Nautical Studies
2023/2024

The Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport of the University of Ljubljana offers a first-cycle professional degree study programme in Nautical Studies.

Duration: 3 years (6 semesters)

ETCS: 180

The title conferred upon graduation is BSc in Nautical Studies (masculine form: diplomirani inženir navtike (VS); feminine form: diplomirana inženirka navtike (VS), abbreviated form: dipl. inž. nav. (VS))

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.

Elective courses and mobility opportunities

In the third year of study, students select four courses (with a total of 20 ECTS) from the inventory of elective courses of the winter semester. 

Elective courses and mobility opportunities

In the third year of study, students select four courses (with a total of 20 ECTS) from the inventory of elective courses of the winter semester. 

Enrolment in the first-cycle professional degree study programme of Nautical Studies is open to all candidates that have completed four-year secondary school studies with a general or vocational school-leaving exam (matura). 

Selection criteria for candidates (if restricted enrolment is applied):

• school-leaving exam average grade (vocational or general matura) - 60%
• secondary school average grade in the third and fourth years - 40%

The part-time study of the first-cycle professional degree study programme of Nautical Studies is organised at the seat of the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport in Portorož. 

Enrolment Application

Procedure and Criteria on the Recognition of Knowledge

Students may apply for the recognition of knowledge acquired at different educational institutions if this is in content and scope compliant with the content and objectives of the first-cycle study programmes at the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport. The body appointed for the implementation of the procedure to recognise the knowledge previously obtained is the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport. The recognition procedure starts on request by the candidate who submits an application, certificates and other documents that serve as evidence of the previously acquired knowledge and are compliant with the Rules on the Procedure and Criteria on the Recognition of the Knowledge and Skills Obtained through Informal Learning, accepted by the Senate of the University of Ljubljana at its 15th Session of 29 May 2007. If previously obtained knowledge can be recognised, it may be evaluated with the same number of ECTS awarded to the relevant course. 

The following criteria are applied by the Academic Affairs Committee in the recognition procedure before enrolment:

- eligibility for enrolment into different forms of education (required previous level of education),

- comparability of the scope of education (number of hours of previous education if compared against the number of hours of the relevant course),

- comparability of the content of previous education if compared against the relevant course. 

The previously acquired knowledge may be recognised as a completed study requirement if the enrolment criteria met include at least secondary school qualifications, if previous education covered a minimum of 75% of the relevant course, and if previous education covered at least 75% of the content of the relevant course. 

If these conditions are met, the previously acquired knowledge may be granted the number of ECTS awarded to the relevant course. 

A specific case for the recognition of knowledge and skills acquired before enrolment is the recognition of "Work Placement for Nautical Students", "Work Placement for Marine Engineering Students", and "Work Placement" for students of the first-cycle professional degree study programme of Nautical Studies if the student has been employed by an organisation from the maritime or transport industry or state administration in the transport-traffic-transport logistics sectors for at least one year. 

In this case, evidence of employment that indicates the duration of employment and main activities of the employing organisation needs to be submitted.  

Advancement into a higher year of study is open to students that have before the end of the current academic year completed all necessary requirements, as defined by the study programme. Advancement into the third or higher year of study is open to students that have completed all requirements, as defined by the study programme, of the year of study preceding the current enrolment year. 

Advancement into a higher year of study is open to all students that have earned the following number of ECTS:

- for advancement into the second year, at least 50 ECTS earned in first-year courses,

- for advancement into the third year, a minimum of 60 ECTS earned in first-year courses and a minimum of 50 ECTS in second-year courses. 

If approved by the Academic Affairs Committee, exceptional advancement into the higher year of study may be granted if in accordance with the justified reasons acknowledged by the Statute of the University of Ljubljana:

- advancement into the second year of study if a minimum of 40 ECTS from completing first-year courses has been earned,

- advancement into the third year of study if a minimum of 100 ECTS from completing first-year (60 ECTS) and second-year (40 ECTS) courses has been earned. 

Repetition of a year of study is open to students that have earned the following number of ECTS:

- for the repetition of the first year, a minimum of 20 ECTS,

- for the repetition of the second year, a minimum of 60 ECTS earned from completing first-year courses, and a minimum of 20 ECTS earned in second-year courses.

Transfers between study programmes are possible under the conditions set out in the valid rules for transfers between study programmes. The body competent for approving student applications for transfers between study programmes is the Senate of the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport based on a proposal made by the Academic Affairs Committee submitted in accordance with the provisions of the Statute of the University of Ljubljana. For each candidate, the Academic Affairs Committee defines the scope of the recognition of previously completed study requirements, additional study requirements, and the year of enrolment.

The Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport provides two modes of study: full-time and part-time.

Full-time study

Full-time study is offered for all first-cycle degree programmes.

Part-time study

Part-time study is offered for both second-cycle and all first-cycle degree programmes.

Part-time study is equivalent to full-time study in terms of its content and level of difficulty. A part-time student shall meet all study requirements set for full-time students. The part-time study of the first-cycle academic degree study programme of Transport Technology and Logistics is organised at the seat of the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport in Portorož. The part-time study of the first-cycle professional degree study programme of Transport Technology and Transport Logistics is organised at the seat of the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport in Portorož, and in Ljubljana. The part-time study of the first-cycle professional degree study programmes of Nautical Studies and of Marine Engineering is organised at the seat of the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport in Portorož.

If a study programme is selected by a low number of students, the educational process is organised in the form of consultative meetings: 1 hour if the number of enrolled students is 1 to 5, 4 hours if the number of enrolled students is 6 to 9. In this case, the autonomous study process of the students is based on the study materials made available by the lecturers, introductory sessions with the lecturer, and individual or group (in person, by phone, by email) consultative meetings with the lecturer. All consultative meetings are organised in the afternoons and on Saturdays, within the limitations of the available facilities and resources. 

In order to graduate from this study programme, the student must complete all study requirements (180 ECTS) set by all obligatory and elective courses and defend their degree thesis. 

The study requirements of each course are set in the course syllabuses.

QUALIFICATION TITLE

BSc in Nautical Studies

- masculine form: DIPLOMIRANI INŽENIR NAVTIKE (VS)

- feminine form: DIPLOMIRANA INŽENIRKA NAVTIKE (VS)

Additional information is available here.

In accordance with the Professional and Academic Titles Act, the title conferred upon graduation from the first-cycle professional degree study programme of Nautical Studies is BSc in Nautical Studies:

- masculine form: diplomirani inženir navtike (VS),

- feminine form: diplomirana inženirka navtike (VS), both abbreviated to dipl. inž. nav. (VS).