EPN-V2

UTVSD6000 Development Studies 2 Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Development Studies 2
Study programme
Development Studies 2
Weight
30.0 ECTS
Year of study
2024/2025
Curriculum
SPRING 2025
Schedule
Programme description
Course history

Introduction

The course description was approved by the Academic Affairs Committee 10 April 2014

and revised 30 November 2015. Minor change approved 20 November 2017

Revised September 2023

Reading List updated 20 November 2017

The course was established by the Dean 28 May 2014

OsloMet offers a one semester full-time course (30 ECTS credits) in development studies in Ghana. The course is a joint venture between OsloMet and Kulturstudier (Culture Studies), an independent Oslo-based organisation that offers international academic courses in the fields of culture and human development at study centres in Vietnam, India, Argentina and Latin America. OsloMet offers interdisciplinary courses in development issues and North-South relations, leading to a bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS credits in Development Studies. Students who complete Development Studies I and Development Studies II can apply to continue their studies and complete a bachelor's degree in Development Studies at OsloMet by taking courses worth 120 ECTS (the 2nd and 3rd year at the bachelor programme). Be aware that the 3rd and 6th semester in this bachelor programme are taught in Norwegian, while 4th and 5th semester can be offered in English.

The aim of Development Studies II is to combine a study of the academic and institutional literature with field study, taking an inductive approach where learning from the field experience is brought to the literature and informs theory, rather than a deductive approach that applies a particular theory to research data. Thus, the field study will become part of the course curriculum. In addition, there will be a programme of lectures around four core themes, taught through an interdisciplinary social science/humanistic approach incorporating elements of history, geography, social anthropology, political science, economics and sociology. The course activities (lectures, seminars, assignments, examination) as well as the literature are all in English.

The first part of the course is web-based. After this, the students leave for Ghana to attend 10 weeks of lectures, academic activities and field study. The final five weeks are again web-based.

Required preliminary courses

No prerequisite knowledge required.

Learning outcomes

The overall objective for the course Development Studies II is to give students an interdisciplinary understanding of development with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, the national and local experience in the context of wider regional and global influences.

At the end of the course the student has obtained the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student:

  • knows the application and experiences of various strategies of development
  • has an understanding of and ability to apply concepts such as poverty, governance, inequality, power, human rights, culture, participation, empowerment, population and development research. An appreciation of the complex interaction between local, national, regional and global influences on development initiatives and outcomes
  • has an overview of the political, economic, environmental and social aspects of development

Skills

The student:

  • can carry out and present own research (an in-depth study within one of the above dimensions of development)
  • can carry through a well-reflected problem-oriented analysis of development issues
  • can critically collect data through own research and through other sources

General competence

The student:

  • is able to provide problem-oriented explanations and use critical analysis in their work

Content

As this course is a second level course within development studies, it will be organised around four core themes building on Development Studies 1 in Vietnam or UTVB1100 Introduksjon til utviklingsstudier and UTVB1200 Regionalkunnskap og globalhistorie at OsloMet.

The Regional Context

This theme provides an introduction to the African experience of development, related to African history, environment, culture and political development. Global influences will be considered, as well as the particular experiences of Ghana. One aim will be to show the many and diverse social and cultural changes that have taken place in the region as a result of political and economic policies and programmes.

Environment, climate and development

This theme will analyse key environmental issues with relation to development processes and understandings of sustainable development. Changes in natural resources, natural resource management and political ecology are central topics, as are agriculture and livelihood.

Critical and alternative approaches to development

This theme delves into critical and alternative approaches in development studies, such as postcolonialism, decolonization, and feminist viewpoints. It examines the impact of colonialism on development practices and challenges traditional narratives, while also exploring power dynamics and gender norms within development.

Studying development in the field

Conducting a field study is a core component of the course. Lectures and activities will be conducted in order to give students a solid foundation in various methodologies (quantitative, qualitative, and participatory), an appreciation of the difficulties, constraints and opportunities, as well as a consideration of their positionality and ethical issues related to doing development research.

Teaching and learning methods

The course combines self-study with a period of study in Ghana. The period of study in Ghana includes lectures, seminars, field trips, work in smaller groups, methodological preparations and project development for field study, etc.

The field study is the core of the course and is carried out in small groups. Theoretical and methodological knowledge will be deepened by designing their own of research project, collect data through interviews or other methods, and relate their own research to discussions in development studies. The seminar leader will help with the formation of groups and with local staff arrange for individual or group placements in organizations, villages or neighborhoods.

Course requirements

Students must have the following requirements approved before examination:

Before the home exam:

Introductory assignment - literature review (approved/not approved)

This is a paper of 1800 words (+/- 10 %) that is to be completed by the student during the first period of home study. Relevant literature is available online, through Leganto, and set books will be identified for students to purchase. For the assignment, students should write 2-3 pages on development in Africa based on the readings, and a further 2-3 pages on a theme covered in the reading list. Students will have the possibility to contact the seminar leader during this period.

The purpose of the assignment is to develop background knowledge in order to prepare for the time in Ghana, to begin the process of identifying a topic for field-study, and to show evidence of academic conventions (a supported argument with a range of sources that have been referenced). The paper is to be submitted before the start of the course in Ghana, and will be assessed as approved/not approved by the seminar leader during the first two weeks. A student who receives a 'not approved' is entitled to maximum two new attempts to fulfil the course requirement. A new deadline for the revised assignment will be made by the seminar leader in relation to each individual case.

Before the field study report exam:

Research diary (approved/not approved)

It is a requirement of the course that students keep a diary of their experiences in Ghana, which starts at arrival in Ghana, and with particular attention to the periods of fieldwork. The diary should include plans, methods and daily thoughts on the experience of doing research, by being reflective on the processes, successes and limitations. It could also include such things as interview questions, notes on focus groups, drafts of questionnaires, and links to ideas and debates in the literature. The guiding principle is that it is useful to the students as researchers as it will be an essential source when it comes to preparing the assignments. A requirement is that students write down some reflections each day during fieldwork, and the diary is assessed as approved/not approved by the seminar leader.

Oral presentation on field study findings (approved/not approved)

Oral presentation on field study findings (approved/not approved). This will take place during the last week in Ghana, when each group will present their field study. The focus is on the methodological experiences and empirical results of their fieldwork, but it should be related to ideas from the literature and issues and debates raised in the course. The purpose of the assignment is to consolidate the students' learning from both their own field study and the academic literature, assessing similarities and differences, and being aware of possible reasons for such comparisons. The format - an oral presentation - gives students experience in a useful skill, as well as providing a learning opportunity for other members of the course. The oral presentation will be of approx. 30 minutes, and is assessed as approved/not approved by the seminar leader.

Course work requirements must be met within fixed deadlines. Lectures and seminars are mandatory, due to field preparations and group activities. Students who, due to illness or other valid and documented reasons (such as a medical certificate), do not meet the work requirements within the fixed deadlines, may be given a new deadline, in each individual case given by the seminar leader. Students who, due to the same reasons, have less than 80% attendance at lectures and seminars, will by the seminar leader be given a written assignment of 2000 words (+/- 10 %) over a fixed topic and with a fixed deadline. Students who do not comply with this lose the right to take the final exam (i.e. submit their field study report).

Assessment

På alle trinn i grunnopplæring og på arbeidsplasser er det elever, lærerkandidater eller ansatte som har liten eller mangelfull kompetanse i norsk språk. Dette gjelder særlig de som har et annet morsmål enn norsk, eller der norsk er andrespråket deres. I grunnopplæringen følger elever med et annet morsmål enn norsk "Læreplan i grunnleggende norsk for språklige minoriteter", som er en nivåbasert ferdighetsplan. For grunnskolen sier Opplæringsloven § 2-8, første ledd, at: "Elevar i grunnskolen med anna morsmål enn norsk og samisk har rett til særskild norskopplæring til dei har tilstrekkelig dugleik i norsk til å følgje den vanlege opplæringa i skolen." Opplæringsloven har ingen bestemmelser om en tilsvarende rett for elever innen videregående opplæring, men også elever i den videregående skolen kan få særskilt norskopplæring dersom de har behov for det til de har tilstrekkelig kompetanse til å følge opplæring etter den ordinære læreplanen i norsk. Slik tilrettelagt norskopplæring krever kompetanse i å tilrettelegge opplæring i norsk som andrespråk.

Permitted exam materials and equipment

Målgruppe er lærere i grunnopplæring og andre som legger til rette for opplæring av barn, ungdom og voksne i norsk som andrespråk.

Grading scale

Opptakskrav er generell studiekompetanse eller realkompetanse.

Søkere som søker opptak på grunnlag av realkompetanse må oppfylle disse kravene:

  • Søker må være 25 år eller eldre i opptaksåret og kan ikke ha generell studiekompetanse.
  • Søker må ha minimum fem års relevant (fulltids) yrkespraksis (deltid regnes om til heltid). Med relevant yrkespraksis menes fagspesifikk arbeidserfaring som er relevant for det studietilbudet det søkes om opptak til. Inntil to av de fem årene kan erstattes av relevant ulønnet arbeid, utdanning, organisasjonserfaring eller liknende. Ingen kan få mer enn 100 % uttelling for yrkespraksis og utdanning for samme periode.
  • Søker må ha tilstrekkelige ferdigheter i norsk (eller annet nordisk språk) og engelsk til å kunne gjennomføre studiet. Dette skal dokumenteres med fagene norsk (112 årstimer) (eller annet nordisk språk) og engelsk (140 årstimer) fra videregående opplæring eller tilsvarende, bestått med karakteren 2 eller bedre. Alternativt kan kravet til norsk dokumenteres med en attest fra arbeidsgiver som beskriver hvordan søkeren på en tilfredsstillende måte har brukt norsk skriftlig og muntlig (eller annet nordisk språk) som en vesentlig del av sitt arbeid.
  • Søkere med morsmål fra land utenfor Norden må dokumentere at de oppfyller kravet til norsk tilsvarende kravet til generell studiekompetanse, jf. krav i forskrift om opptak til høyere utdanning. Unntak kan gjøres dersom undervisningen i sin helhet foregår på engelsk, eller når søkeren kan dokumentere bestått treårig videregående opplæring fra Norge eller et annet nordisk land.

Som relevant yrkespraksis regnes arbeid relatert til undervisnings-, omsorg-, sosial- eller helsesektor, eller tilsvarende.

Examiners

Studiet er et oppdrag og finansiert fra Barne- og likestillingsdepartementet. Videreutdanningen inngår i regjeringens strategi for å løfte kompetansen i det kommunale barnevernet, og skal gi barnevernsarbeidere mulighet til faglig fordypning og spesialisering på masternivå. Videreutdanningen kan inngå helt eller delvis i master i sosialfag (studieretning barnevernsarbeid, barnevern og sosialt arbeid).

Barnets beste er et grunnleggende rettsprinsipp både nasjonalt og internasjonalt. FNs barnekonvensjonen fastslår at prinsippet om barnets beste skal være et grunnleggende hensyn ved alle handlinger som berører barn. Barnevernsloven sier at det skal legges avgjørende vekt på å finne tiltak som er til beste for barnet. Herunder skal det legges vekt på å gi barnet stabil og god voksenkontakt og kontinuitet i omsorgen. Det er likevel ikke alltid gitt hvilke forhold en skal legge vekt på i vurderingen av barnets beste. Barnets beste er et normativt begrep som kan fylles med forskjellig innhold. I utdanningen vil studentene drøfte hvordan ulike perspektiver kan føre til ulike fokus for vurderingen av barnets beste. I en videreutdanning om barnets beste står en drøfting av innholdet og en kritisk tilnærming til hva som ligger i prinsippet om barnets beste sentralt.

Både dagens barnevernslov, saksbehandlingsrundskrivet og barnevernlovutvalgets forslag peker på forhold som bør inngå i vurderingen av barnets beste, som også vil legge føringer for hvilke områder barnevernet må ha kunnskap om, og som kunnskapen må analyseres i lys av. Det dreier seg for eksempel om hvorvidt tiltak bidrar til å beskytte barnet i tilstrekkelig grad, opprettholde viktige relasjoner og kontinuitet. Videreutdanningen bygger på de sentrale juridiske rammene for vurderingen av barnets beste, og kunnskap fra ulike fag og perspektiver. Barn som aktører og samarbeid/partnerskap med foreldre blir vektlagt. Utdanningen har som utgangspunkt et kunnskapsbasert barnevern innebærer at god fagutøvelse baserer seg på best mulig tilgjengelig vitenskapelig kunnskap sammen med utøvernes erfaringer, kritiske og etiske vurderinger, brukernes preferanser og kontekstuelle hensyn.

Admission requirements

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