Nautical Studies
2022/2023

Main objectives of the study programme

The main objective of the first-cycle professional degree study programme in Nautical Studies is to provide training and education to students to become highly qualified and interdisciplinary experts in maritime navigation, with special emphasis placed on the theoretical and practical competences for ship management or, in other words, maritime navigation in compliance with the standards of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), as amended, of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Graduates from this study programme will have the knowledge, skills, and competences set at the global and European levels for the acquisition of the certificate of Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on ships of 500 GT or more, or Chief Officer or Master on ships of more than 3000 GT. This study programme is principally designed for secondary school generations that would like to become highly qualified in the field of navigation while not being primarily interested in research and theoretical studies, typical of academic degree study programmes.

General competences acquired in the study programme of Nautical Studies

This study programme is characterised by its interdisciplinary nature. In addition to the core knowledge, skills, and competences in navigation, it is designed to develop knowledge in economics, international law, maritime administration, sociology, cultural studies, communication, maritime English, and methodology. Through this study programme, graduates will acquire the following general competences:

• To perform the duties of Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on ships of 500 GT or more (Third Officer and Second Officer) and Chief Officer or Master on ships of more than 3000 GT,
• To comply with the watchkeeping standards set by the STCW Convention (Section A-II of the STCW Code),
• To have the required analytical skills to perform professional tasks: to engage in autonomous analytical activities (in particular with reference to the development of new technologies), the synthesise discipline-specific knowledge and skills and use them to provide solutions to practical problems, to use synthesis and analysis to create findings and transfer these into real contexts,
• Methodology: to acquire methodological knowledge and learn to use research and analysis methodology, creativity, and self-initiative in the identification and analysis of key safety problems in ship navigation management,
• Strategic orientation: strategic thinking and planning, to be able to plan, evaluate and anticipate the development of the course of events, to provide solutions to key problems,
• Communication: to be able to communicate in spoken and written form in professional contexts, to participate in clear, active and fact-based discussions, and to use professional maritime and navigational Slovenian and English terminology,
• Conflict management: to be able to manage and mediate in conflicts, negotiate, support and produce negotiating points,
• Teamwork: to be willing to collaborate, consider others’ opinions, and comply with the role assigned within a team; to manage teams and develop competences for coordination, organisation, collaboration, counselling, and management; to be creative, able to respect, understand, and empathise with other cultures, to be able to establish personal contacts and manage formal and informal relationships, to collaborate and merge difference-based synergies into new quality elements, to develop emotional intelligence,
• Resilience to change: to be flexible in multicultural contexts and have an interdisciplinary orientation, to be able to collaborate with foreign partners and respect cultural pluralism,
• Professionalism: to be able to analyse and define sequences of events, manage tasks, and choose working methods that are in line with the standards of the discipline,
• Maritime information and communication technologies: to be able to complete complex procedures.

Discipline-specific competences acquired in the study programme of Nautical Studies belong to the field of maritime navigation. More specifically, these competences include:

• the development of fundamental knowledge in the natural sciences, and its implementation in professional and modular courses, and in providing solutions to problems inherent to maritime processes,
• the development of fundamental and applied knowledge in courses from maritime economics, the business of shipping companies, human resources management, etc., and its implementation in providing solutions to human resources management problems, management and communication skills, and understanding and respect for cultural pluralism,
• the development of fundamental and applied knowledge in courses from commercial, international maritime and administrative law, nautical law and insurance, and its implementation in providing solutions to problems related to transport contracts and other documentation in national and international maritime transport, to understand the business and legal contexts of organisations and participants in the maritime industry,
• the development of fundamental and applied knowledge in courses from maritime English, and its implementation in discussions and negotiations; to develop leadership and communication skills,
• the development of fundamental and applied knowledge in courses from terrestrial, satellite, and electronic navigation, ship theory, cargo handling, ship construction and equipment, seamanship, ship safety, navigation simulator training, managing and maintaining a navigational watch, communication equipment, etc., which underlie the following tasks: navigation, cargo stowage and cargo handling, navigation management, human resource management, maintaining a radio watch: at the operational and management level,
• the development of fundamental and applied knowledge in courses from seamanship, navigation simulator training, managing and maintaining a navigational watch, communication equipment, etc., which underlie the professional competence to conduct professional tasks related to the equipment required for safe navigation, safe radio communications, in emergencies, and pollution prevention procedures,
• the development of fundamental and applied knowledge in elective courses from maritime law, Ro-Ro and passenger ships, communication equipment, ARPA simulator, cargo handling, tactical navigation, and maritime heritage,
• the development of knowledge and skills through work placement in order to be able to effectively work in professional maritime contexts.