VERB2100 Individual and Society Course description

The course introduces sociology, social anthropology, social psychology, political science and organisational theory. The mutual influence between individuals and society will be a key aspect of the course, as well as what this means to the professional role. The course is taught over seven weeks.

Passed VERB1100, VERB1600, VERB1300, VERB1400, VERB1510 and VERB1210.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can describe the role of those who carry out health and welfare services in a democracy
• can describe the differences between the public and private sectors
• can explain the structure and function of the public administration at the local and national levels
• can describe the interaction/relationship between the individual and the system from a system theory perspective
• can explain different ways of understanding social inequality
• can describe how social inequality and social problems affect living conditions and quality of life
• can explain how stigmatisation can impact people's lives and social relationships
• can describe how diversity and culture impact social relationships
• can explain social identity and group processes
• can describe how diversity and culture affect social relations, including the situation of the Sami indigenous people
• can explain how the public administration works

Skills

The student

• can apply basic concepts and perspectives from sociology, social anthropology, organisational theory and political science to understand the context within which service recipients and service providers operate
• can reflect on the status of the Sami as indigenous people in relation to the design of the health and social services and how different cultures affect the provision of the service

General competence

The student

• can discuss how organisations function
• can discuss political and administrative decision-making processes, the most common organisational and administrative models for welfare services, and the social educator's role as a health and social policy actor
• can reflect on how social conditions can affect people's opportunities and self-understanding, and can take this into account in his/her professional practice
• can reflect on how social barriers can impair people's functioning, and can take this into account in his/her professional practice

The teaching and learning methods include self-study, lectures, group discussion and sharing experience.

None

Individual written home examination over two weeks, up to 3,200 words.

All material allowed.

Grade scale A-F

All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

10 credits overlap with VERN1310/VERND1310/VERNL1310 sociology, social anthropology, social psychology, political science and organisational theory