EPN-V2

MALK4000-401 Complexity, Science and Society Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Kompleksitet, vitenskap og samfunn
Weight
10.0 ECTS
Year of study
2019/2020
Course history
Curriculum
FALL 2019
Schedule
Programme description

  • 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