The education milestones of sanitary professionals in Slovenia
Due to the specificity of the country, the study programme was always dynamic and it tried to follow changes in demands for the profession as well as those in the social and economic system. The education of sanitary professionals at the undergraduate level in Slovenia began in 1964, initially as a two year post-secondary programme. The tendency to build on expert knowledge, fundamental and applied research in the field of sanitary engineering have dictated the last improvements in 2009. Today the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana conducts a four-year university study program “First Level Degree”, and also “Second Level Degree”, leading to the acquisition of a Master’s degree.
Education milestones:
- 1947 – Professional course (6 months)
- 1948 – Secondary school (3 years)
- 1950 – Secondary school (4 years)
- 1964 – Post-secondary study programme (2 years)
- 1992 – Post-secondary study program (2,5 years)
- 1993 – Two-stage study program (2+2 years)
- 1994 – Professional study programme (4 years)
- 2009 – University study programme (4 years – Beachlor’s Degree)
- 2013 – University study programme (1 year – Master’s degree)
Bachelor of Science (240 ECTS)
A Sanitary Engineer is a public end environmental health professional especially trained to solve hygienic-technical and environmental issues affecting human health in the indoor and outdoor environment. They are trained to deal with hygiene problems in different facilities, working processes and activities that are important for maintaining a healthy living environment.
Programme objectives
The primary goal of the study programme is to provide the students with broad range of core profession-specific and generic enabling skills in the field of hygiene, epidemiology, engineering, public health and environmental health. Upon successful completion of the programme, the diploma holder will be able to protect the living environment against harmful human interference and will contribute to the improvement of public and environmental health.
Contents of the programme
The study programme is designed to provide the students with basic knowledge of science, which is applied in the area of sanitary engineering, in consideration of ethical, social and legal frameworks related to human health and the environment. The health content incorporates basic functioning of the human body along with the management of biological, chemical and physical agents, the epidemiology of infectious and non-infectious diseases and hygiene. The gained engineering skills provide the basis on which the acquired competences are built upon for the preparation of technical and technological solutions for environmental and health issues.
Master of Science (60 ECTS)
Programme objectives
The main goal of the study programme is to provide the masters of Sanitary Engineering with the knowledge and skills to work successfully in the fields of hygiene, epidemiology, public health and environmental health. They gain the knowledge and competence to effectively implement and monitor the protection measures in the working and living environment, to protect humans from harmful environmental effects and to improve the quality of the environment to enhance health and well-being of population.
Contents of the programme
The programme has been developed as a continuation of the 1st cycle degree Sanitary Engineering programme. The compulsory subjects provide the basic knowledge in the field of risk assessment, risk management and research methods. This knowledge is applied in specific situations within the scope of elective subjects, which deepen and broaden the students’ knowledge in specific areas of sanitary engineering.