Univerza na Primorskem Fakulteta za matematiko, naravoslovje in informacijske tehnologije
Presentation of the study
The international joint doctoral study programme Computer Science is delivered at the University of St Andrews, School of Computer Science (United Kingdom) and at the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies of the University of Primorska.
The programme offers students the opportunity for international research, requiring them to spend at least one year at each institution. As computer science is considered one of the most innovative research fields—while also supporting and transforming other disciplines—the programme promotes interdisciplinarity and educates new generations of leading researchers who will contribute to scientific and technological advancement. Students have access to supervisors and researchers at both institutions, as well as to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment for research across various subfields of computer science and interdisciplinary areas. Through the programme, students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become highly qualified researchers in their chosen field.
Programme information
Programme name: Computer Science
Partner univerities: UP FAMNIT and University of St Andrews, School of Computer Science, UK
Type of programme: Doctoral, 3rd Bologna cycle, international joint
Degree awarded: “doktor znanosti / doktorica znanosti” // Doctor of Philosophy
Duration: 4 years (8 semesters)
ECTS-credits: 240
Mode of study: full-time
Language of instruction: English
Place of study: Koper, St Andrews
Accreditation: the programme is accredited in accordance with the Higher Education Act and is officialy recognised.
Admission to the 1st year shall be granted to applicants having:
- a Master’s degree (second cycle); or
- a degree from a study programme with 300 ECTS-credits; or
- a degree from a pre-Bologna reform undergraduate study programme.
In the previous study the candidate must achieve a minimum average grade 8.
Each candidate must have a chosen mentor prior to the enrolment (he/she must obtain a written agreement where the mentor agrees with the mentoring of the student) and an indicative work programme.
The Faculty highly recommends prior education in the fields of Computer Science, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering for a better performance during the study process.
In case of enrolment restrictions in the 1st year, candidates will be chosen on the basis of:
- performance demonstrated in their second-cycle studies (average grade, Master’s thesis grade) – 30 %,
- academic excellence – 70 %.
Priority will be given to candidates already possessing prior education in the following fields: Computer Science, Computer and Mathematical Science, Mathematics, and Electrical Engineering.
“Transfer between study programmes” refers to a situation in which a student enrolled in a particular study programme does not complete it (i.e. discontinues education in the enrolled programme) and directly enrols into a higher year of a new study programme, whereby both the previous and the new programme must belong to the same Bologna cycle (level). When considering the possibility of transferring to a new study programme, the comparability of the programmes and the student’s completed study requirements in the previous programme are taken into account.
Admission to the 2nd year of the doctoral study programme in Computer Science under the transfer criteria is possible if the following conditions are met:
- the candidate meets the admission requirements for the doctoral study programme in Computer Science,
- the completion of the initial study programme which the candidate is transferring from ensures the acquisition of comparable competences to those of the doctoral study programme in Computer Science, and
- other criteria in accordance with the Criteria for Transfers between Study Programmes are met (comparable curriculum of the study programme and completed study requirements of the candidate).
A student may also enrol in the 2nd year of the doctoral study programme Mathematical Sciences in accordance with transfer criteria if they have completed a related master’s study programme adopted before 11 June 2004 (Master of Science degree).
Individual applications for transfer shall be considered by the Committee for Study and Student Affairs of UP FAMNIT. Apart from comparability between both fields of study, the committee shall also consider the comparability between the study programmes, in accordance with the Criteria for Transferring between Study Programmes. The Committee may also assign bridging exams to the candidate.
A candidate transferring from a related study programme abroad may also be admitted under the transfer criteria, provided that, in accordance with the law, they have been granted the right to continue their studies in the doctoral study programme in Computer Science through the recognition procedure of foreign education.
In the case of limited enrolment, applicants shall be selected on the basis of the average grade obtained during the study programme they are transferring from (30 %) and academic excellence (70 %).
A student may progress to the 2nd year if they obtain at least 42 ECTS credits from the 1st-year study obligations or, exceptionally, at least 31 ECTS credits upon the supervisor’s recommendation. In addition, the student must successfully pass the evaluation of completed study and research work from the 1st year, conducted by a committee of at least three lecturers from both universities.
To progress to the 3rd year, a student must obtain at least 42 ECTS credits from the 2nd-year obligations, complete the individual research work in the 2nd year, submit the topic of the doctoral dissertation, and complete all 1st-year obligations (60 ECTS). The student must again successfully pass the evaluation of completed study and research work from the 2nd year.
To progress to the 4th year, a student must have an approved doctoral dissertation topic, complete all 1st- and 2nd-year obligations (120 ECTS), and complete the individual research work in the 3rd year. The student must also successfully pass the evaluation of completed study and research work from the 3rd year.
In exceptional cases, a student may enrol in a higher year even if not all requirements for progression have been completed, provided there are justified reasons (such as illness or other extraordinary circumstances). The decision is made by the competent committee at both partner institutions.
Students who demonstrate above-average academic performance may be allowed to progress more quickly. Such decisions are made by the Senate of UP FAMNIT and the University of St Andrews based on the student’s request and a substantiated opinion of the competent committee. The decision also determines the method of accelerated progression.
A student who has not completed all the requirements for enrolment in a higher year may, in accordance with the Higher Education Act, apply to repeat the year once during their studies.
During the 1st and 2nd year, students complete a total of two external elective courses amounting to 10 ECTS. These courses are designed to develop scientific research skills, such as communication in science, writing scientific texts, presenting scientific achievements to academic, professional, and general audiences, as well as understanding methodological principles for designing, analysing, and planning experiments.
More information on elective courses is available in the document “Curriculum” (see above).
General competencies
- The ability to carry out research work independently and creatively.
- The ability to acquire, select, understand, evaluate, interpret, relate and apply new knowledge to his/her work.
- The ability to clearly define goals in assigned tasks.
- The ability to use existing, modern and developing new research methods, procedures, approaches and theoretical grounds.
- The ability to lead research and other projects.
- The ability to adapt and present his/her research work to different target groups.
- The ability to communicate in the international environment.
- The ability to work in the wider community.
- The ability to look critically at what is happening in the wider social context.
Subject-specific competencies
- The ability to argue professionally, knowledge and understanding of computer science as a discipline, including its sub-disciplines.
- The ability to integrate computer science skills with various other fields and incorporate them into concrete solutions.
- The ability to interpret new findings and critically evaluate both own and others research results, claims and opinions in the field of computer science.
- The ability to apply theories, methods and procedures of mathematics and computer science.
- The ability to analyze, synthesize and anticipate solutions to area-related factors and their consequences.
- The ability to solve concrete, demanding and complex research problems in the field of computer science, design and implementation of original scientific solutions.
- The ability to put new technologies and knowledge into practice.
- The ability to place the field of computer science in a broader social context.
- The ability to present scientific results in the computer science and society in global scale.
The international joint PhD programme covers the theoretical and practical applications of research in the field that involves a multitude of areas and sub-disciplines, including computer architecture, computer theory and scientific computing, programming languages, cryptography, and human-computer interaction. Computer Science is one of the fastest growing economic branches and provides graduates with countless employment opportunities. Whatever the sub-discipline graduates usually follow a career in research either in academia or public and private research and development laboratories and company divisions.