ERGOB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care Course description

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 Master’s Degree Programme in Health Sciences has three or four compulsory common courses, depending on the chosen specialisation. In addition to these, there are at least two compulsory specialisation courses for each specific specialisation, and a master’s thesis worth either 30 or 50 ECTS credits, depending on the specialisation. The students can also choose one or more elective courses depending on their chosen specialisation.This does not apply to the two specialisations cancer nursing, public health nursing and mental health addiction as they only have compulsory courses in their programme structures.

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 courses are mainly taken over the course of the semester, with start-up at the start of the semester and examinations towards the end. The exceptions are certain compulsory specialisation courses that include external supervised practical training.

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 study activity and examinations. The course descriptions provide more details about learning outcomes, work methods, coursework requirements and examinations.

Content of compulsory common courses

The programme includes a compulsory common course MAVIT4100 Quality Improvement and Implementation of Evidence-based Practice, 10 ECTS credits. The purpose of this course is to enable students to actively contribute to promoting safe and high-quality health and care services. By health and care services is meant both public and approved private services, as well as health promoting work in the public and private sectors. The course introduces students to the organisation and management of health and care services. It also gives students experience of interprofessional quality improvement cooperation. Through the course, the students will learn about different quality improvement models and the interaction between user knowledge, experience-based knowledge and research-based knowledge in clinical decision-making processes.

There are also three common courses in the theory of science and research methods: MAVIT4050 Theory of Science and Research Methods, 10 ECTS credits, MAVIT4060 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, 10 ECTS credits and MAVIT4070/MAPSY4070 Research Design and Project Description, 10 ECTS credits. These courses aim to help the student to read, understand and critically assess research literature, to critically assess various sources of knowledge that form part of clinical decision-making processes, to acquire in-depth knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods, and lead up to the development of a project description for their master’s thesis.

In the first course, MAVIT4050, the students are introduced to theory of science and research methods and research ethics.

The second course, MAVIT4060, provides students with a deeper understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

The third course, MAVIT4070/MAPSY4070, the students will work more thoroughly with their chosen method and develop a project description for their master’s thesis. This is to ensure that the students get to grips with work on their master’s thesis at an early stage.

Master’s thesis – 30 and 50 ECTS credits

The master’s thesis in the programme is worth 50 ECTS credits (MAVIT5900) or 30 ECTS credits (MAVIT5910/MAPSY5910/20), respectively. Whether the students are able to choose the scope of their master’s thesis depends on the specialisation they have been admitted to. Students will develop a project description as part of the course MAVIT4070/MAPSY4070 Research Design and Project Description, 10 ECTS credits. 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. Students can choose to write the master’s thesis individually or in pairs. Students can also apply to write the master’s thesis with students from other specialisations, provided that the scope of the master’s thesis is the same. On application, interdisciplinary innovation projects can be written in groups of up to four students. Students are encouraged to contact potential supervisors about possible project ideas.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

MAVIT4070/MAxxx4070 must be passed before the master's thesis can be started. All courses in the programme must be passed before the student can submit their master's thesis for assessment.

Some courses may have separate progress requirements; see the individual course descriptions.

See the course descriptions for MAPSY4200, MAPSY4300, MAPSY4400, MASPY4500 and MAPSYPRA20 for a more detailed description of the content of the specialisation courses.

Studiet er utviklet på oppdrag fra Kunnskapsdepartementet, med bakgrunn i Kompetanse for kvalitet – strategi for etter- og videreutdanning. Målgruppe for studiet er lærere som arbeider på 1.–7. årstrinn i grunnskolen, men også lærere som ønsker å kvalifisere seg for undervisning på barnetrinnet.

Varied and student-active teaching methods are used in the programme. Good learning outcomes are first and foremost dependent on the students’ own efforts. The number of hours of adapted teaching at 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 progress requires students to make great personal efforts. The most important work and teaching forms used in each course in the programme are described below. The individual course descriptions state which work methods each course employs. Practical training is described in a separate chapter; see below.

Web-based work and teaching methods

Several forms of digital learning resources are used in the programme, such as digital textbooks, digital lectures, video clips, podcasts, tests, learning pathways 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 meet prepared for the scheduled teaching sessions. Interaction can also take place digitally, in the form of Skype meetings, webinars etc.

Self-study and student cooperation/group work

Learning requires a high degree of own activity and self-study, including both individual work and cooperation with fellow students. Through activities such as exchanging ideas, presentations, discussions, writing assignments and problem-based assignments, students will be stimulated to learn by communicating 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 initiative to schedule and actively participate in study groups to promote learning.

Lectures

Lectures are primarily used to introduce new subject matter, provide an overview and highlight main elements and links within different topics, and also to communicate relevant issues.

Seminars

Seminars emphasise dialogue and discussion between the subject teacher(s) and students in order to stimulate the student's academic development. Verbal presentations by students and discussions are emphasised.

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

Written assignments and academic supervision

Through written assignments and the master'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, 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 research ethics principles and help students to formulate the research question and ensure quality in the collection and analysis of data.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Coursework requirements are all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for being permitted to take the examination. Coursework requirements can be individual or in groups. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description.

The primary purpose of coursework requirements is to promote students' progress and academic development and to encourage them to acquire new knowledge. The programme's main coursework requirements are in the form of compulsory attendance, written assignments and tests.

Compulsory attendance

Attendance is compulsory in areas where the student cannot acquire knowledge and skills simply by studying literature.

If a student exceeds the maximum limit for absence stated in the course description or do not participate in a group presentation, the lecturer will consider whether it is possible to compensate for absence by meeting alternative requirements. This can e.g. be written assignments or oral presentations, individually or in groups. If it is not possible to compensate for the absence, the student must take the course the next time it is taught. Whether or not it is possible to compensate for absence depends on the extent of the student’s absence and which activities he/she has missed.

Written assignments

Several courses have compulsory written assignments or reports as part of their coursework requirements. Written work that is not approved must be improved before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary examination/assessment.

The students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled examination. If an assignment is not approved the third time it is submitted, the student must re-take the course with the next class.

One external and one internal examiner will assess at least 10 percent of the assignments. To internal examiners will assess the remaining assignments. The external examiner’s assessment shall benefit all the students.;

Project examination, consisting of a group assignment with up to 7 students, based on a case with a health claim in the media. The assignment will include the levels of the EBP model. The assignment is submitted as a written paper of 1500 words (+/- 10 prosent) according to further specified criteria.;

Each group decides whether their assignment is to be submitted in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Resit exam: If the assignment is given the grade fail, the group can submit a revised version once. ;

If this attempt fails, the group is entitled to a third and final attempt. In a third attempt, the group must choose a new health claim and submit a new examination paper.;

Programme description considered by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences on 12 February 2020 and finally approved by the Vice Dean 13 March 2025.

Adopted by the University Board 9 september 2020

Faculty of Health Sciences

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2022

BIOB1060, ERGOB1060, FYB1060, RAB1060, SYKK1060, SYKP1060, TAB1060, FARB1060, PMED1060, ORI1060 overlap;100 %.

One external and one internal examiner will assess at least 10 percent of the assignments. To internal examiners will assess the remaining assignments. The external examiner’s assessment shall benefit all the students.;

After completing the course and INTER1100*, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student is capable of

• assessing and presenting inclusive and excluding factors that influence participation and sense of belonging in the big city
• describing the principles for user participation and resource orientation in local communities
• describing the process of growing up in a society characterised by social and cultural diversity*

Skills

The student is capable of

• using relevant legislation when arguing for equal services for different groups in a diverse society
• using occupational science and knowledge about human rights to argue for people's right to occupation and participation
• reflecting on the cultural significance of activities for belonging in a local community
• planning and defending the use of activities to promote inclusion and belonging adapted to a user group in the big city
• cooperating with students from other programmes of professional study on relevant challenges in the everyday lives of children and young people*
• discussing and reflecting on his/her own future professional role in an interprofessional cooperation with children, adolescents and their parents/guardians*

General competence

The student

• is capable of acting respectfully towards and building relationships with fellow students and with people in the city who are involved in the project work
• has an understanding of interprofessional cooperation with children, young people and their families*