| Study programme | dokFINeAJ - Finance |
| Study | stupeň - III. - doctoral, forma - external, typ - Single degree study |
| The name of the university | Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica |
| The seat of the university | Národná 12, 974 01 Banská Bystrica |
| The name of the faculty | The Faculty of Economics |
| The seat of the faculty | Tajovského 10, 975 90 Banská Bystrica |
Graduate profile
The Finance study programme is based on acquiring knowledge, skills, and competencies in finance at the level of allowing graduates to efficiently communicate with the national and multinational scientific and professional community in all sectors of the national economy.
KNOWLEDGE: Doctoral study graduates in the Finance study programme have mastered appropriate methods of essential and applied research to solve problems in finance theory, banking and finance economics, financial management, public finance, the economics and management of innovations, quantitative finance, and finance macroeconometrics.
SKILLS: Graduates of this study programme are able to design and create research process in the field of finance independently, innovatively with academic integrity, focusing on various areas of finance. Depending on the character of the research problem and the research area, graduates are able to formulate research theses and hypotheses, evaluate and verify them scientifically, applying appropriately corresponding research methods. They have prerequisites for solving and verifying complex theoretical and practical problems and conducting extensive research in finance at various levels of the national economy as well as at the multinational level. Based on their findings, graduates are able to propose, verify, and implement research approaches in an innovative way. They are able to apply a range of quantitative methods in theoretical or applied finance at the micro as well as macro levels. Based on their findings, graduates are able to propose, verify, and implement research approaches in an innovative way. Graduates acquire specific methods of scientific work, the ability to apply specialised knowledge in theory and practice alike. They are also able to apply complex and new strategic approaches when solving a research task, using their specialized skills and techniques relevant to the selected topic, their ability to expand on new ideas, making novel contributions and thus further developing the field of Economics and Management.
COMPETENCIES: Graduates of the Finance study programme are not only able to apply constructive criticism and comprehensive evaluation when analysing a researched phenomenon, but also to predict its further development and adopt interim as well as long-term decisions. They are also able to creatively implement new findings in pedagogical, wider economic, and social practices, and participate in the creation of approaches to economic development with the emphasis on the area of finance. On top of that, they are able to solve complicated novel innovative research tasks and present their research findings in scientific and technical publications respected both by the national and international scientific communities. Thanks to their independent, critical, analytical, and conceptual thinking, doctoral graduates are able to present the results of their research in their own country as well as abroad. Thus, graduates can be employed in research institutes, in key institutions in state administration, in international institutions of a global and regional character when theoretical knowledge is at the centre of solving problems in economic practice. Their ability to further theoretical knowledge and use scientific methods of research makes them ideal candidates for scientific work. They can find employment to a full degree in leading managerial, strategic-planning, and analytical positions in private and public sector establishments related to finance at various levels of national or multinational institutions and companies. Graduates are competent to publish papers in journals of international quality, cope with issues in the field of finance at an international level and discuss scientific results and attained results in the field of finance at international forums and on online scientific platforms.
Learning objectives
This study programme aims to achieve the following learning objectives:
1. Acquiring knowledge in advanced finance is necessary for scientific work in the field, for constructing theoretical and applied models, for assessing the effects of political-economic decisions and for empirical research.
2. Acquiring critical view and argumentation capabilities in order to recognize and analyse finance phenomena and processes.
3. The application of acquired theoretical knowledge and all methodological approaches when analysing finance, its individual parts and policies, by using abstract and creative scientific thinking.
4. The integration of acquired factual, conceptual, procedural, and cognitive knowledge when writing scientific papers or dissertations and their synthesising when improving on existing phenomena and finance processes.
The main learning outcomes in the study programme is the following knowledge, skills and competencies:
1. KNOWLEDGE: Graduates have mastered appropriate methods of essential and applied research to solve problems in finance theory, banking and finance economics, financial management, public finance, economics and management of innovations, quantitative finance, and finance macroeconometrics. They are knowledgeable in appropriate research methods of formulating and evaluating research theses, as well as verifying research hypotheses in finance. They also have an overview of standards in scientific work and have acquired the essential ethical principles of scientific publishing.
2. SKILLS: Graduates are able to design and create research process in the field of finance independently, innovatively with academic integrity, focusing on various areas. They have prerequisites for solving and verifying complex theoretical and practical problems and conducting extensive research in finance at various levels of the national economy as well as at the multinational level. They are able to apply a range of quantitative methods in theoretical or applied finance at the micro as well as macro levels. Graduates are able to formulate research theses and hypotheses, evaluate and verify them scientifically as well as set up a domestic or foreign scientific research project.
3. COMPETENCIES: Based on the gathered knowledge, graduates are qualified to apply constructive criticism and comprehensive evaluation, analyse researched phenomena, as well as predict their further development and adopt interim as well as long-term decisions. In particular, graduates are capable of suitably using attained knowledge of diverse financial theories, formulating scientific hypotheses of research in the field of finance and are also capable of creating theoretical and empirical models in analysing and describing financial phenomena. Subsequently, they are capable of assessing suitability of instruments chosen to control and regulate financial processes in practice. Their abilities to expand on theoretical knowledge and use scientific methods of research makes them ideal for academic work and work in domestic as well as foreign research institutes, in key institutions in state administration or in international institutions of a regional and global character. Graduates are able to work in teams and take initiative in contributing to fulfilling the aims and goals of scientific projects.
Linkage of the graduate profile with the learning objectives:
The profile of a graduate of the study program Finance is shaped so that it corresponds to the needs of applied practice and makes it possible for scientific knowledge in the field of finance to expand in correlation with these needs. On the one hand, the offer of the five profile courses and their content is derived from the requirements of practice with an orientation to needs of higher management tiers of the macro and micro sphere; on the other hand, they reflect contemporary trends of scientific research in the field of finance. Profile courses are designed to enable doctoral students to attain knowledge, skills and competencies to achieve high-quality and internationally accepted scientific results. Profile courses also reflect the experience of their servicing teachers gained by their employment in central banking and in government decision-making authorities as well as for international institutions, in accord with the needs of theoretical research in the field of finance.
The main measurable indicators of the study programme outcome are the following:
1. Active participation in a scientific research project and publishing outcomes from each doctoral candidate.
2. Every graduate is to publish their research outcome recorded in WoS or Scopus databases by the end of their studies (outcome published or approved to be published).
Participation in mobility abroad by at least 50% of graduates.
Top-tier managers and specialists:
Most of the indicated professions require a high degree of knowledge, skills and competences in the field of finance and economics that are attainable by studying the proposed study program (in particular, in the area of cognition, modelling and forecasting of phenomena across the full spectrum of finance). The profession of leading university employees (dean and vice-dean) special competences in the sphere of management and broader financial management are required.
Graduates are qualified to work as top-tier analysts and specialists in state administration, financial and non-financial institutions, as well as research and scientific staff or university teachers. Thanks to their scientific and methodological skillset, they may find employment in national and international institutions of a financial or non-financial character.
The first doctoral candidates in the study programme at the MBU Faculty of Economics graduated in the academic year of 2016/2017. From the total number of 8 successful graduates of full-time studies in the Finance study programme, 3 of them work at the MBU Faculty of Economics as research assistants. Other graduates work as specialists in the area of investments, audit or are in top positions in businesses. From the total number of 8 graduates of full-time studies in the Finance study programme, 4 have received awards at the global level, demonstrating the quality of the offered study programme.
Employability is also judged based on the soliciting of Finance study programme graduates regarding their opinions of the Horizon 2020 docEnhance international project. A report tracking the careers of doctoral graduates was written as part of the project. Besides MBU in Banská Bystrica, 8 other higher education institutions in the EU participated: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), UiT Arctic University of Norway (Norway), Maastricht University (Netherlands), Technical University of Munich (Germany), University of Alcala (Spain), University of Chemistry and Industry Prague (Czech Republic), MNOVA University Lisbon (Portugal) and University of Sassari (Italy).
Awarded students of the Finance study programme:
Tax Advisors Awards
2019 - Ing. Kamil Ščerba, PhD. – The attitudes to tax evasion and tax avoidance and policies to reduce tax evasion - supervisor: prof. Ing. Marta Orviská, PhD.
2019 - Ing. Viacheslav Natorin, PhD. – The present state and perspectives of Islamic banking in Europe – supervisor: prof. Ing. Hussam Musa, PhD.
2020 - Ing. Denisa Mlynárová, PhD. – Environmental taxes as an instrument of environmental policy and their effects – supervisor: prof. Ing. Marta Orviská, PhD.
The competition is organized by the Slovak Chamber of Tax Advisers.
Student Personality of Slovakia 2020/2021 in social sciences
2021 - Ing. Petra Cisková, PhD. – Dynamics of Slovak economy and possibilities of the financial crises regulation by monetary and fiscal policy – supervisor: prof. RNDr. Rudolf Zimka, CSc.
The competition was organized by JCI-Slovakia under the auspices of Zuzana Čaputová, the president of the SR and professionally covered by the Slovak Rectors’ Conference and Slovak Academy of Sciences http://www.studentskaosobnost.sk.
Other successful graduates are on the website https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/alumni/stories-of-successful-graduates/.
Ing. Viktória Ďurajová, PhD., MBA, Project Manager for Science, Research and Education, F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital and Polyclinic Banská Bystrica, Námestie L. Svobodu 1, 975 17 Banská Bystrica
The rules for creating study plans in the study program of the programs are defined in the UMB study regulations (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/study-rules-and-other-documents/study-rules-of-the-faculty-of-economics-mbu-in-banska-bystrica/). In creating the recommended study plan, we followed other rules in addition to the above documents:
Specifically, the following factors were taken into consideration:
The description of the study programme includes the names of compulsory and elective courses, the credit values of each course, basic educational activities and the number of allotted hours, the recommended term of study, the student workload measured in hours and teachers of the course. The study plan includes profile courses that are highlighted. Learning outcomes, the rules of their assessment, educational activities, teaching methods, curriculum, student workload are all included in course information sheets. The recommended study plan is found as an annex in the accreditation document.
The recommended study plan contains the names of compulsory subjects, compulsory elective subjects, credit allocation of the subject, basic educational activities and their number in hours, recommended semester, student workload in hours and subject teachers.
The study plan specifically indicates profile subjects (in bold).
The learning outcomes, rules for their assessment, educational activities, teaching methods, syllabus, and student workload are part of the subject information sheets. The subject information sheets are available in the academic information system AIS2 and are publicly available on the faculty website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/financie-aj-externa/).
Other requirements that the student must meet within the study programme and for its proper completion, including the requirements for state examinations, rules for re-study and rules for the extension, interruption of study
The state examination consists of a dissertation thesis defence. In order to take the state examination, students must successfully complete all compulsory courses and a set number of elective and optional courses in the study and the scientific parts of their studies, including a state examination in the form of a dissertation defence.
The conditions for proper completion of studies and other rules governing interruption of studies, individual study plan, and change of study program are defined in the UMB study regulations (https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/) and in other relevant guidelines intended for doctoral studies (https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/).
Number of credits for compulsory courses required for proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies - 86
(36 study part + 20 doctoral examination + 30 top international quality paper)
Number of credits for elective courses required for proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies - 48
(18 study part + 30 scientific part)
Number of credits for compulsory courses required for proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies - 6
(study part)
Number of credits for the final thesis and the defence of the final thesis required for the proper completion of studies - 40
Number of credits for professional practice required for the proper completion of studies/completion of a part of studies - 0
The rules for verifying learning outcomes and assessing students and the possibilities for corrective procedures are defined in the UMB Study Regulations in Art. 14 (https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/) and in other relevant guidelines intended for doctoral studies (https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/). Methods for verifying the achievement of learning outcomes, criteria and conditions for completing a course are listed in the information sheets of the study program subjects and communicated to students at the beginning of the semester. The results of verification and student assessment are published to the student in the academic information system. At the student's request, the teacher is obliged to provide the student with feedback on the assessment result. The possibilities for corrective procedures for assessment are defined in the UMB Study Regulations in Art. 14, Art. 27 (https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/) and in the directive on handling complaints (https://www.umb.sk/univerzita/verejnost-a-media/podnety-peticie-a-staznosti/staznosti/). In addition, students can contact the chairman of the trade union subcommittee of the relevant study program, the head of the department or the vice-dean for scientific and research activities, who are obliged to deal with each complaint.
The conditions for the recognition of a study or part of a study are defined in the UMB Study Rules, Art. 7, Art. 16 and Art. 17 (https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study-regulations/).
The list of topics of defended final theses in the previous academic year is published on the website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/financie-aj-externa/ucitelia-studijneho-programu/).
Rules for the assignment, processing, opposition, defence and evaluation of final theses in the study programme
The rules regarding final theses are defined in the Directive S-03-23 Formatting Seminar Papers, Final Theses and Habilitation Theses (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/state-exam-and-final-thesis.html) and in the Study Regulations of the University of Ljubljana in Art. 14, Art. 18, Art. 36 (https://www.umb.sk/en/study/degree-studies-full-time-student/study regulations/). The organizational guidelines regarding the defense of the diploma thesis are listed on the website of the department (https://www.ef.umb.sk/katedry/katedra-financii-a-uctovnictva/oznamy-katedry/).
Opportunities and procedures for participation in student mobility
Supporting individual student mobility is one of the strategic priorities of UMB in the area of internationalization. The stated priority is elaborated in detail in the document Internationalization Strategy available on the UMB website (https://www.umb.sk/en/international/strategy-principles-and-goals/) and in Directive No. 4/2025 on Erasmus+ mobility at UMB (https://www.umb.sk/en/erasmus/). Information on mobilities abroad is currently published on the EF UMB website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/student-mobilities/) in Slovak and English.
Rules for adherence to academic ethics and rules for drawing consequences
Students are regularly informed about the principles and rules of adherence to academic ethics in the first year of their studies, this is a part of Research Methodology and Ethics 1 and Research Methodology and Ethics 2. Teachers and supervisors thoroughly examine the authenticity of the Dissertation thesis, submitted seminar papers, written scientific papers, published scientific contributions or projects. Disciplinary offenses are resolved by the EF UMB Disciplinary Committee (https://www.umb.sk/univerzita/vedenie-umb/organy-umb/disciplinarna-komisia/). Its status and activities are regulated by the Disciplinary Rules of the UMB in Banská Bystrica for Students and the Rules of Procedure of the UMB in Banská Bystrica for Students (https://www.umb.sk/student/know-how-pre-studenta/studijne-predpisy/disciplinarny-poriadok). An Ethics Commission has been established at the UMB, which resolves questions and problems related to the observance of academic ethics by both employees and students. Relevant information related to the Ethics Commission and its scope is published on the university website (https://www.umb.sk/univerzita/univerzita/o-univerzite/akademicka-etika-umb/eticka komisia/). The Student Code of Ethics at the UMB is a binding document for students (https://www.umb.sk/en/university/information-about-umb/code-of-ethics.html). Each student can also complete online training in ethical decision-making in an online environment in accordance with the rules at the UMB. Documents are published on the university and faculty websites.
Procedures applicable to students with special needs
The University and its components provide applicants and students with special needs with reasonable accommodations and support services and create an environment for equalizing opportunities to study at UMB. Procedures for applicants and students with special needs are set out in the Study Guide for Students with Special Needs at UMB and other published instructions on the university website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/students-with-special-needs.html). At EF UMB, we have established the position of a coordinator for work with students with special needs, who provides support to these students in their adaptation to the university environment as well as in resolving various situations related to their studies (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/students-with-special-needs.html).
Procedures for filing complaints and appeals by students
Students have the opportunity to submit suggestions and complaints via an anonymous questionnaire on the faculty website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/podnety-od-studentov/). The suggestions are dealt with by the Vice-Dean for Pedagogical Activities.
Course information sheets are available in the academic information system AIS2 and are publicly available on the faculty's website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/financie-aj-externa/).
The academic year schedule is available on the faculty website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/schedule-of-academic-year.html).
The current schedule is accessible through the academic information system AiS2.
prof. Ing. Emília Zimková, PhD.
Department of Finance and Accounting
Faculty of Economics, MBU in Banská Bystrica
Tajovského 10, 975 90 Banská Bystrica
+421 48/446 63 22
prof. Ing. Emília Zimková, PhD. | Ekonomická fakulta, Univerzita Mateja Bela (umb.sk)
Finančná ekonómia
(Financial Economics)
prof. Ing. Emília Zimková, PhD.
Department of Finance and Accounting
https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11453
prof. Ing. Emília Zimková, PhD. | Ekonomická fakulta, Univerzita Mateja Bela (umb.sk)
Finančný manažment
(Financial Management)
prof. Ing. Peter Krištofík, PhD.
Department of Finance and Accounting
https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11202
prof. Ing. Peter Krištofík, PhD. | Ekonomická fakulta, Univerzita Mateja Bela (umb.sk)
Ekonómia a manažment inovácií
(Economics and Management of Innovation)
doc. Ing. Miroslava Vinczeová, PhD.
Department of Corporate Economics and Management
https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11522
doc. Ing. Miroslava Vinczeova, PhD. | Ekonomická fakulta, Univerzita Mateja Bela (umb.sk)
Aplikovaná finančná makroekonometria
(Applied Financial Macroeconometrics)
doc. PhDr. Ing. Martin Boďa, PhD.
Department of Quantitative Methods and Information Systems
https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/11590
doc. PhDr. Ing. Martin Boďa, PhD. | Ekonomická fakulta, Univerzita Mateja Bela (umb.sk)
Teórie financií
(Finance Theories)
doc. Ing. Ján Huňady, PhD.
Department of Finance and Accounting
https://www.portalvs.sk/regzam/detail/16168
doc. Ing. Ján Huňady, PhD. | Ekonomická fakulta, Univerzita Mateja Bela (umb.sk)
The list of teachers of the study program is available on the faculty's website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/financie-aj-externa/ucitelia-studijneho-programu/).
The list of supervisors of final theses is on the faculty website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/financie-aj-externa/ucitelia-studijneho-programu/).
The scientific/artistic-pedagogical characteristics of the dissertation supervisors are available on the faculty's website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/student/akreditovane-studijne-programy/doktorandske-studijne-programy-phd/financie-aj-externa/ucitelia-studijneho-programu/).
Ing. Veronika Chyláková, 2nd year, 3rd level of study, SP finance, [email protected]
Study Officer: PhDr. Ingrid Balážová, [email protected], 048/446 21 41
Accommodation Officer: Mgr. Ján Grener, Director of the Administration of Special Purpose Facilities of the University of Bratislava, [email protected], 048/446 69 14
Social Affairs Officer: Jana Löbbová, [email protected], 048/446 11 52
Coordinator for Applicants and Students with Special Needs: Assoc. Ing. Radoslav Kožiak, PhD., [email protected], 048/446 20 14
International Cooperation Officer: Mgr. Jana Prašovská, [email protected], 048/446 21 23
Doctoral Student Development Center: Ing. Kristína Murínová, [email protected], 048/446 21 68
Other administrative staff:
Mgr. Terézia Petková - UMB ID card office, helpdesk ([email protected]; [email protected]; 048/446 65 14)
Ivana Kapustíková - head, AIS administration officer, helpdesk ([email protected]; 048/446 62 13)
Ing. Pavol Lupták - Department of Computing and Didactic Technology (e-mail accounts, LMS Moodle, helpdesk) ([email protected]; 048/446 21 65)
Milan Lichý - ICT administrator, helpdesk ([email protected]; 048/446 21 69)
Michal Kindl - ICT administrator, helpdesk ([email protected]; 048/446 21 66)
The Faculty of Economics of MBU has enough spatial, material, technical resources as well as information channels to sustain the study programme. Classes take place in two faculty buildings, the main building and the new building, in which the premises consist of quality lecture rooms and classrooms offering a comfortable learning process for all students. Every classroom is furnished with new technical equipment i.e. a data projector, video camera, speakers with microphone to allow for distance or hybrid forms of teaching. Computers in the faculty computer classrooms have valid licenses for MS Office, SPSS Statistics and other licenses inevitable for the learning process. Besides the classrooms, there are multiple places for students in the building premises. Students may use rooms for self-study or teamwork available in each of the buildings. The main building also features a chill zone as well as a reading room in the library. The new building features a self-study centre available to all students. The faculty also has at its disposal modern information and communication technology, enabling it to arrange videoconferences or other online video sessions with both domestic and foreign universities. Students may also freely use the university library, which offers comprehensive services including on-site as well as off-site book loans, bibliographic, information or counselling services. All students have valid access to electronic databases provided by the faculty university licensing (e.g., ProQuest eBook Central, Emerald, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, HST, etc.). They may use the online library, i.e. virtual classroom, offering them unlimited access from their homes.
Characteristics of the study programme information management
All information on the study programme including information sheets of the individual courses are available in the Academic Information System (AIS2). Essential information and the recommended study plan of the individual study programmes is available on the faculty webpage in the Study Guide. Course syllabuses, the criteria on meeting requirements for credits and qualitative assessment are released together with the study materials in the courses created in the LMS Moodle e-learning gateway. It is primarily used as a primary tool for directing distance learning (release of study materials, handing out assignments and their assessment, the distribution and evaluation of exams). In LMS, individual subject courses are available to students with essential study materials needed to successfully complete and pass a given course.
Access to study literature according to Course information sheets, access to information databases and other information sources
The university library offers students not just traditional printed study materials, but students may access electronic resources, scientific papers and other publications. Every university PC has access to 20 paid databases of publication outcomes through a licensed university access (e.g. ProQuest, eBook Central, Emerald, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, HST). Students may also access these databases externally through a VPN network. The publications issued by the Belianum university publishing house are available in digital form, available to students through the Virtual Study Room https://digitalnakniznica.cvtisr.sk/page/umb-digitalna-kniznica and the MBU Repository https://repo.umb.sk/ as a consequence of the open access policy of MBU in Banská Bystrica. The Matej Bel University Library offers 5 reading rooms, Lending Department and the Education Center.
Access to information technologies
Students and employees of the faculty are ensured comfortable access to information technologies. In case of technical issues with information systems, students and employees may ask the technical support at helpdesk.umb.sk (https://helpdesk.umb.sk/en) for help, where they may find general information, tutorials and the steps to access their user accounts for Office 365, AIS2, LMS Moodle, internet connection or Wi-Fi in the faculty premises and dormitories, as well as to student cards.
Students have access to schedules in the AIS2, where they can also enrol for ongoing or final assessments or receive information on their study results. Teachers communicate with students via their student mailboxes, or collectively by using mass mails in AIS2 or the relevant course in LMS Moodle. All students and teachers have access to 5 Office 365 licenses via their university accounts.
Every guarantor department has department sections on the faculty website where they inform their students about important events.
The software available to students for needs in the learning process include: Office 365 applications/MS Office 2016/2019, R and R-Studio, IBM SPSS 28 statistical software, SAP, Power BI, SQL, Inkscape, CorelDRAW, PC Translator, video recording software (some classrooms offer Camtasia, in most cases Open Broadcaster Software); as well as alarge number of standard software.
Characteristics and extent of distance education applied in the study programme with the assignment to courses
Distance learning is provided predominantly through regular video- conference online meetings according to the schedule for the relevant semester in MS Teams application.
Every course is taught in a separate team and only teachers of the course and students enrolled in the course are members of such a team. In addition to Microsoft Teams, LMS Moodle is used as a tool for providing learning materials in the form of learning texts, lecture materials, assignments, data files, assignment solutions and video presentations. LMS Moodle also serves as a place where students can hand in their ongoing and final assignments and given test checks and feedback on their assignments. Teachers may use education licenses in Slido to stir up more interaction from their students during online lessons or when collecting feedback.
If students need specialised software installed in the classroom computers, they can access it using a secured remote access through an encrypted VPN (by installing an RDP client in their PC, they may connect to the university RDS server). They will have the ability to use the necessary software even during distance learning without limits.
Access, manuals of e-learning portals
In the case of distance (or hybrid) learning, online lessons take place in Microsoft Teams. Students are added to the team and teachers begin conducting the lessons with online lectures, practice, seminars, consultations, etc. Materials for face-to-face learning, including tutorials, are available in Slovak and English at the technical support website, at helpdesk.umb.sk (https://helpdesk.umb.sk/sk/23/zakladne-informacie- ms-teams.html). Other tutorials are partially available in LMS Moodle https://lms.umb.sk/course/index.php?categoryid=182 or on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxzjGZonsfzV7RTjvqlUizBMq8WeOR F_N). Students and employees may ask ICT administrators at the faculty (https://helpdesk.umb.sk/user/local_admins) for help, who can also help them via remote access.
Procedures for the transition from contact teaching to distance learning
Face-to-face learning may transition to distance learning immediately as all classrooms and auditoriums used for teaching are equipped with the necessary equipment, enabling video and audio transfer through the internet. If necessary (e.g. because of the current pandemic), learning process smoothly shifts from face-to-face to distance learning in all courses of the study programme.
The Council for Budget Responsibility – participation in macroeconomics courses, lectures as a part of the scientific seminar led by Imrich Karvaš
Národná banka Slovenska (National Bank of Slovakia) – participation in macroeconomics courses, lectures as part of a scientific seminar led by Imrich Karvaš
Czech National Bank, Aston Business School in Birmingham – lectures as part of a scientific seminar,
Česká spořitelna, a.s., Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s. (General Credit Bank), Slovenská sporiteľňa, a.s. – lectures as part of a scientific seminar (https://vsik.umb.sk/)
The faculty connects doctoral candidates from all study programmes with the aim of furthering their scientific development, but also to help them purposefully invest their free time in the Centre for Research and Development (https://www.facebook.com/centrumrozvojadoktorando) with a more than 20-year tradition. Students organise the Scientia Iuventa international scientific conference on their own (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/science-research/young-scientist/scientia-iuventa-si-umb-sk.html). They may co-organise the Scientific seminar led by Imrich Karvaš (https://vsik.umb.sk/) and participate in it. The faculty regularly holds workshops during the academic year in order to strengthen the transferrable competencies of doctoral candidates (e.g. to support their analytical skills, stimulate career growth) and to support their mobility. The faculty regularly invites economic and financial practitioners for lectures. On top of that the university offers a wide range of possibilities for students to engage in social, sport, cultural, spiritual and social activities (https://www.umb.sk/studium/ student/volny-cas/).
Possibilities and requirements for students in the study programme to attend mobility opportunities and internships follow Directive No. 4/2025 on ERASMUS+ mobility opportunities at MBU (https://www.umb.sk/en/erasmus) and are available in a separate section of the MBU Faculty of Economics webpage (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/students/student-mobilities/). Among them are mainly the Erasmus+ mobility programme, or mobility opportunities provided by the SAIA organisation. Besides studies offered to students, those also have the possibility to receive internships. The call for applications for mobility is announced every year in the first half of the winter semester. Those interested in mobility submit an application along with a letter of motivation, a CV, and a foreign language certificate. Subsequently, a pre-selection of participants takes place, which consists of an evaluation of the submitted documents and a personal interview. (face-to-face or online). The results of the pre-selections are announced to the students after the grant has been awarded by the National Agency Erasmus+. When a student completes a study mobility, the supervisor confirms the recognition of ECTS credits gained on the mobility based on the certified results statement.
The admission conditions are the same for all third-cycle study programs at the Faculty of Economics of the UMB in Banská Bystrica, they are available on the faculty's website (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/applicants/doctoral-study-phd/) and are based on the approved document (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/applicants/doctoral-study-phd/conditions-for-admission-to-study.html).
A prerequisite for admission to doctoral studies is completing Master’s degree of studies. Applicants who completed their previous degree of study abroad are obliged to present a recognition of their education certificate received outside the Slovak Republic under Act No. 422/2015 on the Recognition of Education Certificates and Professional Qualification, as amended.
Another condition is a successful pass on admission examination. The process of admission procedure and admission requirements to doctoral studies are listed in the Possibilities and Study Admission Requirements as well as a planned number of admitted applicants for the academic year of 20xx/20xx+1 (https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/applicants/doctoral-study-phd/conditions-for-admission-to-study.html).
Before admission procedure to doctoral studies begin, the faculty announces dissertation topics, which applicants may apply for during the admission procedure. A supervisor is listed for each of the listed topics. Doctoral studies applicants must enrol in one of the announced topics. The dissertation topics are announced on the faculty website at https://www.ef.umb.sk/en/applicants/doctoral-study-phd/topics-of-dissertations.html.
Regarding applicants for full-time studies, the admission examination consists of multiple aspects combined in the final assessment of each applicant and has 3 parts: (1) the applicant’s presentation of a written dissertation project in English, (2) the evaluation of the previous scientific activities of the applicant (publication and research activities), (3) academic achievement received during the master’s degree of study. The total number of points that full-time studies applicants can receive is 100.
The admission examination for applicants of part-time studies is assessed based on 2 parts: (1) the applicant’s presentation of a written dissertation project in English, (2) the evaluation of the previous scientific activities of the applicant (publication and research activities). The total number of points that part-time studies applicants can receive is 90.
All parts of the admission examination for applicants of full-time and part-time studies take place before an examining board either in face-to- face or distance form. The examining board consists of at least 3 members as established by the Dean of the faculty for all study programmes based on the proposals from the chairpersons of the field subcommittees for the relevant doctoral study programmes.
Admission results are announced to the applicants on the faculty website on the day of the admission examination. Applicants are admitted by the Dean based on the recommendations received from the faculty admission board. The admission board consists of at least 2 members of the faculty management, the faculty secretary and at least 2 members of the examining board. The results of the admission examination are recorded in minutes from the proceedings. The admission board decide on the admission threshold and submit the admission proposal of the successful applicants to the dean.
The applicants are admitted in order based on the number of points received at the admission procedure from the total number of points, based on the planned capacity of the study programmes in the individual forms of study. The results of admission procedure are recorded in the academic information system. Applicants who meet the set requirements for study admission receive a decision on the admission to studies with other relevant documents.
In the academic year 2025/2026, no students expressed interest in studying in the study program.
The procedures for monitoring and evaluating students' opinions on the quality of the study program are defined in Directive No. 2/2025 On obtaining feedback from stakeholders of the study program or its integral part, available at Internal regulations related to quality assurance | Internal quality system | Center for quality assurance and accreditation.
The faculty has mechanisms in place to monitor students' opinions on the quality of education with a special emphasis on doctoral studies. In this regard, in an effort to continuously improve the quality of study programs in doctoral studies at the faculty, an anonymous questionnaire survey is carried out. The aim of this survey is to determine students' motivation for doctoral studies, evaluate the elements of doctoral studies, evaluate the development of cross-cutting skills, evaluate supervision, evaluate the academic and research environment, and also to determine students' own opinions. The results of the survey are provided to persons responsible for the quality of the study program.
The results of the questionnaire survey related to the evaluation of the quality of the study program are available to the chairman of the departmental committee and the persons providing the study program and are communicated in detail to the Dean's Board, where critical areas are identified and measures for improvement are subsequently taken at the faculty level and at the level of the workplace providing the study program.
The new Directive No. 2/2025 does not regulate obtaining feedback from graduates, therefore, in the study program, feedback from graduates is obtained informally, through interviews, further cooperation with students on the topics being addressed, and the like.