PHVIT9200 Qualitative Methods Course description

The Bachelor’s Programme in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences covers subjects in the fields of biomedical laboratory sciences, natural sciences and the social and humanistic sciences. The programme has three main focus areas:

• laboratory medicine and medical laboratory technology
• health and disease
• professional role

The topics are closely intertwined in the teaching and form the basis for the skills that are necessary to practise the profession. Students will develop knowledge, skills and general competence that enable them to follow up and influence development of the discipline and what society requires of biomedical laboratory services.

First year of study: Fundamentals of biomedical analysis and laboratory medicine

In the first year of study, fundamental knowledge in laboratory technology and the natural sciences will be emphasised. A course in evidence-based practice is also included. Students take practical training in an outpatient clinic.

Second year of study: Biomedical analysis, methodology and diagnosis

The emphasis in this year of the programme is laboratory medicine and medical laboratory technology as a basis for diagnosis. This includes knowledge of methods, analysis, quality assurance and assessment of test results within the laboratory subjects. The students take external practical training at a laboratory for medical biochemistry.

Third year of study: Biomedical laboratory sciences and professional knowledge in practice

The last year of the programme emphasises laboratory medicine and medical laboratory technology focusing on professional knowledge in practice. Main topics are quality assurance, quality development, evidence-based practice and ethical reflection in relation to practising the profession and the practitioner’s professional role.

The students take external practical training in a blood bank and later in another laboratory for instance in microbiology, histopathology or immunology. The programme concludes with a bachelor’s thesis in biomedical laboratory science research and development work.

The structure of the programme

The programme is divided into 18 compulsory courses and incorporates both practical and theoretical teaching at the university and supervised external practical training. Each year of the programme has a scope of 60 credits.

The courses in the programme description build on each other to ensure progress, with increasing requirements for knowledge and understanding of biomedical laboratory sciences. All the courses conclude with a final assessment. The students are divided into two groups in parts of the second year of the programme. Reference is made to the course descriptions for more detailed information about of the content of the individual courses in the programme.

The academic year is 40 weeks long, and the expected normal workload is 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, students’ own activity and exams.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• The blood sample collection course in BIOB1000 must be approved in order to be able to take the two days’ practical training in an outpatient clinic with blood sample collection from patients.
• The first year of study must be passed before the student can start the second year*
• The second year must be passed before starting the third year**

*Exception from the progression requirement:

• The second year of study can be started even if the course BIOB1060 is not passed

** Exception from the progression requirement:

• The course BIOB1050 can be started even if the second year of study is not passed

Teaching activities should stimulate active learning and engagement. Good learning outcomes are first and foremost dependent on the students’ own efforts. Own effort means both benefiting from teaching and academic supervision and following this up with independent work in the form of theoretical studies and practical skills training. Normal study progress requires students to be make great personal efforts in the form of study groups and individual work.

The work and teaching methods will facilitate the integration of knowledge, skills and general competence and have the greatest possible transfer value to professional practice. Health and natural sciences theory is placed in the context of biomedical laboratory science and is related to the profession right from the start of the programme. A major part of the programme covers problem-based assignments relevant to the profession, which require problem-solving, activity, reflection and cooperation.

Several forms of digital learning resources are used in the programme, such as the digital platform Bokskapet, digital lectures, video clips, podcasts, tests and assignments. Such resources can for instance be used prior to laboratory courses as preparation for the laboratory assignments, or as preparation prior to seminars organised as the ‘flipped classroom’ (see below). This form of teaching requires the students to meet prepared for class. Digital exams are used in several courses.

The most important work and teaching forms used in the programme are described below. The individual course descriptions state which work methods each course employs.

Practical training is described in a separate chapter, see below.

Self-study, student cooperation and group work

Learning requires a high degree of own activity and self-study, including both individual work and cooperation with fellow students. Through activities such as exchanging ideas, presentations, discussions, peer assessment, writing assignments and problem-based assignments, students will be stimulated to learn by communicating knowledge and experience, expressing their own opinions and, together, reflecting on their own attitudes, actions and understanding of the field. Students are encouraged to take the initiative to schedule and actively participate in study groups to promote learning.

Written assignments

Assignments are written individually and in groups. Students work on different forms of written assignments throughout the programme. Through these, the students learn to see connections, develop more in-depth knowledge and understanding, and develop their terminology. It is expected that students supplement subject matter from teaching activities and the syllabus with research and scholarly articles, reference works and online resources. In some courses, the students will assess each other’s work and provide feedback to each other. Laboratory reports

A laboratory report is documentation of laboratory work performed. Students will be followed up with supervision and feedback on the reports they submit. Students will also be given feedback from fellow students on some of the assignments.

Logs

A log is written individually in connection with laboratory work. It is intended to help the student to focus on everything that is done during this work. Students are given feedback on the logs they submit.

Portfolio

A portfolio is a systematic collection of the student's own work. They are used to structure the student's learning and are helpful to acquire knowledge in a specific course, and to see the relationship between different parts of the programme.

Project work

Project work provides experience of some of the challenges inherent in scientific work methods. Students will develop skills in the systematic use of methods, including theoretical basis, data collection, analysis, discussion, written formulation and verbal communication. Students develop research questions and work both independently and in groups. Reflection notes

Reflection notes are written to help the students to develop the ability to critically assess and reflect on their own learning.

Lectures

Lectures are used to provide an overview, go through difficult material, point out connections and discuss relevant issues. Lectures also shed light on necessary theory to understand the background, execution and interpretation of results from the laboratory exercises and their significance. The lectures can be digital in some of the courses.

Seminars

In seminars, students are able to engage in relevant topics to deepen their knowledge and practise their skills in academic formulation and reflection. This is done through academic contributions, solving assignments and discussion.

Flipped classroom

In some courses, part of the teaching is organised as a flipped classroom. It entails for instance that a lecture is substituted with digital learning resources such as video clips or digital lectures. These are made available to students in advance and the students prepare by watching the films before attending class. In this way, more time can be dedicated to problem-solving activities with the course lecturers. The students can use demonstration videos to familiarise themselves with methods and approaches before the laboratory courses.

The increasing globalisation of the labour market makes international experience and knowledge of languages and cultures more and more important. Internationalisation contributes to raising the quality of education and strengthens the academic community at the same time as it prepares the students to become global citizens.

The study programme boasts a multicultural student environment and focuses on multicultural and global issues. This approach contributes to an increased understanding and improves the students' ability to work in a professional capacity in a multicultural society. The students gain access to specialist terminology by using the English reading list, both in the form of academic literature and international research literature.

The staff’s network, research collaboration and cooperation with colleagues in other countries contribute to internationalisation. The programme is represented in international networks related to the education of biomedical laboratory scientists.

OsloMet has exchange agreements in place with universities and university colleges in Europe. Students can take parts of their study abroad, primarily in connection with the course BIOB3900 Biomedical Laboratory Science – Bachelor`s Thesis (20 credits) in the last part of the sixth semester. Similarly, foreign students can write their bachelor’s thesis as part of the programme at OsloMet.

The course BIOB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care is taught entirely in English. The course BIOB3900 Biomedical Laboratory Science – Bachelor’s Thesis will be taught in English for international students as required. The students can decide whether they wish to write their bachelor’s thesis in English or Norwegian. Students who go on exchanges must write their thesis in English if the exchange stay is in a country outside Scandinavia.

Reference is made to the criteria that apply to student exchanges and the information about stays abroad.

Coursework requirements are all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for being permitted to take the exam. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description.

The purpose of the coursework requirements is to:

• promote progress and academic development in the programme
• encourage students to seek out and acquire new knowledge
• facilitate cooperation and communication on nursing issues

The programme's main coursework requirements are in the form of compulsory attendance, written assignments and tests.

Compulsory attendance

There is a compulsory attendance requirement for several parts of the programme to ensure that the students have the necessary basis to achieve the learning outcomes.

A minimum attendance of 90% is required in laboratory work carried out in the education's laboratories. There is a minimum attendance requirement of 80% for scheduled group work, project work and seminars. Other activities may also be subject to compulsory attendance requirements. Detailed provisions on compulsory attendance are included in the course descriptions.

If a student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the lecturer will consider whether it is possible to compensate for absence by meeting alternative requirements, for example individual written assignments. Whether or not it is possible to compensate for absence depends on the extent of the student’s absence and which activities he/she has missed. Absence from compulsory teaching that cannot be compensated for may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

The practical training courses require at least 90% attendance. For more information about the requirements that apply to the practical training, see ‘Assessment of external practical training’ below.

Written assignments

Several courses have written assignments, logs or reports as part of their coursework requirements. Written work that is not approved must be reworked before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary exam/assessment.

The students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

More detailed requirements for written work, deadlines etc. are set out in the teaching plan for the course in question.

Tests

Digital multiple choice tests

In some courses, the students must take individual digital tests. The tests are taken via the university learning platform and are approved when a minimum 70% of the answers are correct. The students can take the tests several times until the minimum requirement is met.

A digital test must be approved within a set deadline in order for the student to be able to take the ordinary exam. If needed, new attempts to take a new/postponed exam will be facilitated. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

The course covers selected topics from biochemistry, cell biology and microbiology. Biochemistry focuses on the structural and functional aspects of biological molecules such as proteins (including enzymes), carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids, along with fundamental biochemical processes and energy transfer in human cells.

Cell biology deals with the structure/organisation of human cells and the sequence of events in the cell cycle. Other key topics include transport over the plasma membrane, signal transmission/communication between cells and the flow of information from DNA for protein synthesis.

Microbiology provides an introduction to the main groups of microorganisms (eubacteria, fungi) and viruses, and emphasises sub-groups that are particularly relevant to pharmaceutics and medicine. Other key topics are the mechanisms of antibiotic action and the processes behind the development of antibiotic resistance, and identification and classification of microbes. The laboratory course provides an introduction to basic techniques used in molecular biology and microbiology. Students will also perform simple diagnostic tests in this practical part of the course.

Composition of subjects, with credits specified:

• Biochemistry 5 ECTS.
• Cell biology 5 ECTS.
• Microbiology 5 ECTS.

Programme description:

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences, 25 September 2019.

Most recent amendments adopted by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, 27 February 2025.

Applies to students starting the programme in 2025 autumn Full-time.

The student must have been admitted to the study programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge and skills:

Knowledge

The student

• has detailed knowledge of the structure, nomenclature and reactions of selected biological molecules
• has detailed knowledge of the structure of human cells
• has knowledge of the function of enzymes as biological catalysts and energy transfer in human cells
• is capable of outlining the main features of transport processes, signal transmission and the regulation of cell division in human cells
• is capable of outlining the main features of the flow of information from DNA to proteins in human cells
• has knowledge of the structural features and qualities that characterise eubacteria, fungi and viruses and their significance in pharmaceutics and human medicine
• is capable of describing relevant methods used to identify and classify microbes
• is capable of describing the structure and mechanisms of action of antibiotics and can explain how antibiotic resistance arises

Skills

The student

• is capable of using selected methods to detect and measure macromolecules in biological material
• is capable of performing basic DNA-analyses
• is capable of isolating, cultivating, identifying and determining the resistance of nonfastidious microbes using aseptic technique
• is capable of interpreting and presenting experimental data from selected biological research and tests
• in cooperation with other students, is capable of planning, conducting and presenting written and verbal laboratory-related project assignments in the fields relevant to the course

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• A minimum attendance requirement of 80% at laboratory courses and seminars with oral presentations.
• Written report in groups of between two and four students, 5000 words (+/- 10 %) and subsequent oral presentation. The report can be written and presented in either English or Norwegian.