Biology | Elementary school » Biology Studies in Slovenia

Source: http://www.doksinet BIOLOGY STUDIES IN SLOVENIA 1.INTRODUCTION Biology studies in Slovenia are organized as undergraduate and graduate courses at the Universities of Ljubljana and Maribor. The Department of Biology at the University of Ljubljana offers three biology programs: • the undergraduate program in biology for researchers and high school biology professors, • a two-tiered, Biology-Chemistry or Biology-Home Economics program for elementary school teachers in cooperation with the Faculty of Chemistry and the Faculty of Pedagogics, • graduate M.Sc and PhD programs in biology The program for elementary school biology teachers is organized at the Pedagogic faculty of the Maribor University as well. In addition Biotechnical faculty organizes a special undergraduate program in Microbiology in which several departments of the faculty are involved (Biology, Food technology and Zootechnics) 2. ORGANIZATION Each year, 80 (numerus clausus) qualified students who have passed

the final examination at high schools, the Matura, may enter biology program, in addition 60 students enter a two-tiered Biology-Chemistry or Biology-Home Economics program and 15-20 students enter graduate studies. Microbiology accepts 50 students each year. No registration fee is required for undergraduate studies, a fee of about 400000 SIT (1 EU ≈ 200 SIT) is paid for graduate studies but only for those who are not employed within the university. At the Department of Biology altogether 414 students were enrolled in the undergraduate biology program and 33 students in the graduate program in the academic year of 1999/2000. 58 students completed their diploma in the same academic year. Biology studies at the Ljubljana University last for 8 semesters, and one additional semester is allowed to complete a diploma work. In the beginning of the 2nd year the program is divided into the pedagogical and the research and technology sections. In the latter, the student can narrow his/her

field of interest to one of the following moduls: Systematics-Ecology, Morphology-Physiology, or Molecular Biology. Both sections include basic, descriptive and functional courses. In the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year student adds electives in accordance with his selected modul. Courses include lectures, practicum, seminars, problem orientated learning, and in some courses field work. Depending on his/her direction, the student chooses diploma thesis that has to be approved by a faculty. The offical mentor is assigned to the student out of the faculty Source: http://www.doksinet members. Diploma approval must be registered before matriculation to the 4th year Narrower specialization is carried out in the postgraduate programs. Graduates of the research and technology section receive the Diploma in Biology. They may get employed as experts in Systematics and Ecology, Physiology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Morphology, Nature Conservation, and also in related interdisciplinary fields.

The pedagogical section particularly emphasizes practice teaching with all that it entails and the graduates receive a title Professor of biology. These graduates are usually employed as teachers of biology at various high schools. They are well versed in biology and also in basic pedagogics, psychology, didactics, and particularly in teaching methodologies in biology. The emphasis is on modern forms and methods of work, and means to include them into the classroom. Two-tiered studies of Biology-Chemistry and Biology-Home Economics last 8 semesters and confer the title of Professor of Biology and Chemistry or of Professor of Biology and Home Economics. Matriculation takes place at the Pedagogical Faculty. These teachers are qualifyed to teach biology in elementary school programs. 3. STUDIES IN BIOLOGY 3.1 Undergraduate studies The curriculum of biology at the University of Ljubljana includes basic, descriptive and functional courses. In the first year of studies (30 weeks) the

program is uniform consisting of eight basic courses with 60 ECTS credits. To enter the second year of studies students have to pass all the practical courses and the exams for all eight subjects. In the second year students opt for the pedagogical or the research and technology sections within one out of three different moduls may be choosen: systematicsecology, morphology-physiology or molecular biology. The courses consist of seven basic subjects, sections and moduls differ in the number of hours per week for a particular course. Students with orientation in pedagogical courses or systematics-ecology have an increased number of hours in plant and animal systematics and a reduced microbiology course. In the third and fourth years of studies electives are added in accordance with moduls or sections chosen. Each modul and section has three to four electives with total number of 200 hours. In the fourth year each student has to choose electives (maximum 4 of total 240 hours) in

accordance with his/her diploma and interests in addition to the main courses. Total number of required ECTS credits is 60 per each year of study plus additional 30 credits for diploma work. Source: http://www.doksinet 3.2 Graduate studies The M.Sc and PhD programs in biology start simultaneously, the student may obtain a Ph.Ddegree indirectly, after a MSc degree, or directly in the case of very successful graduate studies. An average grade of 8 or better (max 10) is required to enter the postgraduate program. At least by the end of the second year the mentor may suggest for a successful candidate to enter a doctoral study directly. Such a candidate must have passed all postgraduate exams and published in journals quoted in SCI and/or SSCI. In the first year students attend general courses and select their mentors, laboratories and research topic. General courses comprise 180 hours in total and include the following subjects: Introduction into scientific methods (20hrs) Research

ethics (20 hrs) Statistics (30hrs) Computer science (20hrs) Information in biology (10hrs) Physico-chemical methods in biology (48 hrs) Methods in biology and biotechnology (26hrs) Safety at work (6 hrs) In the second year students choose at least three subjects (180 hours ) in one of the four courses with orientations in • Systematics and ecology (Plant taxonomy, Systematic zoology, Ecology, Limnology, Environmental protection) • Structure and physiology (Anthropolgy, Functional morphology and embriology, Plant and animal physiology, Ethology) • Biochemistry and molecular biology (Biochemistry and immunology, Molecular genetics, Microbiology, Biotechnology) • Education in biology (Didactics in biology, Pedagogics, Psychology) In the first year of the studies the student must submit, in agreement with the mentor, the research proposal to the Senate of the Department of Biology. The Senate approves the project and endorses the mentor. The final approval of both thesis and

mentor is committed by the Faculty senate in the case of a M. Sc or by the University senate in the case of Ph.D A committee of three university professors, nominated by the Faculty senate evaluates the thesis and serve as a defense committee. Many postgraduate students have partly done their research in the laboratories abroad based on the financial support from the Tempus, Socrates and Erasmus Individual Source: http://www.doksinet Mobility grants. Occasionally professors from foreign Universities are nominated as members of the committee for the evaluation of the thesis. 3.3 Professional education A biology student who has finished the undergraduate studies has several possibilities for his professional work: -elementary school teacher in chemistry and biology -high school teacher in biology and hygiene -applied and basic biological research in biomedical, environmental, agricultural, biotechnological and related branches Job opportunities for candidates who have finished

master’s and doctoral programs in biology are mainly in fields of science and education with orientation in ecology, health care, technology, economy, administration and university teaching. Department of Biology organizes regular summer courses for continuous education of high school teachers in biology as well as selected courses for elementary school teachers. 4. NEW NEEDS IN BIOLOGY Comparing biology studies at the Department of Biology with biology studies in the European Union and Eastern European countries, a conclusion could be drawn that biology curricula are very similar. In Slovenia, there is a need to update biology studies by reducing the number and extent of basic subjects and to introduce the possibility to choose between a diversity of electives also from other faculties. This would enable the interdisciplinary approach in biology studies. What we need is a step forward by introducing possibilities for student exchange at the undergraduate level which was very

negligible in the past years. This is what we expect from the Socrates programs. Up to now all the student exchange was based mainly on the informal relations between the researchers of different laboratories and on students efforts to get access to summer biology courses through IAESTE. In general , our postgraduate students are very successful in foreign laboratories due to their knowledge of foreign languages and a broad educational experience from the undergraduate studies. The second aspect of the students exchange is the need to invite students from other universities to study and work in our laboratories. The main problem of course is the language, but we make efforts to introduce international courses at different levels of education. We have already succeeded to introduce international classes in the high schools with orientation in life sciences and in postgraduate studies of environmental protection. A very important step towards the mutual recognition of qualifications and

degrees in biology is introduction of a credit system (a variant of ECTS) which we already started to implement. Source: http://www.doksinet We also strongly support the creation of an European Ph.D in Biology which would enable the flow of teaching staff and the exchange of knowledge and experience within the European universities. 5. NEW UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM OF BIOLOGY Current program of undergraduate biology is rather extensive. To much emphasis are made for some courses, mainly in systematics. This is partialy because of historical reasons and also a reflection of current financing system in higher education in Slovenia. Therefore considerable efforts were made to create a new undergraduate program of biology that will not only include positive trends in biology education present in todays Europe but also retain some positive experiences from the current program. We believe that the proposed program with more uniform, but les extensive curricula on one side and larger number of

elective courses on the other, will make the program more attractive and interesting to the students. However, the implementation of the new program mainly depends on the profound and somewhat complex changes in financing system of higher education. Therefore, we should not expect that the new concept will come to life sooner than in three to five years. Source: http://www.doksinet Current curriculum of the undergraduate Biology course at the Department of Biology, University of Ljubljana LEGEND: s. = seminars L = lectures (hours) P = prakticum (hours) FW = field work (days) 1. year General Zoology general Botany Human Anatomy Geology/Paleontology Physics Inorganic Chemistry Organic Chemistry Mathematics Elective course: Latin for Biologists Fall semester L P 45 45 45 45 30 45 45 30 30 45 15 15 - Spring semester L P 45 45 30 45 30 30 45 30 45 15s. 30 15 - - hours FW 1 2 - total 185 175 60 60 75 90 105 90 840 - 15 ECTS credits 14 12 5 4 6 6 7 6 60 Source:

http://www.doksinet PEDAGOGICAL SECTION AND SYSTEMATICS-ECOLOGY MODUL Fall Spring hours 2. year semester semester L P L P FW total Fundamentals of 45 45 90 Microbiology Biochemistry 75 75 150 Statistics 60 30 90 Systematic Invertebrate 60 45 30 60 6 225 Zoology Plant Systematics 45 45 45 45 6 210 Human Biology 60 30 90 855 MORPHOLOGY-PHYSIOLOGY MODUL Fall 2. year semester L P Fundamentals of 45 45 Microbiology Biochemistry 75 75 Statistics Fundamentals of 60 45 Systematic Zoology Fundamentals of Plant 30 30 Systematics Human Biology Biophysics 30 - MOLECULAR BIOLOGY MODUL Fall 2. year semester L P Microbiology 45 45 Biochemistry 75 75 Statistics Fundamentals of 45 45 Systematic Zoology Fundamentals of Plant 30 30 Systematics Bioanorganic Chemistry Biophysics 30 - Spring semester L P hours FW total ECTS credits 7 11 6 15 14 7 60 ECTS credits - - - 90 7 60 30 - 150 90 11 6 30 45 4 200 13 30 30 5 145 10 60 30 30 15 - 90 75 840 7 6 60 hours ECTS credits

Spring semester L P 45 30 60 30 FW - total 165 150 90 12 11 6 30 30 3 165 12 30 30 5 145 10 30 15 - 45 3 30 15 - 75 835 6 60 Source: http://www.doksinet PEDAGOGICAL SECTION 3. year Cell Biology Fundamentals of Molecular Genetics Fundamentals of Animal Physiology Fundamentals of Plant Physiology Principles of Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Chordate Systematic Zoology Psychology Methodics of Biology I Pedagogical praxis Physical Education Fall semester P V 30 30 Spring semester P V - 30 - 30 60 90 30 hours ECTS credits TP - total 60 90 - 150 11 30 - - 180 12 30 30 30 - 120 8 30 30 15 30 - 105 8 15 45 - - - 60 5 45 - - 30 30 30 - 4 4 3 - 30 - 30 - 75 60 35 60 845 5 60 RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY SECTION SISTEMATICS-ECOLOGY MODUL Fall 3. year semester L P Fundamentals of 30 Molecular Genetics Fundamentals of 60 90 Animal Physiology Plant Physiology 45 45 Principles of Comparative Vertebrate 30 30 Anatomy Chordate

Systematic 15 45 Zoology Selected Topics in 30 Microbial Ecology Marine Ecology Biogeography 45 Physical Education 30 Spring semester L P hours FW total ECTS credits 30 90 - 150 11 30 - - 180 12 45 45 - 180 12 15 30 - 105 8 - - - 60 5 - - - 30 3 30 - 30 30 1 - 60 50 60 815 5 4 60 Source: http://www.doksinet MORPHOLOGY-PHYSIOLOGY MODUL Fall 3. year semester L P Cell biology 30 30 Fundamentals of 30 Molecular Genetics Animal Physiology 60 120 Plant Physiology 45 45 Symbiosis and Parasitism Comparative Vertebrate 45 45 Anatomy portna vzgoja 30 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY MODUL Fall 3. year semester L P Cell Biology 30 30 Molecular Genetics 30 Fundamentals of 60 90 Animal Physiology Fundamentals of Plant 30 30 Physiology Embriology of 30 15 Vertebrates Microbial Ecology 45 15 Industrial Microbiology 30 15 Toxinology and Toxicology Physical Education 30 Spring semester L P - hours FW - total 60 ECTS credits 5 30 90 - 150 11 45 45 45 - 225 180

17 12 15 30 3 60 4 30 30 - 150 11 - 30 - 60 825 60 Spring semester L P 60 135 hours FW - total 60 225 ECTS credits 5 17 30 - - 180 12 30 30 - 120 8 30 15 - 90 7 - - - 60 45 4 3 45 15 - 60 4 - 30 - 60 840 60 Source: http://www.doksinet PEDAGOGICAL SECTION 4. year Evolution and theoretical Biology Animal Ecology Plant Ecology Ethology Human Physiology Methodics of Biology II Pedagogics Pedagogical Praxis Physical Education Fall semester L P Spring semester L P 45 - 15 30 30 60 30 30 35 - 30 30 45 30 30 30 45 15 30 - hours ECTS credits FW total - - 60 4 30 30 30 15 45 30 4 4 15h - 140 140 90 60 150 60 35 60 735 10 10 6 4 8 4 3 49 h = praxis According to his/her diploma student chooses electives that give him/her a total of 11 ECTS credits. Diploma: 30 ECTS credits Source: http://www.doksinet RESEARCH-TECHNOLOGY SECTION SYSTEMATICS-ECOLOGY MODUL Fall 4. year semester L P Evolution and 45 Theoretical Biology Animal

Ecology 30 30 Plant Ecology 30 30 Ecosystems 45 30 Limnology 45 Ethology 60 Physical education 30 Spring semester L P hours FW total ECTS credits 15 - - 60 4 30 30 45 45 - 30 30 30 30 30 4 4 5 4 - 140 140 175 110 90 60 715 10 10 11 7 6 48 According to his/her diploma student chooses electives that give him/her a total of 12 ECTS credits. Diploma: 30 ECTS credits Source: http://www.doksinet MORPHOLOGY-PHYSIOLOGY MODUL Fall 4. year semester L P Evolution and 45 Theoretical Biology Animal Ecology 30 30 Plant Ecology 30 30 Ethology 60 Genetics of Eukaryonts Insect Biology 15 15 Fundamentals of 30 15 Immunology Neurobiology Physical Education 30 Spring semester L P hours FW total ECTS credits 15 - - 60 4 30 30 30 - 30 30 45 - 4 4 - 140 140 105 30 30 10 10 7 3 3 - - - 45 3 45 - 15 30 - 60 60 610 4 44 According to his/her diploma student chooses electives that give him/her a total of 16 ECTS credits. Diploma: 30 ECTS credits Source:

http://www.doksinet MOLECULAR BIOLOGY MODUL Fall 4. year semester L P Evolution and 45 Theoretical Biology Principles of Animal 45 45 ecology Principles of Plant ecology Neuroethology 60 Genetics of Eukaryonts Microbial Pathogens 45 30 Membrane Biology Selected topics in molecular genetics Plant Biochemistry Physical Education 30 Spring semester L P hours FW total ECTS credits 15 - - 60 4 - - 2 100 8 45 45 2 100 8 30 30 30s. - 60 30 75 60 5 3 5 4 45 45s. - 90 6 30 - 15s. 30 - 45 60 620 3 46 According to his/her diploma student chooses electives that give him/her a total of 14 ECTS credits. Diploma: 30 ECTS credits Source: http://www.doksinet Electives Membrane Biology Insect Biology Marine Ecology • Human Physiology * Genetics of Eukaryonts Immunology * Interactions among Organisms Molecular Evolution Principles of Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Principles of Pharmacology Fundamentals of Limnology Principles of Plant and Animal Biotechnology

Population Genetics Plant Biochemistry Symbiosis and Parasitism Speleobiology Toxinology and Toxicology Environmental Conservation and Natural Resources * • • * * * recommended recommended recommended recommended Fall semester L P 15 15 45 30 30 - Spring semester L P 30 30s. 30 30 45 15 30 - hours FW - total 60 30 60 60 30 75 30 ECTS credits 4 3 5 4 3 5 3 45 - - - - 45 3 30 - 30 - - 60 4 30 - - - - 30 3 - - 30 30 - 60 4 - - 15 15 - 30 3 30 - - 30 15 30 3 30 30 60 3 3 4 - - 30 - 1 35 3 - - 45 15s. - 60 4 - - 45 15 - 60 4 for pedagogical section for systematics- ecology modul for morphology - physiology modul for molecular biology modul