PARA3900 Bachelor's Thesis Course description

Through the work on the bachelor's thesis, the students will study a topic they have chosen themselves and issues relating to the empirical and theoretical basis for the paramedic profession. The work on the thesis can be linked to ongoing research and development projects at the university or external environments.

Passed the first and second years of the programme.

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

Knowledge

The student

• has broad knowledge of prehospital work and recent research relating to the research question for the bachelor's thesis
• has knowledge of relevant theory of science and research methodology and can explain strengths and weaknesses of the method he/she has chosen
• is capable of explaining research ethics aspects of his/her own project

Skills

The student is capable of

• preparing a research question and conducting a study in line with guidelines for research ethics and the protection of privacy
• collecting, comparing, analysing and discussing findings from relevant research articles and other relevant sources in relation to a research question
• discussing issues in light of the unique features of the paramedic profession, relevant theory and recent research

General competence

The student is capable of

• exploring and discussing theoretical and clinical and/or operational issues in a systematic and reflective manner

Work and teaching methods include lectures, seminars, supervision in groups and self-study. The course starts with lectures and seminars supporting the students' work on their topic, research question and project outline.

The bachelor's thesis is written in groups of three students and is based on a topic chosen by the students themselves that can be linked to the learning outcomes for the bachelor's programme. The thesis is written in the form of a literature study. The students are offered up to three hours of supervision for work on the bachelor's thesis. The project outline must be approved by the supervisor.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• minimum attendance of 80% at seminars
• project outline 1,000 words +/- 10%
• attendance at a minimum of 2 supervision sessions

The course presents main social protection strategies with regard to major social risks, as well as evaluation methods to assess the advantages and disadvantages of health and social policy interventions.

None.

A student who has completed his or her qualification has the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge and skills:

Knowledge

The student has advanced knowledge of

• social protection strategies, in particular related to;major social risks: unemployment, sickness, disability, lack of a provider, child abuse, and old age
• the interplay between protection provided by the state, the voluntary sector, the family and the market
• principles of social insurance and health insurance
• strategies for providing residual or universal social and health assistance
• the extended family as a risk-managing institution
• problems with social protection coverage and strategies for extending coverage
• strategies for efficient delivery of health and social services
• policy evaluation methods in health and social care

Skills

The student can

• identify similarities and differences in social and health protection strategies in high-, middle-, and low-income countries
• investigate the arguments for and against public management, public/private partnerships, outsourcing and other strategies with regard to the delivery of publicly provided health and social services
• analyse processes of social/health policy implementation
• evaluate social/health policy outputs and outcomes

;

General competence

The student is able to

• Participate in the debate on how to organise and implement social welfare and health policies, in a national as well as international context
• Participate in the discussion of which evaluation strategies that are most useful in various contexts, with regard to evakuations of social welfare and health policies, in a national as well as international context
• Participate in the debate concerning how to frame health and social policy goals across countries and cultures