PhD Programme in Social Sciences Programme description

After completing and passing the three-year bachelor’s degree programme in Information Technology, the candidate is expected to have achieved the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate:

• has broad knowledge of information technology, problem-solving, software development and interfaces, and is familiar with the principles for developing computer systems and computer networks
• has knowledge of computer-based mathematics and other basic topics and is able to use them in other relevant and computer-related areas
• has knowledge of the history of technology, technology development, the role of the technologist in society, relevant legal regulations related to the use of computer technology and software and has knowledge of various consequences in the use of information technology
• has knowledge of research and development work in the field, as well as relevant methods and working methods​

Skills

The candidate:

• is capable of applying knowledge and relevant results from research and development work to solve advanced theoretical, technical and practical problems in the field of information technology and justify their choices
• master methods and tools as the basis for systematic, targeted and innovative work. This includes the skills to
• * use operating systems, system software and networks
• * prepare requirements and model, develop, integrate and evaluate computer systems
• * use programming tools and system development environment
• * design and implement universally designed human-computer interaction in collaboration with users
• is capable of identifying, analyzing, planning and executing information technology tasks and projects of different types both independently and in a group
• is capable of programming in multiple programming languages ​​
• is capable of performing requirements analysis and creating user interface solutions that meet the users' wishes and needs
• is capable of finding, evaluating, using and referring to information and subject matter and prepare this so that it illuminates a problem. This includes to
• * Search for professional literature and critically evaluate the quality of the source
• * set up literature references according to the current template
• is capable of contributing to innovation and entrepreneurship through participation in the development and realization of sustainable and socially beneficial products, systems and / or solutions that incorporate information technology

General competence

The candidate:

• has insight into environmental, health, social and economic consequences of products and solutions within their field of study and can put these in an ethical and life-cycle perspective
• is able to disseminate knowledge about information technology to different target groups in writing and orally in Norwegian and English, and can help to highlight the significance and consequences of this technology
• is able to reflect on their own professional practice, also in teams and in a multidisciplinary context and can adapt this to the relevant work situation
• is able to contribute to the development of good practice by participating in professional discussions in the field and sharing their knowledge and experiences with others
• has information literacy; know why to search for quality assured sources of knowledge, why to refer to sources and know what is defined as plagiarism and cheating in student work
• can update their knowledge through literature studies, information retrieval, contact with academic environments and user groups and through experience

The work and teaching methods will vary from course to course, but will often build on problem-based teaching and learning. The students will work continuously on solving problems, assignments and developing projects of different kinds. Computers, tablets, mobile phones, the internet, the web and other electronic channels and units are used systematically for learning, dissemination, guidance, development and communication purposes.

Lectures, exercises with individual and group supervision, coursework requirements (compulsory assignments), group projects, contact with the business community (including guest lectures) and self-study will be used.

The programme concludes with an extensive, independent and practical bachelor’s thesis that is normally an assignment from a commercial client.

The course descriptions for the individual courses contain details about the work and teaching methods used on the courses. In addition, a teaching plan containing a progress schedule, reading list, deadlines for submitting required coursework and information about teaching and exercises will be drawn up at the start of the semester.

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

The examination regulations are specified in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet and the National Curriculum Regulations for Engineering Education. See OsloMet’s website www.oslomet.no

Oral and practical exams are assessed by two examiners, as the exams results cannot be appealed. Formal errors can nonetheless be appealed.

One overall grade is given for the portfolio. It is only possible to appeal the exam result for the portfolio assessment as a whole. Any information provided about weighting is only considered additional information in relation to the final grade. If parts of the portfolio contain elements such as an oral presentation, practical assignments etc., the exam result cannot be appealed. The rules concerning right of appeal are described in each individual course description.

Exams that are only assessed by internal examiners shall be regularly selected for external assessment.

Assessment

The grades pass/fail or a grade scale with grades from A to E for pass and F for fail are used for exam assessment.

Prerequisite knowledge and study progress

Prerequisite knowledge over and above the admission requirements are described in the course descriptions.

Even if no specific requirements for prior knowledge are defined, the students should take courses worth at least 50 credits each year to be able to complete the programme within the nominal length of study.

• From the first to the second year of the programme – courses worth 50 credits should be completed
• From the first and second years to the third year of the programme – courses worth 100 credits should be completed

Students must be registered in the third year of the programme and have completed at least 100 credits from the first and second years of the programme by 1 October, before they can write their bachelor’s thesis.

Programme supervisor scheme

The programme supervisor scheme is part of the quality assurance of each individual study programme. A programme supervisor is not an examiner, but someone who supervises the quality of the study programmes. All study programmes at OsloMet shall be subject to supervision by a programme supervisor, but there are different ways of practising the scheme. Reference is made to the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet: https://student.oslomet.no/retningslinjer-sensorer

Rescheduled/resit exams

Students must register for resit/rescheduled exams themselves. Resit/rescheduled exams are normally organised together early in the following semester. Resit exams are for students who have taken the exam and failed. Rescheduled exams are for students who did not take the ordinary exam. The conditions for taking resit/rescheduled exams are set out in the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet.

Diploma

The final assessment for each course is included on the diploma for the Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering. The title of the bachelor’s thesis will also be included on the diploma.

he purpose of OsloMet’s quality assurance system is to strengthen students’ learning outcomes and development by raising the quality at all levels. OsloMet wishes to cooperate with the students, and their participation in quality assurance work is crucial. The overall goals for the quality assurance system include:

• ensuring that the educational activities, including practical training and the learning and study environment, maintain a high level of quality
• ensuring that the study programmes are relevant to the professional fields
• ensuring that the quality continues to improve

For the students, this entails, among other things, student evaluations:

• course evaluations
• annual student surveys for all of OsloMet

More information about the quality assurance system is available here: https://student.oslomet.no/regelverk#etablering-studium-evaluering-kvalitetssystem

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 5-8 pages (5 credits course) or 8-12 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