PhD Degree (3rd cycle) in Engineering & Automotive Industry

Postgraduate PhD study programme – 3rd cycle

Strokovni naziv

Doctor of Science

PhD or Dr abbreviated in front of name

Majors

The programme does not have majors, but a choice of 4 modules

Type and location of studies

Novo mesto – part time studies and distance learning (e-learning)

Content

• technologies,
• materials,
• designing,
• automobilism,
• environment management,
• information technology and communication,
• commercial law and property,
• logistics,
• marketing, production, technology and development,
• business communication and relationships,
• quality and business excellence,
• appliance maintenance,
• work safety.  

Enrolment requirements

The doctoral study programme Engineering and Automotive Industry can be entered by someone

• who has completed a second cycle study programme or equivalent previous education.

In case of limited admission to Year 1, candidates will be selected according to their achievements in previous studies, testing of knowledge in an elective written exam and possible achievements in the scientific and professional field, considering the following proportions:

• grade point average: 20%,
• diploma or master’s thesis grade: 10%
• achievement in the elective written exam: 70%. (The content of the elective written exam is defined according to the intended field of doctoral education.) The candidate can replace up to 60% of the share that refers to the elective written exam with the assessment of the current scientific and professional work in the field of the study programme.)

Enrolment to a higher year in the doctoral study programme Engineering and Automotive Industry is possible if

• the candidate for enrolment meets the conditions for enrolment to Year 1 of the third cycle doctoral study programme Engineering and Automotive Industry PhD):
  • someone who has completed a second cycle study programme or equivalent previous education,

• the candidate for enrolment is transferring from a study programme, which upon completion of studies, ensures the acquisition of comparable competences or learning outcomes,
• the candidate for enrolment in the transition is recognized at least half of the ECTS obligations from the first study programme, which relate to the compulsory courses of the third cycle doctoral study programme Engineering and Automotive Industry (PhD),
• the candidate for enrolment in the recognition process at the time of transition will be recognized at least as many ECTS credits as to meet the conditions for enrolment to a higher year of the third cycle doctoral study programme Engineering and Automotive Industry (PhD):
  • for enrolment to Year 2: 50 ECTS
  • for enrolment to Year 3: all study obligations in organized forms of study from Years 1 and 2 and the approved topic of the doctoral dissertation.

According to the transfer criteria the candidate for enrolment is required to fulfil the missing obligations if he wants to obtain a doctorate in the new study programme.

The conditions for enrolment are also met by a candidate who has completed a comparable study programme abroad and is granted the right to continue education in a third cycle study programme in accordance with the applicable legislation on the evaluation and recognition of education.

Transfer Criteria

Transfer among study programmes is the enrolment to

• Year 2 or a higher year of a higher education study programme, when it comes to termination of education according to the first study programme and continuation of studies according to another study programme of the same level, or enrolment of a higher education graduate to a new study programme at the same level;
• enrolment of a higher vocational college graduate to Year 2 of a first cycle higher education study programme.    

Transfers are possible among study programmes

• which upon completion of studies ensure the acquisition of comparable competences or learning outcomes and
• among which, according to the criteria for recognition of knowledge and skills acquired prior to enrolment to the programme, at least half of the obligations under the European Credit Transfer System (hereinafter ECTS) from the first study programme may be recognized with relation to the compulsory FINI study programme courses.

Notwithstanding the other provisions of these criteria, the transition to study programmes at FINI Novo mesto is possible only if

• the student meets the conditions for enrolment to the FINI Novo mesto study programme and
• enrolment vacancies are available.

Curriculum

Year One

No.	Course	1st Semester			2nd Semester
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
1.	Seminar for dissertation proposal	60	30	10	–	–	–
2.	Required 1st Module Course	60	30	10	–	–	–
3.	Required 2nd Module Course	60	30	10	–	–	–
4.	Elective Course Module	–	–	–	60	30	10
5.	Elective Course	–	–	–	60	30	10
6.	Doctral Dissertation Proposal	–	–	–	30	–	10
Total		180	90	30	150	60	30

Year Two

No.	Course	3rd Semester			4th Semester
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
7.	Individual Research Work I I	75	–	30	–	–	–
8.	Individual Research Work II	–	–	–	75	–	30
Total		75	–	30	75	–	30

3. letnik

No.	Course	5th Semester			6th Semester
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
9.	Individual Research Work III	75	–	30	–	–	–
10.	Doctral Dissertation	–	–	–	90	–	30
Total		75	–	30	90	–	30

Elective Modules

No.	Course
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
	Elective MODULE I: Electromechanical Systems
1.	Nonlinear dynamics in engineering (REQ)	60	30	10	–	–	–
2.	Advanced mechatronic systems (REQ)	60	30	10	–	–	–
3.	Research methods in nonlinear dynamics*	–	–	–	60	30	10
4.	Servo-Hydraulic in Pneumatic Systems*	–	–	–	60	30	10

No.	Course
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
	Elective MODULE II: Intelligent Systems
1.	Artificial intelligence methods and tools	60	30	10	–	–	–
2.	Intelligent systems to manage – control devices and automobiles	60	30	10	–	–	–
3.	Selected Topics in Mathematicial Methods*	–	–	–	60	30	10
4.	Integrated intelligent sensors*	–	–	–	60	30	10

No.	Course
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
	Elective MODUL III: Automative Energy
1.	Automative Energy (REQ)	60	30	10	–	–	–
2.	Automative Energy Sensors (REQ)	60	30	10	–	–	–
3.	Design of Virtual Prototypes *	–	–	–	60	30	10
4.	Integrated Intelligent Sensors *	–	–	–	60	30	10

No.	Course
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
	Elective MODULE IV: Operations Management
1.	Selected Topics in Mathematicial	60	30	10	–	–	–
2.	Systems approach and structure of systems	60	30	10	–	–	–
3.	Operation research *	–	–	–	60	30	10
4.	Automative Development Processes *	–	–	–	60	30	10

Elective Courses

No.	Course
		L	LW	ECTS	L	LW	ECTS
1.	Queueing systems	–	–	–	60	30	10
2.	Modeling and simulation of discrete processes	–	–	–	60	30	10
3.	Design and Manegement of Supply Chains	–	–	–	60	30	10
4.	Editing Images	–	–	–	60	30	10
5.	Fatigue and facture of materials	–	–	–	60	30	10
6.	Heat treatment and surface engineering of metals	–	–	–	60	30	10
7.	Contact mechanics and tribology	–	–	–	60	30	10
8.	Maintenance and Technical Diagnostic	–	–	–	60	30	10
9.	Regulations of materials	–	–	–	60	30	10

Remark: * One or the Second Lecture.

General competences

Students of the higher education study programme Engineering and Vehicles will acquire the following general competences:

• ability of analysis and synthesis in problem-solving on technical field,
• ability of managing modern methods, procedures and processes,
• ability of critical judgement,
• ability to use theoretical knowledge in practice,
• ability to be independent at professional work,
• knowledge of social systems in business world,
• development of communication skills in domestic and international business with the use of Slovene and foreign languages,
• ability to work in teams and manage projects,
• ability to link and use knowledge from different fields,
• ability to observe business ethics,
• ability to implement constant business improvement,  
• knowledge of professional terminology,
• knowledge and use of information communication technology by using software, computer systems and electronic business,
• knowledge of safety at work and environment protection,
• knowledge of motivation and conflict-solving.

Subject-specific competences

Students of the higher education study programme Engineering and Vehicles will acquire the following subject-specific competences:

• ability to understand and use modern theories of production, technology and development,
• ability of mathematical understanding, particularly statistics, probability and technique, and their practical applications,
• ability of interdisciplinary linking of knowledge of different subjects,
• knowledge of technical characteristics of materials and products,
• knowledge and use of information communication technologies,
• knowledge and use of the methods of overall quality of products and services,
• knowledge of technical and business legislation,
• ability to manage work,
• ability to communicate with suppliers, customers, competition, etc.,
• ability to transfer knowledge to partners,
• ability to learn about company operation,
• knowledge of organisational structures and process organisation,
• knowledge of marketing as a basic business process,
• knowledge of work legislation,
• ability to develop and implement new technical procedures and processes
• ability to ensure compliance of products and processes with prescribed requirements
• knowledge of product maintenance methods, 
• knowledge of methods of following the sold product,
• knowledge of specificity of automobile industry development, 
• ability of diagnose and repair of production machines,
• knowledge and use of energy machines and appliances.

Terms of advancement

To be promoted from the 1st into the 2nd study year students have to achieve at least 45 credit points in the 1st study year. To advance into the 3rd year a student has to fulfil all requirements from the 1st year and have at least 45 credit points from the second year. If a student enters into the 2nd year after finishing vocational college study programme, accredited after 1st January 1994, he/she has to pass all prescribed bridge exams before entering into the 3rd year.

The faculty can allow the entry into higher study year even if a student did no fulfil all requirements in case of special circumstances: motherhood, longer illness, special family and social conditions, participation in significant cultural, sport and professional events.

A student who does not fulfil requirements to enter higher study year can repeat a year once or change a study programme due to unfulfilled requirements of a study programme. The third year cannot be repeated as students have graduation year to fulfil missing obligations.

According to the current legislation a student can extend a student status for maximum one year if:

• he/she does not enter into the next year due to justifiable reasons,
• he/she does not graduate within 12 months after the end of last term due to justifiable reasons,
• student gives birth in the course of study.

Student can graduate before it is defined in the study programme.

Conditions for completion of study

Conditions for completion of studyare finished all study requirements defined by the study programme collecting 180 credit points according to ECTS.

A student of the 2nd year of the study programme Engineering and Vehicles that has successfully finished vocational college study programme, accredited after 1st January 1994, has to pass all bridge exams and fulfil current study requirements of the 2nd and 3rd year collecting at least 120 credit points.

If a student enters into the 3rd year after finishing vocational college study programme, accredited before 1st January 1994, he/she has to pass all bridge exams and fulfil current study requirements of the 3rd year collecting at least 60 points.

A study is finished with preparation and oral defence of a diploma paper.