Master Programme in Applied Social Sciences - Programme Option Social Work Programme description

The programme option is intended for child welfare officers who wish to specialise in the field of child welfare. The programme is also relevant to child and adolescent mental health work, correctional services and work in kindergartens and schools.

The programme qualifies students for:

• positions in municipal and state child welfare services
• positions in other welfare services and public administrative bodies working with children and families
• positions in specialist environments, research and educational institutions
• admission to PhD programmes

The admission requirement is a completed bachelor’s degree or three-year first degree programme in child welfare.

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

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. 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 master's thesis is submitted in the fourth semester.

Progress requirements

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

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.

None.

Det benyttes ulike vurderingsformer. Det framgår av emneplanene hvilken vurderingsform, vurderingsutrykk, sensorordning og tilgjengelige hjelpemidler som benyttes for det enkelte emne.

Det benyttes intern og ekstern sensor til vurdering av masteroppgaven. Til vurdering av de øvrige eksamenene benyttes ekstern sensor til sensurering av et tilfeldig utvalg på 25 prosent av besvarelsene. Karakterene på de besvarelsene som er vurdert av ekstern sensor danner grunnlag for å fastsette nivå på besvarelsene innenfor de ulike karakteruttrykkene. Ved klage på sensur benyttes to nye sensorer, hvorav minst én ekstern til ny sensur.

En student som ønsker det kan besvare alle skriftlige eksamener, inkludert masteroppgaven, på engelsk. Det blir ikke utgitt engelsk oppgavetekst for dem som ønsker å besvare på engelsk.

Studenten bes gjøre seg kjent med lov om universiteter og høgskoler, og gjeldende forskrift om studier og eksamen ved OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

The teaching takes place with in-person attendance on campus. Emphasis is placed on problem-based student-active forms of learning with concrete tasks and analyses of judgments in addition to lectures.