Undergraduate Studies

According to EU directives, a veterinarian must be qualified to perform all veterinary activities at the end of their studies.

This means that during the period of study, students must be acquainted with all the theoretical bases and practical procedures that provide them with this knowledge. Veterinarians must therefore be prepared for all methods of work, from the treatment of small and large animals to the sanitary inspection of meat and food in food industry establishments. The basic goal of the programme is to acquire the medical and veterinary knowledge necessary to independently solve problems in the following areas of the profession:

• preventing the onset and spread, and thus the eradication of infectious animal diseases
• preventing the transmission of infectious diseases that are dangerous to animals and humans
• veterinary public health
• the production and processing of safe food, especially that of animal origin
• the treatment, protection and welfare of non-domestic and domestic species of animals
• environmental protection from a veterinary point of view

• ability to analyse, connect and solve problems
• ability to make decisions in professional work
• awareness of ethical, moral and material responsibility
• ability to organise and plan
• knowledge of research methods and their applicability in work
• ability to work in teams
• ability to communicate and cooperate with users and other professions
• ability to communicate verbally both in their mother tongue and foreign languages
• information management (information technology, obtaining information from various sources, e.g. textbooks, articles, the internet, etc.)

The training of veterinarians in accordance with Directive 2005/36/EU on the recognition of professional qualifications and its amendment 2013/55/EU ensures that the professional acquires the following competencies:

• adequate knowledge of the sciences on which the activities of veterinarians are based and the EU law applicable to those activities
• adequate knowledge of the structure, functions, behaviour and physiological needs of animals in relation to animal husbandry, feeding, welfare, reproduction and general hygiene
• clinical, epidemiological and analytical competencies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of animal diseases, including anaesthesia, aseptic surgery and putting animals to sleep in a humane way, both for individuals and groups of animals, including specific knowledge of human-communicable diseases
• appropriate competencies in preventive medicine, including those related to investigations and providing certifications
• adequate knowledge of the hygiene and technology of obtaining, producing and marketing animal feed or food of animal origin intended for human consumption, including the competencies needed to understand and explain good practice in this field
• competencies necessary for the responsible and reasonable handling of veterinary medicinal products used for the treatment of animals and ensuring the safety of the food chain and protection of the environment

In the event of restricted enrolment, candidates will be selected based on:

• general success in the general secondary school leaving examination (60% of points)
• overall success in the 3^rd and 4^th years (30% of points)
• success in one of the science subjects in the general secondary school leaving examination (physics, chemistry, biology) (10% of points)

In the event of restricted enrolment, candidates will be selected based on:

• overall success in the 3^rd and 4^th year (40% of points)
• general success in the vocational secondary school leaving examination (40% of points)
• success in the subject in the vocational secondary school leaving examination (20% of points)

In the event of restricted enrolment, candidates will be selected based on:

• success in physics, chemistry and biology in the final exam or in the final year of secondary school when the subject was taught (40% of points)
• overall success in the 3^rd and 4^th year (40% points)
• overall success in the final exam (20% of points)

To enrol in a higher year, students must have a confirmed previous year with attendance records of all subjects and completed exercises of that year.

Vaccination is mandatory, which is based on the Rules on vaccination and protection using medicine and protection against the introduction and spread of infectious diseases, Official Act of the Republic of Slovenia, No.16/99, 58/01, 50/05 in 92/06.

In order to advance to a higher year, students must have fulfilled the obligations in the following scope of the credit points (for retakes, at least half of the credit points required for enrolment in the higher year are required):

• In order to progress from Year 1 to Year 2 students must fulfill obligations amounting to 57 credit points; for re-enrolment in the year, 29 European credit system (ECTS) points are required.
• In order to progress from Year 2 to Year 3 students must fulfill all the obligations of the first year and achieve 57 credit points from Year 2; for re-enrolment in the year 29 ECTS points are required.
• In order to progress from Year 3 to Year 4 students must fulfill all the obligations of Year 2 and achieve 54 credit points from Year 3; for re-enrolment in the year 27 ECTS points are required.
• In order to progress from Year 4 to Year 5 students must complete all the obligations of Year 3 and achieve 50 credit points from Year 4; for re-enrolment in the year 25 ECTS points are required.
• In order to progress from Year 5 to Year 6 students must complete all the obligations of Year 4 and achieve 45 ECTS points from Year 5; for re-enrolment in the year 23 ECTS points are required.

Re-enrolled students and those who do not have the status of a student in a certain year must complete all the prescribed obligations of the previous year (60 ECTS) in order to enrol in a higher year.

Sequence of exams:

• The examination in the subject Cell Biology must be passed prior to the examination in the subject Histology with Embryology 1.
• The Examination in Histology with Embryology 2 must be passed prior to the examination in Veterinary Physiology.

All compulsory and elective courses must be completed prior to the final examination in Administrative and Forensic Veterinary Medicine.

Students who do not meet the requirements for enrolment in a higher year may re-enrol in the same year once during the period of study provided they have achieved at least half of the ECTS points required for enrolment in the higher year. 

The dean or deputy dean for pedagogical activity may also exceptionally authorise re-enrolment for students who do not qualify for re-enrolment if they have failed to fulfill the prescribed obligations for justifiable reasons, such as:

• prolonged absence due to illness and medical treatment
• childbirth 
• difficult social conditions

In such cases, students must submit the relevant supporting documents.

For guidance during study, students can contact the department for education, research and international cooperation, year tutors, the Student Affairs Committee, the Vice-Dean for Pedagogical activity, and the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The emphasis is on basic subjects such as anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, and cell and tissue structure, however, students also learn about breeding, nutrition, and animal breeds. They learn about animal husbandry methods during field exercises.

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Students become acquainted with the functioning of the body (physiology), microbiology, parasitology and pathology. They also begin to learn about animal welfare and ethics and regulations in this area. At this stage they are beginning to develop an awareness of providing a safe food chain.

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Subjects begin in which students learn about pathological processes in the body, the causes of death and the action of drugs. They learn how to approach animals, clinical examinations of animals, and the basics of surgery. They also learn the basics of food hygiene (safe food) and procedures for disinfection and protection of the environment in which animals live.

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Students learn about the reproduction and obstetrics of domestic animals. Clinical subjects begin in which diseases, treatments, and measures are learned in various animal species (equidae, ruminants, game, fish, and bees). Students work in a slaughterhouse and learn veterinary sanitation.

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Clinical subjects (poultry, dogs, cats, exotic animals) continue, while knowledge of laws, other regulations and procedures that a veterinarian must follow in their work is added. In addition, students work in laboratories to test the suitability of foods of animal origin.

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The emphasis is on practical training (clinical rotations) in all areas of veterinary activities. By choosing six elective courses, students can deepen their knowledge in the area in which they will be employed.

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