EPN

MALK4000-401 Complexity, Science and Society Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Kompleksitet, vitenskap og samfunn
Study programme
Masterstudium i atferdsvitenskap, deltid / Masterstudium i atferdsvitenskap - spesialisering i begreper og anvendelse
Weight
10.0 ECTS
Year of study
2019/2020
Curriculum
FALL 2019
Schedule
Programme description
Course history

Required preliminary courses

Admission to the study program

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge and skills:

 

Knowledge

The student

  • can describe and discuss societal influences that support a complexity perspective

  • can describe and discuss complexity as a scientific approach

  • can describe and discuss dualism as a philosophical perspective, and the effect of dualism in an applied setting

  • can describe reductionism; emergence; critical mass; consilience; the unity of science, and other concepts from complexity science

  • can give examples of analyses of the same phenomenon at different levels of reduction

  • can describe and discuss differences in antagonistic and complementary professional approaches to the same phenomenon

  • can describe and discuss the principle of selection at different levels of complexity

 

Skills

The student

  • can analyze networks as the structure of complex adaptive systems

  • can identify nodes and hubs, assessing the robustness and vulnerability of networks

  • can identify category mistakes and discuss mentalism and evolutionary approaches

  • can cite sources and arrange a reference list according to the current standard from APA

  • can use EndNote for citations and references in written assignments

Content

Complexity, networks, selection at different levels of complexity, unity of knowledge, dualism, natural scientific methods, levels of reduction and choice of analytical units.

Teaching and learning methods

The course will include lectures, discussions, individual reports and seminars.

Course requirements

Students submit 4 written assignments, each with maximum 3 pages including references, according to the deadlines in the course schedule.

Assessment

Individual written examination with invigilation, 4 hours. 

Exam questions are in English. Students may submit their exams in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. 

Permitted exam materials and equipment

None

Grading scale

A grading scale of A (highest) to F (lowest) where A to E is a pass grade and F is a fail grade

Examiners

One internal and one external examiner