• Regular 2 - 2 semesters

The master's program is designed for students with basic knowledge and skills in the field of education and pedagogical sciences. It aims at:

• widening the understanding of basic concepts and current trends in modern education and in particular in pre-primary and primary education;
• sharpening the key skills and competencies for adequate pedagogical interactions and management of the educational process in pre-primary and primary schools;
• providing skills and opportunities for curricular analysis and adaptation of different educational technologies;
• developing originality and students' own teaching styles in their interaction with 3-11 year-old children.

The study involves some conceptual and technological aspects of scientific research. Students acquire skills for the selection and implementation of different methods and techniques for diagnostics, psycho-prophylactics, social work and prevention.

An important part of the training is the development of specific skills and competences for problem solving, consulting and prevention work with pre-primary and primary school children. Students are given instructions how to encourage and develop children's activities and communication within a wide scale of contexts and situations.

The program aims at providing opportunities for students' individual development and self improvement. It stimulates creativity, critical thinking, originality and initiative.

The curriculum and syllabi are developed according to the requirements of the higher education policies in Bulgaria.

The study lasts 2 (two) semesters. The curriculum provides 60 ECTS CR. The ECTS credits are divided equally in the two semesters according to the State requirements (article 44а of the Law for change and complement of the Law for higher education - State Journal, vol. 48/04.06.2004 and Regulation № 21 from 30.09.2004 for application of system for credit transfer in higher educational institutions - State Journal, vol. 89/12.10.2004).

The program structure provides compulsory, elective and facultative courses.

The compulsory courses offer a profound knowledge and specific competences in both theoretical and practical areas of the study.

The elective courses widen the general and basic knowledge and help students to acquire more specific information and professional skills.

The facultative courses enable students to acquire new skills and knowledge of their interest that are not a part of the curriculum.

Students graduate after they successfully pass their final exam or defend their master thesis. For that final part of the master's program they gain 15 ECTS CR (article 10 of Regulation № 21 from 30.09.2004).

The curriculum design, the program structure, ECTS, the quality of education and the qualification gained enable students to be competitive on the labour market as pre-primary and primary education specialists or to continue their education and qualification in Bulgaria or abroad.

Graduated students become qualified pedagogues, pre-primary and primary school teachers.

Graduate Master's students have a future possibility:

• to specialize in different forms of continuing education and lifelong learning;
• to proceed with their education in Ph.D degree.