Dramaturgy Programme description

The department prioritises work methods that stimulate integration of the knowledge areas on the programme. The programme uses methods that promote the students’ development and own activity, which encourages study both individually and in groups. The work methods have been selected with a view to helping the students to achieve the learning outcomes. Each student plays a part in and influences their own and fellow students’ study and learning situation. This entails active participation throughout the programme with discussion of the academic and educational aspects of the programme, and is conditional on a learning environment that welcomes reflection, analysis and critical thinking. Evaluations can comprise verbal as well as written feedback and are intended to provide guidance.

The processes and practical exercises in each course are unique to product design. The programme allows for and encourages individual approaches to the subject. Common teaching and work methods in the various courses are:

Problem-based learning

This is a method where the students are given a challenge related to a material, a request from a customer, a social need or similar. Students are to find a solution and there is no set answer to the challenge. This form of learning takes place through various methods such as:

Practical exercises

The students carry out exercises and practise techniques in groups or individually to obtain the learning outcomes of each course.

Project work

Project work is the most important work method for professional designers and is therefore used in most courses on the programme. Various issues are selected and explored in groups or individually, and any investigations are related to relevant challenges. Assignments and projects are presented to fellow students, lecturers and guests in different ways to receive general feedback and encourage discussion.

Workshops

A methodological approach to the subject where both students and course coordinators take equal part via systematic processes. The work is immediately evaluated before the process is concluded.

Workshop practice

Students must be certified to use the workshops and various machinery. They use the department’s many workshops to work on a topic or parts of a course. All students must pass a mandatory HSE course to be able to participate in workshop practice.

Presentations

In all courses and topics, the students will present subject matter and/or models, both physical and abstract, to fellow students and lecturers.

Individual or group supervision

An important educational method to ensure that students complete their assignments and obtain the learning outcomes.

Lectures

Lectures are organised in periods on each course. The purpose of lectures is to introduce a topic for further work, stimulate interest, summarise topics, ease student work in particularly difficult areas of a topic and present relevant research on a topic.

Self-study

Students are expected to acquire knowledge about topics in the syllabus that are not covered by lectures or other scheduled teaching, including literature studies and referencing techniques.

Organised group work

From the first year of study, students are organised into groups in order to learn cooperation skills. Students work in teams on solutions to various design-related questions and share experiences and reflections.

Excursions

In some courses, students are given an opportunity to visit a business or organisation relevant to the topic of study.

Meeting students from different cultures can result in added know-how for later professional practice in our multicultural society. By actively including cultural knowledge in the programme, the students are prepared for the new reality – that globalisation of the labour market makes international experience, language skills and cultural knowledge and change competence increasingly important.

The department has an active exchange practice and facilitates internationalisation in that:

• students can take part of their bachelor’s degree studies at one of the department’s partner institutions abroad
• incoming exchange students can take part of their education at the department
• the fourth semester is an international semester where teaching and literature are primarily in English
• the fifth semester is adapted to student exchanges by both teaching and literature being mostly in English
• internationalisation at home is emphasised through e.g. integration of foreign exchange students in class
• cultural knowledge is an important part of the teaching.

Exchange procedures

The university has an international section that works on student exchanges. See OsloMet’s website. The department is responsible for granting students advance approval before they visit an institution abroad.

For an up-to-date overview of partnership agreements, see OsloMet’s website.

Required coursework means compulsory work that must be approved in order for students to take the exam. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. Coursework requirements in this programme include:

• participation in compulsory teaching activities
• certification in machinery use and HSE
• practical assignments
• completed exercises
• written assignments for submission
• exhibitions
• oral presentations
• approved project description

Not approved coursework

Valid absence documented by e.g. a medical certificate does not exempt students from meeting the coursework requirements. Students who fail to complete required coursework within the deadline due to illness or for other documented valid reasons should as far as possible be given a new chance before the exam. This must be agreed with the lecturer in question on a case-to-case basis. If another attempt at meeting a coursework requirement is not possible because of the nature of the subject/course, the student must be prepared to meet the coursework requirements on the next possible occasion. This may result in delayed progress in the programme.