:
1.) anyone who has passed the Matura examination (Secondary School Leaving examination);
2.) anyone who has prior to 1 June 1995 completed a four-year secondary school program.
Selection criteria in the event of limited enrolment
If enrolment is limited,
candidates are selected according to:
result achieved in the matura exam or the final examination - 60% of points,
overall success in the third and fourth year - 40% of points.
Transfer criteria between study programmes
Candidates may transfer to the study programme in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of the Criteria for Transferring Between Study Programmes (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no.: 95/10, 17/11, and 14/19). If candidates fulfil the admission requirements of the study programme and criteria for the transfer, the year of study they are to be enrolled in and study obligations required for completion of the new study programme are laid down.
Candidates may transfer to the study programme provided they fulfil the following criteria:
- they are transferring from a study programme leading to the acquisition of comparable competences or learning outcomes;
- at least half of the study obligations evaluated according to ECTS credit system of the previous study programme relating to compulsory courses of the new study programme are recognised.
Criteria for recognition of knowledge and skills, gained before the enrolment in the study programme
Pursuant to the Rules on the recognition of knowledge and skills gained prior to the enrolment 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 enrolment in various forms of formal education recognized, which the student proves with certificates and other documents that show the content and scope of the student's work.?During their education at the university programme, students may have their obligations recognized as fulfilled on the basis of submitted documents from the field of non-formal education or performed professional work (project, study, publications, inventions, patents and other copyright works).
The basic criterion for the recognition or non-recognition is the comparability of knowledge acquired elsewhere with study units, skills and qualifications in the study programme Psychology.
Applications for the recognition of knowledge and skills in a foreign language, software tools, professional practice, courses and seminars in functional education acquired before enrolment in the programme are considered by the faculty in accordance with regulations.
Criteria for completing the study
The condition for the completion of studies is the completion of all exams and all obligations in all curricula courses, recognized practical training and the preparation and presentation of a diploma seminar paper. The student thus obtains all 180 ECTS from the study programme.