From the topic application to the defense of the graduate/master's thesis
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FROM SUBMITTING A TOPIC TO DEFENDING A BACHELOR'S/MASTER'S THESIS?
Content
1. APPLICATION FOR DIPLOMA/MASTER’S THESIS
- The topic of the diploma thesis can be submitted by a student who has passed all exams of the 1st and 2nd year of undergraduate studies.
- The topic of the master’s thesis can be submitted by the student when he enrolls in the 2nd year of study.
- The student registers the topic of the final work via the web office by selecting END OF STUDY / Theme application.
- During the application process, enter the required data and upload the completed (and signed) form OBR-FUDŠ-006 in PDF or WORD format.
Note: Only such a topic may be submitted, with which the mentor (and possible co-mentor) have already familiarized him/herself with and confirmed the appropriateness of its content has (we recommend that you step in contact via e-mail or other communication channels with a potential (co)mentor before submitting the theme application).
- If the (co)mentor is not a member of the School Assembly, the signature of the (co)mentor must be obtained on the form OBR-FUDŠ-006 before submitting the topic application via the web office (we recommend sending the form via e-mail, so that the (co)mentor can sign it).
- After submission of the form OBR-FUDŠ-006 via the web office, the (co)mentor is automatically informed about the submission and can electronically confirm the content appropriateness of the proposed topic and accept the (co)mentorship.
- The application is then considered by the Commission for Student and Academic Affairs.
Note: The Committee meets approximately once a month, on the 3rd Monday of each month.
- Afterwards, the student receives a notification on the approval of the topic by e-mail.
- An approved topic is valid for 2 years. If the student does not graduate within 2 years of the topic approval, he/she must submit the form Request for the topic extension. The topic can be extended for 1 year.
- Forms related to the final work are available to students in the web office (END OF STUDY / Instructions and forms), and the request for extension of the topic is available in Moodle under Study forms.
- On the website at the link, you can check the list of proposed topics for diploma/master theses for the current academic year.
- Student without a status or gapper, must contact the Student Office (referat@fuds.si) to arrange access to the web office and to provide them with other registration information.
WARNING: When submitting applications and forms, it is necessary to ensure that the documents are signed. You can sign the documents by hand or use a digital certificate.
We emphasize that signing the document is necessary and binding. Without a proper signature, your application or form will not be valid, which can lead to complications and delays in resolving your issues.
2. INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITING PROFESSIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC WORKS AT SASS
The completed work must be written and organized in accordance with:
Authorship Statement template:
3. SUBMISSION OF THE FINAL WORK FOR TECHNICAL REVIEW AND PLAGIARISM TEST
- After the (co)mentor’s approval that the final work is suitable for submission, the student must submit the final work in an electronic format that allows corrections to be entered (PDF-A) via the web office (End of study/Final work submission).
Note: Prior to uploading the final work through the web office, you are required to reach out to your (co)mentor, who must confirm the suitability of the thesis’ content electronically via the web office.
The final assignment must be saved in PDF/A format, which can be done with the following steps:
- Open the final assignment in Word format. In the “file” tab, select the “save as” button.
- In the “file name” field, enter the type of material (e.g. diploma thesis, master’s thesis, etc.) and add the name and surname of the student (example: diploma thesis_Ana Novak), and in the file type field, select the option “PDF (*.pdf)” .
- In the new pane, select the “Options…” button, and under “PDF Options” select “ISO 19005-1 Compliant (PDF/A)“. Confirm your selection by clicking the “OK” button and save by clicking the “Save” button.
- In the web office, the student fills in all the necessary information and, in addition to the final work, uploads the form Review and submission of diploma/master’s thesis OBR-FUDŠ-007.
IMPORTANT: The final work must be linguistically appropriate upon submission. The candidate must also attach a copy of the examiner’s diploma and a certificate confirming the proofreading of the assignment during the technical review process.
Only certificates from examiners with a degree in Slovene studies or a professor of the Slovene language will be considered valid.
- From the day the work is submitted and approved by the (co)mentor, the deadline of 14 days begins to run, when a technical review must be completed by the faculty’s librarian, who electronically confirms the technical suitability of the final work via the web office.
- If a re-review of the final work is necessary, the student submits (via the web office) a new version of the final work with the appropriate corrections given by the faculty’s librarian.
- A plagiarism test will also be taken at the same time. The student and (co)mentor will receive a plagiarism detector report by e-mail. In case of discovered similarities, the student must consult with his/her (co)mentor and not with the associates of the Student Office or the faculty’s librarian.
- In case the same thesis is again technically inappropriate, a fee of 70 EUR will be charged starting from the third review and for every subsequent review.
- The final work must be linguistically appropriate at the time of its final submission (proofreader’s certificate is not required).
Note: Student without status or gapper, must contact the Student Office (referat@fuds.si) to reactivate his access to the web office and to get other registration information.
4. SUBMISSION OF THE FINAL WORK
- The submission process is completed when the student receives a confirmation from the faculty’s librarian via the web office that the final work is technically adequate.
- The final work is considered by the Commission for Studemd and Academic Affairs, which appoints the defense committee.
Note: The Committee meets approximately once a month, on the 3rd Monday of each month. CSAA will consider the assignment at the next scheduled session, if the final submission of the final work is done up to 3 working days before the scheduled session. If it is submitted or confirmed at a later period, CSAA will consider the final work at its next scheduled meeting.
- Within 14 days of receiving the student’s final work, the members of the defense commission must determine the suitability of the submitted work for the thesis defense. In case of any doubts regarding the suitability of the final work for the thesis defense, they inform the Student Office and note their findings on the Review and submission of the final work, which is forwarded to the mentor and the student.
- If the members of the committee assess the final work as appropriate, they set the date of the thesis defense.
5. THESIS DEFENCE AND CERTIFICATE OF GRADUATION
- The Student Office shall send an invitation to the members of the thesis defense committee and the candidate at least 7 days before the thesis defense.
- The invitation will include the date, time and place of the public thesis defense.
- At the same time, the student submits a signed consent for the storage of contact data.
The student shall submit one bound printed copy of the thesis to the Student Office within 14 days after the successful defense. At the same time, the student also submits the final version of the thesis on a CD/USB in pdf format.
After receiving a bound copy of the thesis, the Student Office issues a certificate on the successfully completed defense of the diploma or master’s thesis to the student, which serves as proof until the award of the diploma or master’s degree (which usually takes place once a year, namely in June).
The Student Office then submits the final thesis in both formats to the SASS library.
6. PAYMENT FOR THE FINAL WORK AND THE THESIS DEFENSE
For students without a student status (gappers) in the current academic year, the final thesis and defense are subject to fees as outlined in the current price list.
The final thesis and defense is free of charge if the person is without student status, enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate study program, and had student status in the previous academic year, if they submitted the final thesis through the Web Office by the date of the last KŠŠZ session, and (after approval of the thesis by the (co)mentor received confirmation from the responsible professional associate that the thesis meets the technical requirements. An additional condition is that the thesis defense must be completed no later than November 30 of the current academic year.