PhD Programme in Social Sciences Programme description

The PhD in Social Sciences is a full-time, 180 ECTS credit programme based at the Faculty of Social Sciences (SAM). The programme aims to qualify candidates for research, teaching, development work and other highly qualified work in the social sciences. The programme is characterized by interdisciplinarity and by theoretical and methodological pluralism. The programme has four specialisations:

• Business Administration, Innovation and Governance (BIG)

• Information, Library and Archival Studies (IBA)

• Journalism and Media Studies (JMF)

• Social Work and Social Policy (SASP)

The programme’s different specialisations are all broad fields of research and practice, which in turn house many disciplinary, theoretical, epistemological, and methodological approaches. “Social Sciences” is thus a wide-ranging appellation including humanistic and technological perspectives. All PhD candidates will be grounded in central philosophical traditions and paradigms within the Social Sciences via the common educational components of the programme. The PhD education will be organised around professional fields and will break down disciplinary barriers and facilitates innovative trans-disciplinary research. Closeness to the professional fields is important to prepare candidates for careers both within and outside academia. The PhD programme in Social Sciences thus aims to prepare candidates for the needs of an employment market within and outside academia.

The PhD programme consists of an educational (coursework) component (30 ECTS credits) and a research component comprising the doctoral thesis (150 ECTS credits). The programme is intended to be completed within an effective researcher training period of three years, alternatively four years including mandatory duties (pliktarbeid).

Upon completion and passing of the programme, the candidate will be awarded the degree PhD in Social Sciences. The candidate’s specialization will be named on the transcript and diploma.

The requirements for the PhD degree are established in the Provision for the Degree of Philosophiae doctor a (PhD) at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University. https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2012-08-28-841

The target group for the programme consists of those who wish to achieve research competence in Social Sciences within the fourspecialisations, in order to be qualified for research and teaching positions and other positions that place high demands on professional competence.

Reference is made to Section 2 of the Regulations Relating to the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at Oslo Metropolitan University (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet).

To be admitted to the PhD programme, you should have completed a master's degree (120 ECTS credits) with good grades or an equivalent education in social sciences, the humanities, and/or fields relevant to thespecialisations in the PhD programme.

A completed master's degree of 90 credits may be considered as a basis for admission if your master's degree contains an independent work with a master's thesis of at least 30 ECTS. In addition, one of the following three criteria must be met:

• Advanced methodological knowledge in the form of completed master's course or documented exam in methods / theory of science at master's level

• A Scientific article assumed in a peer-reviewed journal and/or book article in a peer-reviewed book

• Relevant research experience

Grade requirements

Applicants must have a B or better on the master's thesis and an average grade B or better on the master's degree. In special cases, applicants with a grade of C may be considered for admission. In such cases, particularly relevant experience related to one's own research project and / or scientific publications may contribute to strengthening the application.

Admission is based on a comprehensive assessment of the application, including the relevance and quality of the project description, and funding.

Applications for admission must contain the following:

• Project description. The project description shall describe the topic, research question, theoretical basis, and choice of method

• Progress plan for the doctoral work.

• Documentation of the applicant's educational background and completed research work

• A plan for the training component

• A funding plan

• A proposal for academic supervisor(s)

In addition, you should provide information in which the language you wish to write your doctoral thesis. You may also be asked to provide information about possible problems in accordance with rights to intellectual property and if relevant special needs regarding infrastructure. In you have comprehensive data collection, you must clarify how this will be financed.

Admission is based on a total assessment of the application, including the relevance and quality of the project description. The quality of the applicant's master's degree thesis/thesis at second degree level and other written work can also be taken into consideration. Admission is subject to funding being approved.

Decisions on admission are made by the Research Education Board (DGU) at the Faculty of Social Sciences, OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University. Upon admission to the programme DGU will assign you a supervisor/supervisors. The main supervisors or one of the supervisors has to be employed at the Faculty of Social Science or otherwise formally associated with the programme's specializations.

The PhD program is an organised research education, and candidates shall participate in research groups. Externally funded candidates participate in research groups at their own workplace or in one of the faculty's research groups.

• Template, application for admission to the PhD programme (ansatt.oslomet.no)

• Template for the project outlines (oslomet.no)

• General information about admission (ansatt.oslomet.no).

Admission to separate subjects/courses

The courses are reserved for candidates admitted to a PhD programme. All courses will be offered to external PhD candidates provided availability. 

• External applicants must submit a summary of approximately one A4 page in length containing information about their PhD project or another project/area of interest, stating the topic, method, theoretical approach, how far they have progressed in their PhD studies, and why they consider the course in question to be relevant to their own project. 

• Internal candidates register via the Studentweb, and submit a summary of their PhD-project, maximum one page.

Rejections of applications for admission can be appealed pursuant to the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at Oslo Metropolitan University

After completing the PhD programme, the candidates are expected to have gained the following knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge

The candidate:

• is at the cutting edge of knowledge within his/her field of specialization and can relate the subject area to philosophy of science issues (K1)
• can evaluate the expediency and application of different methodological approaches and processes to the development of researchable questions in the subject area (K2)
• can contribute to the development and production of new knowledge, theory and methods in the field of study (K3) 

Skills

The candidate:

• can function as independent researchers planning and carrying out research in their field of study, including formulating problems and research questions and assessing the appropriateness of various theories and methods (S1)
• can carry out research at a high international standard (S2)
• can deal with complex academic questions and challenge existing knowledge and practice in the field of study and/or in the professional field (S3) 

General competence

The candidate:

• can identify and reflect on ethical issues in their own and others’ research and carry out his/ her research with scholarly integrity (GC1)
• can undertake or contribute to complex interdisciplinary assignments and projects (GC2)
• can disseminate research through recognized national and international scholarly and/or professional publication channels, and to the professional field(s) and the general public in popular science form (GC3)
• can participate in debates in the field in international forums and present research at national and international research conferences (GC4)
• can assess the need for, initiate and practice innovation (GC5)

In addition, the programme will have learning outcomes related to the use of references and proper citation practices.

References

Correct use of source references and verifiability are required in all research. Candidates must comply with the guidelines for correct referencing and use of quotations in both their training component and research component. Inadequate references can be deemed to constitute plagiarism and cheating, and can constitute a breach of research ethics guidelines, cf. the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges Sections § 4-13. (R1)

The PhD programme consists of an educational (training) component (30 ECTS credits) and a research component (150 ECTS credits).

The training component

The training component is intended to underpin the PhD candidate's research. The training component comprises a mixture of mandatory and common courses/ requirements (required for all candidates to the programme); mandatory but not common components (specialization-specific requirements; methods requirements); and an elective component. The training component must be completed and approved before the doctoral thesis is submitted, cf. Regulations Relating to the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

The mandatory and common requirements at the programme level total 10 ECTS credits. Candidates must take these courses at OsloMet, unless an exemption is granted from the Faculty’s Research Education Board. Unless otherwise noted, the examination for each of the courses will consist of a paper that will be evaluated pass/fail.

1. Mandatory common subjects

• The Engaging with Society course, PS9000 (3 ECTS) provides a thorough introduction to the changing role of the social sciences in society. Closely related to the course on the philosophy of science, the course covers issues of new requirements of research to achieve and document societal impact, of reaching out to various groups of end-users, and of incorporating non-researchers into the processes of planning, carrying out and disseminating social science research.  

• The philosophy of science course (5 ECTS) will give candidates a deeper understanding of foundational philosophical issues in knowledge production, and enable them to problematize and analyse the underlying premises and assumptions of their own and others’ research projects. Candidates will take the philosophy of science course offered by the Centre for the Study of Professions (SPS) at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University https://www.oslomet.no/studier/sps/vitenskapsteori-phd    ;  

• Dissemination (2 ECTS). All PhD candidates will be required to disseminate knowledge and findings. Dissemination may be done by one of the following methods: - Paper presentation at international conferences - Dissemination by own original lecture. Four teaching hours (exclusive of factor) gives 1 ECTS credit (this is not applicable for mandatory work/pliktarbeid) - Research stay at a foreign university or research institution. Two weeks stay gives 1 ECTS credit - Other uses of innovative research methods.

Credit for dissemination activities are subject to confirmation by SAM’s Research Education Board.

2. Specialization-specific requirements

The educational component also comprises a specialization-specific requirement amounting to 5-10 ECTS credits. The goal of the mandatory course at the specialization level is to provide candidates with an understanding of the foundational theories, concepts, and approaches within the field(s) of study, including how these relate to methodological choices. The course will also socialize the candidates into the research environment at SAM and facilitate connections with doctoral students at OsloMet and other institutions.

The following are brief descriptions of the specialization-specific requirements. Candidates must take these courses at OsloMet, unless an exemption is granted from SAM’s Research Education Board. Unless otherwise noted, the examination for each of the courses will consist of a paper that will be evaluated pass/fail. Below is an overview of the mandatory subjects connected to each specialisation:   

• BIG: Fundamental Concepts and Discourses in Business Administration, Innovation and Governance, PS9100 (5 ECTS). The course takes a conceptual and history of ideas approach to business administration, innovation and governance as fields of research and teaching. It introduces the foundations of the theories of social science and economics underpinning current research on business administration, innovation and governance, with emphasis on providing students with insight and overview of the diversity as well as the common ground. The course consists of three main thematic components: important methodological challenges to the study of business and governance; key theoretical approaches spanning several fields of research; and exemplary classical and cutting-edge contributions to each field.  

• JMF: Media Development and Media Production, PS9200 (5 ECTS). The subject introduces central theories and research traditions in media production, and examines political, economic, social, technological and cultural developments in the media field in the Norwegian and international contexts. “The Media field” encompasses journalism, non-fiction writing, and other forms of media production and use, including in communication work.  

• IBA: Theories in Library and Information Science, PS9300 (5 ECTS) or PS9350 (7,5 ECTS) The interdisciplinary theory course facilitates an understanding of the theoretical approaches and conceptual framings in library and information science in general, and in relation to the candidate’s own dissertation topic in particular. It creates synergy and communication between the field at large and the candidate’s own work.  

• SASP: Ideas and concepts in Social Work and Social Policy, PS9400 (5 ECTS). The course will provide an overview and common fundament for understanding the diverse and mutually enriching fields of social work and social policy, and the links between them.

3. Methods training

Methods training amounting to 10 ECTS credits is also mandatory. Doctoral candidates are free to choose which courses are relevant to their project. Methods courses can be taken at OsloMet or at other universities in Norway and abroad, subject to approval from SAM’s Research Education Board.

In the case of candidates in the PBIB specialization, 5 of the methods credits may be waived if deemed appropriate due to the topic of the doctoral thesis. This is to accommodate for projects having its centre of gravity in the humanities, where often the boundary between methods and theory are indistinct. In these cases, an exemption will be granted by SAM’s Research Education Board, upon application and with support and approval from the candidate’s supervisor.   

4.  Elective subjects

The final 5 ECTS credits will be used on an elective course of the candidate’s choosing, in consultation with her/his supervisor(s). Elective courses can be taken at OsloMet or at other universities in Norway and abroad, subject to approval from SAM’s Research Education Board.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has a portfolio of elective and methods courses and new subjects will be developed. Available subjects will be announced at the Programme’s web page. Here follows an overview of the courses currently available at the faculty:

• Action Research, SP9250, (5 ECTS)

• Advanced course in Informatric Analysis and Research Evaluation, PBIB9100 (5 ECTS)

• Advanced course in Web Indexing and Retrieval, PBIB9200, (10 ECTS)

• Children in the welfare state: Understandng and research approaches, SP9260, (5 ECTS)

• Current Research in Library and Information Science  PBIB9300 (3 ECTS),

• Intersectionality: Interaction of Social Categories, SP9230, (5 ECTS)

• Qualitative methods in social work and social policy, SP9100, (10 ECTS)

• Social inequality, health and work inclusion: theory, research approaches and empirical findings, SP9300, (5 ECTS)

• Trust-based governance and the co-creation of public value outcomes, PS9600, (5 ECTS)

The research component (doctoral thesis)

The doctoral thesis is the main component of the PhD degree, comprising 150 ECTS credits. The doctoral thesis consists of independent research work carried out in active cooperation with a supervisor (or supervisors) and other researchers.

The doctoral thesis can be submitted in the form of a monograph or a collection of several shorter scientific works (articles). A monograph is a comprehensive text that describes a topic in detail. A thesis written as a monograph is structured in chapters and with an introduction and conclusion, and the candidate is the sole author of the whole work.

A doctoral thesis based on articles must consist of a minimum of three articles. The articles included in thesis, must be submitted and taken into consideration in peer reviewed journals. At least one of the articles must be accepted for publication. In an article-based thesis, the PhD candidate's independent contribution must be identified and documented, there must be a thematic connection between the works, and the connection must be accounted for in an introduction (“kappe”) preceding the articles (as stipulated in the Guidelines for the dissertation at SAM) If the supervisor is of the opinion that more than three articles are needed to ensure the quality of an article-based dissertation, more than three may be required. Chapters in peer-reviewed books are considered as an article, but chapters should not constitute more than half of the total number of articles. The candidate may be the sole author or co-author of the articles included in the dissertation. For co-authorship, the fellow must be the first author of at least three articles. The efforts of the individual authors must be documented.

Teaching and learning methods will vary, but in most PhD courses will comprise lectures, discussions, oral presentations, and written assignment(s) with individual feedback. The seminar form also supports the candidates’ training in presenting their own research, both to fellow PhD candidates in their own programme and to external participants. A seminar form with a dynamic structure and with PhD candidates from different programmes requires active engagement. This combination of teaching and learning forms enables candidates to engage themselves in multiple ways and thus enhance their learning outcomes. Participation is mandatory at all seminars and lectures. Only in special cases can a minor absence from teaching (up to 20%) be accepted upon application. The form of assessment in the courses will be an essay. In case of unapproved absence, the participant will lose the right to have the essay assessed.

If fewer than six enrol for an advertised course, the teaching may be given as a supervised reading course.

The work on the PhD thesis consists of active research under supervision. The duties of the supervisors are regulated by the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet Section 3. The main supervisor should normally come from the programme's department / faculty. If the main supervisor is not from the programme's department, a co-supervisor from the department shall be appointed upon admission. The total time the supervisors spends on the candidate is estimated to be 210 hours, including contact with the candidate, preparations, reading, follow-up work, etc. The standard distribution between the main supervisor and a co-supervisor is 140 and 70 hours respectively. If there are more co-supervisors, a different distribution will apply. The candidate is entitled to a total of 70 hours of direct supervision during the programme. Upon admission to PhD education at OsloMet, a written employment contract is formalized regarding their duties and rights during the admission period, cf. the PhD

Regulations at OsloMet, § 2-6. A progress schedule is drawn up at the first supervision meeting. The candidate and the supervisor shall submit progress reports annually, cf. the PhD Regulations at OsloMet, § 3-3.

Midway assessments are arranged for each candidate. Here the candidate presents her/his dissertation project and receives comments from an opponent. The opponent should not be employed in the department/ workplace of the candidate or the principal supervisor's department. Supervisors and researchers in the study's research communities are invited to participate. The mid-term seminar is a central arena for the presentation of the candidate’s progression and professional development and represents an important milestone for the candidate.

The programme will host an information seminar about submission and dissertation at least once a year. Seminar meetings can be held on ‘kappe’ writing, which can complement corresponding seminars at OsloMet. Regular research seminars will be organised at the departmental/ research unit/ research group levels, where candidates may also participate and present their own research.

Candidates are expected to keep up to date about international research in the subject area and to network with foreign colleagues in the field. Periods of study abroad will be facilitated, and the department will invite researchers from foreign institutions to give lectures.

Students are expected to present at least one paper at an international conference. Candidates are also encouraged to communicate about their projects via relevant forums and channels.

The fundament of the PhD is independent work. Candidates must take an independent and active role in his/her learning process, both in the doctoral thesis and in the educational component/ coursework. All courses therefore require the active participation of candidates in a multitude of ways, such as identifying relevant research questions and problems, deducing the best way to analyse problems, and structuring and writing a research paper. All courses in the educational component are intended to underpin the PhD candidates’ own research.

The courses are/ will be seminar-based. Candidates are expected to actively participate in the course, via advance preparation (doing the readings and other preparatory work), participation in course discussions, and respectful engagement with other candidates’ ideas and work. Participation is mandatory, and candidates are expected to attend all days of teaching. Unless otherwise stated in the course descriptions, a minor absence (up to 20 percent of the course duration) can be accepted in special cases such as documented illness/ sick leave (upon application). In the event of absences that are not approved, candidates will lose their right to have their essays assessed.

Course requirements are assessed as confirmed or not confirmed.

Assessment of examinations in the educational (training) component will be conducted in accordance with the provisions regarding examinations and cheating in the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet; see the PhD Regulations, section 4.

The form of assessment for all courses/subjects will be pass or fail. In all courses, the PhD candidate must hand in a paper based on their own research project, of typical lengths of 7-10 pages (5 credits course) or 12-15 pages (10 credit course). In addition to passing the essay, course requirements, generally participation, must also be confirmed in order to be awarded the ECTS credits.

The form of assessment for the doctoral thesis will take place in accordance with OsloMet's PhD Regulations, Chapter 6, and in accordance with the Faculty's guidelines for assessing the thesis, cf. Retningslinjer for avhandlingen i ph.d.-programmene ved SAM - Ansatt - minside (oslomet.no)

Conferment of a PhD degree occurs on the following basis:

Approval of the educational component

Approval of the doctoral thesis

Approval of the trial lecture on a given topic

Approval of the public defence of the thesis