First-Cycle University Study Programme Urbanism (UŠU)

The programme educates an architect–urbanist. The programme’s basic objective is to prepare professionals for less-demanding tasks from the field of urban planning and design, as well as spatial management.

An architect–urbanist’s responsibility stems from the meaning of urban design, the quality of urban lay–outs and their harmony with the environment, respecting natural and urban landscapes that are of public interest. Public interest regarding the quality of physical space is protected by Slovenian and European legislation. Slovenian legislation determines conditions for an architect project engineer–urbanist, a supervisor, a reviser of planned spatial development, a spatial planner, a manager of spatial plan preparation, a municipal urbanist, a researcher, etc. The profile of an architect-urbanist is extremely diverse, as architects–urbanists have to consider people and their spatial problems from a wide range of perspectives: from regional development criteria to architecture, and vice versa.

They have to draw on modern theoretical and technological knowledge, build upon it, and endeavour to find the balance between the functional–technical and the artistic components of urban creation. The educational profile of an architect-urbanist combines knowledge from technical and social sciences alike as well as humanistics. It also necessitates the capacity to design and create space and build urban structures.
Compliance with the bases for sustainable spatial development in Slovenia: Quality spatial design is a prerequisite to the country’s economic competitiveness and recognition within Europe. The role of higher education in the field of spatial planning is crucial in improving the spatial quality of our urban landscapes. The university and its programmes present an innovative experimental environment that deals with the very essence of sustainable spatial development.

The architect-urbanist programme adheres to both the European directive as well as Slovenia’s own building and urban legislation.

In the work of an architect–urbanist, knowledge of spatial legislation is key, and at the same time “defines the conditions for an architect project engineer–urbanist” within Slovenian legislation:

• The Construction Act. Acquiring Statuses and Licences and their Revoking.
• Rules on professional certificate exams from the field of engineering services.
• Procedures on Recognising Qualifications of the Citizen of EU Member States Act for performing regulated professions or regulated professional activities in the Republic of Slovenia.
• Rules on procedures for recognising professional qualifications of the citizens of European Union member states, the European economic space and the Swiss confederation for performing regulated professions and activities in the Republic of Slovenia.
• Rules on recognising professional qualifications Responsible Project Engineer for the field of Architecture to citizens of the European Union member states, European economic space and Swiss confederation.
• Rules on form and contents and manners of managing the registry of the Chamber for Architecture and Spatial Planning of Slovenia.
• An individual receives a licence or authorisation for the responsible project engineer or spatial planning only when listed in the registry. This is also regulated by the Construction Act.
• The European Parliament and Council Directive on recognising professional qualifications.

By studying at the First-Cycle Study Programme Urbanism, the student obtains the following general competencies:

• basic knowledge from the field of urbanism and architecture,
• the ability to apply knowledge in practice,
• the development of communication abilities and skills, especially communication in the international environment,
• the consideration of sustainable safety, functional, economic, environmental, and ecological aspects during work,
• the ability to analyse, synthesise, and anticipate solutions and consequences,
• autonomy in professional work,
• ethic reflection and dedication to professional ethics,
• the ability to independently perform less-demanding project tasks.

The programme is based on the long-standing tradition of the Ljubljana School of Architecture, founded as the Department for Structural Engineering  in 1920.

• an ability to create architectural designs that satisfy functional, aesthetic and technical requirements for a sustainable modern-day society,
• adequate knowledge of the history of urbanism, urbanist and architectural theory, as well as the related arts, technologies and human sciences,
• a knowledge of the fine arts as an influence on the quality of urban design,
• an adequate knowledge of urban design, planning and the skills involved in the planning process,
• an understanding of the relationship between people and buildings, and between buildings and their environment,
• an understanding of the profession of architects-urbanists and the role of an architect-urbanist in society, in particular in preparing briefs that take account of social factors,
• an understanding of the methods of investigation and preparation of the brief for a design project,
• an understanding of the structural design, constructional and engineering problems associated with building design, and objects and devices in space,
• the necessary design skills to meet building users’ requirements within the constraints imposed by cost factors or environmental and building regulations,
• adequate knowledge of spatial and building regulations and procedures.

Enrolment in the First-Cycle Study Programme Urbanism is possible under the following criteria:
a) a completed general matura;
b) a vocational matura in any secondary education programme, plus a completed general matura from mathematics. If the candidate has completed mathematics at a vocational matura, they instead require a completed general matura from one foreign language;
c) any completed 4-year secondary school programme before June 1, 1995.

Part-Time Study

Part-time study candidates must fulfill the listed criteria. Tuition fees are determined according to the current price list.

Enrolment in the First-Cycle Study Programme Urbanism is possible under the following criteria:
a) a completed general matura;
b) a vocational matura in any secondary education programme, plus a completed general matura from mathematics. If the candidate has completed mathematics at a vocational matura, they instead require a completed general matura from one foreign language;
c) any completed 4-year secondary school programme before June 1, 1995.

All candidates must complete the Architecture Studies Capability test.

All candidates must complete the Urbanism Studies Capability Test

The Urbanism Studies Capability Test, which is carried out only once an academic year, will take place at the Faculty of Architecture, UL, Zoisova 12, 1000 Ljubljana, on Thursday, 6. 7. 2023.

Candidates who applied during the first application period will receive a notice and bill for the capability test through e-mail.

The special talent or psychophysical capabilities test at the First-Cycle Study Programme Urbanism assesses the following: the ability to make logical conclusions, spatial perception, as well as the expression and understanding of modern living problems.

All candidates must pass the capability test for the First-Cycle Study Programme Urbanism. Should the number of candidates exceed the number of enrolment places, the conditions for enrolment into the programme are as follows:

• results from the capability test (80% of points)
• general matura, vocational matura or final exam results (10% of points)
• overall performance in 3rd and 4th year of secondary school (10% points)

The methods of evaluation follow the Statutes of the University of Ljubljana and are given in the study programme curriculum.

Progression criteria are based on the Statutes of the University of Ljubljana. In accordance with the statutes, students can, under justifiable reasons, exceptionally progress to a higher year even if they have not fulfilled all the obligations required by the study programme. Decisions on the admission process are made by the UL FA Academic Affairs Committee.

Students can progress if they completed all obligations by the end of the academic year, and obtained the following number of ECTS points:

• To progress to Year 2, students must pass Urban Project Engineering 1 and obtain a minimum of 48 credit points in Year 1.
• To progress to Year 3, students must have passed all Year 1 exams and Urban Project Engineering 2 and obtain a minimum of 48 credit points in Year 2.

The UL FA Academic Affairs Committee can exceptionally allow progression under justifiable reasons, as defined by Article 153 of the UL Statute (maternity leave, prolonged illness, exceptional family or social circumstance, special needs and special status, active participation in top professional, cultural and sports events, active participation in university bodies).

A student whose learning outcomes are above average can be allowed to progress faster. This is carried out by the UL FA Senate, based on the candidate’s request and the UL FA Academic Affairs Committee’s substantiated opinion.

Conditions for Repeating a Year

Any student who has not completed all the obligations determined by the study programme, may, over the course of their studies, repeat a year once, providing they obtained a minimum of 30 ECTS credits.

The student completes the course when they complete all the required obligations to the extent of 180 ECTS credit points, including practical training and the first cycle diploma thesis.

We inform students of the Second-Cycle Single Master Study Programme Architecture that with the 2023/24 academic year, UL FA will begin gradually implementing changes to Year 1 of the UŠU study programme.

Students progressing to a higher year normally will be able to complete their studies according to the enrolled study programme.

The changes to the UŠU programme will be implemented gradually and according to the following timeline:

Academic Year 2023/24: the updated UŠU will come into effect in Year 1 for new students and those who have not progressed to a higher year (repeat students or those without status).

Academic Year 2024/25: the updated UŠU will be in effect in Years 1 and 2, for new students and those who have not progressed to a higher year (repeat students or those without status).

Academic Year 2025/26: the updated UŠU will be in effect in Years 1, 2 and 3.

Students who will enrol in an ADDITIONAL year in the 2025/26 academic year according to the old programme (and then possibly extend their status in the 2026/27 academic year for legitimate reasons) will be able to complete their studies as per the enrolled study programme.

They will also be able to complete their studies according to their enrolled UŠU should they lose their student status after the additional year (an interruption in studies must not exceed two years).

In the event of a study programme interruption exceeding 2 years, the student will have to send an application for a continuation of studies following interruption to the Academic Affairs Committee, which will establish the conditions for completing the studies.

Transferring to the modified study programme will proceed as indicated by the comparative table of recognition for completed courses, which will be approved by the UL FA Senate.

The Student Affairs Office is available to students for all questions regarding the timeline of changes to the UŠU programme, as well as additional information regarding the recognition process of completed exams in case of transfers to the new UŠU programme.