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

Postgraduate PhD study programme – 3rd cycle

Professional title

Doctor of Science

PhD or Dr abbreviated in front of name

Type and location of studies

Novo mesto – part time studies

Content

• technologies,
• materials,
• engineering design,
• virtual prototyping (CFD, FEM) with HPC use,
• renewable energy sources,
• environment management with LCA analysis,
• heat and mass transfer,
• sensors, measuring instruments and experimental design,
• mathematical methods, artificial intelligence methods and tools,
• quality and business excellence,
• appliance maintenance.

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.

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

• The candidate for enrollment meets the requirements for admission to the first year of the doctoral study program.
• The candidate for enrollment is transferring from a study program that ensures the acquisition of comparable competencies or learning outcomes upon completion.
• 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 credits.
  • for enrolment to Year 3: All obligations in the organized forms of study from the 1st and 2nd years must be completed, and a cumulative total of at least 95 ECTS credits must be achieved.

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.

Lecturer

Course	Lecturer
Measuring Instruments and Experimental Design	Assist. Prof. Urban Močnik, Assist. Prof. Marko Matkovič
Computational Fluid Dynamics	prof. Simon Muhič, PhD, Assist. Prof. Urban Močnik
Computional Solid Mechanics	prof. dr. Simon Muhič, Assist. Prof. Marko Vrh
Advanced Control Systems	Assoc. Prof. Damir Vrančić, Assist. Prof. Miha Bobič
Engineering Design	Assist. Prof. Marko Vrh
Heat and Mass Transfer	prof. Simon Muhič, PhD, prof. Ante Čikić, PhD, prof. Mirko Komatina, PhD
Artificial Intelligence Methods and Tools	Assist. Prof. Martin Žnidaršič, Assist. Prof. Bernard Ženko
Intelligent Systems to Manage – Control Devices and Automobiles	Assist. Prof. Tomaž Savšek
Selected Topics in Mathematical Methods	prof. Janez Povh, PhD
Intelligent Sensors	Assoc. Prof. Damir Vrančić, Assist. Prof. Dejan Gradišar
Vehicle Sensors	Assoc. Prof. Damir Vrančić, Assist. Prof. Dejan Gradišar
Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering of Metals	Assist. Prof. Marica Prijanovič Tonkovič
Virtual Prototypes	prof. Simon Muhič, PhD, Assist. Prof. Marko Vrh
System Approach and Structure of Systems	Assist. Prof. Tomaž Savšek
Operations Research	prof. Janez Povh, PhD
Technologies of Additive Manufacturing	prof. Ognjan Lužanin, PhD
Renewable Energy Sources	prof. Simon Muhič, PhD, prof. dr. sc. Ante Čikić, Assist. Prof. Jelena Božič Topić
Design and Management of Supply Chains	Assist. Prof. Tomaž Savšek
Ecology and Environmental Protection	Assist. Prof. Jelena Topić Božič, prof. Simon Muhič, PhD
Fatigue and Fracture of Materials	Assist. Prof. Marica Prijanovič Tonkovič
Contact Mechanics and Tribology	prof. Bojan Podgornik, PhD
Corrosion Science and Surface Engineering	doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Indija, Hanuma Reddy Tiyyagura

Curriculum

Year One

Course	Semester	ECTS
Elective Course 1	1	10
Elective Course 2	1	10
Research Work 1	1	10
Elective Course 3	2	10
Research Work 2	2	15
Seminar 1	2	5

Year Two

Course	Semester	ECTS
Elective Course 4	1	10
Research Work 3	1	20
Research Work 4	2	25
Seminar 2	2	5

Year Three

Course	Semester	ECTS
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal	1	5
Research Work 5	1	25
Research Work 6	2	20
Doctoral Dissertation	2	10

Elective Courses

Course	ECTS
Measuring Instruments and Experimental Design	10
Computational Fluid Dynamics	10
Computional Solid Mechanics	10
Advanced Control Systems	10
Engineering Design	10
Heat and Mass Transfer	10
Artificial Intelligence Methods and Tools	10
Intelligent Systems to Manage – Control Devices and Automobiles	10
Selected Topics in Mathematical Methods	10
Intelligent Sensors	10
Vehicle Sensors	10
Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering of Metals	10
Virtual Prototypes	10
System Approach and Structure of Systems	10
Operations Research	10
Technologies of Additive Manufacturing	10
Renewable Energy Sources	10
Design and Management of Supply Chains	10
Ecology and Environmental Protection	10
Fatigue and Fracture of Materials	10
Contact Mechanics and Tribology	10
Corrosion Science and Surface Engineering	10

Competences

General competences

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

• Understanding the approach, concept, and methodology of scientific research,
• Understanding fundamental physical sciences, which, with appropriate technical implementation, lead to new knowledge and insights,
• The ability for scientific thinking, supported by appropriate methodological approaches in research,
• The ability to adopt an appropriate and critical attitude when evaluating the achievements of others and the results of one’s own work,
• The ability to develop ideas, hypotheses, and to generate and present results to the scientific research and professional community within one’s research environment, at professional meetings domestically and internationally, and through publications in scientific and professional literature,
• Awareness of the necessity of continuously monitoring the development of science worldwide, the importance of teamwork, interdisciplinary collaboration, and information exchange,
• The ability to develop new scientific research methods across a broader range of problems,
• The ability to design new procedures and technologies considering excellence and quality criteria, societal benefits, and environmental sustainability,
• The ability to transfer new knowledge to the economic environment as a basis for industrial advancement.

Subject-specific competences

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

• The ability to understand modern theories in the fields of technical, technological, and natural sciences,
• The ability to engage in developmental and research work in the areas of new technologies and products,
• The ability to create innovative solutions in the fields of energy and information systems in engineering and automotive industries,
• The ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines,
• The ability to design virtual products and systems,
• The ability to perform virtual evaluations of products and systems,
• The ability to develop diagnostics and advancements in the automation and robotization of technological processes,
• The ability to carry out developmental engineering in the industry,
• The ability to conduct developmental work in artificial intelligence and machine learning,
• The ability to plan and conduct experiments and select appropriate measurement methods for physical quantities,
• Proficiency in advisory roles or in transferring knowledge.

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 Studies

The conditions for completing the studies are as follows:

• Successful completion of all study obligations prescribed by the program.
• Publication or acceptance for publication of at least one scientific article related to the dissertation topic in internationally recognized journals indexed by SCI. The doctoral candidate must be the first author of at least one article.
• Preparation and successful defense of the doctoral dissertation.