Doctor of Sciences (PhD)

10 (SQF), 8 (EQF), third cycle

3 years, 180 ECTS

Admission to the first year of study shall be granted to the candidates who have completed:

a) a master’s (second cycle) study programme;

b) an undergraduate academic study programme, adopted before 11 June 2004 (pre-reform study programme);

c) a specialisation study programme after having graduated from a study programme adopted before 11 June 2004 (pre-reform study programme), provided that a candidate has completed all the study obligations relevant for further study prior to enrolment. Study obligations in the amount from 30 ECTS to 60 ECTS credit points are determined by the competent Faculty Commission, based on the individual application, taking into account the field of previous study. Additional examinations must be completed prior to entry into the programme or during the previous study;

d) a unified master’s study programme, if the study programme carried 300 ECTS credit points and lasted 5 years;

e) a comparable education abroad and have been, in the process of recognition of their qualification and in accordance with Assessment and Recognition of Education Act, legally granted the right to continue their studies in the study programme.

All candidates who enrol in the study programme are required to demonstrate the Slovene language skills at B1 level according to the Common European Reference Framework for Languages (CEFR) with a corresponding certificate.

In case of enrolment limitation,the candidates are selected according to:

• final thesis grade from the previous study cycle (40 %),
• average grade on all the previous exams (60 %).

Along with the application candidate shall also enclose:

1. short research proposal for the doctoral study and
2. basic personal data of the candidate.

The research proposal (7,000-15,000 characters with spaces, bibliography is not part of the sum of characters) must be structured in sets and includes:

1) title page with the name and surname of the candidate, the proposed title of the research topic in the dissertation (if possible at this stage), and the name and surname and academic title of the most suitable mentor in doctoral studies (if possible at this stage),

2) indication and short description of the research topic (definition) (definition of the theoretical starting points of the research, definition of the research question (problem) and research objectives),

3) intended methods of work,

4) expected results and original contribution to science and

5) indication of basic literature and sources.

Basic information about the candidate must contain:

1) short curriculum vitae (up to 2,500 characters with spaces, possibly in indents and

2) bibliography of the candidate (if any).

Expert Commission reviews the candidate’s application. The Commission invites the candidate to an interview before enrolment, where the most suitable mentor for the intended field of research is determined. The interview is also an opportunity to reshape the research field in order to provide appropriate mentoring. If the candidate’s research plans are incompatible with the research contents of the Department of Slovene Studies of the Faculty, the candidate is advised not to enrol. It is necessary to obtain the consent of the expert Commission and the mentor prior to enrolment.

Number of Enrolment places

Enrolment in a higher year of study (according to the criteria for transferring between study programmes and conditions for accelerated advancement)

Transferring between study programmes is possible according to the Higher Education Act, Criteria for transferring between study programmes and other regulations of this field.

Transfer between study programmes is the enrolment in the higher year of the study programme, in case of leaving the studies in the first (initial) study programme and continuation of studies in another study programme of the same degree. The transition takes into account the comparability of the study programmes and the completed study obligations of the candidate in the initial study programme. The transition between study programmes is also enrolment of the graduate in the higher year study programme of the same degree.

Transfer is possible between study programmes:

• which on completion of studies ensure the acquisition of comparable competencies, and
• between which it is possible, under the recognition criteria, to recognise at least half of study requirements under the ECTS system from the first study programme relating to compulsory subjects of the second study programme.

Transferring between study programmes is granted to candidates, provided that the following conditions have been met:

• the candidate fulfils the requirements for admission to the study programme,
• the Senate of the Faculty or the competent Faculty Commission estimates that the candidate can be recognized for at least half of the ECTS points obligations from the previous study programme, which relate to the compulsory subjects of the study programme to which the candidate is transferring;
• the completion of the initial study programme which the candidate is transferring from ensures the acquisition of comparable competencies as those envisaged by the study programme.

Enrolment is also open to candidates of a comparable study programme abroad who have been, in the process of recognition of their previous studies (in accordance with Assessment and Recognition of Education Act), legally granted the right to continue their studies in the study programme.

Applications for transferring between study programmes are considered by the relevant Commission. In accordance with the Criteria for transferring between study programmes, the Commission takes into account the comparability between study programmes and study obligations the candidate has completed in the previous study programme that can be recognized in this study programme. The candidate may also be required to complete differential exams as defined by the relevant Faculty Commission.

In case of enrolment limitation, the candidates are selected according to average grade obtained during the study programme they are transferring from. Candidates can apply for recognition of passed examinations during previous education based on the submission of the subject curriculum. The Senate of the Faculty or the competent Faculty Commission makes the decision on the recognition of examinations on the proposal of the department.

Enrolment places

A special emphasis is placed on methodological and theoretical approaches in linguistics and literary studies, as each individually designed curriculum includes at least one (fundamental) methodological module. This encourages critical reflection and a deeper approach to the doctoral dissertation. The study thus allows for the individual development of various contemporary concepts in linguistics—from etymology to conversation analysis based on modern linguistic technologies—and literary studies. At the same time, the program does not exclude classical linguistic approaches to language as a system, as well as literary history and theory. In short, the PhD program in Slovenian studies offers a complex, comprehensive, and contrasting view of the Slovenian language and literature.

Upon completing the study obligations and the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate acquires the following general competencies:

• Ability to lead the most demanding scientific research projects
• Ability to evaluate and develop critical reflection
• Commitment to professional ethics
• Ability to work interdisciplinarily
• Ability for ethical reflection
• Independence in their research and professional work

After fulfilling the study obligations, the doctoral candidate also acquires subject-specific competencies:

• Ability to lead the most demanding scientific research projects across various professional fields of the Slovenian language, linguistics, and literature, as well as the ability to develop critical reflection
• Ability to develop individual linguistic and literary concepts
• Ability to present scientific findings in the form of publications and in international scientific periodicals as well as in professional works
• Ability for independent assessment of results and evaluation, as well as contribution to the development of science in specific areas of linguistics and literary studies.

The goal of the study is to shape doctoral candidates who acquire a scientifically in-depth understanding of Slovenian studies in the fields of language and literature, with a special emphasis on languages in contact, discourse studies, and the genre of literature, as well as languages and literatures in intercultural contexts.

Doctoral candidates will be able to work scientifically, research-wise, and pedagogically, and find employment in:

• Scientific and higher education institutions;
• Research institutions and institutes;
• As project leaders;
• In governmental, public, private, and non-governmental organizations;
• In the media and public relations agencies;
• In the business sector.