Educational Plans and Programmes for Automatics and Metrology of Mining Technology at the Polish Universities

Abstract

About 60 persons are admitted to the graduate course every year after passing the entrance examinations. The entire course of studies is free of charge and the universities provide accommodation for the students who need it. The five years of studies are divided Into 10 semesters. One semester lasts 15 weeks. Automatics can be studied at three separate faculties. At the University of Mining and Metallurgy, it is offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics and Electronics as well as the Faculty of Mining and Metallurgical Machines (metrology can also be studied there); at the Suesian Technical University in Gllwlce, the Faculty of Mining offers the course. The educational plans and programmes comprise 3 groups of subjects: common for a given course of studies (foreign languages, political science and the basic technical knowledge) common for the speciality and subjects of diploma courses. The whole time of studies covers about 4400 hours excluding 3 periods of professional training and the physical training. The classes, laboratory classes, seminars and design classes are obligatory and the attendance is strictly checked. Students may extend their knowledge by participating and working in the Science Clubs. The students' work is checked not only during the classes but also by the examinations held at the end of respective semesters. Those who fail the exams can repeat them ortly if very important reasons are presented. At the very end of the studies there is a dipLoma examination together with a discussion on the diploma thesis, written by the student. The successful result entitles the student to recleve the title of “magister inzynler” M.Sc. of his speciality. The graduates, after working for 2 years, can attend another coarse of studies lasting 2 semesters and called “Postgraduate Course”, or start “Doctoral Studies” finished by the defence of a doctor's thesis. In these cases the expenses are usually covered by the graduates' employers.