The study program was confirmed at the University of Maribor Senate meeting on the 27th of October 2006 and was accepted by the Council for Higher Education of Republic of Slovenia on the 8th of December 2006. The study program was confirmed again at the University of Maribor Senate meeting on the 27th of November 2012 and was accepted by The Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education on the 15th of May 2014.

Conditions for transition to the 2nd study year: Students advance to the 2nd study year if they acquire at least 50 ECTS credits by passing the 1st year exams and if they have passed the exams in the following study subjects: - Mathematical Analysis (6 ECTS) - Linear Algebra (3 ECTS) - Mechanics I (6 ECTS) - Mechanics II (6 ECTS) - Technical Documentation (4 ECTS) Students who do not fulfil all the obligations for transition may, at their request, be granted enrolment in the 2nd year by the Commission for Study Affairs of a University Member if they have more than half of the first year study obligations (more than 30 ECTS) and have completed the above study subjects, but only if they could not fulfil the obligations for justified reasons, which are determined in the Statute of the University of Maribor, and if it is expected that they will fulfil the obligations. Conditions for transition to the 3rd year: Students advance to the 3rd year if they have passed all 1st year exams (60 ECTS) and acquired at least 45 ECTS credit points with passed 2nd year exams and have passed the exams in the following study subjects: - Vector analysis (6 ECTS) - Differential analysis (3 ECTS) - Machine elements (8 ECTS) - Fluid Mechanics (5 ECTS) Students who do not meet all the obligations for advancement may, at their request, be approved by the Commission for Study Affairs of a University Member to enrol in the 3rd study year if they have passed all 1st year exams (60 ECTS) and fulfilled more than half of the 2nd year study obligations (more than 30 ECTS) and have completed the above study subjects, insofar as they were unable to fulfil the obligations for justified reasons set out in the Statute of the University of Maribor, and if they are expected to fulfil the obligations. Repetition of the study year: In case a student has not fulfilled all the obligations for transition to a higher study year, the Commission for Study Affairs of a University Member may, at his/her request, approve a repetition of the year if he/she has fulfilled at least half of the obligations of the enrolled study year (at least 30 ECTS). The Commission may also approve the repetition of the study year to a student who has completed less than half of the study obligations of the enrolled year (less than 30 ECTS), if justified reasons have arisen, as stipulated in the Statute of the University of Maribor.

The study programme is comprehensive and does not provide for the completion of individual parts of the programme.

Postgraduate study at 2nd-cycle master`s study programme of the Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering or Mechatronics at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of University of Maribor or similar study programmes at other higher-education institutions. The candidates can enrol into a postgraduate study of the 2nd cycle study programmes in accordance with the conditions of the institution that offers the postgraduate study programme.

A graduate of the 1st-cycle academic study programme of the Mechanical Engineering has excellent possibilities for employment in all branches of industry, which are related to mechanical engineering, as well as in other sectors. The wide range of employment possibilities are: in development and design centres for a range of products, machines and constructions, using advanced modern engineering tools; in centres for computational modelling and analysis of demanding physical behaviour of products during their development, production and exploitation; in organisations which are tasked with planning, development, production and control of devices and machines for energy production; in companies that plan, design, manufacture and control environmental-friendly energy sources; in companies that plan, design, manufacture and control processing machinery; in companies that plan, develop, design and manufacture modern production technologies; in companies that plan, develop, design, manufacture and control innovative automated and robotised production processes; in maintenance departments; in quality control departments and everywhere else, where the activities are related to a wider area of mechanical engineering. Graduates also has other competences, which enable them to take leading positions in all above listed employment environments, either as team leaders of small groups of engineers or technical managers of small, medium or even large companies. Graduates also have good employment possibilities as technical experts in various research centres, control boards, insurance companies, public sector etc. or even can setup their own companies.

Information on study programmes offered by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the UM is available on the website https://www.fs.um.si/studij/studijski-programi/

There are no other obligations.

Examination and assessment of students’ learning outcomes is carried out in accordance with the criteria and methods defined in the Rules on Examination and Assessment of Knowledge at the University of Maribor, available at https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Strani/studij-na-um.aspx. Criteria and methods of assessing the knowledge within an individual study subject are part of the SUBJECT-SPECIFICation and are publicly available on the website https://aips.um.si/PredmetiBP5/main.asp. For all subjects in all study programmes of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, knowledge assessment is regulated by a single "Assessment Scale" which is available at https://www.fs.um.si/studij/informacije-o-studiju/izpitni-sistem/. Methods of ongoing assessment and evaluation of knowledge are encouraged, thus enabling students to monitor their own progress in their studies.

Learning outcomes or competencies of graduates of the university study programme of the 1st level of Mechanical Engineering, which they acquire during the educational process, are appropriate to the content and level of the study programme. Major changes in the field of scientific and technological development and globalization, as well as the economic and social structure of the world, require changes in the education system, with the aim of educating and training professionals who will be able to operate successfully in new business conditions. We want to educate the character of the graduate with a new concept of interdisciplinary engineering knowledge. The programme is modern and up-to-date and means a complete modernization in accordance with European guidelines and the needs of the Slovenian economy. The programme educates modern European engineers who are able to get involved in working in the economy both at home and in the European Union. An important goal of the proposed study programme is certainly education for further study. The study programme enables and encourages students to further their studies in the postgraduate study programme, as it provides them with relevant basic and professional knowledge. The aim of the study programme is to develop the student's creativity and ability to flexibly connect and apply knowledge from different fields between and within the fields. Namely, the programme emphasizes the theoretical orientation as well as the complex connection with development trends, knowledge bases and new research concepts, which is a condition for the education of successful and efficient engineers. With its flexibility, the study programme enables the fulfilling of special wishes of students in choosing the field and specialization and enables them to easily master professional contents in the wider field of mechanical engineering on the basis of systematically selected and broadly based basic and other knowledge. The goal of the study programme is certainly to ensure a simpler and more successful transition of students with an emphasis on individual study, under the guidance of a mentor in senior years. The stated goals of the study programme represent the starting point for assessing the learning outcomes of students both within individual study subject contents and in the final diploma theses.

A graduate of the study programme MECHANICAL ENGINEERING is an expert with theoretical and methodological knowledge for solving specific problems in planning, managing, and performing demanding professional tasks in a wide field of mechanical engineering and in various jobs. During their studies, students are enabled to acquire quality knowledge, as well as skills and abilities in the field of mechanical engineering. Due to individual work with students, it is also possible to convey professional values and build a positive self-image which, in addition to knowledge, significantly contributes to the work performance of graduates. Graduates of the study programme master the procedures and processes in the field of mechanical engineering and are able to professionally design, plan, construct, manufacture, and maintain products, machines and plants, taking into account professional excellence, social utility, ethical responsibility, commitment to professional ethics and environmental integrity criteria of their own creations. The programme enables the graduate to acquire broad knowledge by connecting theoretical concepts with professional and applied ones and to develop the ability to transfer and apply theoretical knowledge in practice for creative solving of professional and work problems.

The main subject-specific competencies developed by the study programme MECHANICAL ENGINEERING are the following: • ability to design and construct mechanical elements, assemblies, devices, machines, and plants, • use and development of computer-aided design, • use and development of processes and tools for modelling, optimization and simulation of processes, machines, devices, manufacturing processes, products, and production plants, • ability to design and develop machines, devices and plants for energy, process, and environmental technology, • ability to design, develop and use modern production technologies, automation of production, and new production concepts, • ability to manage information, material and energy flows in the design, formation, construction, manufacture, installation, dismantling, and maintenance of products, • ability to manage existing production processes and technologies, analyse, assess and evaluate, and update them, • ability to organize and manage the production process, • ability to ensure the appropriate quality of products by performing appropriate measurements and quality control, • ability to provide measures for the smooth operation, maintenance, and environmental integrity of products throughout their lifetime, • ability of interdisciplinary understanding of activities in production systems, • ability to constantly develop skills and abilities in the application of knowledge in a certain professional field, • ability to use modern computer, information and communication technology and systems in the professional field, • knowledge and understanding of the history of mechanical engineering development and its disciplines.

The following candidates can enrol in the university level study program: a) who passed the general matura before leaving secondary school, b) who passed the professional matura of four year secondary school and one exam: mechanics, physics, mathematics, computer science, elektrotechnics, foreign language or art theory; choosen course should not be the cours which has been done within the professional matura, c) who finished any four year secondary school before the 1st of June, 1995.

If decision about limiting the number of student entries is accepted, than the candidates from points a) and c) will be selected considering : achieved average grade of study at 1st level study programmes. - general grade of general examination or final examination 60% points (ponder 0,6) - general grade in 3. and 4. year 40% points (ponder 0,4) Candidates from point b) will be selected considering: - general grade of professional leaving examination 40% points (ponder 0,4) - general grade in 3. and 4. year 40% points (ponder 0,4) - grade from the additional exam: 20% points (ponder 0,2)

Candidates enrol according to the Criteria for Transitions between Study Programmes: • in the second or higher year of the university study programme of the 1st level of Mechanical Engineering, when it comes to the termination of education after the first study programme in Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, Metalwork (0715) and Interdisciplinary Educational Activities/Outcomes, mainly Engineering, Production Technologies and Construction (0788), and continuing studies under this study programme of the same level. Transition is possible if the candidate meets the following conditions: • meets the conditions for enrolment in the first year of the university study programme of the 1st level of Mechanical Engineering, • transfers from the study programme, which at the end of the study ensures the acquisition of comparable competencies or learning outcomes, • upon transfer, at least half of the obligations under the European Credit Transfer System (hereinafter: ECTS) from the first study programme, which refer to the compulsory subjects of the second study programme, are recognized. Transitions between 1st level higher education study programmes. The transition from one study programme to another study programme is decided by the FS Commission for Study Affairs. In accordance with the Rules on the Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in the Study Programmes of the University of Maribor, the candidate must submit to the Faculty: • application for recognition of knowledge and skills at the University of Maribor, • certificate of completed study obligations (exams) with obtained grades and the number of credit points, • validated curricula according to which knowledge has been acquired, • proof of payment of the procedure. If at least so many ECTS credits are recognized in the process of recognition at the time of transfer that the conditions for enrolment in the higher year of the university study programme Mechanical Engineering are met, the candidates will be granted enrolment in the second or higher year of the study programme. They will be assigned the missing obligations they must complete if they want to graduate in the new study programme. The selection of candidates in case of limited enrolment will be based on the average grade of the study. The transition from post-secondary study programmes to the 1st level university study programme Mechanical Engineering is not possible.

Criteria for recognition of knowledge and skills are regulated by the Rules on Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in Study Programmes of the University of Maribor which regulate the procedures for identifying, verifying, and recognizing knowledge and criteria for recognizing knowledge and skills acquired by candidates through formal and non-formal learning prior to enrolment and while studying at the University of Maribor. The rules can be found at https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Strani/studij-na-um.aspx. The basic criterion for recognition is the comparability of knowledge acquired elsewhere with learning units, skills and competences. Examination, in terms of content and complexity, whether they fully or partially correspond to the general and/or subject-specific competencies determined by the study programme.

A student who completes all the obligations prescribed by the study programme and thus collects at least 180 ECTS credits completes his/her studies.