The university single-major study programme Ecology with nature conservation was adopted by the Senate of the Faculty of Natural Studies and Mathematics at the University of Maribor on 3 May 2006 and by the Senate of the University of Maribor on 6 July 2007. On the basis of Article 49 of the Law on Higher Education (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 119/06-UPB3) and on the basis of the Measures and Procedures for the Accreditation of Study Programmes and Institutions of Higher Education (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, no. 101/04), the Council for Higher Education at its meeting of 14 Dec. 2007 formally approved the programme. Changes and amendments in the study program were approved by the Council of the RS for Higher Education on 29 Dec. 2008 and 16 June 2011.

A student advances to the second study year if they collect at least 45 ECTS credits and complete the following obligatory courses: Physics, Chemistry, Principles of Environmental Chemistry and General Zoology. A student advances to the third study year if they have collected 60 ECTS credits by completing all first year obligations, and 45 ECTS credits by completing second year obligations. A student who has not fulfilled all the obligations for advancement to a higher year may exceptionally be granted enrolment in a higher year by the Commission for Student Affairs of the university member at his request, according to Article 85 of the Statute of the University of Maribor. Such enrolment may be granted to a student who has fulfilled at least half of the prescribed obligations of previous years, or who has been unable to fulfil the obligations for justified reasons (listed in Article 212 of the Statute), and who is expected to fulfil all obligations within the time-limit set by the Commission for Student Affairs.

The diploma holder of the study program Ecology with nature conservation has acquired a sufficient amount of knowledge skills in biology to be able to continue studies in biology, ecology or related fields of study in MA postgraduate study programs.

Diploma holders of the study program Ecology with nature conservation are employable in public (local, regional and national) institutions, in industry and in the private sector. They have acquired sufficient knowledge and skills for self-employment and are trained to participate in applying for national and international projects, working with nature conservation governmental and non-governmental organizations and the like. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of their study they are able to lead different types of small research work groups.

The calculations include the mean average values for hours in the study program. Due to different numbers of hours per elective course, the sum of all hours may vary from student to student. Ecology with nature conservation amounts to 3210 hours. The study program Ecology with nature conservation also contains contents from the field of inanimate nature and environment protection and conservation.

The student chooses an elective course in each semester of the 2nd and 3rd year of studies, which means that in the 2nd and 3rd year students can shape up to 20% of the study program by choosing elective courses according to their own interests. Independent student work in the study program. The study program Ecology with nature conservation does not require mandatory practice.

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/shema/.

The basic objective of the 1st cycle study program is to train students to become qualified specialists who will be able to understand the common and current issues of the subject field, to recognize and understand the patterns and processes of the natural environment and the laws of nature, and to acquire relevant ecological and biological expertise. Students will be trained to understand and recognize major environmental issues, and to engage in addressing these issues. The study program aims to fill Slovenia’s gap in the field of highly specialized graduates in ecology and nature conservation by equipping them with the necessary macro-oriented background knowledge in biology (flora, fauna, habitats, landscapes, nature conservation). At the heart of the study program is the idea to educate students to competently engage in the resolution of ecological and nature conservation issues. Providing a deep understanding of natural and ecological laws and processes will result in the graduates’ ability to take part in the creation of environmental management plans, and to competently argue for nature conservation in terms of content, as well as formally and also technically, when addressing various issues in spatial planning from the local to the national level and wider. Each of the study units of the program has its specific objectives to be acquired by the students. The achievement of learning objectives is verified by means of written and oral exams, practical skills testing, seminar presentations, individual work (problem-based learning), and by means of laboratory work logbooks in practical laboratory work, where the adequate performance of laboratory work is also verified.

- Graduates are able to analyse, synthesise and anticipate solutions and consequences of various levels of the natural sciences from molecular biology to landscape ecology, - Graduates demonstrate mastery of research methods. procedures and processes in ecology and nature conservation and develop a range of self-critical assessments in this field. Graduates demonstrate knowledge of all components of "traditional biology” (flora, fauna, gea), above all from the point of view of biodiversity. - Graduates apply knowledge of the basics of natural science disciplines, above all the foundations of biology and ecology with nature conservation at various levels. - Graduates demonstrate autonomy in professional work in the fields of ecology and nature conservation. - Graduates demonstrate proficiency in communication skills and expertise in general, and take part in teamwork in both national and international business and scientific environments. - Graduates demonstrate awareness of the limits placed by professional ethics in this field of the natural sciences.

- Graduates demonstrate knowledge of all basic theoretical and applied aspects of ecology and conservation biology as scientific disciplines. - Graduates demonstrate knowledge of the natural, social and legal basis of nature conservation around the world, in Europe and in Slovenia. - Graduates demonstrate knowledge of the biological, legal, spatial planning-and information-related background to the planning, management and protection of the natural environment. - Graduates demonstrate mastery of the basics of all three aspects of ecology and nature conservation: the specialist aspect (biodiversity at the level of genes, populations, species, ecosystems and landscape), the social aspect (knowledge of legal regulations in Slovenia and the EU) and the practical/technical aspect (geographical information systems). - Graduates address biological and ecological problems at the macro-level, in both basic contexts (research, education, some sectors of biotechnology) and applied contexts (project work in nature conservation, administration, business sector). - Graduates demonstrate understanding of and implement nature conservation laws and regulations, EU directives and international conventions regarding nature. - Graduates participate in the preparation and implementation of international agreements in the field of nature conservation and biodiversity. - Graduates demonstrate understanding of the inclusion of nature conservation elements in sectoral policies.

The first year of the university study programme Ecology with Nature Conservation can be entered by candidates who have: a) passed the general Matura (secondary school leaving examination); or b) passed the vocational Matura in the following secondary school programmes: Pharmaceutical Technician, Forestry Technician, Horticultural Technician, Chemical Technician, Chemical Technician (Bilingual), Agricultural-Entrepreneurial Technician, Nature Conservation Technician, Environmental Technician, Biomedical Laboratory Technician, Veterinary Technician, Nursing Technician, or Food Processing Technician, and a fifth examination in the general Matura subjects Chemistry, Physics or Biology; the chosen subject must not be a subject already completed within the vocational Matura; or c) prior to 1 June 1995 completed a four-year secondary school program. In case of limitations regarding enrolment the following criteria will be taken into account: a) candidates referred to in points a), b) and c) will be selected according to: - general success in the general Matura, vocational Matura or final examination (60 % of points), - general success in the 3rd and 4th year of secondary education (40 % of points).

In case of limitations regarding enrolment the following criteria will be taken into account: a) candidates referred to in points a), b) and c) will be selected according to: - general success in the general Matura, vocational Matura or final examination (60 % of points), - general success in the 3rd and 4th year of secondary education (40 % of points).

1. Transition from 1st Cycle Higher Education Study Programmes and from 1st Cycle University Study Programmes For candidates enrolled in 1st Cycle Higher Education Study Programmes or in 1st Cycle University Study Programmes from the fields of natural sciences, medicine, geography, environmental sciences, forestry, agriculture and biotechnological 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, the Commission for Student Affairs of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics determines the study obligations that they must complete if they want to complete their studies according to the new study programme. 2. Transition from Post-Secondary Vocational Study Programmes according to the Vocational Education Act For candidates enrolled in Post-Secondary Vocational Study Programmes from the fields of natural sciences, medicine, geography, environmental sciences, forestry, agriculture and biotechnological 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, the Commission for Student Affairs of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics determines the study obligations that they must complete if they want to complete their studies according to the new study programme. Note to Point 2: According to Article 39 of the Higher Education Act and the Criteria for transitions between study programmes, transitions are also possible from Post-Secondary Vocational Study Programmes under the Higher Vocational Education Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 86/2004), if the higher education institution assesses that this is possible for a specific program.

Students of 1st 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.

Conditions for completing the BA study program Ecology with nature conservation are the completion of all the exams and requirements in all the courses of the syllabus, including the elective courses, and the accumulation of at least 180 ECTS.