Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies

Type: undergraduate BA programme (1st level)
Scope: three (3) years
Title gained: B.A. in Social Sciences

The main goal of Applied Social Studies programme is to educate graduates from field of social sciences with wide interdisciplinary knowledge. With their broad knowledge graduates will be able to integrate into creative work process right after the 1st level. They will be able to work in economic enterprises, in public administration or in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or will be able to continue their studies at second and later on third level.

Graduates of the Applied Social Studies programme will not be educated only to perform expert but mostly routine work, but will have the competences to deal with more complex problems where simple solutions are not possible but rather more complex causal connections are to be found along with programmes for their solutions are to be developed.

Programme is structured the way it basis on four parts of modules:

Mandatory introduction courses from social sciences field; within these courses a student gains basic knowledge from social sciences field. The goal is to give a student competence for understanding and evaluation of complex social phenomena within interdisciplinary perspective.

Mandatory methodological courses; within these courses student gains theoretical basis and key methodological tools needed for independent research work when analysing social phenomena.
Selective courses; student selects courses within SASS of within other Slovenian or foreign universities. In this was a student himself/herself contributes towards its own intellectual and professional profile.

Elective module course; by choosing a module course a student decides for specific theme specialisation. By such specialisation every student focuses its professional profile.

Within Applied Social Studies programme students can chose between three different modules. Every module means an upgrade of basic knowledge from first two years of studies. Students can choose between the following modules:

Regional and European development

Regional development is one of the key aspects of European Union where a lot of founding is taking place in order to encourage sustainable regional development. Overview of international academic sphere proves that regional studies are developed research interdisciplinary field where different European countries offer undergraduate and postgraduate education from regional development field. By introducing the Regional and European development module the faculty wishes to fill the emptiness that exists in Slovenia in this aspect of social sciences.

Module Regional and European development gives a student the autonomy to independently analyse and work at the regional development field. Student is equipped for autonomous and independent analysis and work at the regional development and developmental planning field knowing key factors, European trends, directions and policies for encouragement of regional development. Student gets acquainted with regional theory with the purpose of understanding developmental processes and develops competences which are helpful with further cooperation with experts form different fields of knowledge. A special emphasis is on development of skills for identification, analysis and problem solving at developmental partnership agreements, regional development planning and shaping of developmental projects.

Economy and Society

Module Economy and Society mostly aims towards analysis of processes which occur within the organisations (micro level), economic processes and social and political environment where the companies operate (mezzo level) and economic system (macro level). Comparative analysis and recognition of processes mentioned in the world dependent on adjustability and initiative of economic and political actors is a basic condition of making the right on time responses to such impulses.

Economy and Society module trains the students to adopt a complex view on processes happening in organisation and widely; view which consider social consequences of processes in economic sphere and state sphere; enables the recognition of economical effects and political system functions.

Module is interdisciplinary and considers the knowledge of sociology, economy, political sciences, law, management theory, psychology and history. At the same time it upgrades their disciplinary limitations. At the end it brings to knowing the processes and measures connected with competition and excellence in economy sphere what enables the directions of such social processes.

Politics and Society

Politics and Society module was created to educate students for autonomous and critical analysis of political phenomenon and for independent work at different level of political life. This means the ability to shape and implementing policies at different social levels. The module promises theoretical knowledge on core of politics as social and cultural phenomenon and institutions which actors and processes which take part in contemporary political life.

The emphasis will be on democratic model of governance, typical for contemporary western societies and its specifics. Different levels of governance will be lectured, being national, local and supranational together with their interconnection with governmental and civil actors. Special attention will go to processes of shaping the European political space, policy making on European level and the role of Slovenian actors in this regard.

The module approach is interdisciplinary considering different aspect of disciplines like sociology, political sciences, cultural sciences, media studies, philosophy and history. Together with theoretical knowledge student gets practical and applicable knowledge for political problem solving and policy creation but also ability for inclusion in research work in fields mentioned before.