Karstology (Third Level)

Description

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Karstology 3rd level programme comprises 3 years of doctoral study programme. It is meant for:

* students of natural sciences or related spheres (for example geography) who proved above-average results during the first and second level of study and who are oriented to scientific research work;

* management and other workers (pedagogical) with suitable high-school education and who wish to be acquainted with karst more in detail.

The programme is entirely carried out at Postojna at the Karst Research Institute, Scientific Research CentreSAZU (Ljubljana) which is one of the founders of the University in Nova Gorica. The experts, employed at the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, foreign professors and lecturers from other Slovene scientific and educational institutions take an active part in the study programme.

Educational and professional goals

The main objects of the Karstology programme are:

* · to give an opportunity on doctoral level of the most quality achievement of knowledge based on intellectual exchange among Slovene and foreign university teachers, researchers and students, active in the sphere of karstology.

· to save the achieved knowledge related to karst, in particular the one attained on the Slovene karst and correspondingly deepen it by help of our and foreign experts, adequate literature and field work on our and on karst abroad in order to overcome the knowledge of conventional disciplines by the interdisciplinary approach.

· to stimulate independent, critical, reflexive and creative analysis and synthesis both of karst phenomena and theories and hypotheses. Practical working experiences, work in laboratory and in the field will be the components of the education processes uniting different methods and approaches of modern project researches, from clear asking of crucial questions to inventive presentation and application of research results.

· to give students the opportunity to become acquainted with historical cognitions and leading theories, notions and concepts of karst. The students recognize the interrelated processes and karst features and phenomena as well as human impact on karst in its widest sense.

· to educate doctors of science who are capable to make a quick and reliable analysis and synthesis of acquired knowledge and to represent it adequately, both oral or written in a form of articulated, reasonable, analytical and synthetical, scientific, professional and popular publications.

· to educate doctors of science who should be capable to constructively use the acquired interdisciplinary knowledge related to karstology at their future work within or outside the research institutions and university centres both in Slovenia and abroad.

Contents

Courses
1. year

Compulsory courses / Hours / ECTS

* General Elective 540 / 18
* Introduction to karstology 190 / 6
* Methodology of research work 180 / 6
* Research work I 720 / 24
* Seminar I 180 / 6

General elective courses / Hours / ECTS

* Active tectonics and karst 180 / 6
* Age of karst processes 180 / 6
* Basic karst geology 180 / 6
* Basic karst hydrology 180 / 6
* Basic speleology 180 / 6
* Cave tourism 180 / 6
* Development challenges on karst 180 / 6
* Dinaric karst 180 / 6
* Geodiversity of karst areas 180 / 6
* History of karstology 180 / 6
* History of karstology and speleology 180 / 6
* History of speleology 180 / 6
* Karst and global carbon cycle 180 / 6
* Karst ecology 180 / 6
* Karst geology 180 / 6
* Karst geomorpology 180 / 6
* Karst in the world 180 / 6
* Karstification processes 180 / 6
* Karts hydrogeology 180 / 6
* Regional karstology 180 / 6
* Speleobiology 180 / 6
* Speleogenesis 180 / 6
* Tectonic structures and karstification 180 / 6
* Use and protection of karst caves 180 / 6
* Use and protection of karst surface 180 / 6
* Use and protection of karst water sources 90 / 6

2. year

Compulsory courses / Hours / ECTS

* General Elective 540 / 18
* Research work II 1080 / 36
* Seminar II 180 / 6

General elective courses / Hours / ECTS

* Active tectonics and karst 180 / 6
* Age of karst sediments in Slovenia 180 / 6
* Alpine karst 180 / 6
* Carbonate rocks 180 / 6
* Ecology of animals in karst acquatic ecotonic habitats 180 / 6
* Environment changes and human impact on karst 180 / 6
* Flowstone and its composition 180 / 6
* Geochemistry of karst 180 / 6
* Geodynamics of carbonate regions (from the sea to the mountains) 135 / 6
* History of karst theories (hydrology) 180 / 6
* History of karst theories (morphology) 180 / 6
* Karst and global carbon cycle 180 / 6
* Karst clastic sediments, mineral composition and origin 180 / 6
* Karst systems in glacial and periglacial environment 180 / 6
* Measurements in karstology 180 / 6
* Microbiology and geomicrobiology I 180 / 6
* Research methods and techniques in karst hydrologeology 180 / 6
* Research metods and techniques in karst hydrology 180 / 6
* Selected chapters from karst geomorphology 180 / 6
* Selected karstification 180 / 6
* Shallow subterranean habitats 180 / 6
* Speleology-selected topics 180 / 6
* Tracing of karst waters 180 / 6

3. year

Compulsory courses / Ure / ECTS

* Doctoral disertation 900 / 30
* Research work III 900 / 30

Requirements

To qualify for entry into the graduate program Karstology, applicants must satisfy the following admission requirements:

* have completed a 2nd cycle masters study preogramme;

* have completed at least a four-year academic undergraduate programme accredited with 240 ECTScredits;

* have completed a uniform five year masters study programme accredited with 300 ECTS credits;

* have completed a specialization after previously finished professional study programme, and had passed additional study obligations within 30 to 60 ECTS credit points;

* have completed an equivalent program abroad;

If the number of applicants exceeds the 15 available slots, they are selected based on previous academic achievement.

Funding

Scholarships
Republiki zavod za zaposlovanje (Slovenias Office for Employment) annually publishes tenders for professional and national scholarships.

Each academic year students can apply for the following scholarships:

Professional scholarships

Professional scholarships, normally offered by various companies. For the whole of Slovenia the tender for these scholarships is normally published in March in the special editions of the National Office for Employment. Candidates submit their applications directly to the companies offering the scholarships. We would recommend that candidates contact the human resources department of the company offering the scholarship they are interested in, and obtain detailed information on the application dates and documents required for application.
In the first part of the tender are professional scholarships offered by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the posts in public administration.

* Professional scholarships Slovene human resources development and Scholarship Fund

The national and ZOIS scholarships

Zois scholarships are state merit scholarships, first established in 1986. The basic guideline of the system was detection of gifted children and promotion of development of their careers so they would achieve the highest level of education and thus providing the society with the best human potential.

Foreign students that would be coming to Slovenia under a special bilateral/multilateral agreement or reciprocity exists between Slovenia and their country of origin in terms of scholarships could be eligible for Zois scholarship provided they meet all general and special conditions and placed high enough in ranking.

* ZOIS scholarships Slovene human resources development and Scholarship Fund

Scholarships offered by various foundations

Scholarships offered by various foundations, which are private or state institutions. The aim of the foundations is to financially support successful candidates, and the criteria for obtaining the scholarships vary from the social, regional to political ones. Some of the foundations include The Foundation of dr Anton Trstenjak, Foundation Ana, Slovene scientific foundation, Educational foundation of Pomurje region, Foundation Ajda at Peasants Society, Student development fund of the Faculty of Economics, etc. The tenders for scholarships are normally published in the newspapers and on the internet.

Slovene Human Resources Development and Schoolarship Fund

The Slovene Human Resources Development and Scholarship Fund conducts various scholarship programs for Slovenes and foreign students coming to Slovenia.


Calls for Application and past Calls for Applications:

* Fulbright Scholarships for the 2012 Year (141. JR)
* Scholarships for citizens of Egypt and Tunisia to study in the Republic of Slovenia (129. JR)
* Scholarships for nationals of Western Balkans to study in Republic of Slovenia (Call for applications No. 138)
* Scholarships for citizens of the Cape Verde Islands to study in the Republic of Slovenia (116. JR)
* Scholarships for doctorate studies of foreign citizens in Slovenia in the year 2011 (113. JR)
* Scholarship for postgraduate studies of citizens of the Republic of Kosovo in the Republic in Slovenia (Call No. 73)

EMMIR scholarship

* Further details on