SOS3120 Social problems, social policy and social work Course description

In this course, we will look at how socio-political reform and interventions are based on the norms, attitudes and values of the welfare state, as well as research-based knowledge. The course explores the consequences of policy changes, reforms and interventions for users and social work practice. This involves questions regarding the unintentional and intentional effects of policy change for users’ welfare and social workers’ professional scope of action. In their work on relevant topics, which will be determined in advance, such as poverty, substance abuse, mental health, housing or migration, students will use social science knowledge to analyse focus areas and interventions in social policy.  

Students must participate in the interprofessional teaching programme **‘Interprofessional Cooperation on and with Children and Young People’, INTER1300. Relevant topics include children and young people’s cooperation with professionals, explorative approaches to children, young people and their families, and professionals’ contributions to parents’ and children/young people’s formation of opinions. See INTERACT’s website for a more detailed description of the content of INTER1300. https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/interact 

Students must have completed and passed the second year of the Bachelor’s Programme in Social Work. 

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge  

The student:  

• has broad knowledge of the importance of social policy to social work practice.  

• has broad knowledge of how social problems are defined, constructed and develop in a social context  

• has broad knowledge of social inequality and the living conditions of marginalised groups 

• has broad knowledge of marginalisation processes, discrimination and racism  

• has knowledge of migration in a global perspective and how migration affects people’s social and material living conditions  

• has knowledge of how neoliberalism and globalisation affect the increased individualisation of social problems and problem-solving  

 Skills  

The student:  

• can identify, obtain and assess information and knowledge that shed light on socio-political processes and effects  

• can identify and analyse which understandings of social problems form the basis for socio-political interventions  

• can critically reflect on concrete social problems and interventions based on social science theories, research and evaluations  

General competence  

The student:  

• has insight into power structures and the exercise of power in society  

• has insight into how the norms, attitudes, values and theoretical basis of the welfare state affect how marginalised groups are perceived and understood  

• has a critical understanding of how the socio-political norms set the agenda for the methods and models used in social work and how this may impact individuals.  

Students will be taught key topics related to social policy and social work and participate in seminars in connection with the pre-determined topics in the course.  

No coursework requirements or compulsory activites.

An individual oral exam with a time frame of approx. 35 minutes.

Candidates who fail or who were absent from the ordinary exam for a valid reason can take a resit/rescheduled exam.  

No aids are permitted.

Grade scale A-F.  

Oral exam is assessed by one internal and one external examiner.