EPN-V2

Bachelor's Programme in Psychology with an Emphasis on Behavior Analysis Programme description

Programme name, Norwegian
Bachelorstudium i psykologi med vekt på atferdsanalyse
Valid from
2025 FALL
ECTS credits
180 ECTS credits
Duration
6 semesters
Schedule
Here you can find an example schedule for first year students.
Programme history

Introduction

The bachelor’s program in psychology with an emphasis on behavior analysis is a 3-year full time program (180 ECTS). A completed program earns the degree of Bachelor in Psychology with an Emphasis on Behavior Analysis.

The program is regulated by lov om universiteter og høgskoler av 1. april 2005 nr. 15 § 3-2 og § 3-3 (Law of universities and university colleges) and forskrift om studier og eksamen ved OsloMet- storbyuniversitetet av 01.08.12 (Regulations for studies and exams at OsloMet). There is no national framework for this program.

The program is accredited by The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), the international organization for research and application of behavior analysis.

The program also meets the requirements for pre-qualification in certification by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BCBA®) as Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBAs).

The overall objective of the program is to give the student basic competence in psychology and behavior analysis so that the student is able to analyze behavior and arrange the environment around individuals to promote and maintain the desired behavior change.

Students must learn a precise conceptual framework, read relevant research literature, and actively participate in discussions in the behavior analytic community to achieve these competencies. Through these activities, students will also acquire robust knowledge about ethical and professional standards in the field.

The Department of Behavioral Science has a strong scientific community within a natural scientific tradition, and an evidence-based approach to learning. Faculty members are part of well-developed professional scientific networks, nationally and internationally, and cooperate extensively on research. Graduates from the bachelor’s program may continue with master’s and Ph. D. studies in the department.

Relevance to further studies

A bachelor’s degree Bachelor in Psychology with an Emphasis on Behavior Analysis is an excellent starting point for further studies, such as master’s programs in psychology or behavioral science/behavior analysis.

Psychology and behavior analysis are also god combinations with a number of other disciplines, such as pedagogics, health sciences, economics, management and HR, and other social sciences*.

*When graduates apply for further studies, the institution they apply to sets the bar for admission.

Relevance to working life

Graduates of the program have knowledge, skills and general competencies in psychology and behavior analysis. They can work with organizing, planning and implementation in processes of change within knowledge-based organizations in public sector and private enterprise, independently or with others. They can work with change processes at the level of the individual, or with group- and organization-level processes.

In work areas where prevention, treatment and teaching are important issues, documenting the efforts one makes is increasingly important. Methods in such work must be grounded in well-established theory, and predicting the effect of interventions is important both at the level of the individual and for society. The program will be useful for those who wish to affect processes of change. There is increasing demand for knowledge about learning and psychology both in public and private organizations.

The bachelor’s program has two practicum placements of 9 weeks each, to give students the opportunity for working on their own and with others on change processes in general, and specifically in treatment and training. The program complies with the requirement from Norway’s Health Directorate of 30 ECTS of supervised practicum, and candidates qualify for milieu therapists’ positions.

Target group

The program is designed for persons who want a bachelor’s degree where behavior analysis is emphasized. The program will help students develop basic discipline competence through education in a behavioral scientific research and practice community. Students will acquire knowledge, skills and values that qualify for further education in a relevant master’s programme, and for work positions in which these qualifications are relevant.

Admission requirements

Higher Education Entrance Qualification is required for admission, confer Forskrift om opptak til høyere utdanning (Regulation for admission to higher education). Applicants over 25 years of age who cannot document Higher Education Entrance Qualification may be considered on the basis of prior learning and work experience. There exist specific criteria for such admissions.

The admission requirement is Higher Education Entrance Qualification for students who wish to take courses in the program that do not have previous knowledge requirements. Applications will be considered on an individual basis.

A police certificate of good conduct must be presented upon application to the program, cf. Forskrift om opptak til høyere utdanning (Regulation for admission to higher education).

Learning outcomes

On completion of the program, the candidate has the following knowledge, skills and general competencies:

Knowledge

The candidate

  • Has general knowledge about and knowledge of how human behavior is affected and changed in interaction with environmental events
  • Has general knowledge about behavior analysis principles and other learning principles and about how these principles are applied in different areas of society
  • Has knowledge about the history of psychology in general, and the history of behavior analysis specifically
  • Knows how the discipline develops through research and application
  • Can update and further develop their own knowledge of psychology and behavior analysis

Skills

The candidate can

  • apply behavior analytic principles, including conducting functional surveys and facilitate desired maintenance off and changing of behavior
  • describe pros and cons of different models of explanation in psychology
  • account for practical work that uses different models of explanation in psychology
  • search out and read relevant scientific literature and apply results from research in their own professional practice
  • make scientifically justified choices in their own professional activities, reflect over their own practices, and adjust their own conduct when under supervision
  • use different methods for collecting and analyzing scientific data

General Competence

The candidate

  • Can distinguish between professional knowledge and personal conviction
  • Can communicate research and applied behavioral science and psychology both in writing and orally
  • Can exchange viewpoints and experiences with others with a background in psychology and behavior analysis, and thus contribute to the development of ethically sound practices
  • Is familiar with scientific values such as openness, logical thinking, precision and honesty
  • Is familiar with the special ethical and legal issues and guidelines relevant for work in psychology and behavior analysis
  • Can plan and implement academic that extend over time, alone or as a part of a team
  • Knows the research frontier in their field, and is familiar with groundbreaking work and innovation within psychology and behavior analysis

Content and structure

The bachelor’s program in psychology with an emphasis on behavior analysis is a program of 180 ECTS, full time over 3 years/6 semesters.

The study year is 40 weeks, and the workload is approximately 40 hours per week, which includes scheduled activities, students’ self-directed activity, and exams.

The content of the program can be divided into four main areas:

Philosophy of science and ethics

Topics from psychology (developmental psychology, social psychology, psychology of perception, cognitive psychology, psychology of personality, and applied psychology)

Research methods in psychology

Behavior analysis in theory and practice

Please confer with the course descriptions for specific course contents.

Study progress

The following describes which courses build on which, and in what sequence they must be taken. This progression is necessary for constructing an integrated whole from different knowledge and skills.

1. Philosophy of science and ethics

consists of the courses PSYK1110 – Philosophy of science and ethics and (10 ECTS) and PSYK1220 – General and historical introduction to psychology (10 ECTS).These courses are required for submission of the bachelor’s thesis.

2. Topics from psychology

consists of the courses PSYK1620 Organization,society and working life (10 ECTS), PSYK1700 – Cognitive psychology and neuroscience (10 ECTS), PSYK3200 – Social psychology (10 ECTS), PSYK3400 – Developmental psychology (10 ECTS), and PSYK3500 Evolution and behavior (10 ECTS).These courses are required for submission of the bachelor’s thesis.

3. Research methods in psychology

consists of the courses PSYK2100 – Research methods 1 – Introduction to quantitative and qualitative methods (10 ECTS), PSYK2400 – Research methods 2 – N=1-design, evaluation and documentation (10 ECTS) and PSYK2600– Research methods 3 – Research design and statistics (10 ECTS). PSYK2100 is required previous knowledge for both PSYK2400 and PSYK2600, and must be passed before these two courses can be taken. All three courses are required for submission of the bachelor’s thesis.

4. Behaviour analysis in theory and practice

consists of the courses PSYK1420 - Behavior analysis 1 – General principles of behavior analysis - (10 ECTS), PSYK2210 – Behavior analysis 2 – Applied behavior analysis (15 ECTS), PSYK2310 – Behavior analysis 3 – Experimental and conceptual behavior analysis (10 ECTS). These courses are required for submission of the bachelor’s thesis; taken in this sequence.In addition, PSYKPRA10 – Applied behavior analysis – practicum (15 ECTS) – must be passed before candidate can start the third year of study.

Other progress requirements:

PSYKPRA10 - Passed PSYK1420 and completed/approved coursework requirements PSYK2210

PSYKPRA2 - Passed the courses PSYK1110, PSYK1220, PSYK1420, PSYK1620, PSYK1700, PSYK2100, PSYK2210, PSYK2310, PSYKPRA10, PSYK2400 and PSYK2600

Optional course Spans multiple semesters

3rd year of study

5. semester

Bacheloroppgave 30 SP

6. semester

Praksis 15 SP og BA-oppgave 15 SP

6. semester

Teaching and learning methods

Master i ledelse (Executive Master of Management) er en erfaringsbasert masterutdanning innen økonomi og ledelse, og er for personer som ønsker å utvikle sin kompetanse innen ledelsesfag. Studiet bygger på erfaringene studentene har fra arbeidslivet, og orienterer seg mot praksisfeltet.

Studiets emner tilbys som frittstående studietilbud som interesserte kandidater kan gjennomføre uten krav til rekkefølge eller progresjon. Kandidater som har gjennomført nødvendige emner kan avslutte med masteroppgave for å oppnå en mastergrad.

En erfaringsbasert master i ledelse er for alle som ønsker mer ansvar og en lederposisjon. Den gir en bred og avansert innsikt i det økonomisk-administrative fagområdet, og på den måten bidrar utdanningen til å utvikle gode ledere på alle plan i ulike bransjer.

Det er tre obligatoriske emner i studiet, benevnt som basisemner: «Utøvende ledelse», «Organisering gjennom samhandling» og «Strategiprosess». I tillegg tilbys det flere valgemner innen ledelse som studentene kan velge blant. Disse valgemnene kan gjennom ulike kombinasjoner utgjøre en spesialisering. Studenter som har tatt annen relevant lederutdanning på masternivå, kan søke om å få inntil 30 studiepoeng innpasset i mastergraden til erstatning for valgemnene. Studiet avsluttes med en selvvalgt masteroppgave på 30 studiepoeng.

Mastergraden oppnås i samsvar med Forskrift om krav til mastergrad § 5.

Studiet leder frem til graden master i ledelse, på engelsk Executive Master of Management.

Internationalisation

Målgruppen for studiet er ledere eller kommende ledere i virksomheter fra ulike sektorer og bransjer.

Work requirements

Tilleggsutdanning i barnehagepedagogikk (60 studiepoeng) er et deltidsstudium for ansatte i barnehage med annen relevant treårig pedagogisk utdanning enn barnehagelærerutdanning (jf. avsnittet om opptakskrav).Studieprogrammet består av følgende to emner:

  • Småbarnspedagogikk (30 studiepoeng)
  • Barnehagepedagogikk (30 studiepoeng)

Begge emnene kvalifiserer samlet sett for ansettelse i stilling som pedagogisk leder i barnehage. Det er barnehageeier som vurderer om søkers kompetansen er tilstrekkelig for å kvalifisere til ansettelse.

Gjennom studiet skal studenten utvikle kunnskaper, ferdigheter og kompetanse på områder knyttet til arbeid i barnehagen.

Tilleggsutdanningen er en del av Utdanningsdirektoratets videreutdanningstilbud for ansatte i barnehage.

Assessment

Læringsutbyttebeskrivelsene i studiet er utformet i henhold til 2. syklus (masternivå) i det nasjonale kvalifikasjonsrammeverket for høyere utdanning. Kandidaten skal etter fullført studium ha følgende totale læringsutbytte definert i kunnskap, ferdigheter og generell kompetanse:

Kunnskap

Kandidaten har inngående kunnskap om

  • Ledelse, organisering og organisasjonsutvikling
  • Økonomiske og administrative aspekter ved beslutninger
  • Utredningsmetodikk, både i offentlig, frivillig og privat kontekst

Ferdigheter

Kandidaten har ferdigheter til å

  • Organisere, utvikle og lede organisasjoner
  • Gjennomføre selvstendig analysearbeid
  • Analysere økonomisk-administrative problemstillinger

Generell kompetanse

Kandidaten kan

  • Analysere avanserte økonomisk-administrative problemstillinger
  • Utføre avansert utredningsarbeid på selvstendig basis
  • Kommunisere økonomisk-administrative problemstillinger, analyser og konklusjoner til både spesialister og til allmennheten
  • Bidra til nytenkning i innovasjonsprosesser, organisasjonsmessig design og endringsprosesser i både offentlige, private og frivillige organisasjoner
  • Analysere relevante fag- og yrkesetiske problemstillinger

Other information

Det er lagt til rette for studier på deltid, men med valgfri progresjon. Det vil si at emnene kan tas uavhengig av hverandre. Emnene kan også tas uavhengig av om studenten ønsker å fullføre en grad eller ikke.

Masterprogrammet inneholder tre deler på til sammen 90 studiepoeng. 30 studiepoeng obligatoriske basisemner (3 emner hver på 10 studiepoeng), 30 studiepoeng valgfrie emner (3 emner hver på 10 studiepoeng) og en masteroppgave på 30 studiepoeng. Emnene kan gjennomføres i den rekkefølgen studenten selv ønsker.

De tre obligatoriske basisemnene gir en bred forståelse og innsikt i fagfeltet organisasjon og ledelse med utgangspunkt i lederfunksjonen og fordrer at studentene har med seg egne praktiske erfaringer inn i studiet.

Valgemnene gir grunnlag for faglig fordypning innen ledelse i organisasjoner. Studentene kan velge fritt mellom de ulike emnene som tilbys innenfor studieprogrammet.

Studenter som har tatt Rektorutdanningen eller Styrerutdanningen ved OsloMet kan få denne innpasset i sin helhet som valgemner. Også studenter med annen lederutdanning på masternivå kan søke om å få innpasset denne som valgemner.