General info

General information

University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing

Specialist Study Committee:

• Professor Bojan Trkulja, PhD - chairman
• Adjunct Associate Professor Tomislav Župan, PhD - vice-chairman
• Professor Ivica Pavić, PhD - member

Duration of the study

Three semesters (1.5 years). Although the completion of this study brings 60 ECTS credits, what equals the engagement of one year, the study will take longer in order to adapt to the employed students who both work and study. It is anticipated that lectures will be concentrated in one week in each of the two semesters, and the specialist’s thesis will be drawn up in the third semester.

Conditions for enrolment

University specialist study can be enrolled by a candidate with completed university graduate study in electrical or mechanical engineering or a study program with an equivalent degree. Knowledge of the English language is required.

In the application for the study program, along with general information, the applicant must also specify and explain the proposed area of the final specialist thesis. The selection of the applicant includes an interview in which the area of the final specialist thesis is determined.

Competences of attendants upon completion of the study

The basic competence acquired upon completion of this specialist study is the knowledge of theory of transformers and its application, understanding of the role of transformers in power system and of the on-line monitoring, diagnostics and maintenance. Optional courses offer knowledge of latest achievements in insulation systems, testing, losses, materials and processes, design as well as thermal and mechanical phenomena in transformers and their application to research, development, design, manufacture and usage of transformers.

Academic title awarded upon completion of the study

Upon completion of the study, the acquired academic title is specialist in transformers (spec. transf.). 

Structure of the study

The program includes required courses, optional courses and a final specialist thesis, with a total workload of 60 ECTS credits.

In the first semester, required courses are taught, with a workload of 18 ECTS credits. In the second semester, optional courses are taught, with the student choosing subjects with a workload of at least 18 ECTS credits. 

The final specialist thesis includes a project, with a workload of 24 ECTS credits.

Required and optional courses teaching includes lectures by study teachers and guest lecturers from the country and abroad, as well as seminars and workshops for discussion and elaboration of case studies. Classes are held in weekly cycles, 4 or 5 days a week, in the afternoon.

The Faculty has the standing Committee for Scientific and Postgraduate Professional Studies, which follows and promotes instruction at undergraduate study and interprets the Statute and the General Bylaw related to this area, and the Specialist Study Committee, which is appointed at the same time when the Decision is adopted to perform a specialist study accompanied by studies and defence of a specialist’s thesis. The Specialist Study Committee consists of the chairman, vice-chairman and a member. The chairman must be a teacher in the scientific-teaching rank of an associate or a full-time professor.

Study rhythm and student obligations

When enrolling in a specialist study, a student selects a mentor and agrees with him or her on the general area of ​​study and the subjects to be enrolled. In the first semester, the student takes required courses and, in collaboration with the mentor, develops and proposes a topic for the final specialist thesis. The specialist thesis begins in the second semester, and can continue and be completed in the third.

The conditions for enrolling a student in the second semester are that all subjects have been completed and passed with at least 12 ECTS credits.

Students are required to pass all required courses and optional courses (with a total workload of 18 ECTS), and write and defend a final specialist thesis.

Criteria and conditions for transfer of ECTS credits

The student can, in agreement with the tutor, attend also courses from other studies at the University or other institutions of higher education, and the criteria and conditions for transfer of ECTS credits will be defined by the Specialist Study Committee.

Rhythm of enrolment

As a rule, enrolment is performed once a year.

Courses that can be held in foreign languages

All the courses are held English.

Completion of studies

Upon passing an examination, the attendant has the right to a certificate of completion of a part of specialist study programme.

The university specialist study is completed with production of specialist’s thesis and its successful defence, and with earning up at least 60 ECTS credits required by the programme of the study.

Student has the right to apply for the defence of his specialist’s thesis after he has earned up at least 20 ECTS credits required by the programme of the study.

The specialist’s thesis must be submitted and defended within periods of time specified by the Faculty Council through the Decision on performance of specialist study.

The tutor can also give a specialist’s thesis to two students, keeping in mind the number of ECTS credits per student. In such cases, the defence of the specialist’s thesis will take place at the same time.

For each candidate who has applied for the defence of his thesis, the Specialist Study Committee will confirm his tutor, who will define the subject of the thesis taking into account the wishes of the candidate.

The title and the subject of the thesis, with short description of expected results, will be defined by the tutor. Subject of a specialist thesis must be defined, and the thesis submitted, within prescribed periods of time.

With his specialist’s thesis, the student should prove his capability of engineering work in solving problems of high professional complexity.

The student must regularly inform the tutor or a collaborator specified by the tutor about the course of production of the specialist’s thesis.

The specialist’s thesis at the Faculty shall be written and defended in Croatian. At candidate’s request and in agreement with the tutor, the Committee for Scientific and Postgraduate Professional Studies can allow that thesis can be written and defended in one of world languages.

Upon submission of the specialist’s thesis, the Specialist Study Committee will appoint a commission for the defence of the specialist’s thesis of each student.

The commission for the defence shall have three members. As a rule, the tutor will be the chairman of the commission.
 

The defence of the final thesis will be public.

The student whose specialist’s thesis has been assigned a failing grade will not be admitted to its defence.

The defence of specialist’s thesis will consist of oral presentation of results, and examination of knowledge in the field of work. Examination of knowledge means giving answers to questions related to the specialist’s thesis put by members of the commission.

Upon defence of the specialist’s thesis the commission will make public the success of the candidate. The result of the defence can be:

• Defended by unanimous decision of the commission,
• Defended by majority votes of the commission,
• Failed to defend.

A specialist’s thesis can be defended only once.

Maximum time from commencement to completion of studies

The maximum time from commencement to completion of the study can be three years. At student’s request and Committee’s proposal, the dean can extend the duration of the study, or allow its interruption. Upon interruption of the study, the student can continue the study in accordance with the rules that will apply to the generation with which he will continue his study.

Monitoring the quality and success of the study program implementation

Monitoring of quality and performance will be carried out in accordance with the quality management system of the University of Zagreb. In addition to self-evaluation of teaching and surveys for students during the study, opinions will be obtained from institutions that employ students and from students after graduation, on their experiences of applying the acquired knowledge and skills in the workplace.