University of Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty

The basic aim of the master study program Agronomy is to deepen knowledge and methods from the area of the natural foundations and technological procedures of crop production, inseparably linked with integral management of the agricultural space and environmental conservation.

Masters obtain in depth knowledge of natural sciences, which is the basis of modern technologies of agricultural production and environmental conservation, professional competences in the sphere of field and forage crops, and professional and methodological knowledge for managing the agricultural space and protection of the environment.

Masters of Agronomy can be employed on regional, national and international levels in public and private foundations and companies involved in agricultural production, the production and sale of agricultural products or with spatial planning and environmental questions connected with agriculture, with environmental protection, with research, education and advisory work in the sphere of agriculture and the environment, as well as in administration, politics and non-governmental organisations.

The master study programme Animal science is intended to deepen and broaden knowledge of experts in the animal science.

This is mainly knowledge required for efficient and sustainable balancing of production systems of breeding animals for the production of food and other benefits in their environmental, natural science and social science aspects. It is therefore planned in an interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary manner, which is essential for the profile of animal science professionals, who must be capable of understanding general natural science and scientific-research aspects, as well as the most demanding professional tasks.

The programme therefore has two basic aims: to develop specific knowledge and skills that will enable students to be employed in leading positions in animal breeding production and processing and other fields connected with agriculture, as well as in the sphere of education, to develop in depth basic knowledge required for continuing studies at doctoral level.

The aim of the Biology education master study programme is designed to educate a biologically and pedagogically highly qualified and motivated teacher of biology, who will meet the challenges of time in teaching biological content in high schools as well as in secondary technical and vocational schools, and in the higher years of elementary schools.

The study program provides education for basic employment opportunitiesin teaching jobs at schools, in the Centres for Curricular and Extracurricular Activities, in museums and in other similar establishments that require a high level of biological knowledge as well as pedagogical skills. The components of biological and pedagogical education enable graduates of the programme to take jobs in publishing companies (publishing textbooks, manuals, popular science magazines and other academic literature), as well as with other providers of teaching and learning material.

The main aim of the master study program Biotechnology is to satisfy the need for the most up-to-date technologies and knowledge for various fields of biotechnology.  The program offers two orientations: System biotechnology and General biotechnology.

Graduates will be able to continue their studies in doctoral programs and, because of their broad education, will have various employment possibilities in the fields of education, research and development (universities, institutes), in the field of marketing and service activities (large, medium and small biotechnology companies, commodity markets, economic interest associations, insurance companies etc.), in the public sector (EU administration, ministries, agencies, funds, chambers, control and certification organisations, consumer protection organisations etc.) and self-employment (independent businessperson, advisor, independent assessor).

The master program Economics of natural resources is intended to provide general and specific economic knowledge in the wide field of managing natural resources. Students are qualified for understanding the economic and legal-political aspects on the level of farms, companies, non-governmental groups and state administration.

The study is planned to be multidisciplinary, project based and builds new development profiles of graduates who will take key responsible positions in the bussines and state administration in the sphere of management of natural resources. Graduates have very wide employment opportunities in public services and in the business, in governmental and non-governmental sectors connected with the leadership, management, organisational and administrative work in the field of agriculture, forestry, food sciences, woodworking, environmental protection, European integrations and other fields.

The basic aim of the master study programme Food science is to communicate in-depth theoretical knowledge from basic natural science, food science and analysis of food, food safety, nutritional engineering and methods of development and research.

Graduates will be qualified for the most demanding and most responsible work in planning, organising, control and leading the production of food, for creating and developing new technological processes and new products, for work in control and analytical laboratories and inspection services and for research work.

Graduates will find positions in scientific and pedagogic institutions, in research and development laboratories and institutions, in large food processing plants, in small private enterprises, inspection services, advisory services, the pharmaceutical industry for the production of dietary foods, in the ecological production of food, project planning organisations and as managers in the most responsible positions in food companies.

The basic aim of the master study program Forestry and managing forest ecosystems is to provide students with integral knowledge about forests and to train them for management in accordance with three contemporary principles of forest management – co-natural, multi-purpose and sustainable.

This requires knowledge of forest ecosystems, social science aspects of forest management, technologies that can be used in dealing with forests and familiarity with contemporary methodological tools. Students deepen basic knowledge about forests and their management and, depending on their particular interests, also obtain wider knowledge from special or fringe fields of forestry and managing forest ecosystems.

A number of employment opportunities exist for graduates of the master study: in public forestry services, economic enterprises, education and science and, in the future, also in fields of independent enterprise (e.g., eco-tourism, private bureaus in the sphere of forestry consultancy, biological engineering, planning the sanation of ecological hotspots, managing high mountain regions).

Masters understand the specifics of horticultural plants in terms of growth and development, their composition and functional value and methods of cultivation, which enable a nature conservation approach and responsible exploitation of renewable resources.

The level two master study program Horticulture lasts two years and amounts to 120 credit points.

Masters of Horticulture can be employed in the area of research and development, in the area of marketing and service activities (marketing of fresh fruit and vegetables, organisation of production, commodities market, economic interest associations, insurance companies etc.), in the public sector (EU administration, ministries, agencies, funds, chambers, control and certification organisations, consumer protection organisations, etc.). in orchard-vineyard-nursery production (head of productiom, technologist), and the obtained knowledge will also qualify them for self-employment (freelance businessperson, advisor, independent assessor).

The master study programme Landscape architecture is a direct continuation of bachelor study and retains the characteristic interdisciplinarity of the profession, with a range of obtained knowledge from landscape or environmental planning to landscape design.

The main contents of the programme are focused around project seminars – i.e., studios, planning or design, which supplement with their content other compulsory and especially elective subjects. The obtained knowledge covers a selected environmental content and spatial development planning oriented subjects, in particular tourism and recreation, the countryside, green systems in the city and outside the city context and protected regions, renovation of historical parks and gardens.

A characteristic of planning subjects is dealing with real spatial problems. The work takes place in the field, with the cooperation of commissioning agents and the public.

The master study programme Microbiology is planned and designed in such a way that it enables continuation of bachelor study of natural and biotechnical science.

The study offers basic knowledge from genetics, molecular biology and the biochemistry of microorganisms and a range of applicative microbiological knowledge, which a student can deepen in the context of sanitary medical microbiology, microbial biotechnology and microbial ecology. The basic aims are to educate professionals with in-depth knowledge about the influence and functioning of micro-organisms in the environment, biotechnological production and people.

Within the framework of a master project, the students are confronted with independendent research work. Graduates have the possibility of continuing research in doctoral studies.

The master study programme Molecular and functional biology is designed to provide braod spectrum of biological knowledge with great aplicability in business sector.

Aquired competences in biochemistry, molecular genetics, immunology and physiology enable employment in various branches. Some special courses (Biomolecules in industry) are included in the programme because this knowledge is required in industry (biotechnology) and will play important role in near future. High portion of practical training in form of laboratory practical, seminars and in course of master thesis prepares graduates for autonomous and responsible work.

The basic aim of the master study programme Nutrition is to communicate in-depth theoretical knowledge from basic natural science subjects, from specific contents of nutritional science, contamination, toxicology, or food safety, nutritional planning, nutritional education, nutritional engineering, analysis of food, development, scientific communication and research.

The master study programme Wood science and technology has been created because of the ever greater demand for a developmental approach by companies, which is increasing the need for top professionals from the field of wood science and technology.

In-depth knowledge of the specific properties of wood and wood based materials, processing technologies and the organisational and economic characteristics of the operation of a company are crucial for the overall development of the branch and/or individual wood companies.

Students are trained independently to provide overall solutions to complex professional problems, especially by seeking new sources of knowledge, and to work interdisciplinarily and to use scientific methods. They are trained in the creative use of modern information technologies and the organisation and management of groups and/or companies.