PhD Programme in Health Sciences Programme description

The legal basis for this plan is laid down in Act no. 15 relating to Universities and University Colleges of 1 April 2005 and the Regulations Relating to the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at Oslo Metropolitan University (hereinafter referred to as "the PhD Regulations").

The PhD programme in Health Sciences is a three -year full-time study. Candidates who successfully complete the programme will earn 180 credits and qualify for a PhD in Health Sciences.

The PhD programme in Health Sciences has an interdisciplinary focus. Key elements in the programme are interventions in health promotion, preventive health care, treatment, rehabilitation and care. Health is a complex and comprehensive phenomenon that involves interaction between biological, physical, psychological, behavioral, and social dimensions. Although the respective professions and disciplines place different emphasis on dimensions of health, they share a common understanding of the goal to promote health and quality of life.* In the training component of the PhD programme, candidates learn about research and work methods that can directly or indirectly contribute towards knowledge-based assessment and interventions at individual and systemic levels. The training component will enhance the depth and breadth of the candidates' professional knowledge so that they develop an independent and reflective approach to both their research and to that of others, as well as to the role of research in a broader context. It will also support the candidates in their work on their thesis.

* Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Disease in the Western medical paradigm is the malfunctioning or maladaptation of biologic and psychophysiological processes in the individual; whereas illness represents personal, interpersonal, and cultural reactions to disease or discomfort.

The PhD programme in Health Sciences is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences, which has a long experience in educating professional practitioners. The faculty trains professional practitioners in the disciplines of: biomedical laboratory sciences, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, prosthetics and orthotics, radiography, pharmacy, nursing, dental technology, and social education. The faculty also offers training in public nutrition, behavior analysis, and management, among others. Research training is often linked to professional programmes and therefore promotes research collaboration within the field of practice.

There is a need for better integration and coordination of health services with large user groups, to include more emphasis on preventive measures. Coordination involves several different health care professions and actors and is contingent on cooperation. Many actors are involved in research projects aimed at developing the knowledge that will be needed to meet future challenges: municipalities, health trusts, universities, university colleges, research institutes, patient organisations and competence centers in the health and care sector. This is also highly relevant for needs-led research which seeks to answer questions that have not already been addressed through previous research (knowledge gaps) and whose relevance has been legitimized and prioritized by patients and other individuals receiving services, relatives, and/or healthcare professionals. The need to train personnel with research competence in many health professions is therefore significant. Strengthening multidisciplinary** and interdisciplinary research is vital for developing better care pathways for individuals with complex needs who would benefit from cooperation between the respective professions.

**By "multidisciplinary" it is meant combining input from multiple disciplines aimed at resolving a common problem.

Research training in health sciences offers opportunities to apply for academic positions at universities, university colleges, health trusts, and research institutes as well as for positions in other areas in the public and private sectors with a need for competence in the health sciences. The PhD programme in Health Sciences will provide professional practitioners the opportunity to gain research competence and thereby contribute to improving coordination within the health and care sectors. Furthermore, the programme will help establish sound research environments and provide a basis for research-oriented training and practice. The programme also qualifies candidates for teaching and supervising students and colleagues in health sciences.

The target group for the programme comprises individuals with an interest in the health sciences. Potential candidates may be admitted directly from studies or from work life in the case of professional practitioners with master's degrees seeking to enhance their levels of competence and knowledge or from research institutes involved in health science projects. Applicants from other professional backgrounds who wish to participate in health science projects may also be admitted.

Applicants to the PhD programme must hold a master's degree (120 credits) or equivalent qualification. Admission to the programme is regulated by the Regulations Relating to the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at Oslo Metropolitan University, and the Supplementary guidelines for the PhD programme in Health Sciences. According to the PhD Regulations, section 2.2, applications for admission to the programme must contain:

A. Documentation of completed education on which the decision regarding admission should be based (certified copies of original certificates).

B. A project description containing

• an academic account of the project
• a progress plan for completing the programme
• documentation of special needs for academic and material resources
• plans for stays at other institutions, where applicable
• academic dissemination
• specification of the chosen language for the thesis
• details of any restrictions on intellectual property rights to protect the rights of other parties

C. A funding plan.

D. A plan for the training component.

E. A proposal for at least two academic supervisors.

F. An account of any legal or ethical issues raised by the project.

G. Details about whether the project requires permission from research ethics committees or other official or private bodies. Such permission should be obtained and enclosed with the application, if possible.

Decisions on admissions are based on an overall assessment of applications. The doctoral degree committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences at OsloMet shall consider admission applications.

Admissions to the PhD programme in Health Sciences are considered on an ongoing basis. Pursuant to the Regulation, section 2-6, admission to PhD programmes is formalised by a written contract between the PhD candidate, the supervisor(s) and the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The courses included in the training component can also be offered to students who have been admitted to the “Health Science Research Programme, 60 ECTS”, by prior approval from the supervisor and based on given guidelines for the research programme.

On completion of the PhD Programme in Health Sciences, the candidate should have achieved the following learning outcomes defined as knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• is in the forefront of knowledge within the field of research and masters the field’s philosophy of science and methodology
• is in the forefront of knowledge on the current national and international academic debates within health sciences specific to their own research field
• can evaluate the expediency and application of theories within health sciences and methodology specific to those theories
• can evaluate the research ethics related to the application of different research methods
• can evaluate the expediency and application of different methods and processes in health research
• can contribute to the development of new knowledge, new theories, and new methods within health sciences specific to their own field

Skills

The candidate can

• formulate research questions and decide appropriate research design, plan and carry out research projects, analyse data, and discuss the results
• place their own project in relation to a theoretical context and research tradition within health sciences
• carry out high-level research in cooperation with national and international research environments
• manage complex academic issues related to ethics, theory and method within their field of research
• challenge established knowledge and practice within their area of the health sciences
• disseminate their research both within the scientific community and to a wider audience

General competence

The candidate can

• identify and discuss ethical issues in health sciences
• carry out their research with scholarly and ethical integrity
• manage complex interdisciplinary assignments and projects
• participate in debates in international forums of their research field
• assess the need for, initiate, and practice innovation in health sciences

The PhD program is a three-year full-time study. The program’s required work duties can either be completed full time or part time. The maximum duration for completing the PhD programme is six years.

The programme is divided into two main parts:

• Training component (30 credits).
• Research component (150 credits).

The programme structure is flexible in that candidates may choose when to take the courses to adapt the training component to their individual theses. All courses conclude with an examination. The academic year lasts for 40 weeks, and candidates are expected to work 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, individual activities, and the examination.

Candidates may choose other courses at other units at OsloMet or at other national or international institutions. The PhD committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences shall consider the approval of such courses in individual applications. Candidates are advised to apply for approval in advance.

Candidates may be awarded a maximum of 5 credits for research stays abroad in connection with their thesis. Candidates must apply to the PhD Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences to have credits approved before research stays are undertaken. On their return, candidates must submit a report for assessment by the PhD Committee as to whether the stay was undertaken in accordance with their application. Credits for research stays abroad are awarded subject to assessment by the PhD Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences. The following criterion will apply:

• Activity: Research stay abroad in connection with work on the thesis (minimum of 2 weeks).
• Credits: 2-5 credits (maximum of 1 credit per week).

See section "Internationalisation" for a more detailed description of research stays abroad.

Training component

The training component (30 credits) must promote the candidates' research and competence development. It comprises courses offering theoretical and methodological training in performing the work involved in conducting research and writing the thesis.

The compulsory courses, PHVIT9000, Health Sciences I, and PHVIT9100, Health Sciences II: Philosophy of Science, Research Ethics and Research Methodology will provide candidates with a theoretical and methodological platform. Health Sciences I will give candidates a critical perspective of different views of health and illness and will enable them to apply these concepts in complex physical, physiological, and social contexts. Health Sciences II promotes critical thinking on philosophical, ethical, and methodological issues. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods are key elements, and the course provides candidates with a broad methodological basis for assessing research strategies in their own research.

In addition to the compulsory courses the candidates must elect at least 5 credits in methodology.

The PhD programme currently offers various elective courses:

Elective specialisation in methodology is based on PHVIT9100, Health Sciences II: Philosophy of Science, Research Ethics and Research Methodology; and is offered either as PHVIT9200, Qualitative Methods, or as PHVIT9300, Quantitative Methods. PHVIT9100, Health Sciences II, offers a broad methodological basis, whereas the elective specialisation courses provide the basis for deeper understanding of and advanced application of qualitative or quantitative methods. Candidates can therefore apply relevant design and methods when planning and undertaking their own research work.

Furthermore, the following elective courses are offered: PHVIT9510, Concept and Theory Development in Health Sciences; PHVIT9520, Intervention Design in Health Sciences; PHVIT9530, Assessment and Methods of Measurement; PHVIT9540, User Involvement and Coordination; PHVIT9550, Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses; PHVIT9560 Bioinformatics with emphasis on analysis of high throughput sequencing data; PHVIT9570 Needs Led Research and PHVIT9580 Theories and Models for Midwifery; PHVIT9600 The Municipal Health and Care Services as a Research Setting; PHVIT9610 Single-Case Research Methods; PHBA8230 Pervasive Developmental Disorders – diagnosis, aetiology, prevalence and intervention; PHBA8200 The philosophical and conceptual basis of radical behaviorism and behavior analysis; PHBA8240 Complex stimulus control - research and application. The elective element of the PhD programme forms multidisciplinary arenas that support interdisciplinary research. The courses integrate scientific theories and methods that are relevant to the Faculty of Health Sciences' areas of research. The elective courses are thematically and methodically rooted in the faculty's research activities, and offer candidates the opportunity to specialise in approaches and ways of thinking that are particularly relevant to their thesis.

The PhD programme will be closely linked to current research, and candidates will contribute to developing their respective fields of study through their own projects.

Compulsory courses, a total of 15 credits (Offered once a year)

• Course PHVIT9000: Health Sciences I 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9100: Health Sciences II: Philosophy of Science, Research Ethics and Research Methodology, 10 credits.

Elective courses, a total of 15 credits. Candidates choose between the following courses:

• Course PHVIT9200: Qualitative Methods, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9300: Quantitative Methods, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9510: Concept and Theory Development in Health Sciences, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9520: Intervention Design in Health Sciences, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9530: Assessment and Methods of Measurement, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9540: User Involvement and Coordination, 5 credits
• Course PHVIT9550: Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses, 5 credits
• Course PHVIT9560: Bioinformatics with emphasis on analysis of high throughput sequencing data, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9570: Needs Led Research, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9580; Theories and Models for Midwifery, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9600: The Municipal Health and Care Services as a Research Setting, 5 credits
• Course PHVIT9610: Single-Case Research Methods, 5 credits
• Course PHBA8230: Pervasive Developmental Disorders – diagnosis, aetiology, prevalence and intervention, 10 credits
• Course PHBA8200: The philosophical and conceptual basis of radical behaviorism and behavior analysis, 10 credits
• Course PHBA8240: Complex stimulus control - research and application, 10 credits

Elective courses are normally offered at least every second year. Students enrol for courses by given deadlines, and the faculty reserves the right to cancel courses with inadequate enrolment. The faculty may cancel courses with less than 8 enrolments.

Research component

The research component comprises course PHVIT9900, Thesis, 150 credits.

Work on the academic thesis is spread across all six semesters and includes planning and conducting the research project, processing the results, and designing the thesis. The thesis may be produced as a compilation of articles or as a monograph; see the PhD Regulations under "Training component" above.

An article-based thesis must contain at least three articles, at least two of which the PhD candidate must be the main author. In the case of articles of which the PhD candidate is not the main author, the candidate ought to have made a substantial contribution towards collecting data, interpreting results, and writing the article. On submission of the thesis, at least one of the articles must already have been accepted for publication.

The learning outcomes of the programme include knowledge at the forefront of research, managing complex academic issues, and a high level of general competence in the field of health sciences. This means that the work and teaching methods must be sufficiently varied and complex to support the candidates' learning process on the way to achieving the learning outcomes.

Training component

Lectures

The lectures will cover key topics in the courses and will introduce current issues and new research findings.

Self-study

Achievement of the learning outcomes depends mainly on the degree to which the PhD candidate makes effective use of the instruction and supervision offered and accepts responsibility for working independently. Self-study entails student-initiated activities such as individual study and cooperation with fellow students. Self-study takes as its starting point the theoretical and methodological issues and a knowledge base in the health sciences.

Seminars

Organized group work requires candidates to discuss given research problems based on a topic covered in the course and on their respective academic backgrounds. This offers the candidates opportunities to reflect on multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research problems. The outcomes of the seminars are presented and discussed in plenary sessions, providing candidates with training in both academic dissemination and peer review.

Practical application of methodology

Different methodologies are applied in practical exercises, such as research interviews, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and different types of software. This provides candidates with practical experience in addressing, for example, complex analyses.

Research component

Research work

The work methods for the thesis consist mostly of self-study and research activities. Self-study entails student-initiated activities such as individual study and cooperation with fellow students and researchers. Research activities involve planning and conducting own research, processing the results, and designing the thesis. This part constitutes the most important contribution to the PhD candidate's research competence.

Supervision

The main supervisor has overall academic responsibility for the PhD candidate and shall normally be an employee of OsloMet. As a general rule, the candidate shall also have a co-supervisor from OsloMet or from another institution. If an external main supervisor is appointed, an employee of OsloMet shall be appointed as co-supervisor. Each PhD candidate is entitled to 210 hours of supervision, including preliminary and follow-up work. Supervision includes time spent on preparatory work, discussions with the PhD candidate, and follow-up work. Requirements regarding supervisors and rights and obligations are regulated in the PhD Regulations, section 3-1 to 3-3. The PhD candidate and the supervisor(s) must independently submit annual progress reports. Supervision of the thesis shall ensure that the project is in accordance with ethical guidelines and shall contribute to the design of research problems and the quality of the methods to be used.

Participation in research communities

The candidates' thesis projects are linked to OsloMet’s established research communities via the candidates' supervisors. Active participation in the research communities will provide candidates with insight into research management and experience in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research cooperation. Participation also provides them with opportunities to discuss research problems and designs, challenge established knowledge and practice and present their own projects. Candidates will have opportunities to establish and further develop cooperation with national and international research communities.

Research seminar and dissemination

Candidates must present their projects at the start and halfway through the programme.The midway presentation must ideally be conducted in English and be followed by a discussion on the current progress between the PhD candidate, an independent evaluator, and the supervisor(s). Furthermore, candidates are expected to present their research at international scientific conferences. This gives candidates competence in participating in scientific discussions within their field of research in cooperation with national and international research communities. Candidates are also encouraged to disseminate their projects to broader audiences, such as giving lectures to users or through popular science channels.

Descriptions of the work and teaching methods for the individual courses are provided in the course plans.

OsloMet has an extensive international network that includes cooperation partnerships in doctoral programmes and research projects in the health sciences. The Faculty of Health Sciences will place emphasis on inviting health science researchers from foreign institutions to give lectures.

OsloMet will encourage candidates to conduct some of the work on their thesis through collaboration with international research communities. Candidates may earn up to 5 credits for undertaking research stays abroad. Such research stays must be academically relevant and must last for at least 2 weeks. Up to 1 credit per week may be awarded, and a stay of 5 weeks may therefore be awarded 5 credits. Candidates are required to give at least one presentation of their research to their host institution during their stay. An agreement must be made to ensure that candidates participate in an active research community at the host institution and that they are provided with the necessary infrastructure to do so.

Candidates are expected to present their research at an international scientific conference.The midway presentation of the thesis must ideally be conducted in English. All teaching and supervision in connection with the PhD programme may also be conducted in English if necessary.

Examination and grading systems

Assessment of examinations in the 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 4-3.

All examinations in the training component will be specified on the certificate.

The forms of assessment for courses PHVIT9100 to PHVIT9600 (except PHVIT9550) and the PHBA courses in the training component consist of individual home examinations, essays, or portfolio. Home examinations shall be used for the compulsory courses and the methodology courses. These are appropriate for testing candidates' knowledge, skills, and general competence under specific conditions. Home examinations are based on specific questions. Answer papers must normally contain up to 3,500 words for courses worth 5 credits, and 5,000 words for courses worth 10 credits. Essays are used for examinations in some of the elective courses and are based on a specific concept and/or theory of the candidate's choice. As a form of examination, essays are suitable for giving candidates the opportunity to critically reflect on their own research work in terms of topic, research problems, concepts, theoretical issues, and methodological and ethical challenges covered in the respective courses. Essays must consist of up to 5,000 words and must be submitted no more than 2 weeks after the end of the course. The portfolio exams can consist of several individual works. For the elective course PHVIT9550, each candidate must plan and write a protocol of a systematic review based on a research question of their choice, to be submitted no more than 6 months after the first day of the course.

Course code / Assesment / Grading scale

• PHVIT9000 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9100 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9200 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9300 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9560 / Individual home exam /Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9570 / Individual home exam/Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9580 / Indidivual home exam/Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9510 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9520 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9530 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9540 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9600 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9550 / Protocol of a systematic review / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8110 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8200 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8230 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8240 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9900 / Thesis / Pass-Fail

Grading

Assessment of PhD theses in health sciences is regulated by the PhD Regulations, sections 6-1 to 6-8 and general regulations regarding doctoral degrees at OsloMet. Supplementary guidelines for the PhD Programme in Health Sciences contain more details regarding procedures for assessing PhD theses.

Examinations are assessed by an internal examiner. All courses are graded on the basis of pass or fail.

The thesis is assessed by an assessment committee consisting of three members, two of whom are external examiners: see the PhD Regulations, section 6-3. Once the thesis is considered worthy of public defense, the candidate must deliver and receive approval of a trial lecture on a given subject and must defend the thesis in a public defense.

The degree of philosophiae doctor is conferred on the basis of

• approval of the training component
• approval of the thesis
• approval of the trial lecture on a given topic
• approval of the public defense of the thesis

Study progression

The training component must be approved by the faculty, and the work required for PHVIT9900, the thesis, must be approved before the candidate may apply to have the thesis assessed.

Approval

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences on 16 October 2012Last amendment approved by the Vice Dean for Research and Innovation at the Faculty of Health Sciences, OsloMet, on 17. January 2025

Syllabus

Course syllabuses will be reviewed and, where necessary, updated every time they are offered. Candidates must submit a detailed list of their chosen syllabus, which must meet the specified learning outcomes for the respective courses. The candidate's chosen syllabus must be approved by the course coordinator.