MJ5200 Climate journalism, theory and practice Course description

The learning outcomes will be achieved by means of different learning methods adapted to each individual course. Teaching methods include lectures, assignments, seminars, project work and the use of online learning resources. Project work is carried out both in groups and individually. In some courses, lab environments are available for students to practice their skills. The labs will mimic the real world as closely as possible in order to allow for a realistic setting for the students.

The program is based on student-centered learning methods and project work that requires active participation from students. Students will receive feedback on their presentations and reports.

For seminar-based courses, it is essential for students to be prepared to follow the presentations and actively participate in projects and discussions.

Research and teaching are integrated throughout the study program. The teaching is constantly updated to encompass new knowledge, and research articles are part of the syllabus in many of the courses. Furthermore, the students will participate in research-related discussions and have the opportunity to be included in ongoing research and development through projects that are part of the study program.

The master's thesis is a piece of independent research or development work in one of the key topics of the study program. Each student will be assigned an internal supervisor, who will ensure that the project complies with research ethics principles and help students to formulate the research question and ensure quality in the collection and analysis of data. Seminars with supervisors and fellow students will develop each student's ability to critically assess and discuss their own and other students' work. The thesis shall be a written report based on research principles and methods.

Spending a semester abroad is an opportunity for students to experience a different culture.

During a stay abroad, students are expected to take a full semester of courses at the external institution and incorporate them into their own ACIT education. For the ACIT program, the third semester is designed to offer an opening for internationalisation. Only students who plan to do a short thesis are eligible to travel abroad for a whole semester. Long thesis students are not eligible for a full semester abroad as they already have 20 ECTS of their schedule allocated to their master’s thesis in the third semester.

During the third semester, short thesis students will take two elective courses in addition to the Alternative Specialisation course. This allows for a broader range of subjects to choose from at the exchange institution as the electives do not necessarily have to be directly linked to the specialisation track. The Alternative Specialisation course, on the other hand, must be from an adjacent technological field. The student themselves will have to find courses that will function as substitutes for both the Alternative Specialisation and elective courses. Students are advised to explore the partner institutions listed in the link below to see which courses they think fit their background and interest. This could be courses within computer and information technology, including electronics, mathematical modelling and user-centered topics. The program's International Coordinator will review and approve the substitution of courses.

In the fourth semester, short and long thesis students may apply to carry out parts of their master’s thesis abroad. In such cases, students must apply to the ACIT Program Council for approval to travel abroad no later than the end of the third semester.

Requirements:

An average grade C in previously completed courses and a complete study progression for the two previous semesters.

An exchange agreement with the desired university or college must be in place before the student can apply.

Acceptance from a receiving professor or institution to an exchange-stay with the necessary academic relevance.

Information about requirements to travel abroad for an exchange semester:

https://student.oslomet.no/en/slik-soker-du

A coursework requirement is a compulsory piece of work/activity that must be approved before the student may take an examination. Coursework requirements are assessed "approved" or "not approved".

Not approved coursework requirements

Legitimate absence based on, for example, a medical certificate, does not exempt students from meeting the coursework requirements. Students who, due to illness or any other documented legitimate absence, do not meet the coursework requirements within the appointed deadline, should as far as possible be given a new attempt to meet the requirements before the relevant examination. An agreement with the relevant lecturer must be made in each individual case.

If, due to the nature of the subject/course, it is not possible to implement a new attempt to meet the requirements before the course exam, the student must expect to submit the coursework requirements at the next possible submission deadline. This may lead to a delay in progression through the Master's programme.

If a work requirement is assessed “not approved”, students have two chances to retake the work requirement. A work requirement that is assessed “not approved” three times, will result in loss of the right to take the course exam.

Mandatory attendance

In courses that require mandatory attendance, students must meet the minimum attendance requirement to pass the course. Failure to meet the minimum requirement will result in a loss of the right to take the course exam.

In cases where a student have a valid reason for absence due to illness or other legitimate reasons that can be documented, the teacher is responsible for making compensatory arrangement in order for the student to catch up on what he/she has missed. This could for example be a one-on-one tutorial or written assignment.

The administration processes all applications for exemptions.

Provisions governing examinations are laid down in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet.

Assessment methods vary between courses. They include written reports, portfolio assessments, written exams, oral presentations and oral exams.

A portfolio assessment provides an overall assessment awarding one grade for the whole portfolio. Students may only appeal against the determination of the examination grade awarded for the whole portfolio. Any information on weighting of grades must be considered as supplementary information in connection with the final grade. If the portfolio consists of elements such as an oral presentation, practical work etc., the examination result cannot be appealed against. The right to appeal is stated in the individual course descriptions.

If the examination in a course consists of more than one part, all parts of the examination must be passed in order to pass the course.

Normally each course has two internal examiners to assess students' work. Each semester one course will be chosen to include an external examiner, thus the students' work will be assessed by one external and one internal examiner. The Master's thesis is assessed by the two external examiners. Guidelines for master's theses at the Faculty can be found here: Retningslinjer for masteroppgaver ved Fakultet for teknologi, kunst og design - Student - minside (oslomet.no)

Quality assurance

The purpose of OsloMet's quality assurance system is to strengthen students' learning outcomes and development by raising the quality at all levels. Cooperation with the students, and their participation in the quality assurance work, is decisive to the overall learning outcome. Among the overall goals for the quality assurance system is to ensure:

• that the educational activities, including practical training and the learning and study environment, maintain a high level of quality
• that the study programmes are relevant for the professional fields
• that the quality development continues to improve

For the students, this entails, among other things, student evaluations in the form of:

• course evaluations
• annual student surveys for all of OsloMet

More information about the quality assurance system is available here: https://student.oslomet.no/regelverk#etablering-studium-evaluering-kvalitetssystem

Programme supervisor scheme

The programme supervisor scheme is part of the quality assurance of each individual study programme. A programme supervisor is not an examiner, but someone who supervises the quality of the study programmes. All study programmes at OsloMet shall be subject to supervision by a programme supervisor, but there are different ways of practising the scheme. Reference is made to the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet: https://student.oslomet.no/retningslinjer-sensorer

For the main assessment, the students may choose one of two term papers.

Either

• A reportage which both has a global and a particular dimension of climate change, followed by a reflection paper that discusses and analyzes the textual material theoretically helped by the syllabus, 15 - 20 pages, 1,5 line space, Times New Roman size 12.

Or

• An analytic, theory-based paper investigating a limited media output where global climate change is covered in a particular way, 13-16 pages, 1,5 line space, Times New Roman size 12.

The term papers may be written in Norwegian or English.

Students who have failed a regular examination may submit a revised version of the exam one time. Students with legitimate absence are entitled to submit the term paper to the new examination.

The papers are evaluated according to a scale ranging from A to F, with A-E as pass grades and F as fail grade.

The term papers will be assessed by an evaluation committee consisting of both an internal and an external examiner.

A bachelor's degree. The minimum academic requirement for admission is the grade C, in accordance with Regulations Relating to Admission to Master's Degree Programmes at OsloMet.