MAHEL4200 The Health of th Family - Children 0-5 years Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

This course focuses on work with children in the age group 0-5 years and their caregivers at the population, group and individual level. The child’s development, family/caregivers and home, and other arenas that influence their childhood environment form an important part of the course. Relevant protection and risk factors related to children and their family/caregivers’ everyday lives are also addressed. The course emphasises resource-oriented and solution-oriented approaches. User participation and interdisciplinary cooperation are key components. Emphasis is also placed on key theories and methods that are essential in health promotion and disease prevention work, including pedagogical methods and health communication.

The work requirements from MAHEL4100 must be approved in order to start on the course MAHEL4200.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can analyse and assess the public health nurse’s function, areas of responsibility and tasks in relation to young children and their families/caregivers at different levels
• can critically analyse and assess theories on young children’s physical, psychological, sexual and social development
• can critically assess the significance of protection and risk factors that influence on children’s development
• can describe key theoretical perspectives on attachment and interaction
• can describe the significance of following up children as next of kin in connection with crises, trauma and stressful circumstances
• can assess the significance of cooperation, and interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration for young children and their families/caregivers

Skills

The student

• can use relevant methods to independently map and assess children’s health, identify developmental abnormalities, illness and disabilities and implement measures where needed
• can assess children’s linguistic development and refer to other professionals as needed
• can identify, prevent and deter psychosocial strain in the children’s surroundings, including with regard to neglect, violence, sexual assault and substance abuse
• can identify and elucidate nutritional challenges and provide guidance on nutrition, breastfeeding and growth, and refer to other professionals as needed
• can use evidence-based methods to promote informed health choices, coping skills and quality of life among children and their families/caregivers
• can use relevant pedagogical methods and health communication when interacting with children and their families/caregivers
• can use knowledge of young children’s use of digital media to implement measures as needed

General competence

The student

• can analyse and apply knowledge-based methods in children’s health clinic work
• can analyse professional and ethical issues when interacting with children and their families/caregivers
• can analyse relevant professional issues in cooperation with health personnel and other professional groups, to contribute to appropriate health services for children and their families/caregivers
• can contribute to culturally sensitive approaches to children and their families/caregivers
• can contribute to creating a sense of security and trust when interacting with children and their families/caregivers

MAVIT4070/MAxxx4070 must be passed before the master's thesis can begin.

All compulsory courses in the programme must be passed before the student can submit their master's thesis for assessment.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of their area of study and can identify relevant issues to clarify the need for research and professional development
• has in-depth knowledge of the research process

Skills

The student

• can analyse relevant theories and issues to initiate a research, quality or development project
• can use relevant research methods in their own work
• can analyse and deal critically with various sources of information and use them in scholarly arguments in their own research, quality or development project
• can carry out a limited, independent research, quality or development project in accordance with applicable norms for research ethics

General competence

The student

• can communicate relevant issues, analyses and conclusions from their own research, quality or development project to both the general public and academia
• can contribute to new thinking, innovation processes and evidence-based practice in the health services and in health-promoting work

Work and teaching methods used in the course are self-study, presentations at 2-3 master’s seminars and an offer of 15 hours’ supervision per thesis, regardless of whether it is written individually or in a group.

The seminars are an arena for sharing experience from all stages of the project work. Students will take part in academic discussion and practise structuring and wording academic argumentation and communicating constructive criticism. Presenting their work, giving feedback to fellow students, and receiving feedback from fellow students and teachers, are important parts of the seminars.

The supervision agreement is signed by the students and supervisors at the start of the supervision.

When a group of students work together, an overview of each student’s individual contribution must be enclosed with the assignment.

The following must have been approved in order for a student to be permitted to take the examination:

• For full-time specialisations: One oral presentation (up to 10 minutes) at the master seminar, and completion of the opponent role with critique/feedback on the presentation from fellow students.
• For part-time specialisations: Two oral presentations (up to 10 minutes each) at the master seminar, and completion of the opponent role with critique/feedback on the presentation from fellow students.

The master’s thesis written by one or two students. Large, interdisciplinary innovation projects can be written in groups of up to four students on application.

The content and scope of the different forms of master's theses:

• Monograph: Recommended scope of a monographic assignment is 13,000 words +/- 10%

• Scientific article: The thesis must include a manuscript in the form of at least one article that is in accordance with the author guidelines for a relevant scientific journal, and a supplementary memo/introductory chapter to the article-based thesis ('kappe') that elaborates on the theoretical and methodological considerations underlying the article. The layout, structure and scope of the article must comply with the guidelines of the journal in question. If the maximum length is not stated in the relevant journal's author guidelines, the maximum length is 8,000 words The supplementary memo/introductory chapter to the article-based thesis ('kappen') must have a scope of 3000 words +/- 10%

The thesis can be written in English or a Scandinavian language (Norwegian, Swedish or Danish).

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with. There is an opportunity to reuse self-produced text from MAVIT4070 in the master's thesis without self-citation.

Grade scale A-F.