Master's Programme in Health Sciences - specialisation in Public Health Nutrition Programme description

The programme was established under the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

Candidates who pass the programme will be awarded the degree Master of Health Sciences (Norwegian: Master i helsevitenskap) in accordance with Section 3 of the Regulations concerning Requirements for the Master's Degrees. A specialisation in one of the following 15 specialisations forms part of the master’s degree programme:

Specialisations for applicants with backgrounds in health or social care:

• Health Sciences
• Empowerment and Health Promotion
• Mental Health Care
• Rehabilitation and Habilitation

Specialisations for applicants who are authorised health personnel in the specified professional fields:

• Nutrition for Health Personnel
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy for Children and Adolescents
• Physiotherapy for the Older Adult
• Physiotherapy for Musculoskeletal Health
• Psychomotor Physiotherapy
• Advanced Nursing Practice
• Public Health Nursing
• Cancer Nursing
• Nursing – Clinical Research and Professional Development

Specialisations for applicants from the professional field of nutrition:

• Public Health Nutrition

The specialisation will also be stated on the diploma alongside the name of the degree: Master of Health Sciences.

The master’s degree programme has a scope of 120 ECTS credits. Some of the specialisations are taken full-time over two years, while others are taken part-time over three or four years.

The programme comprises compulsory common courses, compulsory specialisation courses and elective courses, in addition to the master’s thesis. A more detailed overview of the programme’s structure for each specialisation is given under the section;Content and structure.

According to the UN Agenda 2030, a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development is that everyone is able to live healthy lives. The Master’s Degree Programme in Health Sciences is primarily aimed at the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, Good Health and Well-being, while SDGs 4, 5 and 10 on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, and achieving gender equality and reducing inequality, are also relevant. The 17 SDGs must be seen as a whole, however, where each goal is seen in conjunction with the others. The purpose of the programme is therefore to educate candidates who are qualified to help to ensure good health and promote quality of life for everyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, education, sexuality and functional ability, while also attempting to address considerations relating to sustainability, including life-long learning.

The students taking the programme can choose a specialisation in health promotion, illness prevention, treatment, palliative care and (re)habilitation work. The programme teaches the students to handle professional problems at the individual, group and system level in close cooperation with other professions, patients, users, next of kin and other services. The candidates should also be able to contribute to safe, effective, holistic and integrated services with good use of resources, and to innovation, improvement work and systematic user involvement.

Relevance to working life

Possible fields of work and careers after completing the programme include:

• research and development in the health sciences
• teaching, development and advisory functions in the guidance, administration and dissemination of knowledge in the health professions
• clinical work that is based on specialised expertise
• health and social care management positions

Relevance to further education

Students taking the Master's Degree Programme in Health Sciences who choose to write a master’s thesis worth 50 ECTS credits can apply for admission to the research programme for health sciences while taking the master’s programme. This is taken in parallel to and as an extension of the master’s programme. The research programme develops researcher expertise over and above that provided during the master’s programme and results in a research work that can later form part of a PhD-level work.

Candidates with a Master's Degree in Health Sciences are qualified to apply for admission to PhD programmes, including the PhD Programme in Health Sciences at OsloMet.

Specialisations

The Master's Degree Programme in Health Sciences has a number of specialisations that candidates can choose. Applicants must choose and apply directly for the specialisation they wish to take when applying for the master’s programme. The specialisations are subject to different admission requirements. However, the students will take a significant part of the programme together with students from the other specialisations, partly through compulsory common courses and partly through elective courses across the specialisations. More information about this is found in the section;Content and structure.

MAPHN: Public Health Nutrition

Through this specialisation, the students will develop knowledge and skills needed to assess and analyse the extent, causes and consequences of diet and nutritional challenges among different population groups. The students will learn how to plan, develop, implement and evaluate interventions that address the determinants of public health nutrition issues and problems and promote equity and sustainability. The specialisation also provides insight into key political actors and processes related to food and nutrition. It includes local, national and global perspectives with particular focus on the relationship between food systems, diet and sustainability. The specialisation is taught in English.

The target group is students with a bachelor’s degree in health or social care who want to work on professional development and/or participate in research in their field, and potentially conduct clinical work in their chosen specialisation. The programme is a relevant additional education to a number of health and social care programmes.

Admission takes place directly to the chosen specialisation. The requirement for admission to the Master’s Degree Programme in Health Sciences is a bachelor's degree or an equivalent degree within a specified field, with an average grade of at least C. However, an average grade of C does not guarantee admission. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of places on the programme, the applicants will be ranked according to the applicable ranking rules.

Reference is made to the Regulations relating to Admission to Studies at OsloMet. The specialisations will only be run if a sufficient number of qualified candidates apply.

Admission requirements for the Specialisation in Public Health Nutrition

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree with a specialisation of at least 80 ECTS in food- or nutrition sciences or public health, of which 30 ECTS in nutrition are compulsory

In order to qualify for the English-speaking Specialisation in Public Health Nutrition, the applicant must be able to document English language proficiency. Please consult the current regulations at OsloMet’s webpage: https://www.oslomet.no/en/study/admission/english-proficiency-requirements-masters

Mastergradsstudium i barnesykepleie (engelsk: Master's Programme in Paediatric Nursing) har et omfang på 120 studiepoeng i henhold til § 3 i forskrift om krav til mastergrad, fastsatt av Kunnskapsdepartementet 1. desember 2005. Bestått studium kvalifiserer for graden master i barnesykepleie (engelsk: Master of Paediatric Nursing).

Studiet er basert på rammeplan for videreutdanning i barnesykepleie og forskrift til rammeplan for videreutdanning i barnesykepleie, fastsatt av Kunnskapsdepartementet 1. desember 2005, og oppfyller kravene som stilles der.

Med unntak av masteroppgaven gjennomføres alle emnene i studiet på heltid over 1,5 år. Disse emnene tilsvarer høgskolens videreutdanning i barnesykepleie og gir handlingskompetanse i barnesykepleie, jf. kravene i rammeplan for videreutdanning i barnesykepleie med forskrift. Masteroppgaven gjennomføres på deltid over ett år. Hele mastergradsstudiet gjennomføres i løpet av 2,5 år.

Barnesykepleie

Barnesykepleie er spesialisert kompetanse i sykepleie til akutt og/eller kritisk syke barn. Med barn menes personer under 18 år. Barn er ikke små voksne, og det kreves spesialkompetanse for å ivareta denne pasientgruppen. Barn er avhengige av sine omsorgspersoner, og barnesykepleieren ivaretar familieperspektivet ved å inkludere omsorgspersoner som likeverdige samarbeidspartnere i sykepleie til barn.

Barnesykepleie innebærer å bedømme akutte situasjoner, prioritere og iverksette tiltak som bidrar til å opprettholde eller gjenopprette livsviktige funksjoner. Barnesykepleie innebærer også å begrense omfanget av lidelse, smerte og traumatiske opplevelser, forebygge utviklingsskader og fremme normalutvikling hos barn. Barnesykepleierens forebyggende, behandlende, lindrende, helsefremmende, rehabiliterende og habiliterende aspekt inngår i enhver vurdering og aktivitet.

Pasientmålgruppen omfatter barn som

• fødes for tidlig
• fødes med sykdom eller utviklingsanomalier
• utsettes for ulykker
• er rammet av akutt og/eller kritisk sykdom
• utredes for eller har fått en forverring av langvarig eller kronisk sykdom
• har en funksjonshemming
• lever under forhold som gir fysiske, psykiske eller sosiale utviklingsforstyrrelser og/eller skader

Målgruppen for barnesykepleie inkluderer også omsorgspersoner, søsken og øvrige familie.

Relevans for arbeidsliv

Mastergradsstudiet i barnesykepleie skal bidra til å dekke det økende behovet samfunnet har for spesialisert sykepleiekompetanse primært i spesialisthelsetjenesten, men også i kommunehelsetjenesten.

Barnesykepleiere er etterspurt nøkkelpersonell i spesialisthelsetjenesten for gjennomføring av faglig forsvarlig helsehjelp ved akutt og/eller kritisk sykdom hos barn. Spesialisthelsetjenesten krever i økende grad spesialisering og etterspør barnesykepleiere med et solid klinisk og vitenskapelig fundament for sin yrkesutøvelse. I dag behandles en rekke sykdommer og skader som tidligere var umulig å behandle, blant annet behandles flere for tidlig fødte barn. Barn som behandles i spesialisthelsetjenesten i dag, er sykere enn før. En konsekvens av denne utviklingen er nye og økte krav til barnesykepleierne.

Det kreves også at barnesykepleiere skal arbeide kunnskapsbasert, der sykepleieutøvelsen bygger på forskningskunnskap, erfaringskunnskap og pasientkunnskap. Barnesykepleiere skal kunne analysere og forholde seg kritisk til eksisterende teori og metoder innenfor avansert medisinsk behandling og barnesykepleie. Barnesykepleiere skal også kunne bidra til nytenkning og i innovasjonsprosesser i klinisk praksis, og bruke relevante metoder for forskning og kvalitetsarbeid (fagutviklingsarbeid, kvalitetssikringsarbeid eller kvalitetskontrollarbeid) på en selvstendig måte innen barnesykepleie.

Barnesykepleiere arbeider primært i barnemedisinske avdelinger, kirurgiske barneavdelinger, intermediæravdelinger for barn, nyfødtintensiv- og intensivavdelinger for større barn, barnemottak, poliklinikker og voksenavdelinger med sengeplasser for barn. Habiliteringsavdelinger og barne- og ungdomspsykiatriske avdelinger vil også være aktuelle arbeidsområder.

Også i kommunehelsetjenesten er behovet for spisskompetanse i barnesykepleie økende. Ifølge Lov om kommunale helse- og omsorgstjenester m.m. (helse- og omsorgstjenesteloven) har kommunene fått en utvidet rolle i behandlingen av akutt oppstått sykdom, forverring av kronisk sykdom og i etterbehandlingen av pasienter som er ferdigbehandlet i sykehus. Sykepleiere med spesialistkompetanse i sykepleie til akutt og/eller kritisk syke barn vil derfor også være etterspurt i kommunehelsetjenesten.

En kandidat med fullført mastergradsstudium i barnesykepleie vil ha handlingskompetanse i barnesykepleie, men vil også ha kompetanse i å initiere og gjennomføre utviklingsprosjekter og delta i forskningsarbeid innenfor egen virksomhet. Kandidaten er kvalifisert til å ta et utvidet ansvar for kunnskapsbasert barnesykepleie til akutt og/eller kritisk syke barn (0-18 år) i og utenfor sykehus.

Relevans for videre studier

En kandidat med fullført mastergradsstudium i barnesykepleie kan søke opptak til blant annet doktorgradsprogram innen helsefag og sykepleievitenskap.

Programplanen består av en generell del som beskriver studiet som helhet, og deretter følger beskrivelser av hvert emne (emneplaner).

The target group is students with a bachelor’s degree in health or social care who want to work on professional development and/or participate in research in their field, and potentially conduct clinical work in their chosen specialisation. The programme is a relevant additional education to a number of health and social care programmes.

Admission takes place directly to the chosen specialisation. The requirement for admission to the Master’s Degree Programme in Health Sciences is a bachelor's degree or an equivalent degree within a specified field, with an average grade of at least C. However, an average grade of C does not guarantee admission. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of places on the programme, the applicants will be ranked according to the applicable ranking rules.

Admission to individual courses

For admission to individual courses, the admission requirements are described in the course description. The grade C requirement does not apply to admission to individual courses. More information about admission to individual courses can be found on the programme’s website.

Reference is made to the Regulations relating to Admission to Studies at OsloMet. The specialisations will only be run if a sufficient number of qualified candidates apply.

Admission requirements for the Specialisation in Public Health Nutrition

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree with a specialisation of at least 80 ECTS in food- or nutrition sciences or public health, of which 30 ECTS in nutrition are compulsory

In order to qualify for the English-speaking Specialisation in Public Health Nutrition, the applicant must be able to document English language proficiency. Please consult the current regulations at OsloMet’s webpage: https://www.oslomet.no/en/study/admission/english-proficiency-requirements-masters

Learning outcomes at the programme level for the Master's Degree Programme in Health Sciences

The student’s overall learning outcomes for the Master’s Degree Programme in Health Sciences fully cover the description of master’s degree level (level 7) of the Norwegian Qualifications Framework.

A candidate who has completed his or her qualification should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has advanced knowledge of health-related services and health-promoting work within their field of specialisation
• can analyse academic problems on the basis of the history, traditions, distinctive character and place in society of the health sciences
• has knowledge of different perceptions of body, health, illness, function and functional impairment
• has in-depth knowledge of the individual’s right to autonomy and user participation, and of important considerations in the development of equitable health services and health-promoting work
• has insight into the role of interprofessional cooperation in achieving results in health-related services and health-promoting work
• has insight into the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3, Good Health and Well-being, and an understanding of the connection between health and sustainable development in society
• has thorough knowledge of the theory of science, research methods and ethics of particular relevance to health sciences and the area of specialisation

Skills

The candidate

• can understand, motivate and cooperate with individuals and next of kin undergoing health-related learning, coping and change processes
• can analyse existing theories, methods and interpretations in the field of health sciences and work independently on practical and theoretical problem-solving
• can adapt health services and health-promoting work to different groups in society
• can contribute to the expedient and correct use of technology to improve the quality of the health services
• can use knowledge of quality improvement and implementation to improve the services
• can analyse and deal critically with various sources of information and use them to structure and formulate scholarly arguments
• can use relevant methods for research and scholarly and/or professional development work in an independent manner
• can carry out an independent, limited research or development project within their specialisation under supervision and in accordance with applicable norms for research ethics

General competence

The candidate

• can analyse the relationship between the individual, service and societal levels when designing health-related services and in health-promoting work
• can contribute to innovation and quality improvement that builds on relevant knowledge of nursing gained from research and experience, and knowledge of users
• can work in interprofessional teams in order to more efficiently address complex health challenges
• has an international perspective in their field of specialisation
• can assess their own research design and research method based on a specific research question
• can disseminate relevant problems, analyses and research results to specialists and the general public in a way that meets research ethics requirements
• can contribute to new thinking and innovation processes in the health services and in health-promoting work

Specialisation in Public Health Nutrition

The following additional learning outcomes apply to candidates taking the Specialisation in Public Health Nutrition:

• has specialised insight into how food and nutrition policy, as well as social, cultural, economic and climate-related factors, are connected with the health and nutrition situation at local, national and global level
• can monitor and assess the extent and causes of diet and nutrition challenges among different population group
• can use theories, models and strategies, as well as knowledge of political actors and processes to plan, implement and evaluate nutrition-related, health promoting and preventive interventions and policies
• Can promote equitable access to safe, healthy and sustainable food though all life cycles at local, national and global level

Studiets innhold er organisert i ni obligatoriske emner, som til sammen utgjør 120 studiepoeng. Teoretiske studier utgjør 75 studiepoeng, inklusive masteroppgave på 30 studiepoeng, og kliniske studier utgjør 45 studiepoeng.

Studiet gjennomføres i løpet av 2,5 år. De åtte første emnene gjennomføres på heltid over 1,5 år med 30 studiepoeng per semester. Når disse emnene er bestått, har studenten handlingskompetanse i barnesykepleie, jf. rammeplan for videreutdanning i barnesykepleie. Det siste emnet, masteroppgaven, gjennomføres på deltid over ett år. Ved å strekke arbeidet med masteroppgaven over to semestre tilrettelegges det for at studenten kan arbeide som barnesykepleier parallelt med dette arbeidet.

MAABI-emnene er felles for mastergradsstudiene i anestesi-, barne- og intensivsykepleie. Emnene er også felles med videreutdanning i akutt-, anestesi-, barne-, intensiv- og operasjonssykepleie ved Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus.

Rammeplan for videreutdanning i barnesykepleie

For å sikre at en student med fullført mastergrad i barnesykepleie er kvalifisert for å arbeide som barnesykepleier, tilfredsstiller mastergradsstudiet nasjonal rammeplan for videreutdanning i barnesykepleie med forskrift, fastsatt av Kunnskapsdepartementet 1. desember 2005. De 8 første emnene i mastergradsstudiets 3 første semestre (90 studiepoeng) oppfyller kravene i rammeplan for videreutdanning i barnesykepleie både når det gjelder innhold og studiepoengfordeling.

Kliniske studier i mastergradsstudiet utgjør 45 studiepoeng, som er i henhold til rammeplanens krav.

Different forms of assessment are used on the programme that are adapted to the learning outcomes of the various courses. The forms of assessment used are intended to support learning and document the students’ level of competence in relation to the expected learning outcomes. In general, the following forms of assessment are used in the programme:

Supervised individual examination

Taken at the university’s examination premises over a set number of hours.

Home examination

Taken over a set period of time at the end of the course, normally with a set question/assignment text unless otherwise stated in the course description.

Project examination

Taken over the whole or large parts of the course, normally with a topic decided by the students themselves unless otherwise stated in the course description.

Oral examination

Can take place individually or in groups. It can either be an independent form of assessment or used to adjust the grade awarded for another examination.

Practical examination

The assessment of specific practical skills either at the university or in the field of practice.

Assessment of practical training

Supervised practical training, assessed in accordance with the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University Chapter 8.

The assessment of examinations and practical training is carried out in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet and the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of examiners at OsloMet.

The forms of assessment and criteria are described in each course description. All examinations taken and the title of the master’s thesis will be stated on the diploma.

Examinations

All courses conclude with an examination. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, and the degree to which the student has achieved the stipulated learning outcomes is assessed. In theoretical courses, the grades used are pass/fail or letter grades from A to F, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the examination. The grades pass/fail are used for the assessment of practical training.

Resit and rescheduled examinations are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary examination unless otherwise specified in the course description. In special cases, resit and rescheduled examinations in courses with group examinations may be held as individual examinations.

For examinations where a percentage of the examination papers are selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner's assessment should benefit all the students. In such cases, one external and one internal Examiner will first grade the selected papers. The internal examiner then continues grading the remaining papers together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the assessments carried out by the two internal examiners.

The grade awarded for a written examination can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical examinations. In connection with group examinations, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidate(s) who submitted the appeal. The other students will keep their original grade.

External programme supervisor

An external programme supervisor scheme is in place for the programme as required by the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet. The external supervisor will write an annual report on their work that will be included in the faculty’s area of the university’s quality assurance system.

Varied and student-active teaching methods are used in the programme. Good learning outcomes are first and foremost dependent on the students’ own efforts. The number of hours of adapted teaching at the university will be relatively low. Own effort means both benefiting from teaching and academic supervision and following this up with independent work in the form of theoretical studies and, if relevant, practical skills training. Normal study progress requires students to make great personal efforts. The most important work and teaching forms used in each course in the programme are described below. The individual course descriptions state which work methods each course employs. Practical training is described in a separate chapter; see below.

Web-based work and teaching methods

Several forms of digital learning resources are used in the programme, such as digital textbooks, digital lectures, video clips, podcasts, tests, learning pathways and assignments. These resources can be used to prepare for teaching sessions, during seminars using the flipped classroom method, and as part of self-study. This form of teaching requires the students to meet prepared for the scheduled teaching sessions. Interaction can also take place digitally, in the form of Skype meetings, webinars etc.

Self-study and student cooperation/group work

Learning requires a high degree of own activity and self-study, including both individual work and cooperation with fellow students. Through activities such as exchanging ideas, presentations, discussions, writing assignments and problem-based assignments, students will be stimulated to learn by communicating knowledge and experience, expressing their own opinions and, together, reflecting on their own attitudes, actions and understanding of the field. Students are encouraged to take initiative to schedule and actively participate in study groups to promote learning.

Lectures

Lectures are primarily used to introduce new subject matter, provide an overview and highlight main elements and links within different topics, and also to communicate relevant issues.

Seminars

Seminars emphasise dialogue and discussion between the subject teacher(s) and students in order to stimulate the student's academic development. Verbal presentations by students and discussions are emphasised.

In connection with the master's thesis, seminars are held where the master's theses are presented and discussed. The students receive feedback from their fellow students and teachers, which enables them to learn from each other. Research-related issues, methods and academic supervision are among the topics discussed in the seminars. Seminars can also take place on digital collaboration platforms.

Written assignments and academic supervision

Through written assignments and the master's thesis, students will formulate research questions for assignments and work on them over time, either individually or in cooperation with other students. They will learn theory and develop skills in using and referencing sources, analysis, discussion and written and oral communication. The primary purpose of this is to develop their ability to reflect critically, see elements in context and develop a deeper understanding of a subject.

Developing academic writing skills is a key aspect of all parts of the programme. Supervision is an important component of the work on the master's thesis. The supervision is intended to ensure that the project complies with research ethics principles and help students to formulate the research question and ensure quality in the collection and analysis of data.