Completion of Master's studies

Procedure for Master’s studies completion

Step I.: Topic application

• Apply for the topic of the master's thesis (announced topics for each academic year).
• After the topic has been approved, start writing the final thesis under the guidance of your mentor (Rules on the final thesis in first and second cycle study programs).
• If the final thesis is not written in the Slovene language, the student must submit a request for writting the final thesis in English language via the Web Office (MY FDV – FORMS – REQUESTS) – please see Article 24 in the Rules on the final thesis in first and second cycle study programs: “The final thesis is written in the Slovene language. Exceptionally, the candidate may write the final thesis in the English language if there is a valid reason for this (for example, a foreign mentor or co-mentor, a foreign student). The student must submit a request for the final thesis in English language via the online system. The vice dean decides on such requests. If the final work is not written in the Slovene language, in addition to all the elements of the structure referred to in Article 22, it must include a longer summary in the Slovene language in the range of 500 - 1000 words and should, as a rule, describe all essential parts of the final thesis: the research problem, the question or the hypothesis, task objectives, methodology and structure, and key findings. This summary must be bound together with the text of the final thesis (before the list of literature and sources). In final thesis written in English, the title on the cover and the inner page of the thesis should be written in English and Slovenian.”

Step II.: Writting

• For writing, you can use the Word template, which is prepared in accordance with the Guidelines for writing and editing professional and scientific works at FDV.
• The final work must be technically formatted in accordance with the Guidelines for writing and editing professional and scientific works at FDV.

Step III.:  Technical review and submission

• Before uploading the final thesis to the Web Office, you must attend a technical review. You can already do this during the time of writing the thesis. Apply for the technical review by sending an e-mail to tehnicnipregledi@fdv.uni-lj.si.
• Final thesis can be uploaded to the Web Office only after you have passed all of the exams, received yout mentor’s submission consent and completed the technical review.
• We recommend that all students proofread their final thesis in order to avoid prolonging the process of completing their studies.
• Procedure for submitting the final paper to the Web Office: save the final thesis in the PDF/A format (please find the instructions here), then upload it to your Web Office: MY FDV – WEB OFFICE button – OTHER button – FORMS button – SUBMISSION OF FINAL THESIS button.
• When submitting your thesis, you must electronically submit the authorship statement (as prescribed by the University of Ljubljana) on a special form, which is then stored in the student information system.
• The uploaded thesis is submitted through the program for checking the content similarity and is reviewed in accordance with the Rules on content similarity detection of the electronic form of the written final work of studies and on provisions regarding temporary inaccessibility of the cintent of the written final work of studies.
• You will be informed about the adequacy of the final thesis in your Web Office (within 10 working days).
• At the same time, fill in the Master's thesis submission form  and send it to your mentor to fill in (either in person or by e-mail). The form must be manually signed by the mentor, who thus confirms the final title of the thesis and proposes the members of the evaluation committee as well as possible dates of defence. The Student Affairs Office provides the signature of the Vice Dean for Student Affairs (required on the submission form).

Step IV.:  The defence of final thesis

• After receiving your completed Master Thesis Submission Form and all three binded copies, the Student Affairs Office starts coordinating the appointment for the defense of the final thesis. You will be informed about the date, time and place of the defense via the Web Office.  The announcement of the defence will also be published on the faculty's website.
• Defence protokol: The defence begins with the conclusion that the student has completed all obligations prescribed in the study program. The conclusion is given by the chairman of the committee, while the members of the committee, the student and the audience stand. The mentor then presents the report on final thesis. The student has the right to present his work within 10 minutes. The student can use various audio-visual gadgets. During the presentation, the student can respond to the comments of the members of the committee. Then the members of the committee have the opportunity to ask questions, and afterwards, with the approval of the president, the audience can also ask questions. Questions should be asked in such a way that the student can answer them within 20 minutes on first cycle programs or 30 minutes on second cycle programs. Before answering the questions, the student has the right to prepare for 10 minutes.
• After successful defending your final thesis, you will receive a Temporary Certificate of Graduation at the Student Affairs Office, which is valid until the official issuance of the diploma.

Contact for additional information: Petra Miklavčič