STKD6020 Universal Design Fieldwork BA (International mobility) Course description

The main topic in this course is the design, evaluation, and testing of new and emerging user interfaces in international settings. This is developed in accordance with principles for universal accessibility and acquired through many practical exercises coupled with lectures presenting theories relevant to the field. The course will also provide both theoretical principles of Universal Design and hands-on experience on how to design and evaluate ICT systems using these principles.

Course will be held at partner institutions outside of Norway.

It is recommended to have completed one full year of university studies (60 ECTS) before the program starts, and that a minimum of 30 ECTS of your total 60 ETCS be within computer science.

One half year of university studies (30 ECTS), in addition to the international summer school's general requirements. The requirement has to be met by application deadline.

After completing this course the student should have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

On successful completion of this course the student is:

• Knowledgeable of national and international legislation regarding the inclusion of all groups of users in society in various national and international contexts
• Knowledgeable on various physical and cognitive disabilities, universally accessible solutions for ICT in cooperation with users
• Familiar with ensuring access to ICT for everyone in high- and low-resource settings
• Familiar with various methods of knowledge acquisition through research and development works
• Familiar with Universal Design and accessibility concepts
• Able to implement Universal Design principles to design and evaluate systems
• Familiar with recent research and developments in Universal Design concepts, principles, legislations and emerging accessible technologies

Skills

On successful completion of this course the student has:

• Ability to identify barriers to usability in particular as they apply to business and government in low-, middle-, and high-income countries
• Ability to develop universally designed systems in resource-limited environments
• Proficiency at applying Universal Design principles in practice
• Ability to critique design processes from a Universal Design perspective

General Competence On successful completion of this course the student is:

• Proficient at using Universal Design principles in testing and evaluating ICT
• Proficient at applying Universal Design practices to ensure access to ICT for everyone
• Able to evaluate existing ICT systems according to Universal Design standards and principles
• Able to communicate Universal Design concepts in theory and in practical implementation

The course will take a project-based learning approach. Course participants will work in groups on a project and this project will be evaluated in the end of the course based on group presentation and final report.

This course is a fieldwork course that involves 12 weeks in-person instruction in a country outside of Norway.

Support material is permitted for the written part.

Letter grades ranging from A to F are used, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade, and F being a fail grade.

One internal and one external examiner are used. 

The master’s thesis is an independent scholarly work where the student must demonstrate insight into relevant research and theories, methods and approaches of relevance to the thesis' focus and area of specialisation. The student is free to choose the topic, method and perspective.

Two internal examiners will be used. External examiner is used regularly.

None.