PhD Programme in Social Sciences Programme description

The PhD in Social Sciences is a full-time, 180 ECTS credit programme based at the Faculty of Social Sciences (SAM). The programme aims to qualify candidates for research, teaching, development work and other highly qualified work in the social sciences. The programme is characterized by interdisciplinarity and by theoretical and methodological pluralism. The programme has four specialisations:

Business Administration, Innovation and Governance (BIG)

Information, Library and Archival Studies (IBA)

Journalism and Media Studies (JMF)

Social Work and Social Policy (SASP)

The programme’s different specialisations are all broad fields of research and practice, which in turn house many disciplinary, theoretical, epistemological, and methodological approaches. “Social Sciences” is thus a wide-ranging appellation including humanistic and technological perspectives. All PhD candidates will be grounded in central philosophical traditions and paradigms within the Social Sciences via the common educational components of the programme. The PhD education will be organised around professional fields and will break down disciplinary barriers and facilitates innovative trans-disciplinary research. Closeness to the professional fields is important to prepare candidates for careers both within and outside academia. The PhD programme in Social Sciences thus aims to prepare candidates for the needs of an employment market within and outside academia.

The PhD programme consists of an educational (coursework) component (30 ECTS credits) and a research component comprising the doctoral thesis (150 ECTS credits). The programme is intended to be completed within an effective researcher training period of three years, alternatively four years including mandatory duties (pliktarbeid).

Upon completion and passing of the programme, the candidate will be awarded the degree PhD in Social Sciences. The candidate’s specialization will be named on the transcript and diploma.

The requirements for the PhD degree are established in the Provision for the Degree of Philosophiae doctor a (PhD) at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University. https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2012-08-28-841

The master's programme focuses on the Nordic model, with an emphasis on social welfare policies' sustainability in the face of global challenges and the need for global sustainable development. The master's programme is unique in its focus and provides students with the knowledge and skills in social science theories and methods to analyse, develop and manage social policies at an advanced level. The programme provides insights into drivers and challenges of social policies in the Nordic countries, how they compare to other welfare models, and lessons learned for global social policy and social policies globally.

Rethinking sustainable welfare or sustainable welfare models is compelled by a series of interrelated societal changes that have become challenges globally: for instance, demographic and family changes, new migration patterns, urbanisation, digitalisation of society, democratic backsliding and climate change and the green transition. This includes focus on present situations and future strategies, but also reckoning with the historical power relations that have shaped social inequalities and injustices we see reflected in society today, both within nation-states and globally.

Many actors have called for the restructuring of Nordic and other European welfare states to promote human rights, social cohesion and social sustainability in a globalised economy. This involves a broad range of actors including the UN, the European Commission, OECD, the Nordic governments, social partners and civil society organisations. The internal and external pressures on welfare states also raise questions about the capacities of individual citizens and households to overcome contemporary societal challenges and improve their life opportunities, as well as reduce risks of poverty and social exclusion.

The societal and environmental transformations we witness all over the world today pose significant questions about the future organisation of the welfare state. The economic and social values that have shaped past policies in the Nordic and other mature welfare states are being questioned, as is the appropriate balance between, state, market, family and organised civil society in protecting the rights and fulfilling the needs of the inhabitants. Additionally questioned are the connections that have and will continue to exist between Nordic welfare states and other global entities. The transformations and ongoing crises raise concerns about new inequalities and the need to critically examine existing policies.

This degree provides you with the knowledge and skills to contribute to developing new welfare policy solutions to foster the well-being of all individuals, local communities and nations given the challenges they face.

In the programme we explore:

• How the Nordic countries have fared during past crises and during ongoing societal and environmental transformations, including within a global context.
• Different strategies for critically evaluating the outcomes of social policy interventions, as well as how the design of an evaluation may be framed around particular questions or priorities.
• Different approaches to and critical perspectives concerning what is meant by “sustainability”. Some scholars first and foremost focus on the need for green transition. In the programme you will learn about both growth and post-growth perspectives on welfare. We will also examine other megatrends such as demographic aging, climate change, migration, family change and digitalisation of society to critically assess the sustainability of the Nordic and other welfare models.
• Critical insights into drivers and challenges of social policies in the Nordic countries, within a global context.

The NORPOL programme consists of 6 mandatory courses (60 ECTS), 3 elective courses (30 ECTS) and a master's thesis (30 ECTS). Elective courses allow students to pursue topics of special interest that may be relevant for both the master's thesis, as well as for future career possibilities.

All courses are taught in English, and the diploma will be issued in English for all successful candidates. Candidates will be awarded the title Master of Applied Social Sciences, programme option Nordic Social Policy and Global Sustainable Development.

This degree provides the candidates with the knowledge and skills to contribute to examine welfare models and measure and develop new welfare policy solutions to foster the well-being of all people, at the local, regional, national and global level. The degree qualifies for

• positions in public and private sector that require the knowledge and ability to undertake systematic documentation and evaluation of social service programmes, as well as the knowledge of Nordic, international and comparative studies within social welfare.
• positions in government agencies, non-governmental organisations or voluntary organisations engaged in local, national, regional and global social policies
• social science positions dealing with welfare and social policy issues
• PhD programmes in the social sciences, including social policy

Candidates find work in management, development and examination of welfare policy issues in municipalities, directorates, government ministries, NGOs, international organisations, research and education, and multilateral and bilateral aid.

This programme is aimed at social science students who have a special interest in Nordic and global perspectives on social policy and sustainable development.

Admission to this programme is regulated by Regulations Relating to Admissions to Studies at OsloMet.

Admission requires a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) in social work, child welfare, education, political science, sociology, economics, anthropology or other social science degrees.

Applicants will be ranked on the basis of grade average from their bachelor's degree.

Teaching and learning methods will vary, but in most PhD courses will comprise lectures, discussions, oral presentations, and written assignment(s) with individual feedback. The seminar form also supports the candidates’ training in presenting their own research, both to fellow PhD candidates in their own programme and to external participants. A seminar form with a dynamic structure and with PhD candidates from different programmes requires active engagement. This combination of teaching and learning forms enables candidates to engage themselves in multiple ways and thus enhance their learning outcomes. Participation is mandatory at all seminars and lectures. Only in special cases can a minor absence from teaching (up to 20%) be accepted upon application. The form of assessment in the courses will be an essay. In case of unapproved absence, the participant will lose the right to have the essay assessed.

If fewer than six enrol for an advertised course, the teaching may be given as a supervised reading course.

The work on the PhD thesis consists of active research under supervision. The duties of the supervisors are regulated by the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet Section 3. The main supervisor should normally come from the programme's department / faculty. If the main supervisor is not from the programme's department, a co-supervisor from the department shall be appointed upon admission. The total time the supervisors spends on the candidate is estimated to be 210 hours, including contact with the candidate, preparations, reading, follow-up work, etc. The standard distribution between the main supervisor and a co-supervisor is 140 and 70 hours respectively. If there are more co-supervisors, a different distribution will apply. The candidate is entitled to a total of 70 hours of direct supervision during the programme. Upon admission to PhD education at OsloMet, a written employment contract is formalized regarding their duties and rights during the admission period, cf. the PhD

Regulations at OsloMet, § 2-6. A progress schedule is drawn up at the first supervision meeting. The candidate and the supervisor shall submit progress reports annually, cf. the PhD Regulations at OsloMet, § 3-3.

Midway assessments are arranged for each candidate. Here the candidate presents her/his dissertation project and receives comments from an opponent. The opponent should not be employed in the department/ workplace of the candidate or the principal supervisor's department. Supervisors and researchers in the study's research communities are invited to participate. The mid-term seminar is a central arena for the presentation of the candidate’s progression and professional development and represents an important milestone for the candidate.

The programme will host an information seminar about submission and dissertation at least once a year. Seminar meetings can be held on ‘kappe’ writing, which can complement corresponding seminars at OsloMet. Regular research seminars will be organised at the departmental/ research unit/ research group levels, where candidates may also participate and present their own research.

Candidates are expected to keep up to date about international research in the subject area and to network with foreign colleagues in the field. Periods of study abroad will be facilitated, and the department will invite researchers from foreign institutions to give lectures.

Students are expected to present at least one paper at an international conference. Candidates are also encouraged to communicate about their projects via relevant forums and channels.

The fundament of the PhD is independent work. Candidates must take an independent and active role in his/her learning process, both in the doctoral thesis and in the educational component/ coursework. All courses therefore require the active participation of candidates in a multitude of ways, such as identifying relevant research questions and problems, deducing the best way to analyse problems, and structuring and writing a research paper. All courses in the educational component are intended to underpin the PhD candidates’ own research.

The courses are/ will be seminar-based. Candidates are expected to actively participate in the course, via advance preparation (doing the readings and other preparatory work), participation in course discussions, and respectful engagement with other candidates’ ideas and work. Participation is mandatory, and candidates are expected to attend all days of teaching. Unless otherwise stated in the course descriptions, a minor absence (up to 20 percent of the course duration) can be accepted in special cases such as documented illness/ sick leave (upon application). In the event of absences that are not approved, candidates will lose their right to have their essays assessed.

Course requirements are assessed as confirmed or not confirmed.

Assessment of examinations in the educational (training) component will be conducted in accordance with the provisions regarding examinations and cheating in the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet; see the PhD Regulations, section 4.

The form of assessment for all courses/subjects will be pass or fail. In all courses, the PhD candidate must hand in a paper based on their own research project, of typical lengths of 5-8 pages (5 credits course) or 8-12 pages (10 credit course). In addition to passing the essay, course requirements, generally participation, must also be confirmed in order to be awarded the ECTS credits.

The form of assessment for the doctoral thesis will take place in accordance with OsloMet's PhD Regulations, Chapter 6, and in accordance with the Faculty's guidelines for assessing the thesis, cf. Retningslinjer for avhandlingen i ph.d.-programmene ved SAM - Ansatt - minside (oslomet.no)

Conferment of a PhD degree occurs on the following basis:

Approval of the educational component

Approval of the doctoral thesis

Approval of the trial lecture on a given topic

Approval of the public defence of the thesis