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Introduction to the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Environmental Protection

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Environmental Protection is a four-year program that encompasses 240 ECTS credits, following the Bologna scheme as a third-cycle program. This program is evaluated according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), enabling the integration of parts of the program into international exchange with universities that use the ECTS system, making it comparable to similar programs at foreign universities.

Basic Information

• The program is interdisciplinary, combining scientific fields from thirteen faculties of the University of Ljubljana.
• It is designed for doctoral candidates from natural sciences, technical, biotechnical, social sciences, humanities, and medical fields who will need knowledge from multiple areas for their dissertation.
• The program is organized and implemented by several faculties of the University of Ljubljana, including the Biotechnical Faculty, Economic Faculty, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Philosophy, Medical Faculty, Natural Sciences and Engineering Faculty, Law Faculty, and Veterinary Faculty.

Call for Enrollment and Financing

• The call for enrollment in the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Environmental Protection for the academic year 2025/2026 is open from August 21, 2025, to August 31, 2025.
• Candidates must submit their application and attachments through the eV portal by August 31, 2025.
• Required attachments include:
  • Diploma or certificate of completed study (for programs completed before June 11, 2004, a certificate of university education is also required).
  • Supplement to the diploma or certificate of average grade and diploma thesis evaluation.
  • Statements from the mentor and co-mentor.
  • Conceptual design of the doctoral dissertation.
• Additional attachments may include achievements and awards, a copy of the personal document (for non-EU citizens), and documentation for students with special needs or status.

Curriculum

• The study program consists of an organized part of the study in the amount of 60 ECTS credits, and the remaining 180 ECTS credits are intended for individual research work for the doctoral dissertation.
• The candidate, together with the mentor and co-mentor, chooses subjects from the range of basic and elective subjects. Besides the obligatory methodological subject, they choose two basic subjects and two elective subjects according to the research area of the doctoral dissertation.
• The choice of subjects can also be made from the curricula of other similar programs of domestic and foreign universities that have programs evaluated according to the ECTS system or other systems that allow comparison of evaluation.

Subjects and Schedules

• The structure of the program's implementation by years is designed so that there is a greater emphasis on organized forms of study in the first year and the beginning of the second year, and later the emphasis is on research work and preparation of the doctoral dissertation.
• In the first year, the doctoral student chooses, in addition to the obligatory subject Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Work, 20 ECTS from basic subjects and 10 ECTS from elective subjects. 20 ECTS are intended for individual research work.
• In the second year, the doctoral student chooses another elective subject in the amount of 10 ECTS. 45 ECTS are intended for individual research work, and 5 ECTS are obtained with the successful presentation of the doctoral dissertation topic within the doctoral seminar and public defense.
• The third year is intended for individual research work for the preparation of the doctoral dissertation in the amount of 60 ECTS.
• In the fourth year, the doctoral student dedicates themselves to individual research work and the preparation of the doctoral dissertation in the amount of 55 ECTS, and 5 ECTS are obtained with the doctoral seminar with the presentation of research results before the defense and the public defense of the doctoral dissertation.

Conditions for Progression and Evaluation

• Conditions for progression from the first to the second year of doctoral studies are the completion of study obligations in the amount of at least 45 ECTS, of which at least 30 ECTS are from the obligatory methodological and basic subjects.
• To progress to the third year, candidates must have completed all study obligations of the organized forms of study from the first and second years. Another condition for enrollment in the third year is the successful completion of the doctoral seminar with the presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation and the positive assessment of the Committee for Monitoring the Doctoral Student regarding the appropriateness of the topic.
• To progress to the fourth year, students must have completed all obligations of the first three years and have a confirmed topic at the Senate of the UL.

Mentorship and Potential Mentors

• The candidate must choose a mentor and co-mentor before enrollment, with whom they will design the subject curriculum and determine the research program.
• The mentor or co-mentor in the preparation of the doctoral dissertation is a person who has the title of a higher education teacher (assistant, associate, full professor) or a research worker (research associate, senior research associate, and research advisor) and has proven research activity with an appropriate scientific bibliography in the field of the doctoral dissertation topic.

Program Council

• The Program Council consists of one representative from each of the member faculties implementing the program.
• The Program Council is headed by a president with deputies, elected by the council members from among themselves.
• The term of office of the president and members of the Program Council is four years.

Rules and Forms

• The doctoral study is regulated by the Rules on Doctoral Study, which define the method and organization of the implementation of the doctoral study program in the field of environmental protection.
• Forms for mentor and co-mentor statements, confirmation of completed obligations, and application for the exam are available.

Contact

• For information services and the student web office, students use their digital identity and access various information services of the university and the Arnes network.
• The student web office (IS/VIS) for the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Environmental Protection can be accessed using the UL digital identity.
• Students are required to check their university email regularly, as all notifications related to their study will be sent to this address.