Master´s Programme in Health and Technology - Specialisation in Radiography Programme description

The Master’s Programme in Health and Technology with specialisations is a master’s degree with a scope of 120 credits in accordance with Section 3 of the Regulations concerning Requirements for the Master’s Degrees, adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research. 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.

The programme includes specialisations in biomedicine and radiography. The students will acquire in-depth knowledge in the chosen specialisation and will gain detailed knowledge of technology relating to the discipline covered by the specialisation. Through common courses across the specialisations, students will also gain an overview of technology developments in the field of health in general, of relevance to both the specialist and municipal health services. They will also learn why innovation and entrepreneurship are important for creating new solutions, but also how the implementation and use of technology affects the health sector, individuals and society. The students will also become familiar with legislation that regulates health research, the collection and use of personal data and health data, and the use of human biological specimen. The programme will also address ethical challenges relating to the development and implementation of technology in the health context, and the importance of user participation will be highlighted and discussed.

A greater need for health and care services in the years ahead means that interdisciplinary cooperation and efficient use of technology will be important to maintain sustainable health services. The programme will contribute to a greater understanding of technology and enhanced technological skills in the field. The students will learn to communicate about their own discipline in a way others can understand, which is important to be able to contribute to interdisciplinary projects. Compulsory common courses and elective courses across specialisations foster interdisciplinary collaboration between the disciplines covered by the programme.

Specialisations

Applicants must choose and apply directly for the specialisation they wish to take when applying for the master’s programme. Different admission requirements apply to the specialisations; see more information under Admission requirements. Parts of the programme will include joint teaching, partly through compulsory common courses and partly through options across the specialisations. Some courses will be held jointly with other master’s degree programmes at OsloMet.

Students who pass the programme will be awarded the degree Master in Health and Technology, with one of the following specialisations:

• Biomedicine
• Radiography

The name of the specialisation will be stated on the diploma alongside the name of the degree.

MABIO: Biomedicine

The specialisation combines life science technology and health sciences. The field of biomedicine is undergoing rapid and extensive technological development that is changing medical and healthcare practices. The need for quality assurance, validation and critical assessment of modern analysis methods is increasing. The specialisation will enable students to develop methods and to critically assess the utility of biomarkers in diagnostics and treatment, personalised medicine and large-scale analyses. The teaching will emphasise basic biomedical sciences, advanced bioanalytical methods, technology for laboratory diagnostics and biostatistics.

MARAD: Radiography

The specialisation emphasises the use of various technologies in medical radiation and the importance of these technologies in the health service to ensure synergies between technology and health. Students will choose one of two directions within radiography: conventional radiography or CT. The specialisation is practice-oriented and profession-oriented and is designed to meet increasing demands for expertise in diagnostics and treatment in connection with medical use of radiation. Students will gain in-depth expertise in optimisation and imaging, focusing on personalised examinations and forms of treatment.

Relevance to working life

Technological expertise is in demand in the health sector, and a Master’s Degree in Health and Technology can lead to many career opportunities in the public and private sectors alike. Possible fields of work and career paths in health and technology after completing the programme include:

• research, development of the field, and teaching
• advisory functions in the public administration, knowledge dissemination and counselling
• clinical or diagnostic work based on specialised expertise
• managerial positions in disciplines relating to health and technology
• innovation and implementation processes
• product and service development

Relevance to further education

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

Students may apply for admission to the research programmeat the Faculty of 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 gives students advanced researcher expertise in addition to that provided during the ordinary master’s programme. Results from this research work may later, on application, form part of PhD-level work.

Sustainability

The 2030 Agenda is the UN’s plan of action for global sustainable development, specified as 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through global partnerships, the world must work together to end poverty and hunger, ensure good health and education for all and reduce climate change and inequality. Some of the goals can be achieved through the development and implementation of different technologies. The Master’s Programme in Health and Technology is particularly aimed at promoting good health and well-being (SDG3), quality education (SDG4), industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG9), reduced inequality (SDG10) and partnership for the goals (SDG17).

The 17 SDGs must be seen as a whole, where each goal is seen in conjunction with the others. The purpose of the programme is to educate candidates who are active global citizens with knowledge of how technology contributes to sustainable health services, good health and an inclusive society for all, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, education, sexuality and functional ability.

The disciplines of biomedicine and radiography are central to diagnostics and treatment in the health service. Rapid technological developments in the disciplines lead to a greater need for personnel with health knowledge combined with advanced knowledge of technology, for example relating to the development and implementation of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in biomedical analysis methods and radiation-based technologies. The programme is particularly relevant for applicants with an education in medical laboratory sciences, pharmacy, radiography, molecular biology and biotechnology. The programme is suitable for candidates who wish to increase their expertise in their own discipline and to contribute actively to development work, research and innovation processes, both within their field and across disciplines.

On completion of the master’s degree program in Transport and Urban Planning, candidates are expected to have the following learning outcome defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The candidate has advanced knowledge

• of theory and tools for modelling and design across the areas of smart city transportation, logistics and urban areas
• of methods and regulations used in the design and policy of urban areas and urban mobility
• to evaluate climate and environmental effects on urban areas and mobility infrastructures and apply this knowledge in solving new urban and mobility challenges
• to analyze issues related to mobility and urbanization based on the historical and current development of the discipline and take into account new technology and society’s need for more sustainable design of mobility and urban environment

Skills:The candidate is able to

• analyze space in terms of built environment, transportation, topography and climate sensitivity based on relevant data
• use relevant computer software and information and communication technology (ICT) tools in the analysis, optimization, prediction, design and visualization of mobility and urban structures
• carry out an independent, delimited research or development project under supervision and in accordance with applicable research ethical standards
• utilize earlier research and information for own innovation and development
• work independently and in cross-disciplinary teams to solve complex, practical and theoretical problems related to city transportation, logistics and urban planning

General competence:

The candidate is able to:

• identify reliable data sources, find relevant data and ensure its quality
• analyze academic, research and professional issues and make ethically sound recommendations of smart mobility and urban solutions, including their impact on humans and the environment
• apply his/her knowledge and skills to analyze and design solutions on cross-disciplinary and complex issues
• communicate the results of independent and project work, both in writing and orally, to authorities, professionals and general public
• contribute to development and innovation within smart city transportation, logistics and urban planning

The program is a full-time program over two years that consists of a lecture-based component with a scope of 90 credits and an independent project, the master’s thesis, with a scope of 30 credits. The master’s degree program will prepare students to meet society’s need for up-todate, forward-looking expertise in sustainable and smart urban analytics and transport planning. In this master program, the students will achieve knowledge in both the fields of Transport- and Urban Planning.

The courses are organized in a systematic way. The transport courses provided in the first semester will provide students strategic and technological knowledge of the state-of-the-art transport system and the challenges it is facing. Moreover, basic research skills will also be provided to help students to handle more methodological courses in the second semester. During the second semester, the widely applied analytic and modeling method will be provided to students with the focus on human activity and needs. Their knowledge will be expanded from the transport system to the whole city. Students will have in-depth skills and concepts of urban analytics and regional science. In the second year, students will select their expertise and conduct a master thesis based on everything they learned in the first year.

Transport planning concerns the evolution of transportation networks and transport planning strategies. The study program focuses on providing the students with more detailed knowledge of the history, trends, problems, and opportunities in land use and transportation. The program incorporates substantive knowledge in transport demand and travel behavior, land use and transportation policy and planning, street design and urban space, and implications for a sustainable urban future. The study program also aims to provide updated skills on new technology in this field as well as knowledge in innovations in equitable and sustainable urban mobility.

Urban planning is analyzing and understanding the evolution and challenges of urban development, as well as urban and land use planning. The study program focuses on providing the students with solid, theoretical knowledge and applied skills in urban systems, management of urban design and human factors in sustainable cities. Climate change and increased focus on resource use and environmental impacts thereby entail a greater focus on the choice of urban design. The study program focuses on providing the students with more detailed knowledge of town-friendly planning and green policy. The study program also aims to provide updated skills on new technology in this field as well as knowledge in innovative and sustainable urban planning.

In the third semester, students have the option to choose in-depth knowledge in either smart mobility or in urban analytics. Students who choose to specialize in smart mobility will take the Urban Mobility elective, and students who choose to specialize in urban analytics will take the Space Syntax elective. The elective courses give students necessary knowledge in these areas, and experience applying the skills and methods learned in the first and second semester to specific problems in Transport and Urban planning. After completing the elective, students will then complete a master’s thesis in the fourth semester. The master’s thesis will then give the students further practice in applying their knowledge and skills to relevant issues through more comprehensive project work.

The study program focuses on teaching students how to use advanced computer programs and simulation tools to solve complex problems relating to sustainable urban and transportation problems, so the development of digital skills is an important integrated part of all the courses. This also helps make the program cross-disciplinary, including elements of computer science, analytic disciplines (like modeling, simulation), artificial intelligence, machine learning etc., because that is what the industry needs today

The study program also aims to qualify candidates with the competence to participate in research work in the field. The two courses Research Methods and Research Ethics (5 ECTS) and Advanced Research Methods (5 ECTS) underpins the master’s thesis and provides an introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methods, ethics, and academic writing and dissemination of results

The master’s thesis is an independent, supervised research or development project in the core areas and represents further specialisation in either transport or urban planning.

The structure of the programe:

The master’s degree program consists of eight compulsory courses, two elective courses in addition to a master’s thesis. The course portfolio is composed so that the compulsory courses ensure academic and professional breadth, at the same time as the students are given an opportunity for in-depth study and specialisation through elective courses and the master’s thesis.

The choice of elective courses for the third semester (Transport and Urban Planning) is made at the end of the second semester. The whole fourth semester is dedicated to the master’s thesis. It is natural that the master’s thesis builds on the project work that forms part of the specialization topic in the third semester. The topic of the thesis can either be linked to a client’s issue or to relevant research projects in the department.

In order for students to be able to present the master’s thesis, all courses from the first year of the study program must be passed.

Students are encouraged to contact relevant enterprises in the region for the purpose of gaining practical training and experience in the fields through a summer job or similar, and to establish cooperation on project assignments.

Both the language of instruction and the course literature are in English, making the study program well-suited for international students and student mobility. The study program is structured so that it is possible for the students to take one semester abroad, in the third or fourth semester. These will also be the semesters for exchange students from abroad to join the master program at OsloMet for one semester.

Internationalization in this master program is four-fold by taking an approach from different angles. This master’s program educates and prepare students for an international competitive job market with (1) language of instruction in English to equip the future graduates to work in practice and academia world-wide with (2) international state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of mobility with digital skills and urban analytical techniques and tools, (3) using comparative Norwegian and international case studies in courses and (4) the program is taught by national and international trained instructors including English native speakers and academics who have long-standing experience in lecturing in English.

With student mobility, students have the opportunity to gain experience abroad at a foreign academic institution which will offer complementary courses being very relevant for the students at the master program in Transport and Urban Planning, and the courses OsloMet will offer on the master program in Transport and Urban Planning will be of interest to students attending these selected universities.

OsloMet is part of the Erasmus program for student exchange and has entered into several Erasmus+ agreements with relevant universities and university colleges.

Students can gain approval and recognition of up to 30 credits on application.

OsloMet has a dedicated web page with supplementary information about student exchanges: https://www.oslomet.no/en/study/exchange-students

Requirements:

An average grade C or better in previously completed courses. An exchange agreement with the desired university or college must be in place before the student can apply. Acceptance from a receiving institution to an exchange-stay with the necessary academic relevance.

Application deadline: One semester prior to the planned stay.

Required coursework means compulsory assignments or activities that must be approved within a given deadline in order for students to be able to get the course validated. The coursework requirements in this study program are linked to written assignments and compulsory attendance to some labs. The coursework requirements are described in more detail in the individual course descriptions.

Coursework requirements are set in order to promote the student’s progress and development and to ensure his/her participation in necessary elements of the program. Required coursework can also be set to ensure that students achieve a learning outcome that cannot be tested in another way.

Required coursework is assessed as approved or not approved. In the event of delays in study progress, previously approved coursework remains valid for two years, provided that the course has not changed.

Valid absence documented by e.g., a medical certificate does not exempt students from meeting the coursework requirements. Students who fail to meet the coursework requirements within the deadline due to illness or for other documented valid reasons should as far as possible be given a new chance. 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 must be agreed with the person responsible for the course on a case-by-case basis. This may result in delayed progress in the program.

If a work requirement is assessed «not approved», students have maximum two chances to retake the work requirement. A work requirement that three times is assessed «not approved», will result in loss of the right to get this course validated.

Provisions governing assessment and grading are laid down in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. Please refer to https://student.oslomet.no./

The forms of assessment used shall promote learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcome. Assessment methods vary between courses. They include written reports (individual and group reports), oral presentations, portfolio assessments and oral examinations. There will be no written school exam on this master program as the pedagogical approach is to have assessments similar to evaluation methods used when working in a company. The forms of assessment and grade scale are described in more detail in the individual course descriptions. In connection with the final assessment in the course, a grade scale with grades from A to E for pass (A being the highest) and F for fail is used.

A portfolio assessment provides an overall assessment awarding one grade for the whole portfolio. Each student's work will be assessed together as a portfolio with one individual grade at the end of the semester, but all parts that make up the portfolio must be assessed as 'pass' in order for the student to pass the course. The overall assessment can be appealed. Students may only appeal against the determination of the examination grade awarded for the whole portfolio. Any information on weighting of grades must be considered as supplementary information in connection with the final grade.

The tuition takes place in English, and assignments will also be in English. Students may, by agreement with the person responsible for the course, submit assignments in Norwegian. The assignment given in the elective course (specialization course) in the third semester and the master's thesis should be in English.

If the examination in a course consists of more than one part, all parts of the examination must be passed in order to pass the course.

Normally each course has one or two internal examiners to assess students' work. On a regularly basis one or some of the courses will be chosen to include an external examiner, thus the students' work will be assessed by one external and one internal examiner.

Oral exams shall be assessed by two examiners, as this form of assessment cannot be appealed.

The master’s thesis will be assessed by an external and an internal examiner. In addition to submitting a written report, students must also give an oral presentation of the thesis to the external examiner and supervisor(s). The examiners will set the grade for the master’s thesis after the oral presentation and questioning. Students can appeal against the grade awarded for the written thesis in accordance with Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. If the grade is changed as a result of re-assessment, the student must take the oral exam again. The oral exam grade cannot be appealed

The master’s degree program is profession-oriented, which means that students are to a significant extent assessed on the basis of their ability to solve problems, and on whether their presentations of solutions meet technical, academic and ethical requirements. Project assignments with reports and presentations are therefore one of the dominant assessment forms used in the study program. Guildeline for master's theses at the Faculty can be found here: Retningslinjer for masteroppgaver ved Fakultet for teknologi, kunst og design - Student - minside (oslomet.no)

Students have the right to demand an explanation for and to appeal against a grade awarded and/or formal errors in connection with exams in accordance with Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges.

After completing the program, students will be awarded a diploma showing all their final grades (final assessments) in the courses that form the basis for the degree. The title of the master’s thesis will also be included on the diploma.

Quality assurance

The purpose of OsloMet's quality assurance system is to strengthen students' learning outcomes and development by raising the quality at all levels. Cooperation with the students, and their participation in the quality assurance work, is decisive to the overall learning outcome. Among the overall goals for the quality assurance system is to ensure:

• that the educational activities, including practical training and the learning and study environment, maintain a high level of quality
• that the study programs are relevant for the professional fields
• that the quality development continues to improve

For the students, this entails, among other things, student evaluations in the form of:

course evaluations

annual student surveys for all of OsloMet

More information about the quality assurance system is available here: https://student.oslomet.no/en/acts-regulation#etablering-studium-evaluering-kvalitetssystem

Program supervisor scheme

The program supervisor scheme is part of the quality assurance of each individual study program. A program supervisor is not an examiner, but someone who supervises the quality of the study program. All study program at OsloMet shall be subject to supervision by a program supervisor, but there are different ways of practicing the scheme. Reference is made to the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet: https://student.oslomet.no/en/retningslinjer-sensorer

Programme description:

Revised programme description approved by the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences on 28 April 2022.

Last amendments approved by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on 6 December 2023.

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2024.