Master Programme in Applied Social Sciences - Programme Option Child Welfare Work, part-time Programme description

is a master’s degree programme for social workers, social educators and child welfare officers that aims to produce candidates with in-depth knowledge of children, young people and families in vulnerable life situations and of the social conditions that have a particular impact on their welfare, everyday life and development opportunities. Students should also be able to analyse the individual child’s care situation and, in cooperation with children and families, initiate change work to improve the child’s care situation and development opportunities.

This programme option provides insight into the importance of social conditions to children’s welfare and living conditions, as well as conditions for parenthood. Connections between welfare schemes, social policy decisions and children’s concrete everyday lives are emphasised and discussed. The master’s programme understands child welfare as a broad field where the term is assigned meaning not only in the child welfare service context, but generally in welfare administration, social services, the health sector and children’s residential institutions. Emphasis is placed on interprofessional and inter-agency cooperation. The programme emphasises the child welfare service’s role in a society characterised by cultural complexity, social inequality and diversity, and therefore focuses on child welfare work in large cities.

Child welfare is a social field whose practice is based on implicit and explicit theories drawn from many different disciplines. It is a normative area of activity, and a critical basis for assessing what knowledge is valid and relevant to practice in the field is required. Ways of understanding children and their status in society form important premises for the child welfare service’s activities at all times. The programme combines practice-based and research-based teaching.

The programme description and the content of the programme are based on the Regulations relating to national guidelines for master’s degree programmes in child welfare work.

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

Knowledge

The graduate has

• advanced knowledge and understanding of social science theories of relevance to the child welfare service’s sphere of activity
• in-depth knowledge of the child welfare service’s heterogeneous knowledge base and interdisciplinary perspectives
• in-depth knowledge of different analytical perspectives on professional practice, institutions and social policy interventions
• specialised knowledge of the exercise of discretionary judgement involved 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 decisions in the best interests of the child
• carry out comprehensive care assessments by analysing and assessing the child’s best interests in light of context, relevant theories and methods
• analyse and reflect on the child welfare service’s complex remit and function in society
• carry out professional child welfare work in a metropolitan context
• analyse and assess methodological procedures for exploring the subject area

General competence

The graduate can

• apply research-based knowledge in areas relating to child welfare work
• critically assess social policy measures and the implementation of (new) work models and work methods that affect children and families
• critically assess the opportunities and limitations of research-based knowledge in the field of child welfare
• analyse ethical issues related to research, innovation and development in the field of child welfare

The programme is offered as a full-time course of study over two years and a part-time course of study over three years. The full-time workload is 30 ECTS credits per semester.

In addition to the master’s thesis, the programme option comprises eight compulsory courses and one elective course. The courses build on each other. It is therefore recommended that students take the courses in the order in which they are listed in the table. In the second semester, Philosophy of Social Science and one of the methodology courses will be taken. The remaining methodology course will be taken in the fourth semester. The student should therefore first choose the method he/she plans to use in his/her master's thesis. The master's thesis is an independent work of 30 ECTS credits. Ongoing research projects that the student can link up to will be presented in the second semester at the Mastertorg. In the second semester, the student will prepare a project outline for the master's thesis and then be assigned a supervisor. The part-time student completes the master's thesis in the sixth semester.

Students must have passed all the programme courses before they can submit their master’s thesis for assessment.

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

In the final year of the programme, the students are given an opportunity to take part in an international exchange and take a practical placement period abroad. The exchange period can be for one or two semesters. The exchange period replaces the specialisation subject and/or the area of knowledge Leadership, cooperation and development work in the final semester of the programme. Practical placement in another country can replace ordinary practical placement in the sixth semester.

OsloMet has a strategic focus on urban environments, diversity and internationalisation. Multicultural and international perspectives run through the whole study programme.

The students use literature and teaching materials in Scandinavian languages and English and relate to cultural expressions from all over the world. The students also meet guest lecturers from partner institutions in a number of countries. Several of the specialisation subjects are taught in English and accept students from partner institutions in many different countries.

Exams are held in each course, and different forms of assessment are used. The form of assessment, assessment, examiner arrangements and aids permitted for each course are specified in each course description.

Suitability assessment

The Master programme in Child Welfare Work 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.