Bachelor Programme in Social Work Programme description

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.

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.

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

After completing the programme, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate:

• has broad knowledge of the theoretical foundation of social work
• has broad knowledge of evidence-based knowledge and user knowledge
• has knowledge of methods that target individuals, families, groups and society at large
• has broad knowledge of the different life challenges of individuals and groups
• has broad knowledge of how social structures and processes can create and maintain social problems
• has knowledge of how social work contributes to achieving the Global Sustainable Development Goals
• has broad knowledge of inclusion mechanisms and conditions for social participation
• has broad knowledge of the support system, different services and benefits in the field of welfare
• has knowledge of interprofessional cooperation and coordination of services and benefits in the public, private and voluntary sector
• has broad knowledge of communication, relationships and interaction with children, young people, adults and older adults at the individual, group and societal level
• has knowledge of legal method, principles of administrative law and relevant legislation
• has knowledge of human rights and important conventions, minorities and the rights of the Sami people and their special status as an indigenous people

Skills

The candidate:

• can apply knowledge about social problems, life crises and life transitions to promote coping and change in cooperation with individuals, families, groups and collaborative partners
• can exercise judgement in interactions with people in different professional and institutional contexts
• can apply various methodological approaches at the individual, group and societal level in various service areas
• can apply rules of law and exercise judgement in a legal and social work context in interactions with individuals, families and groups
• can apply knowledge to identify resources and give hope in cooperation with people in vulnerable life situations
• can promote social justice in cooperation with people in vulnerable positions
• masters relevant methods for mapping, documentation, analysis and decision-making
• can critically assess and use research, experience-based knowledge and user knowledge in professional practice

General competence

The candidate:

• has insight into the professional ethics of social work
• has insight into power structures and exercise of power that contribute to social inequality
• has insight into and can reflect critically on their own professional role in encounters with institutional and political requirements in their service provision.
• can plan and carry out work tasks in complex situations
• can plan, implement and coordinate interprofessional collaboration between different services and service levels
• can communicate knowledge from a social work perspective and exchange points of view and experience with partners
• can contribute to innovation and development of good practice
• is familiar with the importance of digital communication in professional practice and cooperation
• can reflect on the consequences of digitalisation in a life course perspective
• can reflect on their own role, ethical issues and guidelines, human rights, values and attitudes in cooperation with different user groups in different phases of life
• can acquire research-based knowledge about relevant measures at the individual, group and societal level and reflect on these measures

Different learning methods, educational methods and forms of assessment are used throughout the programme to underpin the learning outcomes of the various courses. The programme’s use of varied teaching and learning methods requires active participation by students, both individually and in groups. Examples of learning methods are lectures, seminars, skills training, practical training, group work, written and oral assignments, and self-study.

In courses with self-chosen topics, students can to a certain degree choose to specialise in a field of particular interest and, in that way, build up their own academic profile. This applies to practical training placements, specialisation courses and the bachelor’s thesis. Students can also choose specialisation courses offered in the Bachelor Degree in Child Care and Welfare.

The University Library

The University Library offers students different services, which they can take advantage of according to their wants or needs. Special courses are also organised for training purposes, such as academic writing and searching for sources.

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.

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

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.

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

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.