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 in social sciences, the humanities, and/or fields relevant to the specialisations in the PhD programme. The master's degree must include an independent project with a thesis of at least 30 ECTS.

• For international master's degrees (120 ECTS) that qualify for admission in the country where the degree was obtained, the requirement for independent work may be waived. The applicant must provide documentation of meeting the qualification requirements.

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. Preferably, the main supervisor, but at least one of the supervisors, should be affiliated with the institute of the applied specialization.

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

Studentene skal gjennom studiet utvikle sin evne til å søke, vurdere, behandle og formidle informasjon. Studentene skal tilegne seg praktiske og teoretiske kunnskaper og ferdigheter, som gjør dem kompetente til å arbeide profesjonelt med informasjons- og kommunikasjonsvirksomhet eller medieproduksjon innen offentlig og privat sektor.

Kunnskaper

Kandidaten har

• grunnleggende teoretiske kunnskaper om medier, medienes makt og betydning for individ (kjønn, identitet, tilhørighet), kultur, samfunn og globale prosesser
• grunnleggende teoretisk kunnskap om informasjon og kommunikasjon
• grunnleggende kunnskaper om medieproduksjon i tekst/lyd/bilde på ulike plattformer og i ulike formater

Ferdigheter

Kandidaten kan

• skape, presentere og formidle kreativt på ulike plattformer og i ulike tekst-, lyd- og bildemedier, så vel som i muntlig form for ulike målgrupper
• analysere og vurdere ulike medietekster og samspillet med andre medietekster
• arbeide reflektert med språklig kommunikasjon og være bevisst på språklig påvirkning
• arbeide reflektert med informasjons- og kommunikasjonsetiske problemstillinger på individuelt, nasjonalt og globalt plan

Generell kompetanse

Kandidaten kan

• inngå profesjonelt i ulike funksjoner med informasjon, kommunikasjon og medieproduksjon innenfor offentlig og privat virksomhet
• reflektere kritisk og etisk over egen profesjonsutøvelse
• arbeide med entreprenørskap og innovasjon innen fagfeltet

Studiet er treårig. Første studieår er felles for alle og organisert som et heltidsstudium som gir 60 studiepoeng.

I emner hvor antall deltagere begrenses av tilgjengelig produksjonsutstyr fordeles plassene etter karakter i forutgående relevante produksjonsemne. Se nærmere bestemmelser i emneplan for de aktuelle emnene. Hvis flere stiller likt, eller det ikke er et forutgående produksjonsemne foretas loddtrekning.

Progresjonsbestemmelser

• Emner tilsvarende minst 50 studiepoeng av første studieår må normalt være bestått før studenten kan fortsette på andre studieår.
• Hele første studieår og emner tilsvarende minst 45 studiepoeng av andre studieår må normalt være bestått før studenten kan fortsette på tredje studieår.
• For å kunne ta emnene MOK3900 Bacheloroppgave og MOKVPRAK Praksis må 120 studiepoeng være bestått.

Studenter som mangler flere studiepoeng enn beskrevet ovenfor, får ikke fortsette på neste studieår før kravet er oppfylt.

Arbeidsmåtene veksler mellom forelesninger, filmvisninger, prosjektarbeid, gruppearbeid, seminarer, praktisk arbeid med mer. Studentene må regne med å utføre mye praktisk arbeid i grupper og individuelt. Den enkelte student må innstille seg på at det også kan være nødvendig å avsette tid til studiearbeid på ettermiddagen og kvelden.

Undervisningen er organisert slik at det både gis felles teoriforelesninger gjennom hele semesteret, samt undervisning gruppevis.

Alle emnene består av arbeidskrav som må være godkjent før man kan fremstilles seg til vurdering. Det forventes at studentene trekker med seg medieteoretisk refleksjon i det praktiske arbeidet med medieproduksjoner.

Praksis er valgfag som tilbys i henholdsvis 5. og 6.semester.

Studenten får hjelp til å finne og søke relevant praksis, men har selv ansvar for å ordne praksissted, og må i samarbeid med praksisstedet bestemme tid, sted og oppgaver. Praksis er normalt ulønnet.

Praksisoppholdet varer i 5. semester i 4 uker og i 6.semester normalt i 9 uker, men det kan tilrettelegges for den enkelte student.

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