Economic Geology

The institution defines the learning objectives of the study programme such as student's abilities at the time of completion of the programme and the main learning outcomes.

The learning objectives of the doctoral study programme Economic Geology is to prepare graduates that are able to work on the supply and effective usage of primary and secondary mineral resources for the functioning of economy, as well as in the field of reduction and removal of negative impact of mining activities on the environment. In his/her thesis, a future graduate can profile in two basic areas, i.e. in the classic ore and industrial mineral economic geology and environmental economic geology. For instance, typical is the orientation on precious and base metal deposits, deposits of critical mineral resources (mainly W, Co, Sb) and environmental mineral resources (mainly bentonie, pertlite, zeolite) or on the evaluation and remediation of environmental burden. In the given specialised field he/she has a deep, systematic, integral and complex package of knowledge, including recognition and understanding of relationships to other areas in economic geology, as well as in other related geological fields. The graduate can actively obtain information about ore-forming processes, and about mineral resources that are suitable for key industrial tenchnologies (e.g. in the field of energetics, agriculture, nanotechnologies, sorption materials, protection against the influence of dangerous wastes, and other). He/she is able to identify and apply the global scientific and innovative evolution in the field of economic geology and other related geological fields. He/she can orient himself/herself in global geopolitical aspects related to mining and distribution of mineral resources.

At the level corresponding to international criteria, the graduate can creatively and independently apply in practice the newest and classic methods of research and modelling of deposits, research on mineral resources, as well as methods of evaluation of environmental risks of mining and processing of mineral resources. He/she is professionally prepared to manage to work on a complex evaluation of mineral deposits by application and integration of basic and advanced methods of field and laboratory research, including exploration geology, mineralogical, lithological-petrological and geochemical analyses, as well as laboratory experiments and syntheses. Based on critical interpretation of results of modern mineralogical and geochemical methods of research, to prognosticate their occurrence and to evaluate the ore resources. In the area of evaluation of the quality and innovative usage of traditional, unconventional or new raw materials the graduate is able to evaluate the mineral resources in terms of their practical application as well as in terms of their usage as indicators of geological processes. Within the frame of the environmental specialisation the graduate is able to propose effective systems of environmental protection prior to and during the exploitation of deposits as well as remediation of mining fields after the termination of mining, including old mining burdens. The graduate can use the GIS software for creation of genetic models, models of distribution of quality of raw materials, models of evaluation of risk of mining of raw materials and propagation of negative impact of anthropogenic activity of the environment.

The graduate is prepared to work in various fields of exploration, prospecting and mineral resources forecasting and evaluation, as well as in evaluation and remediation of environmental burden after mining of raw materials. He/she is able to plan and propose projects of basic and applied research in various fields of economic geology, including formulation of aims, tools and methods. He/she is supervised in the way that he/she is able to lead teams of workers, independently lead projects and take responsibility for complex solutions in both state and private spheres. The graduate is prepared to formulate information about results and conclusions of scientific research at international level.

The graduate of the doctoral study programme Economic Geology has a relatively wide application in the private sector, as well as in state organizations and in applied and basic research at home and abroad. It has a potential to work in prospecting and mining companies, in geological exploration and research organizations, in environmental and natural resources protection institutions, environmental remediation and regional planning, as well as in some other areas such as construction geology, geotechnics or materials research. His/her experience in publishing scientific outputs allows him/her to work in academic research and research for practice. Graduates are also ready to work in state administration and self-government, in research institutions, museums and other geological and gemological organizations:
• state and private research organizations of geological and technical focus dealing with quality testing of raw materials and technical geomaterials
• higher education institutions, institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and other research organizations focused on natural sciences
• geological and geotechnical companies at the national and transnational levels focused on prospecting and exploration of natural raw material resources
• mining and quarrying companies
• private business activity in national and supranational geological and related technical organizations (geotechnics, water management)
• environmental-ecological organizations and companies
• nature conservation organizations
• ministries and state administration bodies
• regional and local self-government
• natural history and homeland museums
• tourism, geoparks and geotourism, museology

For individual study plans, the institution states the requirements for completing the individual parts of the study programme and the student's progress within the study programme in the given structure:
- Number of credits for compulsory courses:  35
- Number of credits for compulsory optional courses: 10
- Number of credits for optional courses: minimum 9
- Number of credits for the dissertation exam: 15
- Number of credits for the dissertation defence: 30