PS9400 Ideas and concepts in Social Work and Social Policy Course description

The course is mandatory for all candidates. It is recommended that candidates complete this course as early as possible in the programme.

The course takes a conceptual and history of ideas approach to social work and social policy as a field of knowledge and as institutional practice. The course is intended to develop the integration of the two subject areas social work and social policy, and endeavours will be made to contribute to such integration through the teaching and the issues raised. The course consists of three main thematic components:

• Important methodological approaches to the study of concepts and ideas.
• Important traditions in social work and social policy.
• Development of core concepts in social policy and social work.

The subject is mandatory for all candidates in the Information, Library and Archival specialization. The candidates are encouraged to complete the course early in their studies.

After completing the course, the candidates are expected to have the following knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

Candidates

• have in-depth knowledge of and insight into different methodological approaches to the study of concepts and ideas and have an overview of the main lines of argument in the methodological debate about the study of ideas and concepts
• are familiar with cutting edge knowledge in central traditions in social work and social policy
• have in-depth knowledge and understanding of key concepts and ideas in the field of social work and social policy

Skills

Candidates are capable of

• reflecting on and communicating the research in the field and its development in a history of ideas context
• contributing to developing important ideas and concepts in the field of social work and social policy
• assessing different methodological tools in order to compare and problematise concepts and ideas in the subject area

General competence

Candidates are capable of

• contributing to developing the debate on fundamental issues in social work and social policy
• identifying innovative theoretical issues of relevance to social work and social policy
• disseminating theoretical research both nationally and internationally

Knowledge

The candidate has in-depth knowledge of

• the development and institutionalization of library and information science as a field of research
• an understanding of the concept of information and the relationship between information, knowlege, and culture
• the intellectual foundation for and theoretical perspective of the field's core areas
• the academic/professional debate of what the platform of library and information science consists of

Skills

The candidate is able to

• place his/her dissertation project in a library and information science theory and research tradition
• communicate with researchers in the field and other students across sub- academic areas that the candidates chose to specialize in
• reflectively discuss the relationship between library and information science as an area of research and practice

Participation is mandatory, and candidates are expected to attend all days of teaching. A minor absence from teaching may only be accepted under certain circumstances and upon application. In the event of absences that are not approved, candidates will lose their right to have their paper assessed.

The exam consist of a mandatory paper to be evaluated.

A paper of between 6 and 8 pages (not including list of contents and list of references) must be delivered within 6 weeks of the completion of the course. The teacher and co-teacher responsible for the course will assess the paper. A passed paper is a precondition for being awarded the 5 ECTS credits. If the paper is awarded a fail grade, the candidate can submit a revised paper once, by a specified deadline.

The candidate shall write an essay of approximately 4.500 - 5.500 words. The essay shall be handed in no later than 2 months after the subject is concluded.

If an essay is considered not passed, the candidate may submit a revised essay once within a specified time.

Passed - failed

The paper is judged as pass/fail by the course responsible and the co-responsible

Rune Halvorsen

Ira Malmberg- Heimonen