EPN-V2

Bachelor Programme in Social Work Programme description

Programme name, Norwegian
Bachelorstudium i sosialt arbeid
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

This is the programme description for the Bachelor’s Programme in Social Work. The programme is offered at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Policy. The bachelor’s degree is awarded in accordance with the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

The Bachelor’s Programme in Social Work is a full-time programme over three years that qualifies students for the professional title of social worker. Students who complete and pass the programme are awarded the degree of Bachelor of Social Work, cf. Section 2-3, 1a. The Norwegian name of the degree is ‘Bachelor i sosialt arbeid’.

The programme description is based on the Regulations on National Guidelines for the education of social workers, which entered into force on 1 July 2019, from and including the 2020–2021 academic year: https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2019-03-15-409

The social work programme shall, in line with the Regulations, result in learning outcomes in the following competence areas:

Framework for and perspectives on social work

Knowledge about and work on social problems

The programme forms the basis for specialisation at further education level and/or master’s degree level and on to PhD level.

The programme description is approved for one academic year at a time.

Target group

The Bachelor’s Programme in Social Work is aimed at those who wish to take a first-degree programme in social work. The programme is a general education that qualifies students to work on different social problems at different levels and in different fields. Social workers focus on individuals’ and groups’ life situation and work to improve these, as well as at the interplay between social factors.

Admission requirements

The Higher Education Entrance Qualification.

Applicants who do not have the Higher Education Entrance Qualification can apply on the basis of prior learning and work experience. At least five years of relevant work experience is then required, and the applicant must be 25 or over in the admission year, cf. the Regulations on admission on the basis of prior learning and work experience at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

Transcript of police records

Students must present a transcript of police records on admission to the Bachelor’s Programme in Social Work. The transcript of police records should preferably be submitted electronically at the start of the programme. Read more about the transcript of police records here:

https://student.oslomet.no/politiattest

Learning outcomes

Videreutdanningen Juss i barnevernfaglig arbeid er et oppdrag fra Barne-, ungdoms- og familiedirektoratet (Bufdir) og er finansiert fra Barne- og likestillingsdepartementet. Studiet inngår i regjeringens strategi for å løfte kompetansen i det kommunale barnevernet.

En viktig målsetting ved utdanning er å styrke den juridiske kompetansen ved å gi studentene solid kunnskap om juridisk metode, rettskilder, rettsanvendelse og skjønnsutøvelse i barneverntjenesten. Videre behandles grundig tema som makt, etikk og dømmekraft, forsvarlig saksbehandling, tverretatlig samarbeid, forholdet mellom barnevernloven og barneloven, samt barnevern og menneskerettigheter. Videreutdanningen vil implementere studentenes egne praksiserfaringer gjennom arbeidskrav og annen deltakeraktivitet i undervisningen.

Studiet ligger på masternivå og kan inngå i en master i sosialfag ved OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet. Masternivå innebærer at studiet bygger videre på den grunnkompetansen i juss som studentene har fra sine respektive bachelorutdanninger.

Content and structure

The Bachelor’s Programme in Social Work at OsloMet is based on the diversity, challenges and opportunities inherent in a big city. The social work programme is an academic and practice-oriented programme whose purpose is to educate professionals who can help individuals, families and groups to prevent, reduce and resolve social and health problems. Social workers work to prevent social inequality and promote inclusion in society. The programme qualifies students for work in welfare services in the public, private and voluntary sector. It gives students the special expertise required to help individuals back into working life in close collaboration with those who need it. Social work with vulnerable children and families and preventing and providing assistance in connection with neglect, violence and abuse are also key parts of the programme.

Marginalisation and outsiderness, exclusion and inclusion are perspectives that permeate the programme. The programme places emphasis on equality and non-discrimination regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion and beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and age.

Several of the fields of work require further education. On completion of the bachelor’s degree programme, there are good opportunities for taking further studies on the university’s master’s degree programmes and doctoral degree programmes.

Ethical principles and values

Respect for human value and rights, as they are described in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other relevant international conventions, is the starting point for the establishment of common ethical values across national and cultural borders. The practice of social work is based on humanitarian and democratic values. Social workers’ social mission is to assist people who need help to secure living conditions and a quality of life that are fit for human beings.

Therefore, solidarity with vulnerable groups, combating poverty and advocating social justice and social change are key elements of the professions’ education and professional practice.

Social work builds on a positive view of humanity, with a basic belief in people’s inherent abilities. Social work is intended to help to motivate and mobilise these abilities. A social worker’s tasks include ethical assessments, critical reflection on one’s own practice, and choices and actions based on professional methodology. Social workers focus on and work to counteract social exclusion and unworthy living conditions. This should be reflected in each professional’s attitude and actions towards users of the service and partners.

Everyone who works in counselling and facilitation in the fields of personnel, welfare and the labour market will meet ethical challenges. Being able to reflect on these challenges is an important element for developing the quality of the services, ensuring that the users’ needs are well addressed and improving the services’ reputation. During the course of the programme, the students will therefore be introduced to different levels of ethical issues/questions relating to the topics covered by the programme.

Personal competence

Developing personal competence is very important for future professional practice. This is a lifelong learning process that starts with personal qualification in the programme. Personal qualification is therefore included as an important element throughout the programme in different ways: through personal feedback during practical training periods, seminar teaching, project work, skills training and also through forms of teaching communication and interaction.

Optional course Spans multiple semesters

Teaching and learning methods

Målgruppen for videreutdanningen er primært ansatte i kommunalt barnevern, men ansatte i statlige og private barnevernsinstitusjoner har også mulighet til å søke opptak.

Practical training

Opptakskrav er fullført bachelorgrad eller tilsvarende grad, og ansettelse i barnevern.

Opptak skjer i henhold til Forskrift for opptak til studier ved OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet.

Rangering av søkere

Søkere rangeres på grunnlag av karaktergjennomsnitt fra opptaksgrunnlaget.

Søkere med hovedstilling i kommunal barnevernstjeneste som fremlegger en skriftlig anbefaling fra egen arbeidsgiver om at de anbefales å ta utdanningen prioriteres før andre søkere.

Med hovedstilling menes minimum 50 prosents tilsetning.

Dersom studieplassene ikke fylles opp av søkere med anbefaling vil søkere med hovedstilling i kommunal barnevernstjeneste prioriteres før andre kvalifiserte søkere.

Dersom det fortsatt er ledige plasser vil kvalifiserte søkere med stilling i statlig og privat barnevern gis opptak.

Internationalisation

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

  • avansert kunnskap om sentrale barnevernrettslige tema og problemstillinger, samt relevant forskning på feltet
  • inngående kunnskap om juridisk metode og rettskilder av betydning for det barnevernfaglige arbeidet, herunder Den europeiske menneskerettskonvensjon (EMK) og FNs barnekonvensjon
  • avansert kunnskap om det materielle innholdet i lovgivningen, herunder, barns rett til medvirkning, inngrepsvilkår og saksbehandlingsregler
  • inngående kunnskap om de rettslige rammene for tverretatlig samarbeid, herunder taushetspliktreglene
  • har inngående kunnskap om betydningen av skriftlig dokumentasjon av vurderinger og beslutninger som ledd i forsvarlig saksbehandling

Ferdigheter

Kandidaten kan

  • identifisere og analysere rettslige problemstillinger i en konkret sak med utgangspunkt i juridisk teori og andre relevante rettskilder
  • anvende juridisk metode og relevante rettskilder, beherske og benytte juridiske begreper i det daglige arbeidet
  • kombinere juridisk og barnevernfaglig skjønnsutøvelse
  • redegjøre skriftlig for barnevernfaglige og juridiske vurderinger og beslutninger
  • anvende juridisk og barnevernfaglig kunnskap for å sikre barns og foreldres rett til medvirkning i barneverntjenestens arbeid
  • anvende juridisk kunnskap i beslutningsprosesser i barneverntjenesten, overfor samarbeidspartnere og beslutningsorganer
  • bidra til at rettssikkerheten til barn og foreldre ivaretas i alle faser i en barnevernssak

Generell kompetanse

Kandidaten

  • har avansert forståelse for barnevernets rolle i samfunnet generelt, og spesielt overfor øvrig forvaltning og rettslige aktører
  • kan analysere, reflektere og forholde seg kritisk til egen profesjonsutøvelse i lys av rettskildene, herunder kravet til forsvarlighet
  • kan bidra til nytenkning og til innovasjon for å videreutvikle den juridiske kompetansen på egen arbeidsplass
  • kan oppdatere sin kunnskap innenfor hele det barnevernrettslige området

Work requirements

Studiet består av to emner á 15 studiepoeng;

Høstsemester: JUB6000 Forsvarlighet og rettsanvendelse i barneverntjenesten

Eksamensform: Individuell hjemmeeksamen. Bokstavkarakter.

Vårsemester: JUB6100 Barneverntjenesten og samarbeidspartnere

Eksamensform: Individuell hjemmeeksamen. Bokstavkarakter.

Assessment

Undervisningen går over to semestre der hvert semester inneholder ett emne. Hvert emne består av tre samlinger á tre dager.

Undervisningen gis gjennom forelesninger og veiledning til gruppearbeid, samt nettbaserte ressurser og veiledning til selvstudium. Studiet baserer seg på aktiv bruk av studentenes praksiserfaringer som yrkesutøvere. Analyse av juridiske problemstillinger i barneverntjenestens arbeid vil utgjøre en sentral del av studiet. Det forventes aktive bidrag fra hver student, og det legges opp til studentaktive læringsformer som dialogbasert undervisning, gruppearbeid og studentframlegg.

OsloMet bruker Canvas som læringsplattform. Canvas er en skybasert læringsplattform som åpner for undervisningsformer og er universitetets kommunikasjonskanal ut mot studentene.

Other information

Rules for study progress

All coursework requirements/compulsory activities must be completed/passed in order for the student to take the exam in a course. All exams in an academic year must be passed in order for the student to continue to the next academic year. The student must have earned at least 20 credits in the first semester in order to take the practical training in the second semester.

Suitability assessment

The Bachelor’s Programme in Social Work falls under the scope of the Regulations relating to Suitability Assessment in Higher Education, adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research on 30 June 2006:

A suitability assessment is a comprehensive assessment of the student’s academic and personal qualifications for work as a health care or social worker. More information about the suitability assessment can be found on the intranet for OsloMet students.

Student participation

Student representative

Each year group elects two or three students as its representatives. The student representatives of each year group have regular meetings with the lecturer who is coordinator for the programme year (class coordinator) in order to provide a situation report from the year group.

Dialogue seminars and dialogue meetings

Each year, a one-day seminar and a shorter dialogue meeting are held which are attended by the student representatives for all three years of the programme and representatives of the programme. The theme of the dialogue seminar is discussed with the students in advance.

Interprofessional project – INTERACT

Students participate in the INTERACT project in which part of the teaching programme is taken in interprofessional student groups. The teaching content (INTER1100, INTER1200 and INTER1300) in the first, second and third year, respectively, becomes more complex for each year, and is integrated as a compulsory coursework requirement in the existing courses in the programme description. For further information about INTERACT, see https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/interact.