SIW4500 Literature Review and Research Training Emneplan

The student will be participating in a project on a relevant research topic as an individual research assistant at the Faculty of Social Sciences or the Centre for Welfare and Labour Research (SVA). We expect a paper, an article, a policy-brief or other relevant scientific output from the participation. Call for research assistant must be given by Qualified supervisors at the Faculty of Social Sciences or the Centre for Welfare and Labour Research (SVA). The supervisor decides who will be the research assistants, based on the student's application and previous qualifications. A call for assistants will normally be published at the OsloMet homepage before July 31st. Students can motivate potential supervisors to call for research assistants of this kind.

The student must have passed the first year of master's courses that are required for their specific degree.

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

Knowledge

The student has

• insight into planning and running a research project
• a specialized knowledge in the research methods and theories being used in the project.
• an insight into how social research can come into practical use or have an impact

Skills

The student can

• make an independent and critical search for literature and relevant studies for a research project
• handle empirical data in an ethical and critical manner, and adhere to the norms of ethical conduct in research
• critically reflect on the researchers role in knowledge production
• conduct an independent small-scale research or development project under supervision

General Competence

The student has

• developed general competence for independent research
• practiced innovative thinking and competence in transferring knowledge and skills to new areas

The department announces positions as student research assistant or in student project groups. Students that apply within the due date and meet the requirements will compete for the positions based on application. The course coordinator and student will sign a work contract defining their mutual expectations about input and output. The work should amount to the equivalent of 6 weeks of full time studies. An academic staff member commits to supervise the student before and after this period, as we expect a paper, an article, a policy-brief or other relevant scientific output from the participation

Learning outcomes:

On completion of the course, the PhD candidate has achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The PhD candidate has knowledge of

• Significant political, legal, financial and organizational aspects of the municipal health and care services
• Relevant research related to the municipal health and care services
• Theoretical and methodological perspectives of relevance to research into the municipal health and care services
• Key challenges and opportunities linked to research within this context

Skills

The PhD candidate can

• Analyse and discuss key characteristics and challenges related to the municipal health and care services
• Analyse and discuss central research topics and methodological issues related to municipal health and care services
• Present and argue for the need to carry out research on various aspects of the municipal health and care services

Competences

The PhD candidate can

• Reflect on and discuss topics related to the development of the municipal health and care services
• Reflect on and discuss user involvement in research in the municipal health and care services
• Critically assess the need for research within the municipal health and care sector
• Discuss specific research studies in light of relevant theoretical and methodological perspectives

Work and teaching methods consist of lectures, self-study, group work, seminars and plenary discussions.A high degree of activity and involvement is expected from the participants.

One of the big controversies in the social sciences is how to model the relations between social structure, institutions and actors. This course provides an overview of some of these theories, with a focus on variants deriving from realist traditions.

The course covers theories that emphasize a focus on individual, rational actors, those applying structural and functionalist explanatory models, those that emphasize social reproduction and feedback mechanisms in society to those cultural and phenomenological traditions that emphasize social construction and interactional processes.

The module provides training in how to apply select theories to analysis of empirical evidence when studying and interpreting phenomena within social welfare and health policy research.

All

The course will comprise a mix of lecture, discussions and hands-on exercises. Students will end the course with an exercise in which they apply one of the theories learned to their own research study, in the form of a course presentation. There will be a meeting set aside for student presentations.

One internal and one external examiner will assess the essays submitted by all candidates.