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

Courses consist of lectures and seminars. In addition, workshops and discussion groups will be offered with the goal of facilitating and stimulating learning. Written work requirements are intended to develop reflective, argumentative and critical responses to the curriculum and lectures, as well as formatting written work at a post-graduate level. Oral presentations and discussions will develop discursive skills, whilst specialization in an area of research promotes scholarly and independent learning.

This master's degree programme gives students a broad understanding of global social and health problems and in-depth knowledge of the fields of social and health care systems. All the courses are designed from a broad international perspective, reflected in the curriculum. Class discussion, work requirements, group work and examinations will reflect the international orientation of the courses.

Students have the opportunity to travel abroad in the third semester of the programme. Students are encouraged to collect data for their thesis while they are abroad or in their home country.

The faculty has many partner organisations abroad which will be able to assist students with data collection and analysis. Students can also choose three elective topics to be taken in an institution outside of the programme. Courses taken outside of the programme must be approved by the programme coordinator before semester start.

Information regarding studies and data collection abroad will be disseminated during the first two semesters.

Work requirements are outlined in the course descriptions below. Coursework requirements are mandatory. Requirements that are not handed in on time or found dissatisfactory will disqualify students from sitting the final examination.

Students are strongly recommended to form tutorial groups to discuss ideas, critically assess research and prepare for work requirements and examinations.

Each course concludes with a final examination which takes the form of either a written examination, a written home assignment, a semester paper or a portfolio. Students may use a spelling dictionary, as well as a bilingual dictionary during written school examinations. All examinations are graded by an internal examiner. In addition, an external examiner will evaluate at least 25 per cent of examinations, which will form the basis for the internal examiners grading.

Students that are not satisfied with their grades have the right to submit an appeal, whereupon examinations will be re-evaluated by two new examiners (one internal and the other external). Note that when appealing, students risk receiving a lower grade than the grade awarded for the initial examination.

The Master's Thesis will be evaluated by both an internal and an external examiner. Neither examiner shall be involved in the supervision of the Master's thesis in question.

Students at the Institute for Social Work must use the APA style when citing sources and referencing.

A grading scale from A to F will normally be used in assessment. A grade of pass ranges from A to E, while F is a fail. In some courses students will receive a grade of either pass or fail. In this case, pass will be equivalent to grade C or better. See the description of each course for further information on the use of the grading system

The following documents regulate examinations at OsloMet:

the Act Relating to Universities and University Colleges

the Directive for Curricula Regulations from the Ministry of Education and Research

Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet.

It is the responsibility of students to familiarise themselves with these rules and regulations. Information regarding some of these responsibilities will be disseminated to students during Introduction Week, as well as during lectures, and on the e-learning platform Canvas

The link to the Act Relating to Universities and University Colleges can be found here: http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/kilde/kd/reg/2006/0031/ddd/pdfv/273037-loven_higher_education_act_norway_010405.pdf

The link to Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at Oslo Metropolitan University can be found at: http://www.oslomet.no

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

In addition to the master’s thesis, the programme option comprises nine compulsory courses. 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 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.

Progress requirements

The student must have passed the course Application of law in child welfare work in order to register for the course Prudence and the rule of law in child welfare work.

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

Students will encounter a variety of work methods and coursework requirements. Teaching methods vary between lectures, seminars and other student-active learning methods.

The programme should impart knowledge of international matters of relevance to children’s development and the legal status of children and parents. Several of the courses deal with international matters with a bearing on the development of social problems as well as possible solutions to these problems. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is a document that forms the basis for discussion. Different ways of understanding the concept of the child’s best interests are analysed in light of cultural diversity. Child welfare services are also considered in light of majority and minority perspectives relating to othering, among other things. These perspectives are represented both in the course literature and in the topics taught.

Pursuant to the Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, compulsory requirements may be stipulated that must be met before students can take an exam. Any coursework requirements set (including compulsory attendance) are given in the course descriptions. Required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam. If required coursework has not been submitted or has not been approved, the student will lose the right to take the exam in the course in question.

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