THIRD CYCLE OF STUDIES (DOCTORAL STUDIES)

Duration of studies

The studies last three years (6 semesters), respectively a condition is the acquisition of 180 credits.

Requirements for enrollment in the studies

Rights for entry in the study program have the students that have completed appropriate curriculums and also meet the criteria stipulated in Article 14 from the Regulation.

The candidates whose education or a part of the education is in another area (discipline) can enroll in the studies on a basis of positive opinion from the Council of the study program. For these candidates, the Council of the study program can also provide a condition for enrollment with previously passing specific subject programs.

The sheer volume of the previously acquired education, expressed in ECTS – credits is assessed by the Council of the study program.

Competencies that the student acquires

With completing the study program the candidate acquires the highest competencies for scientific research work of the narrow area of scientific research. The candidate is capable for independent research, for leading of scientific and researching projects, for development of new methods and technologies from the narrow field of scientific research.

The candidate can be employed in institutions for higher education, scientific institutes, development and research centers etc.

Academic degree that is acquired with completion of the studies

With completion of the third cycle doctoral studies in geography, the candidates acquire with scientific degree doctor of geographical sciences. The narrower field and discipline are described in the supplement of the degree.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY PROGRAM

 
Scientific area, field and focus

Scientific area: Geographical Sciences

Field:

• Physical Geography,

• Social Geography

• Economic geography,

• Cartography and Geographic Information Systems

Areas - disciplines:

• Cartography

• Geomorphology

• Climatology

• Hydrology

• Geography of Population

• Geography of settlements

• Agricultural geography

• Industrial Geography

• Geography of traffic

• Tourismology

• Political Geography

• Military geography

• Environment

• Regional Geography

• Spatial planning

• Methodology of teaching geography

Content and organization of the study program

The study program consists of two parts:

1. Training for research and education to the extent of 60 ECTS - credits

2. Preparation of doctoral dissertation in the extent of 120 ECTS – credits

1. Training for research and education to the extent of 60 ECTS - credits

The training for research is conducted in I and II semester from the study program, respectively the first year of studies. This is consisted from subjects for acquiring generic knowledge and skills (12 ECTS – credits) and doctoral seminars, conferences and workshops (in the extent of 18 ECTS – credits).

The education is consist from one to two in a wider area of research and two to three in a narrower field of research. The volume of the education is 30 ECTS – credits. The education is being conducted in the Institute of Geography. By the candidates’ choice, and with consent of the mentor, a part of the education can be conducted in other units of the University or off the University, but in competent state institutions.

1 - Group B – are subject programs in the area of research offered in the study programs of the other units of the University or on another state university in the Republic of Macedonia.

2 – Group G – are subject programs from the narrow field of research offered in the study programs on the other units of the University or on another state university in the Republic of Macedonia.

The candidate chooses the subject programs in agreement with the mentor.

2. Preparation of doctoral dissertation in the extent of 120 ECTS – credits

The preparation of the doctoral dissertation includes:

• Preparation of the subject – original research by the candidate,

• Reporting of the subject for the doctoral dissertation,

• Publication of printed papers,

• Writing the dissertation

• Submission of a doctoral dissertation

• Public defense of the dissertation.

List of subject programs

The structure of the study program provides two groups of optional subjects A and B. The first group (A) is subject programs for education from a wider area of the research. The second group of subject programs (B) is for education in the narrow field of the research. It is divided into four subgroups of narrower focuses of research.

One subject from the wider and one subject from the narrower area of research can be selected from the study programs on one of the other units of the University or on another state university in the Republic of Macedonia.

Group A - subjects from a wider area of the research

 
• Cartography

• Geomorphology

• Climatology

• Hydrology

• Geography of Population

• Geography of settlements

• Agricultural geography

• Industrial Geography

• Geography of Traffic

• Tourismology

• Political Geography

• Environment

• Regional Geography

• Spatial planning

• Methodology of teaching geography

Group B - Subjects from a narrow area of ​​research

Subprogram B1-Cartography and Geographic Information Systems

• The field of cartography

Applied cartography

Mathematical cartography

Historical cartography

Cartography toponymics

Thematic cartography

Digital cartography

Geographic information systems

Remote sensing
 

Subprogram B2-Physical Geography

• The field of geomorphology

Geomorphology of the Republic of Macedonia

Methodology of scientific research

Geomorphologic bibliography

Separate chapters of dynamic geomorphology

Petrography
Tectonics of plates

Geo heritage

Erosion hazard

Digital techniques for assessment and monitoring of erosion processes

Soil erosion-application aspects

 
• The field of climatology

Basic statistical processing of data in climatology

Applied climatology

Climate in Macedonia

 
• The field of hydrology

Methodology of scientific research in the field of hydrology

Water resources in Republic of Macedonia

Applied hydrology

 
Subprogram B3-Social Geography

• The field of population geography

Spatial processes and population

Population and development

Demographical change in the Republic of Macedonia

 
• The field of geography of settlements

Sustainable development of rural areas

The town and surrounding area

Spatial-functional systems of settlements

 
Subprogram B4-Economic Geography

• The field of agricultural geography

Agricultural-geography

 
• The field of industrial geography

Industry and Spatial Planning

Geographical factors for location

The Industry in the Republic of Macedonia

 
• The field of geography of traffic

Fundamentals of geography of traffic

Regional traffic geography

Geography of traffic in the Republic of Macedonia

• The field of tourismology

Fundamentals of tourism

Touristic regionalization

Economics of tourism

• The field of political geography

Political geography

Military geography

Subprogram B5-Regional Geography and interdisciplinary disciplines

 
• The field of environment

Rural ecology

Urban ecology

Geo ecology

 
• The field of regional geography

Regionalization of the areas

• The field of spatial planning

Implementation of methods and models in the practice of spatial planning

New attitudes in the theory of spatial planning

Geographical analysis and synthesis in spatial planning and spatial research

 
• The field of methodology of teaching geography

Methodology of teaching geography

According to the narrower issues that the candidate specializes in, for the doctoral dissertation, from the stated subjects chooses a group of narrower disciplines that are in a more immediate relation to their specific scientific topic.

Mandatory and optional activities

As a part of the study program several mandatory activities are provided.

At the end of the second semester an annual conference is laid down, where the candidates present annual reports for their achievements in the current year. A positively estimated report is valued with 2 ECTS – credits.

At the end of the third semester a doctoral seminar is predicted where the candidates present a report for their achievements in the current semester. A positively estimated report is valued with 2 ECTS – credits.

At the beginning of the fourth semester a workshop for research practice is provided. The participation of the candidates in the workshop is valued with 3 ECTS – credits.

At the end of the fourth semester an annual conference is laid down where the candidates present an annual report for their achievements in the current year. A positively estimated report is valued with 2 ECTS – credits.

At the end of the fifth semester doctoral seminar is predicted where the candidates present a report for their achievements in the current year. A positively estimated report is valued with 2 ECTS – credits.

At the beginning of the sixth semester a workshop for research practice is provided. The participation of the candidates in the workshop is valued with 3 ECTS – credits.

At the end of the sixth semester an annual conference is laid down where the candidates present an annual report for their achievements in the current year. A positively estimated report is valued with 2 ECTS – credits.

As a candidates’ selective activities are considered the participation in scientific and expert conferences in the country, abroad or internationally, acting as an author of an independent paper or with a co – authored paper. These activities are valued with 3 ECTS – credits. They are assessed by the Council of the doctoral studies. The number of credits acquired in such manner can not be greater than 9 ECTS – credits.