Postgraduate Education in Intellectual Disabilities, Mental Health and Quality Improvement in Practice Programme description

The content and structure of the study programme (see below) are based on the following six competency areas defined in Section 3 of the Regulations on National Guidelines for Paramedic Science Education:

• Paramedic profession, ethics and health law
• Health, illness and injuries
• Operational ambulance work and emergency preparedness
• Communication, cooperation and decision-making
• Evidence-based practice, innovation and technology
• Quality, management and patient safety

The programme is divided into 11 compulsory courses and incorporates both practical and theoretical teaching at the university and clinical training in the health service. Each year of the programme has a scope of 60 credits.

The bachelor’s degree in paramedic science is comprised by basic medical sciences, clinical subjects and ambulance operative subjects. Skills training, simulation and periods of clinical practice placement are integrated parts of the programme and are to ensure that the learning outcomes are achieved. There should be progress in the student’s knowledge and skills over the course of the study programme. The courses build on each other with gradual progress both in terms of theoretical and practical knowledge to achieve the required skills and independence.

The first year of study is divided into four courses. In the first semester, the students are introduced to the paramedic profession, among other things by focusing on the topics patient safety, culture, law and ethics. The students are then given a general introduction into the basic medical sciences. The second semester comprises the course Assessment and Treatment of Sick and Injured Patients (Part 1), which focuses on introductory knowledge about emergency medicine and traumatology.

The second year of study includes three courses. In the third semester, the students have their first period of clinical practice placement in the ambulance service. In the fourth semester, the focus is on operational work at the accident scene and on mental health, challenging communication, substance abuse and prevention of conflict escalation.

The third year of study comprises four topics. The fifth semester starts with clinical practice placement in the primary and specialist health services. Clinical practice placement is followed by the course Assessment and Treatment of Sick and Injured Patients (Part 2), focusing on issues relating to complex and challenging emergency medical treatment and patient groups with special needs. At the end of the fifth and throughout the sixth semester, the students work on their bachelor thesis and complete the second period of clinical practice placement in the ambulance service.

All courses conclude with a final assessment.

The academic year is 40 weeks long, and the expected workload is 40 hours per week. The number of hours includes both organised teaching as stated in the timetable, students’ self-study, coursework requirements and exams.

INTERACT - Interprofessional Teaching Programme Shared with Other Professional Education Programmes at OsloMet

INTERACT (Interprofessional Interaction with Children and Youth - INTER1100, INTER1200, and INTER1300) is an interprofessional teaching programme at OsloMet, where students from both health and social sciences and teacher/early childhood education programmes meet in interprofessional groups. The aim is to ensure that students gain the competence to meet society’s demands for better coordination of services affecting children and youth. The teaching programme is based on pedagogical principles of interactivity and spiral learning, with extensive use of digital learning and assessment tools to support learning. The teaching programme is conducted at the beginning of January each academic year. For more information, see: https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/interact

Participation in INTERACT (INTER1100, INTER1200, and INTER1300) is required and must be approved to be awarded a diploma.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• Students must have passed the first year of the programme before they can start the second year*
• First and second-year students must have passed the second year of the programme before they can start the third year.

* Exception from the progress requirement:

• The drug calculations exam in the course PMED1300 Pharmacology and Drug Calculations is exempt from the progression requirement but must be passed before the student can can start the third year.

The programme’s learning outcomes cover a broad spectrum. The work and teaching methods facilitate the integration of knowledge, skills and general competence and are designed to have the greatest possible transfer value to professional practice. Emphasis is therefore placed on using a variety of work methods and alternating between theoretical studies and clinical training.

The aim of the paramedic science programme is to educate independent, proactive and dynamic candidates that can handle social change and cultural diversity. For the same reason, emphasis is placed not only on the content, but also on the learning process itself, in which students develop their ability to make independent assessments based on critical reflection and interaction with patients, next of kin and colleagues, which are key skills. Good learning outcomes are first and foremost dependent on the students’ own efforts. Own effort means both benefiting from teaching and academic supervision and following this up with independent work in the form of theoretical studies and practical skills training. Normal study progress requires students to make great personal efforts in the form of study groups and individual work.

Different types of digital technology are used in the programme to stimulate student-active learning and collaboration. These resources can be used in students’ preparations for teaching activities, as support in collaborative processes or to help practise or test the student’s own knowledge.

The students will receive follow-up throughout the programme in the form of supervision and feedback. The students will at times assess each other’s work and provide feedback to each other.

More detailed descriptions of the most common work and teaching methods used in the programme are provided below. The individual course descriptions state which work methods each course employs.

Independent work

A paramedic must be able to make independent assessments and decisions, and stand by them, based on interaction with patients, next of kin and colleagues. Some of the thematic areas will not be addressed in the organised teaching. Students are expected to acquire this knowledge through self-study, alone or in cooperation with fellow students in study groups.

Study groups

In the theoretical part of the programme, the students will be split into group of up to seven. The groups are assigned a lecturer as supervisor. Working with issues and assignments in cooperation with other students is intended to support the learning of subject matter and provide training in cooperation and interaction skills, which are necessary in professional practice. Group supervision is also used to show the connection between the organisation of the programme and future professional practice and is intended to facilitate planning and evaluation of individual students’ and the study group’s learning process. Getting the study groups to work effectively is both a learning tool and a learning goal.

Simulation and skills training

Simulation and skills training is integrated in almost all courses and makes up a key part of the programme. The students will acquire skills through practical training with medical emergency equipment, models, manikins and on each other. Skills are placed in context through scenarios, which should be handled either by simple role play or through complex simulations. Students develop their observer and paramedic role through supervision and teaching that promotes reflection on their own professional practice. The professional field is closely linked to simulation and skills training in that a range of active paramedics contribute as teachers. This creates a close connection between the training and day-to-day clinical work.

Lectures

Lectures are mainly used to introduce new material and to provide an overview. Highlighting main elements, shedding light on connections and pointing out relevant issues within a topic will form the basis for the students’ own learning.

Seminars

The purpose of seminars is to process subject matter and facilitate discussion between students and teaching staff. Oral dissemination is emphasised. The students shall be given an opportunity to practise their academic formulation and presentation skills. They are encouraged to express their own opinions and reflect on their own actions and attitudes.

Written assignments and bachelor’s thesis

Through written assignments and the bachelor’s thesis, students will formulate research questions for assignments and work on them over time, either individually or in cooperation with other students. They will learn theory and develop skills in using and referencing sources, analysis, discussion and written and oral communication. The primary purpose of this is to develop their ability to reflect critically and search for relevant research knowledge, and their ability to work in an evidence-based manner.

Clinical practice placement makes up about one-third of the programme and is divided into periods of placement in the ambulance service and in different parts of the primary and specialist health services.

The placement periods are intended to give students competence in integrating theoretical and evidence-based knowledge with clinical understanding. In clinical situations, the students also learn about patients’ and next of kin’s user knowledge. Clinical training is an important qualification arena for developing clinical competence. Students will continuously alternate between theoretical in-depth studies, simulation and skills training at the university and clinical training in the field of practice in order to develop clinical competence.

Practice placement arenas for this programme are mainly located in Oslo and Eastern Norway. The students may need to commute to and from the location of the practice placement. Students must comply with the practice placements guidelines for work clothing. Special requirements for tests or vaccination may be applicable at some practice placements institutions.

Clinical training

The practical part of the programme totals 37 weeks. The majority of these, 24 weeks, are made up of supervised clinical training in the ambulance service. The remaining 13 weeks are spent in different places in the primary and specialist health services.

Placement in the ambulance service

The clinical training is split into two courses in the second (16 weeks) and third (8 weeks) years of the programme. This training is supervised, which means that a supervisor from the ambulance service follows up the student throughout the training period. This is carried out in cooperation with a contact lecturer from the university. Separate training documents have been drawn up for the placement periods. The learning outcomes from the course descriptions are specified in these documents. The document is intended as a tool for the student and supervisor to actively link the clinical training to the learning outcomes, and to document the student’s progress. This is used as a basis for assessment in cooperation with the contact lecturer from the university.

Clinical training in the primary and specialist health services

This training is spread over approximately thirteen weeks in the fifth semester. The aim is for the student to gain increased understanding and experience with patient care pathways in other parts of the medical emergency chain in primary and specialist health services. Relevant training establishments can include municipal health services, somatic and psychiatric hospital departments, specialised hospital departments, substance abuse care, mobile teams, and private actors. In addition to the training itself, the course consists of seminars, simulation and skills training, teaching, writing reflection notes, and working in study and reflection groups. Parts of the clinical training can be replaced by simulation and skills training at OsloMet if this provides a better opportunity to ensure that learning outcomes are achieved.

The student will be taken care of and guided by different health personnel at the various training establishments. To ensure continuity, students will have regular contact with a university teacher throughout the training period. The final competence will be assessed in a concluding exam seminar with a practical-oral group exam.

Critical incidents

There is a relatively high possibility that the students will experience particular demanding and serious incidents during the placement periods. Measures have therefore been taken to protect the individual students by established peer support schemes. The students must therefore sign a consent form at the start of the programme confirming that they have been informed of the above. It is the students’ independent responsibility to contact the peer support scheme as needed to process critical incidents. If necessary, the student will be referred to the Student Welfare Organisation’s health service.

Certificate of competence for driving emergency vehicles

Students must pass both a theoretical and a practical test in driving emergency vehicles in order to complete the paramedic programme. The students must meet the requirements stipulated in Section 6 of the Emergency Vehicle Regulations before they can start the training. Among other things, this means that the students must a) document in the form of a medical certificate that they meet the medical requirements for a category 3 driving licence, b) have reached 20 years of age, and c) have held a class B driving licence continuously for the past two years.

During the second and third years of the programme, the students receive theoretical and practical training in groups. All students in the year group must have taken the theoretical and practical tests before completing the course PMEDPRA30 in the sixth semester.

The tests are organised and assessed by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. OsloMet will cover the costs related to the theoretical and practical tests up to three times. Students must pay for any further attempts. In order for OsloMet to issue the diploma, the theoretical and practical test must be passed within one year after the student has attempted the test for the third time.

For more information about the training requirements and the practical and theoretical tests in emergency vehicle driving, reference is made to the regulations relating to training, testing and competence in driving emergency vehicles (the emergency vehicle regulations – in Norwegian only).

Increasing globalisation of the labour market and rapid social changes make it increasingly more important to have international professional experience, language and cultural knowledge. Internationalisation contributes to raising the quality of education and strengthens the academic community on the programme, at the same time as it prepares the students to become global citizens and acquiring new perspectives.

The programme’s focus on multicultural and global issues prepares the students for professional work in a multicultural society. International specialist literature is used extensively in the programme, which gives students access to English specialist terminology and relevant knowledge about current international trends.

Internationalisation takes place through activities on the home campus and through exchange programmes between students and staff at OsloMet and foreign educational institutions.

OsloMet has exchange agreements in place with universities and university colleges in Europe. Exchanges may be relevant:

• in the fourth semester, in connection with the course PMED2110 Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Communication (20 credits).
• in the sixth semester, in connection with the course PMEDPRA30 Clinical Studies C, Placement in the Ambulance Service (10 credits) and PMED3900 Bachelor’s Thesis (15 credits).

Students can only go on an exchange if the partner institution offers courses in subject areas corresponding to those covered at OsloMet in the semester the exchange applies to.

The institution will also receive students from foreign educational institutions in the spring semester. Incoming students may for example take the following course combinations:

• PMED3010 Assessment and Treatment of Sick and Injured Patients, Part 2 (15 credits) and PMED3900 Bachelor Thesis (15 credits)
• PMED1410 Assessment and Treatment of Sick and Injured Patients, Part 1 (25 credits)

It may also be relevant to offer these courses in combination with courses related to other study programmes at the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Nordplus has also established cooperation through the Nordparamedics network, in which student exchanges of up to two weeks are possible in the sixth semester. Reference is otherwise made to the criteria that apply to student exchanges and the information about stays abroad.

The courses PMED1410 Assessment and Treatment of Sick and Injured Patients, Part 1 and PMED3010 Assessment and Treatment of Sick and Injured Patients, Part 2 will normally be taught in English. Other courses may also be offered in English for international students as needed. The students can decide whether to write their bachelor’s thesis in English or Norwegian. Students who go on exchanges must write their thesis in English if the exchange is in a country outside Scandinavia.

Programme description:

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences on 9 December 2020.

Most recent amendments adopted by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences 11 December 2024.

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2025.

The overall learning outcomes for the Master’s Programme in Health and Technology fully cover the description of master’s degree level (level 7) of the Norwegian Qualifications Framework.

A candidate who has completed their qualification should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has advanced knowledge in disciplines relating to their own specialisation and specialised insight into the topic of the master’s thesis
• has insight into technological developments in disciplines relating to their own specialisation and their importance for health services nationally and globally
• has thorough knowledge of philosophy of science traditions, research methods and the basis for research ethics of particular relevance to health sciences and their own field
• can apply knowledge in new areas in their own field and in interdisciplinary collaboration with other fields
• can analyse health science issues on the basis of the field’s history, traditions, culture, distinctive nature and place in society

Skills

The candidate

• can analyse and critically assess knowledge from different sources and apply this in a structured manner to formulate scholarly arguments
• can analyse existing theories, methods and interpretations in their own field and work independently on practical and theoretical problem-solving
• can write academic texts and present research results in accordance with applicable conventions in the field
• can work independently and in an ethically aware manner on a supervised research or development project
• can analyse and manage health-related data in an ethically sound manner and in accordance with relevant legislation
• can contribute to research, development of the field and innovation based on evidence-based knowledge, research-based knowledge and user participation

General competence

The candidate

• can analyse relevant issues in their own field and decide on suitable research design and choice of methods
• can analyse and discuss ethical issues relating to the use of technology in health services, at both the individual and system level
• can apply their own knowledge to new areas and in interdisciplinary cooperation to carry out complex tasks, processes and projects
• can communicate an extensive independent work and master scholarly forms of expression in the field, both orally and in writing
• can participate in discussions about professional issues and communicate about their own field in both scientific and popular science form
• can contribute to re-thinking and innovation in their own field and take part in interdisciplinary cooperation in technology and health science
• can contribute to the implementation of new technology in their own field and explore how technology can contribute to solutions that support sustainable communities

More detailed learning outcomes for the specialisations

Specialisation in assistive technology in health

The following additional learning outcomes apply to candidates taking the specialisation in assistive technology in health:

The candidate

• can critically assess the purpose and application of different types of assistive technologies throughout the lifespan at both individual and system levels in health promotion, prevention, treatment, and (re)habilitation.
• can develop, apply, and communicate complex interventions with assistive technologies in interdisciplinary collaboration and in their own field based on needs analyses and user involvement
• can critically evaluate ethical issues in the implementation and communication of assistive technologies
• can critically assess what facilitates and hinders successful sustainable implementation of assistive technologies

Specialisation in biomedicine

The following additional learning outcomes apply to candidates taking the specialisation in biomedicine:

The candidate

• has specialised knowledge about health and technology in a biomedical perspective
• has in-depth knowledge about normal and pathological molecular and cell biological mechanisms
• can critically assess and apply biomedical analysis methods in diagnostics and research and has advanced knowledge about statistical methods, quality assurance and quality control in the laboratory
• can discuss and convey relevant issues in the field and research relating to biomedicine

Specialisation in radiography

The following additional learning outcomes apply to candidates taking the specialisation in radiography:

The candidate

• has advanced knowledge of diagnostic imaging methods, treatment and radiation protection
• can apply, analyse and critically assess methods for diagnostics/treatment in the relevant modality
• has an in-depth understanding of the role of radiographers as active contributors to developments in radiography and the specialist health service’s use of technological methods in the relevant modality

The master’s programme is designed to be comprehensive, and the academic content and educational tools are interlinked, showing a clear context between learning outcome descriptions, learning activities and forms of assessment. The courses in the programme description build to some extent on each other to ensure progress, with increasing requirements for knowledge and understanding within each specialisation.

The Master’s Programme in Health and Technology includes common courses and compulsory specialisation courses. The thesis has a scope of 50 ECTS credits. Students are offered various elective courses depending on the specialisation chosen. Some elective courses are offered to all students across the specialisations, while others are only offered to students taking the individual specialisation. Normally, at least ten registered students are required for a course to be taught.

The academic year is 40 weeks long, and the expected workload for a full-time student is 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, students’ own activity and exams. The course descriptions provide more details about learning outcomes, work methods, coursework requirements and exams.

The specialisation in biomedicine is organised as a full-time course of study over two years, while the specialisations in assistive technology in health and radiography are organised as three-year part-time courses of study. The normal structure for each specialisation is shown in the figure below.

Content of compulsory common courses

Two courses are compulsory for all students on the programme and will be taught jointly for the specialisations:

HETEK4000 Interactions in Health and Technology (10 credits) introduces students to key concepts relating to technological development, system design and service innovation. Students will explore how new technology can contribute to sustainable solutions in health and care services, and in research and development work, but should also be able to reflect on ethical challenges that arise when new technology is employed. Interdisciplinary collaboration competence in the development and implementation of new technology in the health and social services is emphasised.

HETEK4100 Theory of Science, Ethics and Research Methods (10 credits) comprises fundamental aspects and methodologies of philosophy of science that are used in the planning, execution and dissemination of research projects in general. Focus is also on particular issues relating to health science and medical research, research ethics and relevant legislation.

Master’s thesis

The programme normally includes a master’s thesis worth 50 credits (MAATH5900/MABIO5910/MARAD5900). Students who choose to take one semester abroad will be given an opportunity to write a master’s thesis worth 30 credits (HETEK5910). See more detailed information under Internationalisation. Regardless of the scope of the master’s thesis, the project description is developed with the support of the lecturer, who quality assures the project with respect to scope and degree of difficulty. The same requirements apply to scientific and research-related work regardless of the length of the thesis.

The thesis can be written individually or in groups of two students. Students choose the topic of the thesis based on their academic background and interests. They can take the initiative for a master’s project themselves. Students can also be offered the chance to be involved in projects affiliated to research projects at OsloMet or external Norwegian and foreign partner institutions.

Elective courses

In the course of the master’s programme, the students can choose between several different elective courses. Some elective courses can be taken regardless of the specialisation chosen, while some are aimed at students taking the individual specialisation. The range of elective courses varies from one semester to the next. Students must apply for a place on elective courses no later than the semester before, subject to specific deadlines. There may be an upper limit for places on each elective course. Normally, at least ten registered students are required for a course to be taught.

The following courses are elective for all students taking the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences, regardless of the specialisation chosen:

• HETEK4300 Bacteriology and Antimicrobial Resistance, 10 credits
• HETEK4200 Monitoring, Activity- and Movement Analysis, 10 credits
• HETEK4400 Digital Health and Homecare, 10 credits
• MAFAR4100 Innovation within Healthcare, 10 credits
• MAVIT5800 Introduction to Clinical Studies for Healthcare Personell, 10 credits
• MAVIT4800 Personalized Nutrition, 10 credits
• MAVIT5100 Health Communication, 10 credits
• SFV5100 Digital Revolution? Social Science Perspectives on Technology in the Health and Social Care Sector, 10 credits
• MSLV4200 Collaboration and Collaborative Managment, 10 credits

In addition, students taking the specialisations in assistive technology in health or biomedicine may choose the following course from the specialisation in radiography:

• MARAD4300 Medical Use of Radiation, 10 credits

Students taking the specialisations in biomedicine or radiography may also choose the following course from the specialisation in assistive technology in health:

• The Knowledge Base in Assistive Technology in Health, 10 credits

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• Specialisation in biomedicine (full-time): The student must have passed all compulsory courses in the first year of study before starting on the master’s thesis
• Specialisation in assistive technology in health (part-time): The student must have passed all compulsory courses in the first year of study and the autumn semester in the second year before starting on the master’s thesis
• Specialisation in radiography (part-time): The student must have passed all courses in the first year of study and the autumn semester in the second year before starting on the master’s thesis
• Specialisation in radiography with special admission (part-time): The student must have passed the courses HETEK4000 and HETEK4100 before starting on the master’s thesis
• Some courses may have separate progress requirements; see the individual course descriptions.

Varied and student-active forms of teaching are used in the programme. Good learning outcomes are first and foremost dependent on the students’ own efforts. The number of hours allocated to structured teaching by the university will be relatively low. Own effort means both benefiting from teaching and academic supervision and following this up with independent work in the form of theoretical studies and, if relevant, practical skills training. Normal study progression demands a high level of self-activity. The most important work and teaching methods used in the courses in the programme are described below. The individual course descriptions state which work methods each course employs.

Web-based work and teaching methodsSeveral forms of digital learning resources are used in the programme, such as digital platforms, digital lectures, video clips, podcasts, tests and assignments. These resources can be used to prepare for teaching sessions, during seminars using the flipped classroom method, and as part of self-study. This form of teaching requires the students to come prepared for scheduled teaching sessions. Interaction may also take place digitally in the form of virtual meetings, webinars, workshops etc.

Self-study and student cooperation/group workLearning requires a high degree of own activity and self-study, including both individual work and cooperation with fellow students. Through activities such as exchange of ideas, presentations, discussions, written assignments and problem-based assignments, students will be encouraged to learn by conveying knowledge and experience, expressing their own opinions and, together, reflecting on their own attitudes, actions and understanding of the field. Students are encouraged to take the initiative to schedule and actively participate in study groups to promote learning.

Skills training/laboratory workDifferent forms of skills training or laboratory work may be included in the programme. Students will work on issues of relevance to the topic concerned, either individually or in groups, and will perform experiments, simulations or solve practical tasks that will demonstrate their theoretical understanding of different methods and techniques used in the field. They will also acquire the skills required to carry out the assignments in an independent manner.

Skills training may also include the use of digital tools to solve assignments or improve communication skills.

LecturesLectures are primarily used to introduce new subject matter, provide an overview of and highlight main elements and links within different topics, and also to convey relevant research-based issues and literature.

SeminarsSeminars emphasise dialogue and discussion between the lecturer(s) and students in order to stimulate students’ academic development. Oral student presentations and discussions are emphasised.

In connection with the master’s thesis, seminars are held where the theses are presented and discussed. The students receive feedback from their fellow students and teachers, which enables peer learning. Research-related issues, methods and academic supervision are among the topics discussed in the seminars. Seminars may also take place on digital collaboration platforms.

Projects, assignments and supervisionThrough project work, case studies, written assignments and the master’s thesis, students will formulate research questions for assignments that they work on over time, either individually or in cooperation with other students. They will learn theory and develop skills in using and referencing sources, analysis, discussion and written and oral communication. The primary purpose of this is to develop their ability to reflect critically, see elements in context and develop a deeper understanding of a subject.

Developing academic writing skills is a key aspect of all parts of the programme.

Supervision is an important component of the work on the master’s thesis. The supervision is intended to ensure that the project complies with principles of research ethics and help students to formulate research questions and ensure quality in the collection and analysis of data.