Bachelor Programme in Early Childhood Education and Care Programme description

The programme description for the Bachelor’s Programme in Early Childhood Education and Care is based on the amendment to the regulation on the National Curriculum Regulations for Kindergarten Teacher Education amended by the Ministry of Education and Research on 30 June 2023, the National Guidelines for Kindergarten Teacher Education of 17 October 2018, the Kindergarten Act adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research on 17 June 2005, and the National Qualification Framework for Lifelong Learning adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research on 15 December 2011.

The Early Childhood Education and Care programme at OsloMet aims to educate responsible, energetic and reflective kindergarten teachers. The programme is profession-oriented, practice-focused and builds on research-based knowledge. The programme qualifies students for work in the kindergartens of today and on further developing the kindergartens of tomorrow. The study programme forms the basis for further competence development and qualifies students for further studies at master’s degree and PhD level.

The education shall adopt a holistic pedagogical approach to play, care, learning, and formative development. The education shall emphasise the increasing diversity in kindergartens, the importance of cooperation, understanding, and dialogue with the children’s homes and other bodies responsible for children's upbringing. The Early Childhood Education and Care programme shall emphasise pedagogical leadership and contribute to inclusive practices in the kindergarten.

The programme shall qualify students for the profession of a kindergarten teacher by offering a holistic education that promotes connections between pedagogy, practice, subject didactics, areas of knowledge, professional formative development, and cross-disciplinary professional topics. Pedagogy is a central and unifying subject and is particularly important for ensuring progression and making the education profession oriented. Educational theory and professional supervision shall contribute to the students' formative development processes, development of leadership competence, and integration of theory and practice. Interdisciplinary activities are included in the education, in which pedagogy as a unifying subject will be incorporated.

The programme also includes participation in the INTERACT: ‘The Same Child – Different Arenas’ initiative. INTERACT is part of a big initiative at OsloMet, the aim of which is to give students the knowledge and skills required to interact with other professions that work with children and adolescents, such as child welfare officers and health personnel. Participation in INTER1100, INTER1200 and INTER1300 is specified in the course descriptions.

Successful completion of the programme leads to the award of a Bachelor`s degree in Early Childhood Education and forms the basis for the candidate to apply for, among other things, the Master's program in Early Childhood Education at OsloMet, which can further qualify them to apply for a PhD in Educational Science for Teacher Education.

General information for students

Changes are continually taking place that affect students` daily lives, and it is the responsibility of OsloMet`s students to keep up to date. Key channels for important information include OsloMet’s website, Studentweb and the university’s digital learning platform. Students are also expected to actively use their student email accounts.

The programme description is the primary source of information for all students admitted to the Early Childhood Education and Care programme, and all students are required to familiarise themselves with the programme description for their course of study.

All qualified applicants who wish to work as a kindergarten teacher or educational supervisor in a kindergarten.

The Higher Education Entrance Qualification or prior learning and work experience.

After completing the programme, candidates are expected to have achieved learning outcomes in accordance with the learning outcome descriptions in the National Curriculum Regulations for Kindergarten Teacher Education. The learning outcomes are the foundation for educational work in kindergartens. See also the course descriptions for learning outcomes’ descriptions in the individual areas of knowledge.

Knowledge

The candidate

• has knowledge of kindergarten in Norway, including their distinctive nature, history, social mandate, legal basis and governing documents
• has broad knowledge of pedagogy and subject didactics, knowledge about leading and facilitating educational work and about children’s play, care and learning
• has broad knowledge of children’s formative development, modern childhood, children’s culture, different conditions under which children grow up, backgrounds and social development in a society characterised by linguistic, social, religious/life stance and cultural diversity
• has broad knowledge of children’s linguistic development, multilingualism, social, physical and creative development and early digital, reading, writing and mathematical skills
• is familiar with national and international research and development work of relevance to the ECEC teaching profession and is capable of updating their knowledge in the field
• has broad knowledge of children’s rights and what characterises an ECEC environment that prioritises inclusion, equality, health promotion and learning
• shall have knowledge of children in difficult life situations, including knowledge of violence and sexual abuse of children and how to implement necessary measures in accordance with applicable legislation

Skills

The candidate

• can use their professional skills and relevant research and development results to lead and promote children’s play, sense of wonder, learning and development, and to justify their choices
• can assess, stimulate and support different children’s all-round development in cooperation with the home and other relevant parties
• can use their professional skills to promote improvisation in play, learning and communication
• can assess, stimulate and support different children’s skills and take into account differences in their backgrounds and abilities
• can promote creative processes and cultural and nature-based experiences, focusing on children’s creative activities, overall learning and sense of mastery
• can use relevant professional tools, strategies and forms of expression in their own learning processes, in educational work, in cooperation with the home and with relevant external parties
• can identify special needs in individual children and quickly implement measures based on a professional assessment
• can lead and supervise co-workers, reflect critically on their own practice and adjust it under supervision
• can find, assess and refer to information and specialist literature and present it in such a way that it elucidates an issue
• can identify special needs in individual children, including identifying signs of violence or sexual abuse. Based on professional assessments, the candidate shall be capable of establishing cooperation with relevant interdisciplinary partners in the best interests of the child.

General competence

The candidate:

• has insight into ethical dilemmas in the profession, especially in relation to responsibility, respect and power perspectives
• can plan, lead, carry out, document and reflect on educational work related to the content and duties of the kindergarten sector, in accordance with ethical requirements and guidelines, and based on knowledge acquired through research and experience
• masters the Norwegian language, both bokmål and nynorsk, at a qualified level and in a professional context
• can draw on global, national, regional, local and multicultural perspectives, characterised by respect and tolerance, in work in ECEC centres
• has change and developmental competence, is capable of leading educational development work and contributing to fresh thinking and innovation processes in the ECEC centres of the future
• can present important subject matter orally and in writing, participate in professional discussions in different areas of the programme and share their knowledge and experience with others

The programme consists of the following knowledge areas and courses – in total 180 credits:

Areas of knowledge

• Children`s Development, Play and Learning (BULL) (20 credits)
• Nature, Health and Movement (NHB) (20 credits)
• Art, Culture and Creativity (KKK) (30 credits)
• Society, Religion, Worldviews and Ethics (SRLE) (20 credits)
• Language, Text and Mathematics (STM) (20 credits)
• Management, Cooperation and Development Work (LSU) 15 credits

Other courses

• Pedagogy and the Kindergarten Teaching Profession (PEDPROF) (10 credits)
• Specialisation (30 credits)
• Bachelor`s Thesis (15 credits)

The structure of the programme is as follows:

First year:

• Children`s Development, Play and Learning 1 (BULL1) (10 credits)
• Children`s Development, Play and Learning 2 (BULL2) (10 credits)
• Nature, Health and Movement (NHB) (20 credits)
• Society, Religion, Worldviews and Ethics (SRLE) (20 credits)
• Supervised placement study 40 days, 20 days in the autumn semester and 20 days in the spring semester

Second year:

• Pedagogy and the Kindergarten Teaching Profession (PEDPROF) (10 credits)
• Language, Text and Mathematics 1 (STM1) (10 credits)
• Language, Text and Mathematics 2 (STM2) (10 credits)
• Art, Culture and Creativity (KKK) (30 credits)
• Supervised placement study 35 days, 20 days in the autumn semester and 15 days in the spring semester

Third year:

• Specialisation (30 credits)
• Management, Cooperation and Development Work (15 credits)
• Bachelor`s Thesis (15 credits)
• Supervised placement study 25 days in the spring semester

The knowledge areas are research-based and profession-oriented, and they also integrate relevant subject-related educational and didactic knowledge that is adapted to the kindergarten’s framework plan. The organisation and contents of the individual knowledge areas are outlined in the course descriptions.

The six knowledge areas in the study programme and the course Pedagogy and the Kindergarten Teaching Profession are compulsory and identical for all students enrolled in the full-time programme. Specialisation courses based on the knowledge areas are offered in the third year. The bachelor’s thesis shall be profession-oriented and thematically based on the knowledge areas, the course Pedagogy and the Kindergarten Teaching Profession or the specialisation course.

The practical placement study shall be supervised, varied and subject to assessment, and it shall be an integral part of all the mandatory knowledge areas and the course Pedagogy and the Kindergarten Teaching Profession. There must be progress in the students’ practical placement study.

The practical placement study is particularly intended to strengthen the students’ competence in interaction and educational supervision and will gradually help the students to be perceived as professional practitioners by children, guardians, the staff and other partners in the kindergarten. Refer to the national guidelines for kindergarten teacher education for detailed descriptions of the progression of pedagogical leadership and practice.

General topics and academic profile

Cities, diversity and inclusion

OsloMet shall reflect urban environments and their diversity. Children, parents and staff bring different experience and different abilities and backgrounds to kindergartens. Values such as democracy and equality shall characterise the study programme. The programme shall enable the students to safeguard children’s rights, recognise different cultural expressions and make use of the many opportunities the city offers. OsloMet shall educate kindergarten teachers who are equipped to meet and include children and families with varied cultural, social, and linguistic backgrounds. In response to our diverse society, globalization, migration, and the geographic mobility of people across borders, multicultural perspectives are integrated throughout the kindergarten teacher education programme. Relevant international perspectives are also addressed in the programme. The education shall promote students’ understanding of Sami culture and emphasise the status and rights of indigenous peoples.

Pedagogical leadership and cooperation

Kindergarten teachers have a broad leadership responsibility. Educational supervision in a kindergarten entail managing both groups of children and staff, and includes planning, organisation, implementation, documentation and evaluation. The programme shall teach the students about and give them experience of different forms of leadership in different types of kindergartens. Throughout the programme, the students will gradually develop assurance, self-confidence and a reflective attitude to their future role as leaders. Kindergarten teachers supervise children’s learning and formative processes, alongside professional process leadership in collaboration with the staff. Educational leadership also includes the development of the kindergarten as a learning organisation. The education shall emphasise the importance of cooperation, understanding and dialogue with the children's homes, as well as other parties responsible for children's upbringing.

The youngest children (0–3 years)

The youngest children now make up a large proportion of children in early education and care, and the programme is intended to give students special expertise in educational work with this age group. The expertise shall be based on research-based knowledge about and experience of the youngest children’s needs, care for the youngest children and children’s play, exploration, creativity, learning and formative development.

Innovation

The students will learn about and gain experience of creative processes and innovation that is relevant to their future professional practice. Through student-active learning methods, such as group work, practical activity in workshops, seminars and practice in the professional field, the students will gain insight into and experience of how creativity, and fresh thinking can contribute to competence-raising in kindergartens. The programme aims to promote students’ understanding of kindergartens as learning organisations and important institutions in society.

Sustainable development

Sustainable development encompasses nature, economy, and social relations and is a necessity for taking care of life on Earth. People are part of nature, and we need nature to carry on our social and cultural traditions and practices.

The programme shall contribute to knowledge about sustainable development and kindergartens are intended to promote children’s ethical reflection and commitment to sustainability among the students, and thereby contribute to sustainable development for future generations.

The different learning arenas used in the study programme will vary throughout the programme, depending on what knowledge and skills the students are to acquire. The teaching shall be organised in a way that ensures that it is perceived as coherent by the students. The work and teaching methods shall be inclusive, student-active and relevant to activities in kindergartens.

In order to ensure a democratic learning environment, students shall be guaranteed dialogue and participation in the teaching, and shall take part in the planning, practical execution and evaluation of the education. The work methods shall help the students to develop the ability to actively seek knowledge and investigate different sources critically. Binding cooperation between the students, the kindergartens in which they undergo training, OsloMet and the university-affiliated kindergartens is necessary to ensure overall professional competence. The study programme is responsible for making appropriate arrangements for students from different backgrounds and for endeavouring to ensure that the students’ diverse experience background is a resource for the learning environment.

The programme will establish arenas for binding cooperation between the educational institution and the professional field. The work and teaching methods used shall help the students to acquire professional knowledge, skills and attitudes. This will form the basis for the students’ action competence and ability to critically reflect on their own and the kindergarten’s educational practice.

In the course of their studies, the students shall develop self-confidence and independence in their oral and written presentation skills, creative skills and cooperation skills. The students shall acquire interpersonal, written, oral, practical, aesthetic and digital skills that are relevant in a professional context.

Courses/instruction on academic reading, writing, and thinking are mandatory throughout the programme.

Profession-related digital competence and judgment

The students shall acquire digital competence through creative, inventive and reflective use of digital tools and media during their studies.

The digital skills ECEC teachers need include the use of ICT (information and communications technology) as educational tools in documentation work in the kindergarten and in communication with homes and the society. The kindergarten's digital practices shall contribute to children's play, creativity, and learning. The use of digital tools in educational work should support children's play and learning processes and help fulfill the curriculum's guidelines for a rich and varied learning environment for all children. The student shall learn to facilitate children's exploration, play, learning, and creation through digital forms of expression.

The courses in digital tools are compulsory throughout the study programme.

The university and the kindergartens in which the students undergo training are equally important and integrated learning arenas, and the students’ learning during training periods is as important as their learning at the university.

During placement periods, the students will acquire experience-based knowledge, which is developed primarily through social processes. The theoretical and practical knowledge students acquire at the university is intended to shed light on different ways of acting in kindergartens and give meaning and context to the theory.

The supervised placement study periods include exploration and observation, planning, implementation, assessment and documentation of educational work with children. During the supervised placement study, the students will, among other things, practice interaction with children, lead play and learning processes with children, in cooperation with the staff, as well as lead change and development work together with the kindergarten staff.

The supervised placement study is intended to give the students opportunities to practice their oral and written skills and to discuss different issues together with parents and kindergarten staff. During the supervised placement study, the students are required to use work methods that support the learning outcome descriptions in and across knowledge areas.

The supervised placement study will help to make the students independent, give them self-confidence and the ability to take responsibility in educational and professional work in the kindergarten, with particular emphasis on ethical issues relating to the profession.

The supervised placement study is linked to the content of the knowledge areas and it is related to the students’ experience, background and competence. The supervised placement study shall take place in close and binding cooperation between the kindergartens where the placement occurs, the practical placement supervisors in the centres, students and lecturers at the university. Binding arenas will be established between the different parties for the purpose of planning and sharing experiences.

The scheduling of training periods throughout the study programme is designed to ensure progress and continuity. The placement, organisation and duration of the supervised placement study periods will be based on the learning outcome descriptions for the various knowledge areas.

Assessment

The supervisors from the teacher education institutions, the practical placement supervisor and the manager have joint responsibility for assessing students in practical placement study. The practical placement supervisor sets the grade pass/fail in cooperation with OsloMet.

For more information about practical placement study, see ‘Guidelines for practical placement study’ and the booklet ‘Information about the practical placement assignment’, which will be published on OsloMet’s digital learning platform before the period of practical placement begins.

Attendance and absence from supervised practical placement study periods

Practical placement study is a compulsory part of the programme, and 100% attendance is required. The number of training days is set out in the National Curriculum Regulations for Kindergarten Teacher Education and specified in the programme description. The attendance requirement cannot be deviated from due to illness or for other reasons, nor can exceptions be made from this requirement. Only absence for valid reasons, meaning the student’s own or their child’s illness or approved leaves of absence, entitles students to an extension of the placement period. The student must make up for their absence as soon as possible after the ordinary period of training, and by the end of the semester at the latest. Absence in excess of 30% means that the whole practical placement period must be retaken, regardless of the reason for the absence. In such cases, the student will be delayed by one year. (Cf. Guidelines for practical placement study in the Early Childhood Education and Care programme)

Attendance is compulsory at activities in preparation for and follow-up of practical placement periods. In the event of absence, students will be required to submit a compensatory assignment.

New period of practical placement

Students who fail a supervised practical placement period may complete the academic year they have started, but must then take a year out from their studies before they can continue the programme. The new period of practical placement must be taken the next time an ordinary placement period is held, normally the next academic year. If the student passes the placement period at the second attempt, they may resume their studies. Students who fail the same placement period twice will have to leave the programme.

Postponed placement period

In the event of childbirth, military service or long-term illness, the student’s studies will be delayed by one year. The student may complete the year, but cannot proceed with the programme before they have taken and passed the practical placement study period. The student must take the postponed practical placement study period when it is organised for the next year-group.

Progress requirements

Students must complete their first-year practical placement study period before they can take the second year of the programme. Corresponding requirements apply to all years of the programme.

Students who fail the same training period twice will normally have to leave the programme. (Cf. Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet)

Guidelines for practical placement study

Guidelines for Practical Placement Study is a document that contains information about:

• the submission of transcripts of police records and documentation relating to MRSA/TUB
• travel grants for training periods
• attendance at the practical training institution
• detailed information about absence during training periods
• detailed information about new and postponed training periods

For more information about the guidelines, see www.oslomet.no

Masterstudium i sosialfag, studieretning sosialt arbeid retter seg mot sosionomer, barnevernspedagoger og vernepleiere som ønsker å kvalifisere seg videre innenfor sosialt arbeid. Det legges stor vekt på at studenten øker sin kompetanse i analytisk, kritisk refleksjon over samfunnsforhold og sosialfaglig virksomhet. Studenten utvikler sin vitenskapelige kompetanse, og kvalifisereres til å kunne bidra til fagets utvikling.

Studieretningen kombinerer praksisnær og forskningsbasert undervisning.

Studiet kvalifiserer til

stillinger i kommunal og statlig sosial- og helsetjeneste

stillinger knyttet til utvikling- og forskningsprosjekter innen fagfeltet

opptak til ph.d.-studier

Studenten bes gjøre seg kjent med Lov om universiteter og høgskoler og gjeldende forskrift om studier og eksamen ved OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

The PhD programme in Innovation for Sustainability at OsloMet is a full-time, 180 ECTS credit programme based at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design (TKD), in cooperation with The Centre for Welfare and Labour Research (SVA). The goal of the programme is to qualify candidates for research, teaching, development work, and other highly qualified work in the field of innovation for sustainability. The programme is based on core competence from the departments of Product design, Art, design and drama and Computer science at TKD, and SVA.

The courses are also offered to other PhD programmes at OsloMet and to candidates outside OsloMet, provided there are vacant places.

The overall aim of the PhD programme is to contribute to sustainable development and welfare for all through human-centred and cultural research and innovation strategies. The programme combines theoretical and practice-oriented perspectives through a social constructivist approach with various types of knowledge suitable to a diversity of contexts and professional practices. It is thus rooted in OsloMet’s position as a university directed towards professional studies, with close links to the community and working life outside academia. The PhD programme will prepare the candidates for societal needs, related to private and public sector as well as academia.

The programme’s unique approach is its combination of design and aesthetics with computer science and social sciences in an interdisciplinary setting. The programme is characterized by interdisciplinarity and ethical awareness, and by theoretical and methodological pluralism. It offers 3 mandatory courses, each 5 ECTS, in philosophy of science, method, and innovation, which introduce basic theories and practices with a special focus on sustainability and interdisciplinarity. Additionally, the programme offers 5 elective courses addressing different perspectives on sustainability: place-based, social, individual, aesthetic, and educational.

Sustainability is understood as a result of cultural, social, artistic, technological, economic and environmental factors and contains an awareness of ethicality and responsibility. Culture, defined here as human thinking, behavior, habits, and attitudes, is regarded as the foundational component. Innovation, understood as ideas or inventions that are practically implemented for value creation, is necessary to achieve transformation to a sustainable development. The programme will push the candidates to develop new and improved products, systems, and processes through interdisciplinary approaches and various technologies. Design thinking, creativity and entrepreneurship are key elements, and interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and problem - based methodologies that involve a broad spectrum of societal stakeholders in defining and executing research, are central. Sustainability science is an emerging field of research dealing with the interactions between natural, social, and cultural systems, and with how those interactions affect the challenge of sustainability. The field is in constant development, and the programme will therefore be continuously revised and updated.

Interdisciplinarity is a foundational factor in the programme, both as a competence and a skill. The courses constitute a main factor to develop interdisciplinary skills. Multidisciplinarity, transdiciplinarity and co-design will also be included. Multidisciplinarity will constitute a starting point for developing interdisciplinarity and transdiciplinarity. In this way the candidates will be able to share their own fields of interest and thereby learn to integrate their competences in larger projects with different participants.

Innovation is understood as new or improved solutions and practices that are practically implemented to create value or to meet societal needs or challenges. The values can be ecologic, economic, social, cultural, or ethical. Innovation is recognized as necessary to achieve a transition to a more sustainable society. The programme will enable the candidates to find improved solutions.

The programme will have a certain flexibility within its frame and scope. The content of the courses will be adapted to the candidates' field of interest, and thereby subject to minor variations. It will also be developed according to response from the candidates, teachers and external stakeholders as well as the scientific development of the topic and the research agendas of the departments and research institutes involved in the programme.

The PhD programme consists of an educational (coursework) component (30 ECTS credits) and a research component comprising the doctoral thesis (150 ECTS credits). The programme is intended to be completed within an effective researcher training period of three years, alternatively four years including mandatory duties such as teaching and applications for external funding. The requirements for the PhD degree are established in the Provision for the Degree of Philosophiae doctor (PhD) at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University.

Upon completion and passing of the programme, the candidate will be awarded the degree “PhD in Innovation for Sustainability”. The candidate’s specialization will be named on the transcript and diploma. Reference is made to Section 2 of the Regulations Relating to the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at Oslo Metropolitan University (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet).

Assessment is an important element in qualifying students for the profession. It is based on coursework requirements, exams and practical placement study. It shall be possible to test the students in relation to the expected learning outcomes.

The students will be subject to different forms of assessment during the course of their studies. They will be tested by written, oral and practical forms of assessment. The different forms of assessment are intended to contribute to the students progressing in their education and to take account of the fact that students have different backgrounds, abilities and needs. Detailed descriptions of assessment forms are provided in the individual course descriptions.

Continuous assessment is based on the expectations and goals defined for the course/knowledge area as part of the learning process. Such assessments can be oral or written, formal or informal. The final assessment measures and approves the achieved learning outcome and is related to exams and practical placement study.

The students are responsible for familiarising themselves with the different exam dates and any changes relating to exams. The students are responsible for ensuring that they have registered for the exam.

Assessment and grading are carried out in accordance with the provisions on assessment in the Act relating to universities and university colleges (the universities and university colleges Act) and the Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet.

Examiners

To provide an external perspective on all assessments, an external examiner or a programme supervisor will take part in the different assessments in the programme. A programme supervisor is an external examiner appointed to evaluate the assessment arrangement for a course or the study programme as a whole. The evaluation is documented in a report in which any proposals for changes to the assessment form or process are outlined.

Qualitative assessment criteria

The following general national assessment criteria form the basis for assessments:

A – Excellent: An excellent performance, clearly outstanding. The candidate demonstrates excellent judgement and a high degree of independent thinking.

B – Very good: A very good performance. The candidate demonstrates sound judgement and a very god degree of independent thinking.

C – Good: A good performance in most areas. The candidate demonstrates a reasonable degree of judgement and independent thinking in the most important areas.

D – Satisfactory: A satisfactory performance, but with significant shortcomings. The candidate demonstrates a limited degree of judgement and independent thinking.

E – Sufficient: A performance that meets the minimum criteria, but no more. The candidate demonstrates a very limited degree of judgement and independent thinking.

F – Fail: A performance that does not meet the minimum academic criteria. The candidate demonstrates an absence of both judgement and independent thinking.

Rights and obligations in connection with exams

The exam candidates’ rights and obligations are set out in the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. The regulations describe, among other things, the conditions for resit/rescheduled exams, the right to appeal and what is considered cheating in an exam. The candidates are obliged to familiarise themselves with the provisions of these regulations. A description of each exam is found in the relevant course description.

Suitability assessment

Teacher education institutions are responsible for assessing whether students are suited to the teaching profession. Suitability assessments are carried out on a continuous basis throughout the study programme, and will be included in the overall assessment of the student’s professional and personal suitability for the teaching profession. A student who represents a potential threat to the life, physical or mental health, rights and security of children is not suited to the profession. Students who demonstrate little ability to master the profession of ECEC teacher must be informed of this at the earliest possible stage of the programme. They will be given supervision and advice to enable them to meet the requirements for suitability for the teaching profession, or be advised to leave the programme. The suitability assessment takes place continuously throughout the programme.

For further information about suitability, see http://www.oslomet.no/Studier/Skikkethetsvurdering.

The requirements for the PhD degree are established in the Provision for the Degree of Philosophiae doctor a (PhD) at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University

To be admitted to the PhD programme, you must have completed a relevant bachelor's degree (180 ECTS) + master (120 ECTS) or equivalent education in the fields of human centred technology, art, design, social sciences, the humanities, and/or other fields relevant to the specializations in the PhD programme. The application must document the applicant's educational background and completed research work.The average grade awarded for the master's degree must not be lower than a B. A minimum grade of B must be awarded to the master's thesis.

Applications for admission must also contain a plan for the applicant’s doctoral project. This includes:

- project description

- plan for the training component

- progress plan

- funding plan

- proposal for academic supervisor(s)

The project description shall describe the topic, research question, theoretical basis, and choice of method. In addition, the applicants shall provide information about their needs for infrastructure and the language in which they wish to write their doctoral thesis and may be asked to provide information pertaining to possible problems in accordance with rights to intellectual property. In the case of comprehensive data collection, financing for this must be clarified.

Admission is based on a total assessment of the application, including the relevance and quality of the project description and on funding. The quality of the applicant's master's degree thesis/thesis and other written work can also be taken into consideration. Decisions on admission are made by the Doctoral Committee at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, supported by a representative from SVA. Upon admission to the programme, the Doctoral Committee will assign the candidate a minimum of two supervisors. If the main supervisor is not employed at TKD or SVA or otherwise formally associated with the programme, normally a co-supervisor who is employed at TKD or SVA will be assigned the candidate. The admission is formalized through a contract between the doctoral candidate, the supervisor, and the university, and if relevant also with other professional groups and institutions. The contract regulates the parties' mutual rights and obligations for the contract' s period in accordance with paragraph 3 in the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet and is based on the outline developed by the University and College Board (UHR). Admission is granted subject to funding being approved.

The PhD program is an organized research education, and candidates shall participate in research groups. Externally funded candidates participate in research groups at their own workplace or in one of the faculty's research groups.

Rejections of applications for admission can be appealed pursuant to the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at Oslo Metropolitan University (https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/f orskrift/2012-08-28-841).