The study program Geography in Education in the third cycle of studies represents a study field within the joint third cycle studies – the PhD program “Natural and Mathematical Sciences in Education” which was formed in June 2013 by the Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo. Compulsory subjects of the joint third cycle –PhD program “Natural and Mathematical Sciences in Education” carry 23 ECTS in the first semester, 10 ECTS in the second semester and 20 ECTS in the third semester. In accordance with the Guidelines, it is envisaged that students in the III, IV, V, and VI semesters will be predominantly engaged in scientific research activities and the preparation of a dissertation. The subjects are divided into four groups. The first group consists of subjects from the field of pedagogical and psychological sciences. The second group includes subjects in the field of geography teaching methodology (for the study of geography).

The third group includes subjects from the professional fields of natural and mathematical sciences (geographical subjects for the study of geography), and the fourth group consists of subjects / seminars that are directly related to the scientific research work of the candidate and the preparation of a dissertation. It is estimated that the representation of subjects from the mentioned groups is approximately distributed as 15% (first group), 15% (second group), 15% (third group) and 55% (fourth group). The study program consists of lectures, which can be of a consultative nature depending on the number of participants and scientific research work within the thesis, which is valorized through four PhD seminars and the defense of the doctoral thesis. At the end of the third cycle study program Geography in Education, the title of PhD of Geographical Sciences / Sciences in Education is acquired.

PhD in Geographical Sciences / Sciences in Education are, among other things, trained for independent and original research in the field of application of fundamental geographical research for educational significance, for independent and team participation in scientific research projects important for school geography development and active participation in adoption, innovation and implementation of curricula in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for active participation in international conferences of interest for the development of fundamental and applied geography, for the development, presentation, revision and review of strategic documents relating to the geographical regionalization of Bosnia and Herzegovina respecting the European Charter of the Regions and Regionalisation of the European Union, as the basis of regional geography in the education system and numerous other activities in this field.

The study program of the third cycle of studies in the field of regional and spatial planning is adapted to the education and preparation of students for scientific and research work in the areas of regional and spatial planning. Upon completion of the third cycle of studies, majoring in regional and spatial planning, the title of Doctor of Geographical Sciences in the field of Regional and Spatial Planning is obtained.

The basic educational goals of the study programs of the third cycle of geography studies in the field of regional and spatial planning and tourism and environmental protection and the competences of doctoral students in these fields are:

• systematic understanding of the essence of geographical space and its valorization for strategic development purposes;
• building a networked and complex opinion on the environment as a medium for the development of spatial, regional, tourist and general geographical significance;
• synthesis, explication and implementation of acquired fundamental and applied geographical knowledge in strategic development programs, the most important of which are the tertiary economic sector, which belongs to the part of regional and spatial planning of special purpose;
• ability for independent and original scientific research in the field of fundamental geographical research for educational, tourism, geo-ecological and regional-planning significance;
• necessary component and complex geographical research in order to solve the problems caused by the irrational use of natural geographical resources, depopulation, deagrarization, deruralization of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• training for drafting, presentation, revision and review of strategic documents related to the geographical regionalization of Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking into account the European Charter of Regions and Regionalization of the European Union;
• expert analysis of tourism development, regional and spatial distribution of economic development of the state, regions and socio-political communities, and numerous other goals and competencies in these areas.

After completing the third cycle of studies, PhD of Geographical sciences / Sciences in the field of Regional and spatial planning and Tourism and environmental protection are trained for independent creative research in the fields of regional and spatial planning, tourism and environmental protection.

The study program of the third cycle of studies in the field of tourism and environmental protection is adapted to the education and preparation of students for scientific and research work in the area of tourism and environmental protection. Upon completion of the third cycle of studies, majoring in tourism and environmental protection, the title of Doctor of Geographical Sciences in the field of Tourism and Environmental Protection is obtained.

The basic educational goals of study programs of the III cycle of geography studies in the field of regional and spatial planning and tourism and environmental protection and the competence of doctoral students in these areas are:

• systemic understanding of the essence of geographic space and its valorization for strategic development purposes;
• building a networked and complex opinion about the environment as a medium of development of spatial, regional, touristic and general geographical significance;
• synthesizing, explaining, and implementing acquired fundamental and applied geographical knowledge in strategic development programs, the most important of which are the
• tertiary economic sector, which belongs to the part of regional and spatial planning for special purposes;
• the ability for independent and original scientific research in the field of fundamental geographical research for educational, tourism, geoecological, and regional-planning importance;
• necessary component and complex geographical research in order to solve the problems caused by the irrational use of natural geographical resources, depopulation,
• deagrarianization, deruralization of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  training for the preparation, presentation, revision, and review of strategic documents concerning the geographic regionalization of Bosnia and Herzegovina, respecting the European Charter on Regions and Regionalization of the European Union;
  expert analysis of tourism development, regional and spatial distribution of economic development of the state, regions, and socio-political communities, and numerous other goals and competencies in the aforementioned areas.

After completing the third cycle of studies, doctors of geographic sciences/sciences in the field of regional and spatial planning and tourism and environmental protection are qualified for independent creative research in the fields of regional and spatial planning, tourism and environmental protection.