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

Studieretningen barnevern retter seg mot personer med ulik relevant profesjonell fagbakgrunn som ønsker utdypet kunnskap om barnevernsfeltet og analytisk kompetanse for å utforske barnevernrelaterte fenomen.

Studieretningen gir innsikt i samfunnsforholdenes betydning for barns velferd og livsforhold. Den viser sammenhenger mellom velferdsordninger, sosialpolitiske beslutninger og barns konkrete hverdagsliv. Dette er en masterutdanning som forstår barnevern i vid betydning. Studieretningen har som mål å styrke et bredt fagfelt der barnevern gis betydning ikke bare innen et spesifikt barnevern, men generelt i velferdsforvaltningen, sosialtjenesten, helsesektoren og i barns oppvekstinstitusjoner.

Barnevern er et samfunnsmessig virksomhetsfelt hvor praksis baseres på implisitte og eksplisitte teorier fra en rekke fagdisipliner. Barnevern er en normativ virksomhet, og det er behov for et kritisk grunnlag for å vurdere hva som er gyldig og relevant kunnskap for praksis. Forståelser av barn og barns samfunnsmessige status er viktige premisser for barnevernets virksomhet til enhver tid.

Studieretningen kombinerer praksisnær og forskningsbasert undervisning.

Studiet kvalifiserer til

• stillinger i kommunal og statlig barneverntjeneste
• stillinger knyttet til utvikling- og forskningsprosjekter innen fagfeltet
• opptak til ph.d.-studier

Masterstudium i sosialfag, studieretning barnevern er primært et tilbud til de som har oppnådd bachelorgrad eller fullført treårig grunnutdanning i barnevern, sosialt arbeid, eller tilsvarende utdanning.

Opptakskravet er fullført og bestått bachelorgrad eller fullført treårig grunnutdanning i barnevern, sosialt arbeid, eller tilsvarende utdanning.

Det vises til Forskrift om opptak til studier ved OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet. Minstekrav for opptak er gjennomsnittskarakteren C eller bedre, 2,7 eller bedre, eller vurderingen Bestått.

Søkere inndeles i to grupper:

Gruppe 1: 50 prosent av studieplassene er forbeholdt søkere som kun konkurrerer på grunnlag av karakterpoeng. Søkere som ikke når opp i gruppe 1, konkurrerer videre i gruppe 2.

Gruppe 2: Det gis tilleggspoeng for dokumentert utdanning og praksis i tillegg til karakterpoeng for utdanning som inngår i opptaksgrunnlaget. Inntil 20 prosent av studieplassene kan tildeles søkere som ikke kan poengberegnes.

Tilleggspoeng

Det gis 1 tilleggspoeng for søkere med grunnutdanning i barnevern og sosialt arbeid.

Det gis tilleggspoeng (maksimalt 1 poeng) for relevant praksis. Praksis må være opparbeidet etter endt grunnutdanning. Relevant praksis er erfaring fra helse-, sosial- og utdanningsfeltet.

Det gis tilleggspoeng (maksimalt 1 poeng) for relevant utdanning utover opptaksgrunnlaget. Relevant utdanning er emner fra sosialfaglige, samfunnsvitenskapelige, utdanningsvitenskapelige, og helsevitenskapelige fag.

Regler for oppnåelse av flere studieretninger/grader innen samme studieprogram

Kandidater som har gjennomført en studieretning og oppnådd en grad innenfor studieprogrammet kan søke om nytt opptak til en ny studieretning innen masterprogrammet i sosialfag. Man må da ta 60 nye studiepoeng i den nye studieretningen, inkludert ny masteroppgave, jf. Forskrift om godskriving og fritak av høyere utdanning § 3, og Forskrift om studier og eksamen ved OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet § 2-9.2.

Overgangsordninger

Studenter som har fått opptak til studieretningene barnevern og sosialt arbeid kan søke om overgang mellom studieretningene, men det kan bare søkes fra heltid til heltid og deltid til deltid. Studenter som ønsker overgang fra heltid til deltid, eller som ønsker overgang til studieretning familiebehandling, må søke om nytt opptak. Dersom nytt opptak/overføring innvilges, godskrives emner som allerede er gjennomført og bestått dersom de kan innpasses i den nye studieretningen. Masteroppgaven må oppfylle de faglige kravene innenfor studieretningen man skal ta grad i.

Etter å ha fullført studiet har kandidaten følgende kunnskap, ferdigheter og generell

kompetanse:

Kunnskap

Kandidaten har

• avansert kunnskap om og forståelse av samfunnsvitenskapelige teorier som er relevante for barnevernets virksomhetsområde
• inngående innsikt i ulike analytiske perspektiver på praksis, institusjoner og sosialpolitiske intervensjoner
• kan anvende sosialfaglig kunnskap på nye områder innenfor fagområdet
• kan analysere faglige problemstillinger med utgangspunkt i fagområdets historie, tradisjoner, egenart og plass i samfunnet

Ferdigheter

Kandidaten kan

• analysere barnevernfaglige fenomen og barnevernets praksis i lys av relevante samfunnsvitenskapelige teorier, begrep og forståelsesgrunnlag.
• kritisk analysere og reflektere over barnevernets komplekse mandat og funksjon i samfunnet
• anvende ulike data- og litteraturkilder for analyse
• delta i forskning og utviklingsarbeid knyttet til barnevernets fagfelt og/eller ulike brukergrupper, samt barnevernets betingelser og samfunnsmessige funksjoner
• gjennomføre en systematisk og kritisk analyse av en problemstilling, anvende sentrale forskningsprinsipper og gi en klar akademisk framstilling av resultatene
• vurdere metodiske fremgangsmåter for utforskning av fagfeltet

  Generell kompetanse

 Kandidaten har

• fordypet kunnskap om vitenskapens muligheter og begrensninger for barnevernsfeltet med en bevissthet om etiske aspekter ved forskning og fagutvikling i barnevern

 Kandidaten kan

• lese forskningslitteratur kritisk og reflektert
• vurdere problemstillinger knyttet til fag-, yrkes- og forskningsetikk
• formidle kunnskap og egne forskningsresultater skriftlig og muntlig
• anvende forskningsbasert kunnskap på områder knyttet til barnevernfaglig arbeid
• vurdere kritisk iverksettelser av sosialpolitiske tiltak som berører barn og familier

Admission to this study program is processed in accordance with current Regulations Relating to Admission to Master’s Degree Programs at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or the equivalent from an accredited university or university college. The Admissions office makes the decisions on applications for admission.

Some courses are offered as freestanding courses with admission requirements. Applicants to freestanding courses in the master’s program must have a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent from an accredited university or college.

For more information, see Forskrift om opptak til studier ved OsloMet(in Norwegian) or Regulations related to Admission to Studies at OsloMet;(in English).

The use of face-covering clothing is not compatible with participation in this study program.

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

Skills

The graduate can

• analyze practical problems in terms of applied behavior analysis; Organizational Behavior Management; complexity, and systems dynamics, 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 various sources of information

Competence

The graduate can

• contribute to the development of evidence-based methods for intervention and change
• manage complexity in projects and processes of change, and promote the development of learning in complex systems
• 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
• enhance processes of individual and organizational change by optimizing human, technological and economic resources

Additional learning outcomes for specialisation in Concepts and Applications (BSCA)

The following additional learning outcomes apply to candidates taking the specialisation in Concepts and Applications:

Skills

The graduate can

• conduct and report a supervised research project with a behavioral perspective in accordance with research ethical guidelines and regulations

Program Structure

The program constitutes a scientifically and pedagogically integrated whole; with compulsory and elective components (all comprising 10 ECTS), in addition to master’s theses of 30 ECTS (BSCA) and 60 ECTS (BSII).

Content of common compulsory courses

These courses provide basic insight and some practical skills in behavior analysis.;The philosophy of science that is fundamental to behavior analysis is introduced and placed in a wider context of philosophy of science. The status of various scientific approaches in modern society is discussed. The courses place the study of human behavior in a natural scientific tradition and emphasize a selectionist understanding of change processes. Basic ontological and epistemological questions are discussed: unity of knowledge; the relationship between natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities; determining and defining analytical units in research; and methodological approaches suitable for promoting effective action based on functional analyses. Behavior analysis – experimental, conceptual and applied – is introduced as a cumulative science of behavior.

Compulsory courses

These courses are compulsory for all students:

• MALK4000-401 Complexity, Science and Society
• MALK4000-403 Behavior Analysis and Radical Behaviorism
• MALKA211 Introduction to Behavior Analysis
• MALKA214 Experimental Design and Functional Analysis

For students in the Concepts and applications specialisation, these courses are also compulsory:

• MALK4000-402 Relational Skills
• MALKA212 Refinement of Behavior Analytic Terms
• MALKA213 Laboratory Exercises – Experimental Analysis of Behavior

Content of elective courses

In the elective courses, various behaviorally based approaches to initiating, facilitating;and managing change processes in individual behavior repertoire, organizations and systems are studied. Behavioral technology comprises everything from basic self-control techniques to sophisticated tools for initiating and managing complex processes in large organizations. Important features in this methodology are operational measures of change and continuous data collection.

Elective courses (a total of 20 ECTS)

Each student chooses two (2) of the following courses:

• MALKA215 Complex Human Behavior
• MALKA217 Early Intervention for Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders
• MALKA218 Ethical Considerations in Applied Behavior Analysis
• MALKA219 Organizational Behavior Management (OBM)
• MALKA220 Behavioral Economics
• MALKA221 Complex Systems and Risk Management

Elective courses are normally offered every Fall term. Students enrol for courses by deadlines each semester, and the department reserves the right to cancel courses with insufficient enrolment. Depending on the number of students enrolled, changes may be made in the way the courses are conducted.

Master’s theses – 30 and 60 ECTS credits

Students admitted to specialisation in Concepts and Applications write an individual master’s thesis worth 30 ECTS (MALK5000). The thesis is usually a work in progress during the elective courses, when students participate in research projects with faculty.

By the end of the final course at the latest, the student submits a thesis outline, including a research question, a plan for progress, and a plan for dissemination (see guidelines, Thesis outline). When faculty approves the thesis outline, the student is assigned a supervisor for his thesis work. See the course descriptions for MALK5000 for a more detailed description of the master’s thesis worth 30 ECTS.

Students admitted to specialisation in Innovation and Implementation write an individual master’s thesis worth 60 ECTS (MALK5900). Students’ theses will be written with a basis in innovation projects designed and implemented by the candidates in the program. The program appoints a thesis advisor, and the candidate works with a dedicated field supervisor trained by the Department of Behavioral Science. The thesis reports the planning, design and implementation of the innovation project, and includes an executive summary that will be made publicly available through a Project Bank. See the course descriptions for MALK5900 for a more detailed description of the master’s thesis worth 60 ECTS.

The 2 compulsory seminars in research ethics cover academic honesty; the work of Regional Ethics Committees; the guidelines of OsloMet on research ethics and research fraud; current publication manuals and APA style manuscript preparation, and the use of electronic reference management tools. The seminars are taken place digitally and are open for students from all stages of the program. One seminar is held every semester, and both seminars must be completed before the proposal for the thesis is submitted.

The master’s thesis can be written in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

The program complies with the quality assurance systems required by the university.

Progression Requirements

All coursework requirements must be approved to sit for the final course exam. Coursework requirements must be approved to participate and submit coursework requirements according to the following:

• MALK4000-403: MALK4000-401, or equivalent
• MALKA211: MALK4000-401,;MALK4000-403, or equivalent
• MALKA212: MALK4000-401, MALK4000-403, MALKA211, or equivalent
• MALKA213: MALK4000-401, MALK4000-403, MALKA211, MALKA212, or equivalent
• MALKA214: MALK4000-401, MALK4000-403, MALKA211, or equivalent
• MALKA215: MALK4000-401, MALK4000-403, MALKA211, MALKA212, MALKA214, or equivalent
• MALK5000:;All courses in the specialisation must be completed with pass grades and the coursework requirements, including seminars in research ethics, must be approved before the candidate may submit the master’s thesis.
• MALK5900:;All courses in the specialisation must be completed with pass grades and the coursework requirements, including seminars in research ethics, and thesis seminars must be approved before the candidate may submit the master’s thesis.

Courses in the BSII-specialisation are digitalised and to some degree self-paced.; They are designed according to the principles of dr. Fred Keller’s Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), which require that students master the content of a specific learning unit before they are allowed to proceed with the next unit in the course sequence.

Exemption from the provisions of progression requirements may in special cases and upon application by the student, be granted.

The increasing globalization of the labour market makes international experience and knowledge of languages and cultures increasingly important. Internationalization contributes to raising the quality of education and strengthens the academic community relating to the master’s program, at the same time as it strengthens the students as global citizens.

The Program for Behavioral Science has teaching and research collaboration projects and agreements with several foreign institutions of higher education. We encourage students to take a part of their master`s degree at one of our collaborating institutions, subject to the approval of the Head of Studies. A prerequisite for approval of the exchange is that the coursework is interchangeable with courses in our master’s program.

The recommended options for international exchange are the 3rd semester for students at the BSCA-specialisation and 4th semester for students at the BSII-specialisation.

Courses open to exchange students

The following courses are open to exchange students:

• MALKA211 Introduction to Behavior Analysis, 10 ECTS
• MALKA212 Refinement of Behavior Analytic Terms, 10 ECTS
• MALKA213 Laboratory Exercises – Experimental Analysis of Behavior,10 ECTS
• MALKA215 Complex Human Behavior, 10 ECTS
• MALKA217 Early Intervention for Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders, 10 ECTS
• MALKA218 Ethical Considerations in Applied Behavior Analysis, 10 ECTS
• MALKA219 Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), 10 ECTS
• MALKA220 Behavioral Economics, 10 ECTS
• MALKA221 Complex Systems and Risk Management,10 ECTS

Exchange students should have basic competence or a strong interest in behavior analysis.

Of these courses, MALKA213 is always taught in English. The others are taught in English when international students attend the course, otherwise they are mainly taught in Norwegian.

Required reading is primarily in English.

All courses except MALKA213 and MALKA218 have one or more coursework requirements. Each assignment is graded Approved/Not approved. All assignments must be approved before the student can sit for the exam in each course.

Written assignments

The assignments are submitted digitally, and written feedback is delivered in the same electronic platform. When the coursework requirement is delivered according to deadlines in the course schedule the student has the right to receive feedback on the assignment. Assignments not submitted within the set deadline will be considered failed.

A student may submit the same obligatory assignment a maximum of three times. Failed assignments must be reworked before resubmission. If the second submission fails, the student is not eligible for the regular examination. The student is entitled to a third attempt before new/deferred exam.

If one or more assignments are not approved after three attempts, the student must attend the course the next time it is arranged, usually the subsequent year. Application for a fourth and final attempt to complete the assignment to sit for the exam are decided on an individual basis by the study administration in cooperation with the person responsible for the course.

All coursework in writing, including master’s theses, undergoes automatic plagiarism control on submission.

Attendance requirements

While there is no attendance required for lectures, this is a demanding program, and steady work is required throughout the courses.

Two research ethics seminars are 100 % attendance required before the thesis outline can be submitted. The seminars are taken place digitally and held annually, one each semester. It is recommended to complete the seminars during the first year of studies.