University of Ljubljana Faculty of Social Sciences

Postgraduate programme Cultural Studies is conceived as an upgrade of 1^st level study programme Cultural Studies, which is implemented as a single study programme with different substantive emphases. On the 2^nd level of study these emphases are defined and channeled in two elective modules (elective module Studies in Culture and elective module Studies in Religion).

The programme relies on the development of the discipline in the area of culture, as well as in the area of religious studies:

The discipline Cultural Studies has witnessed a great popularization of the research of contemporary, popular culture in recent years (the so-called British tradition is represented under the name of Cultural Studies), and parallel to it also the appearance of new theoretical frameworks, perspectives and concepts, which implies the Department of Cultural Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, at least on the second level of studies, urgently needs a specialized study module, which (at least in theory) recognizes and follows – in its contents – these changes and transformations. 

The introduction of new, second level Cultural Studies programme is not needed only to stay in touch with the described changes, but also because it provides home students with a chance for a simpler and autonomous, sovereign transition into different international student exchange forms and flows.

Programme is conducted in Slovene.

The Master's study program Defence and Security Studies educates and trains students for professional analytical and practical work in the field of security and defence within the national security system, international security organizations and in other areas where the defence and security aspect is important. At the same time, the program provides students with knowledge of new defence content and enables them to gain new insights and understandings on various military, defence and security topics.

The program enables the acquisition of various competencies - from general, such as analytical, methodological objectivity, communication, conflict resolution, foreign language skills, to specific, such as the ability to understand, analyse, present and solve problems related to armed conflict, terrorism, natural and other disasters, cyber threats, systemic irregularities, etc. We offer students the opportunity to participate in an international study exchange programme (we particularly recommend a three-month exchange programme in preparation for a master's thesis) where, in addition to gaining knowledge, they make new acquaintances and gain a sense of situating their profession in a broader field.

The program is enriched by the results of research conducted by the Defence Research Center, which conducts national and international research in the areas of crisis management, defence restructuring and conversion, military staffing models, the gap between civilian and military environment, modern leadership in the armed forces, peacekeeping operations, and more.

Upon completion of the program, master's graduates will be able to successfully apply their knowledge and skills to employment in the military, public administration, diplomacy, mass media, and large-scale economic and infrastructure systems, or to conduct research, analysis, and pedagogical work in research and educational institutions in the field of national and international security.

The study programme provides students with a conceptual overview of the actors, structures and processes in the EU. Elective courses further provide an opportunity for in-depth study of specific European issues, policy-making and policies. The graduates are experts in internal economic, legal and political environment of the EU as well as the EU’s global role.

Graduates of this programme are known for high intercultural communication skills (speaking at least two foreign languages), general knowledge and skills of social scientific research as well as a conceptual and methodological approaches needed to analyse the European political and economic integration. Visiting experts and practitioners within project and seminar work motivate students for applied research.

The programme assures strong qualifications for independent professional and analytical work in the field of European Affairs. Graduates of the European Studies master’s programme are employed in the EU institutions and other (European) international organisations, in the national governments, especially Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Ministries of European Affairs, Ministries for Economic and Social Development, Energy, Environment and Agriculture. Job opportunities are also offered at the regional level (municipalities and cities), in non-governmental organizations, the media, and increasingly also in business sector inside and outside EU.

 

By the end of the programme students will become competent experts of international relations, capable of pursuing an academic or a practitioner career.

They will develop a critical understanding of the contemporary international community in its developmental and structural dimensions, of the functioning of international institutions, and the ability of independent and analytical thinking about various contemporary and relevant issues as they appear at different levels of governance in the international community.

Independent and informed thinking, the ability to engage in and provide analyses of issues and trends in the international community. After graduation, students will be able to boast many other relevant skills: such as their improved fluency in world languages, understanding of decision-making processes, as well as leadership, organisational skills, and communication skills.

 

The proposed programme fulfils the expectations of students, graduates of journalism on the first level of study, as well as of many journalists who wish to integrate their experience from practice with deepened theoretical knowledge.

The development of the discipline of journalism in Slovenia, as well as the endeavours for professionalization of journalism and other (changed) mediatic and social circumstances dictated and led to the introduction of this study programme.

Postgraduate programme envisages the shift of students' focus to the selected priority medium/media and orientation. Students will be interested in acquiring in-depth and critical, even independent knowledge for the research of media and their function in society, understanding the influence of journalistic texts, their abuse, power and the lack of it, as well as the limits of their profession.

In-depth study of selected contents will upgrade the basic undergraduate knowledge of critical self-reflection, while enabling graduates from other disciplines to substitute knowledge deficit from basic journalism related courses with elective contents.

Programme is conducted in Slovene.

Programme has strategic-managerial orientation with emphasis on marketing communication management. As such the programme aims to educate marketing communication managers in marketing agencies, profit and non-profit companies and other organizations and media.

The programme intends to provide complex knowledge of project management, department management and organization management in the field of advertising, integrated marketing communication and marketing management. Programme is of applicative nature and aims to fill in the knowledge gaps evident in Slovenian economy, non-economic sector, as well as in governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Programme is conducted in Slovene.

Postgraduate Programme of Media and communication studies provides in-depth theoretical knowledge of individuals for research and analytical work, related to social communication at interpersonal and institutional level and with mass media, thus enabling students to apply this knowledge in the framework of research practicum.

The module Popular Culture and Media, responds to the need for the merging of theoretical knowledge and practical work in the media. The holders of Master degree in Communication science, who will complete the requirements for the module Media Studies and popular Culture are qualified for work and operation in media and other cultural institutions.

In the framework of Communication and Society module, the holders of Master degree in Communication Science will obtain qualifications for analytical research of opinionated process and public opinion, for the planning of communication activities, political communication, mass media, interpersonal communication and group dynamics for educational institutions, advisory institutions, social services and internal communication in organizations, formal and informal institutions.

 

The Master's study program Political Science - Comparative Public Policies and Administration offers answers to many questions, such as: How are decisions made about resolving the migrant crisis? How can political parties agree on a given problem but not on its solution? What power do stakeholders, lobbies, trade unions, environmental and other NGOs have in shaping state decisions? Who can determine measures to reduce queues in healthcare? How are decisions made about resolving the migrant crisis?

By participating in the study programme, students acquire competencies that enable them to contribute to solving such public policy problems. The study programme offers an insight into the work of political actors and policy-making processes at different levels of decision-making such as: local, national and European, as well as in an internationally comparative perspective. The programme curriculum is characterized by a large proportion of elective courses, allowing students to design their program according to their own wishes and needs and to enrich their studies with relevant knowledge of other social sciences.

After completing their studies, master’s degree graduates can be employed in political and state institutions at the national level as well as in the local or international environment, in public administration and various services in the wider public sector, as well as in the economy, non-governmental sector, media or academia and research circles.
 

Although the programme is specialised in political theories, it also offers courses in various areas of specialisation in political science: e.g., contemporary political philosophy, political communication, political economy, and comparative politics.

The programme prepares students for further academic or professional careers by introducing them to cutting-edge scholarships across the field and, especially, by paying attention to the students’ individual research foci (individual curriculum), needed for their academic and professional progress.

Students will gain advanced knowledge of social science research methodology, understand information society, data science and project management applicable on design, implementation and evaluation of new ICTs.

While the ability of overcoming the traditional gap between social sciences and computer sciences is one of the most valuable job skills in the digital market, other competences, such as the ability to conduct independent research on an advanced level, to successfully manage a project from start to finish, to be able to use the “R” computer program for statistical and other purposes, and to know how to conceptualize and evaluate a web service, are also of equal importance. Numerous visiting lecturers from various companies and foreign universities help bring students’ competencies closer to the needs of labour market.

Graduates of Social Informatics are highly employable and start to establish links with potential employers already during the study through project-based courses, which strive for cooperation with the private sector. The most common careers in the social informatics sphere are project leader and analyst/consultant in the fields of web service and analytics, telecommunications, statistics and data science, marketing research and advertising, academic sector, research management, business and internet startups.

 

The program places special emphasis on the critical reflection of society and on long-term social changes in Western, late modern societies, on globalisation processes, and on their local social effects.

This program contributes to the development of the profession in several ways: a) by presenting and developing contemporary findings in the field of theoretical sociology and social science methodology, b) by developing new and the most propulsive sociological topics in the world (identity politics, gender roles, sustainable development, etc.), c) by focusing on research into special social groups and the core institutions of everyday life (families, youth, women, old people, the poor, the marginalised, etc.), d) by focusing on applicability, and on sectoral and cross-sectoral policies for resolving social problems and environmental and spatial dilemmas.

The research conducted under the 2nd level Sociology program is connected with a number of research centres at the Faculty of Social Sciences, the most important ones being the Centre for Social Psychology, the Centre for Welfare Studies and the Centre for Spatial Sociology.

Programme is conducted in Slovene.

The programme is designed to develop the following competences: strategic orientation, expertise, focus on people, communication, creativity and initiative, team work, result orientation, analytical skills and organising abilities.

Graduates of this programme have enhanced career opportunities available in both the public and private sectors, and across a range of industries within those sectors. They can be involved in such activities as: strategic human resource management, management consultancy, administration, industrial relations, knowledge management, recruitment, occupational health and safety, training and development, and organisational improvement.