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 assistive technology in health, 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, an overview is provided of technology developments in the field of health in general, of relevance to both the specialist and municipal health services, as well as for research. Students learn about innovation and entrepreneurship to create new solutions through interdisciplinary collaboration between public and private actors, and about 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:

• Assistive Technology in Health
• Biomedicine
• Radiography

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

MAATH: Assistive Technology in Health

The specialisation emphasises assistive technology in health (ATH) (referred to as welfare technology in the Nordic countries) in an interdisciplinary, practice-oriented, and person-centred context, at both individual and system levels within specialist health services and municipal health and social services. ATH is aimed at promoting health and preventing illness through treatment and (re)habilitation to improve cost-effective and sustainable health and social services. Students learn how ATH can assist individuals in activity, participation, safety, dignity, and coping in everyday life. Examples of ATH include technical and orthopaedic aids, exoskeleton technology, smart home technology, robot assistants, GPS, technologies for activity and movement analysis, computer-controlled (bionic) prostheses and orthoses, and artificial intelligence. The specialisation emphasises knowledge and skills in developing, piloting, implementing, and evaluating complex interventions with ATH in collaboration between private and public actors. Students learn to analyse the interaction between humans, health, activity, participation, movement, and technology.

MABIO: Biomedicine

The biomedical field integrates natural sciences, technology, and health sciences, forming the foundation for medical diagnostics and treatment with a global health perspective. The specialisation in biomedicine is aimed at students seeking advanced knowledge and expertise in biomedical sciences. Students will explore the biological mechanisms underlying human health and disease, gaining a profound understanding of cellular and molecular processes. They will learn about relevant bioanalytical methods, laboratory diagnostic technology, statistics, and quality assurance of analytical methods through both theoretical instruction and practical laboratory work. The programme emphasises the development of critical thinking, ethical reflection, scientific communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.

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 programme at 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.

A graduate of this program has acquired the following learning outcomes defined as knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The graduate can

• demonstrate thorough familiarity with basic and advanced principles of experimental, conceptual and applied behavior analysis
• discuss the relationship between theoretical knowledge, experiments, and applied science
• analyze and state the difference between description and explanation
• generalize knowledge over settings and phenomena
• demonstrate theoretical and working knowledge of the ethical principles that govern scientific research and interventions in applied settings

Skills

The graduate can

• analyze practical problems using relevant principles of behavior science, and argue for the analysis with reference to relevant scientific literature
• conduct experiments and demonstrate working knowledge of the natural scientific method
• demonstrate appropriate strategies for measuring effects of interventions by using different designs and inferential statistics
• critically assess the quality of scientific information

Competence

The graduate can

• contribute to the development of evidence-based methods for intervention and change
• share knowledge and skills with public and peers according to the standards of professional scientific communication, including the current APA standards
• justify his/her professional behavior with reference to relevant professional and ethical guidelines, general ethical considerations, and assessment of the situation.

Additional learning outcomes for specialisation in Innovation and Implementation (BSII)

The following additional learning outcomes apply to candidates taking the specialisation in Innovation and Implementation:

Skills

The graduate can

• conduct and report a supervised innovation project with a behavioral perspective in accordance with research ethical guidelines and regulations
• implement new knowledge in social systems, or implement established competence in new settings

After completing the programme, the graduate should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The graduate has

• advanced knowledge of social science theories and legal understanding of relevance to the work of the child welfare service and other welfare services.
• in-depth knowledge of children’s and families’ rights in dealings with the child welfare service
• in-depth knowledge of ethical issues encountered by the child welfare service
• an understanding of theory of science, with a particular focus on understanding of the profession and the child welfare service’s heterogeneous knowledge base
• in-depth knowledge of analytical perspectives on professional practice, institutions and social policy interventions
• specialised knowledge of the exercise of discretionary judgement in child welfare assessments and decisions

Skills

The graduate can

• analyse and take a critical approach to different sources of knowledge and use them when making assessments and decisions in the best interests of the child
• carry out care assessments by analysing and considering what would be in the child’s best interests in light of the child’s and family’s situation and the context
• reflect on the child welfare service’s complex social remit and role in society
• analyse and assess the child welfare service’s methodological procedures
• carry out professional child welfare work in a metropolitan context

General competence

The graduate can

• apply relevant research-based knowledge in the field of child welfare
• critically assess social policy measures and professional recommendations concerning children and families in child welfare and associated services
• critically assess the opportunities and limitations of new research-based knowledge in the field of child welfare
• assess ethical issues related to research and development in the field of child welfare

After completing the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Paramedic Science, the candidate should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has broad knowledge of human anatomy, physiology and pathophysiological processes, and responses to illness and injury
• has broad knowledge about clinical examination, tentative diagnostics and medical and non-medical treatment of women in labour, acutely ill and injured patients, and people with mental health disorders and/or addiction problems
• has broad knowledge of pharmacology relating to the paramedic’s function and areas of responsibility
• has broad knowledge of relevant laws, regulations and ethical perspectives and can reflect on these in their professional practice
• has knowledge of injury mechanisms, structure of joint emergency interoperability, management and risk assessment in connection with work in the ambulance service and in the Norwegian overall protection organisation
• is familiar with the ambulance services’ place in the emergency and health services, the discipline’s history, traditions, distinctive nature and social responsibility
• has knowledge about patient safety, communication with patients and next of kin, and interaction across disciplines, cultures, with minority language speakers and enterprises and levels in the health service
• is familiar with research and development work in the discipline and has a basic understanding of evidence-based practice, including research ethics, research design and methods for collecting and analysing materials
• has knowledge about microbiology, infectious agents, infection risk and measures to prevent infection

Skills

The candidate

• can identify, observe and assess symptoms and signs of illness and injury, mental health disorders and substance abuse and provide medical and non-medical treatment in a responsible manner
• can, based on own examinations and assessments, refer the patient to the best effective level of care
• can drive an emergency vehicle in accordance with the applicable guidelines
• can work at, and take charge of, the response at an accident in cooperation with own personnel and other emergency services
• can recognise, document and report signs of neglect and abuse, with particular focus on children, elderly people and vulnerable individuals
• can carry out independent work in line with principles for health promotion and preventive work and in accordance with general hygiene and infection procedures
• can reflect on their own professional practice in accordance with relevant laws, guidelines and user participation, and search out and receive guidance with regard to their own conduct and professional practice
• can handle birth outside of hospital, including taking care of the mother and the new-born baby
• can use medical emergency equipment and communication tools and assess the usefulness of digital tools
• can document own practice with focus on comprehensive health services, including record-keeping, non-conformity reports, reporting adverse events and statutory notification of other authorities

General competence

The candidate

• is familiar with the health service’s role in emergency preparedness, and can contribute to preventive preparedness work, evaluation and follow-up after incidents and exercises
• is familiar with new thinking and innovation processes that are relevant for the paramedic discipline and can actively contribute in the development of the discipline and the paramedic’s role in society
• can apply and reflect on the connection between public health, social inequality, work inclusion, a good working environment and equitable health services, and see this in connection with ethical and discipline-related issues
• can plan and carry out projects that take place over time, work independently, in teams and across disciplines, to acquire skills and contribute to improved patient safety and the provision of comprehensive health services
• can exchange points of view related to key subject matter, orally and in writing, facilitate learning through simulation and skills training and thereby contribute to good practice

Clinical practice placement makes up about one-third of the programme and is divided into periods of placement in the ambulance service and in different parts of the primary and specialist health services.

The placement periods are intended to give students competence in integrating theoretical and evidence-based knowledge with clinical understanding. In clinical situations, the students also learn about patients’ and next of kin’s user knowledge. Clinical training is an important qualification arena for developing clinical competence. Students will continuously alternate between theoretical in-depth studies, simulation and skills training at the university and clinical training in the field of practice in order to develop clinical competence.

Practice placement arenas for this programme are mainly located in Oslo and Eastern Norway. The students may need to commute to and from the location of the practice placement. Students must comply with the practice placements guidelines for work clothing. Special requirements for tests or vaccination may be applicable at some practice placements institutions.

Clinical training

The practical part of the programme totals 37 weeks. The majority of these, 24 weeks, are made up of supervised clinical training in the ambulance service. The remaining 13 weeks are spent in different places in the primary and specialist health services.

Placement in the ambulance service

The clinical training is split into two courses in the second (16 weeks) and third (8 weeks) years of the programme. This training is supervised, which means that a supervisor from the ambulance service follows up the student throughout the training period. This is carried out in cooperation with a contact lecturer from the university. Separate training documents have been drawn up for the placement periods. The learning outcomes from the course descriptions are specified in these documents. The document is intended as a tool for the student and supervisor to actively link the clinical training to the learning outcomes, and to document the student’s progress. This is used as a basis for assessment in cooperation with the contact lecturer from the university.

Clinical training in the primary and specialist health services

This training is spread over approximately thirteen weeks in the fifth semester. The aim is for the student to gain increased understanding and experience with patient care pathways in other parts of the medical emergency chain in primary and specialist health services. Relevant training establishments can include municipal health services, somatic and psychiatric hospital departments, specialised hospital departments, substance abuse care, mobile teams, and private actors. In addition to the training itself, the course consists of seminars, simulation and skills training, teaching, writing reflection notes, and working in study and reflection groups. Parts of the clinical training can be replaced by simulation and skills training at OsloMet if this provides a better opportunity to ensure that learning outcomes are achieved.

The student will be taken care of and guided by different health personnel at the various training establishments. To ensure continuity, students will have regular contact with a university teacher throughout the training period. The final competence will be assessed in a concluding exam seminar with a practical-oral group exam.

Critical incidents

There is a relatively high possibility that the students will experience particular demanding and serious incidents during the placement periods. Measures have therefore been taken to protect the individual students by established peer support schemes. The students must therefore sign a consent form at the start of the programme confirming that they have been informed of the above. It is the students’ independent responsibility to contact the peer support scheme as needed to process critical incidents. If necessary, the student will be referred to the Student Welfare Organisation’s health service.

Certificate of competence for driving emergency vehicles

Students must pass both a theoretical and a practical test in driving emergency vehicles in order to complete the paramedic programme. The students must meet the requirements stipulated in Section 6 of the Emergency Vehicle Regulations before they can start the training. Among other things, this means that the students must a) document in the form of a medical certificate that they meet the medical requirements for a category 3 driving licence, b) have reached 20 years of age, and c) have held a class B driving licence continuously for the past two years.

During the second and third years of the programme, the students receive theoretical and practical training in groups. All students in the year group must have taken the theoretical and practical tests before completing the course PMEDPRA30 in the sixth semester.

The tests are organised and assessed by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. OsloMet will cover the costs related to the theoretical and practical tests up to three times. Students must pay for any further attempts. In order for OsloMet to issue the diploma, the theoretical and practical test must be passed within one year after the student has attempted the test for the third time.

For more information about the training requirements and the practical and theoretical tests in emergency vehicle driving, reference is made to the regulations relating to training, testing and competence in driving emergency vehicles (the emergency vehicle regulations – in Norwegian only).

Suitability assessment

The Master in programme Child Care is covered by the Regulations on suitability assessment in higher education adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research.

A suitability assessment is a comprehensive assessment of the student’s academic and personal qualifications for work as a health care or social worker. More information about the suitability assessment can be found on the intranet for OsloMet students.

Required coursework means all forms of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for a student to be assessed/permitted to take the exam or complete periods of clinical training. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the respective course descriptions.

The purpose of the coursework requirements is to:

• promote progress and academic development in the programme
• encourage students to seek out and acquire new knowledge

The programme’s main coursework requirements are in the form of compulsory attendance, written assignments and practical tests.

Compulsory attendance

The study programme emphasises a social learning environment with student-active learning methods. The students are expected to attend scheduled teaching in order to foster knowledge, skills, suitability and clinical competence. Attendance is compulsory in areas that are important to the competence of a paramedic, and where the student cannot acquire knowledge and skills through self-study alone.

The minimum attendance requirement is:

• 90% compulsory attendance in all simulation and skills training
• 90% compulsory attendance in all forms clinical practice placements
• 80% attendance at seminars and study groups

Other activities may also be subject to compulsory attendance requirements. Teaching activities that require attendance will be marked as mandatory in the student’s timetable.

Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet the attendance requirements. If a student exceeds the limit for absence, the person responsible for the course will consider whether it is possible to compensate for absence by meeting alternative requirements, for example individual written assignments. Whether or not it is possible depends on the extent of the student’s absence and which activities he/she has missed. Absence from compulsory teaching activities that cannot be compensated for may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Separate regulations on attendance apply to placement in the ambulance service. For more information, see ‘Assessment of placement in the ambulance service’ below.

Written assignments

Several courses include compulsory written assignments. Written work that is not approved must be reworked before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary exam/assessment. Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Separate regulation apply to written coursework requirements related to placement in the ambulance service; see the course descriptions for PMEDPRA10 and PMEDPRA30 for more information.

More detailed requirements for written work, deadlines etc. are set out in the teaching plan for the course in question.

Practical tests

Practical skills that are important for professional practice are tested in practical tests. If a student’s practical test is assessed as ‘not approved’, he/she will be given another attempt before the ordinary exam. The student cannot sit the ordinary exam if the practical test is not approved after two attempts.

Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Separate regulations apply to the practical test related to placement in the ambulance service in the course PMEDPRA30; see the course description for more information.

Different forms of assessment are used that are adapted to the learning outcomes of the different courses in the programme. The forms of assessment used are intended to support learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcomes. The students will receive advice and supervision and have their performance assessed during the programme. It is important and necessary to assess students’ knowledge and skills often, so that they receive feedback on whether their performance is in line with the programme’s requirements and whether they have achieved the learning outcomes.

The assessment of exams and clinical 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 are described in the individual course descriptions. All exams taken will be stated on the diploma, along with the title of the student’s bachelor’s thesis.

Exams

Most courses conclude with an exam. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, and what is assessed is whether the student has achieved the stipulated learning outcomes. The grades used are either pass/fail or letter grades on a scale 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 exam.

Most courses have required coursework that must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course descriptions for more details.

Resit and rescheduled exams are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description. In the case of resit or rescheduled exams in courses with group exams, it may in special cases be applicable to take the resit/rescheduled exam individually.

For exams where a percentage of the exam papers are selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner’s assessment must 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.

Grades awarded for written exams can be appealed, cf. Section 11-10 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical exams. For a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who submitted the appeal. This means that all members of the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Assessment of placement in the ambulance service

The placement in the ambulance service is assessed as pass/fail. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, the student’s specification of the learning outcomes and the formative assessment. The formative assessment, which means the assessment of the student’s knowledge, skills and suitability, is carried out during the placement period, and summarised half-way through and at the end of the placement period.

To pass the clinical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirement. A minimum attendance requirement of 90% applies to clinical placement courses. The attendance requirement includes both the time spent at the clinical placement site and any teaching provided as part of the programme in relation to the clinical placement.

The following also applies to absence:

• less than 10% absence: The student can complete the clinical placement course as normal.
• Between 10 and 20% absence: The student can make up for the missed clinical placement time, provided that this is doable. This must be agreed with the training supervisor and the contact lecturer at the university.
• more than 20% absence: The student must normally retake the whole clinical placement course. This will result in delayed progress in the programme.

If the student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the course will be registered as failed and count as an attempt.

If a student is awarded a fail grade for a clinical placement course twice, the student will normally have to leave the programme, cf. the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet, Chapter 5.

Suitability

Diplomas for the completed programme will only be awarded to graduates who are suited to practise the profession. A student who represents a potential threat to the physical or mental health, rights and safety of their patients and colleagues is not suited for the profession.

Suitability assessments are made on a continuous basis throughout the study programme and will be included in the overall assessment of the students’ professional and personal suitability for work as a health care worker. Students who demonstrate little ability to master the paramedic profession must be informed of this at the earliest possible stage of the programme. They will be given supervision and advice on how to improve, or be advised to leave the programme. Special suitability assessments are used in exceptional cases, cf. Regulations to the Act Relating to Universities and University Colleges, Chapter 7.

Programme description:

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences on 9 December 2020.

Most recent amendments adopted by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences 11 December 2024.

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2025.