In the second semester when students come to Faculty of Social Sciences there are almost no organized courses, since our Master program Sociology : Management of Organizations, Human Resources and Knowledge lasts only two semesters (1 year). The second semester is therefore reserved for the preparation of Master thesis of our students.
Consequently, the study in MEST network at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana is conducted on individual basis. This means the students have individual discussions or group discussions (in case there are at least 3 students) with the professors. Besides that the students have to prepare written papers under their supervision and in most cases have oral exams. In some courses this papers are prepared in cooperation with companies and other institutions based on case studies.
The courses conducted in the winter term are only in Slovene language. Therefore, students can choose them, but have to have in mind, that they are based on individual work and consolations with professors in English. Also all obligations will be in English (exams, written seminary work, etc.).
The students can choose among next 5 courses :
1. Industrial Relations in Europe (Prof. Miroslav Stanojevič) (Winter term)
Objectives and competences :
The aim of the course is to examine the Europeanization processes taking place within industrial relations systems in the selected South Eastern European countries. Students are expected to develop an understanding of the emerging varieties of industrial relations systems in the region. The key competence is the ability to use a comparative approach in the analysis of the employment relations systems and in the corresponding policy formation. Students will understand peculiarities of the systems in the region. The acquired knowledge will facilitate their work and orientation in this specific environment (especially the HRM experts are referred to in this context).
Contents of the course :
In the introduction, we present the key features of the industrial relations as a scientific discipline, and some basic features of different types of employment relations in Europe (including description of institutional regulations at the EU level). The course is focused on the main features and the recent developments of the selected representatives of the Mediterranean pattern (Italy), the Rhine model (Germany and Sweden) and the neo-liberal pattern (Great Britain). Special focus is put on the changes within the German and Italian system. Due to geographical closeness and connections these systems are important and influential for Slovenia and some other selected South Eastern European countries. W. Streeck’s book Re-Forming Capitalism will be the key reading. The author of this book systematically analyses incremental institutional changes within five ’sectors’ : collective bargaining, intermediary organizations, social policy, public finance and corporative governance. The aim is to use a comparative approach in order to identify the general trends of liberalization of the post-war regulative mechanisms and to try to grasp common features of the changes within the contemporary capitalism. Using this perspective, development of the industrial relations systems in selected South Eastern European countries will be presented in the second part of the course. Special attention will be given to the developments in Slovenia, Hungary and Serbia, to their historical legacies and to the later formation of the different transitional trajectories within the context of the regional as well as the wider integration processes.
2. Human Resources Management (Prof. Ivan Svetlik and Prof. Andrej Kohont)(Winter term)
Objectives and competences :
The purpose of this course is twofold : firstly, to familiarize students with the complexity of the human resources function, and secondly, to enable the strategic conceptualization and the strategic regulation of these functions on the basis of comparative analysis of staffing flows in both, the internal and external labor market, strategic thinking, professionalism, addressing the uncertainty, analytical skills, communication skills.
Contents of the course : The subject builds on the knowledge of basic concepts that are acquired in the Personnel Management Course. The human resource management problems are studied in depth at a higher level of complexity through addressing strategic dilemmas, strategies and staffing models. Taking this perspective, we address issues such as the position and role of human resource management strategies in organizations, the implementation of human resources tasks with the organisation’s own experts or with outsourcing ; the management of human resources and division of labor among experts, specialists and leaders ; the focus on internal or external labour markets ; regulation of relationships between the organization, management and employees ; forms and methods of communication with employees, of their influence and rewards, etc.. Methods of work : lectures with discussion, group work, team projects, focusing on selected organizations, and presentation of project results.
3. Economy and Society (sociology) (Management of Organizations, Human Resources and Knowledge) (Winter term)
Objectives and competences :
Contents of the course :
4. Gender, work and organizations (Prof. Aleksandra Kanjuo Mrčela and Prof. Tatjana Rakar)(Spring term)
Objectives and competences :
The aim of the course is to enable students to understand gender definition of organizational structures, cultures and processes in the field of work as well as concepts and theories that help to explain them. The course stimulates analytical thinking, communication skills, goal orientation and strategic thinking.
Contents of the course :
Social division of work and organizational life are designed in the context of socially defined female and male roles. Gender represents a key factor of social inclusion/exclusion in the labour markets, and of vertical and horizontal professional mobility. Analysis of the interplay of gender and work helps in understanding of differences in forms of work (paid and unpaid work), activities (masculinized/feminized) and spheres of life (private/public). The main topics : re-conceptualization of the concept of work, gendered organizational culture, sexuality, work and organizations, gendered division of paid and unpaid work, gender and organizational power, gender occupational segregation, gender pay gap, globalization of feminized work, feminized emotional and care work, reconciliation of work and life, trends in gendered division of work and employment in Slovenia, EU and world.
5. Education and Employment (Prof. Samo Pavlin and Prof. Branko Ilič) (Spring term)
Objectives and competences :
Students will deepen their knowledge about some key concepts concerning the changed role and significance of education and investment in human resources as regards employment and allocation to jobs. The focus is put on contents exposing the importance of structural contexts in valuing of educational outcomes and investment in education ; special emphasis is given to globalization processes and their outcomes. Relations to other subjects in the programme are taken into account. The emphasis is given to the development of competences for the analytical thinking and for the synthesis of knowledge with the knowledge obtained in other courses, and to the application of knowledge.
Contents of the course :
Economic and technological development, social changes and changes in educational and qualification requirements of work : the development of the post-industrial society as « knowledge society » and related changes in educational and qualification requirements of work (qualification upgrading hypothesis vs. requalification hypothesis, changes in the content of qualifications ; globalization processes and knowledge as a key factor of competitiveness (« new » workplace », the development of new basic skills vs. basic skills) ; Education and qualifications and outcomes produced in the labour market – the role of education in job matching processes : meritocracy vs. credentials in the matching processes ; general vs. vocational qualifications ; organization and institutional arrangement of the labour market and the role of education in the access to the labour market positions (labour market segmentation, industrial relations – open and closed positions, trade unions) ; Organization of the education systems and the position of educational outcomes in employment systems ; educational mismatch – overeducation ; education and training in EU and national employment policies. Changes in educational systems in Europe as a response to the changing needs of economy for education and qualifications – European and national level : shared responsibility for the development and investment in education and training between state, economy and individuals ; the development of competences and general/key qualifications ; improvement of access to education of underrepresented groups ; transparency of qualifications ; linking work and learning ; lifelong learning and EU and national strategies for its realization ; equity and equality in (adult) education. Some issues concerning investment of employers in education and qualifications of the employed : improvement of the workplace literacy ; identification and steering of training needs of the employed ; investment in general and job/organization specific skills ; motivation mechanisms to increase the investment in education and learning of employers and employees. Evaluation of effects of investment in education and learning at the individual, organizational and national levels.
All the courses have 6 ECTS. Together maximum of 30 ECTS.
More information is available at : http://www.fdv.uni-lj.si/en/study/s…
Number of places available every year : 5 students.
All matters concerning student exchange are coordinated by our international office. Their e-mail is int.office@fdv.uni-lj.si. In case you are interested in the programme content and conduction please contact coordinators of MEST network Prof. Miroslav Stanojevič (miroslav.stanojevic@fdv.uni-lj.si) and Andrej Kohont (andrej.kohont@fdv.uni-lj.si).
- All courses are conducted on individual basis as consultations between the student and the professors.
The description of the courses can be found on the following link : https://www.fdv.uni-lj.si/en/news-a…
In accordance with the experiences in previous years we would appreciate if the students interested in the enrolment would have high prior grades, so they can fulfill the academic standards of our institution.
Availability of other courses conducted in English at the faculty level for Erasmus students is published on https://www.fdv.uni-lj.si/en/study/exchange-programmes/registration-for-studies/availability-of-courses/postgraduate/1
Course programme in Ljubljana (indicative)
| Semester | Title | Teacher(s) | Language | Credits |
| First | Economic Sociology | Kanjuo-Mrčela | Slovene | 8 Credits |
| First | Legal aspects of work and social security | Rajgelj | Slovene | 8 Credits |
| First | Strategic Human Resources Management | Kohont | Slovene | 8 Credits |
| First | Knowledge Management | Pavlin | Slovene | 8 Credits |
| First | Industrial Relations in Europe | Stanojević, Bembič | Slovene | 8 Credits |
| First | Gender, Work and organizations | Kanjuo-Mrčela | English | 8 Credits |
| First | Corporate governance | Rus | English | 8 Credits |
| Second | Social Entrepreneurship | Rakar | Slovene | 8 Credits |
| Second | Labour Economics | Ilič | Slovene | 8 Credits |