Master Programme in Applied Social Sciences - Study Option International Social Welfare and Health Policy Programme description

The master's programme in International social welfare and health policy (MIS) is unique in its combination of social welfare and health policy studies. The MIS programme provides students with the knowledge and skills in social science theories as well as methods to analyse, develop and manage social and health policies at a high level.

• Why do some countries have a higher share of the global burden of diseases than others?
• How can we explain social inequalities in health within a country?
• How are the changing power relations between international, national and local actors influencing the content and effectiveness of social and health policies?
• Why do some countries have smaller socio-economic inequalities than others?
• Why do some countries have higher employment rates among women than others?
• Why are some welfare systems more successful in helping families at risk of poverty than others?
• Why are there systematic and lasting differences in opportunities for persons with disabilities to exercise choice and autonomy between countries?
• How does access to education and family planning influence the employment opportunities of young women today?
• How does cross-national mobility and immigration influence access to social security and health services?
• How can we investigate if social and health policies have the intended effects?

Answers to such questions are essential to ensure sustainable and inclusive societies. The questions are related to the organisation and content of social welfare and health policies.

Social change requires that professionals in the fields of social work, health and welfare continually develop their knowledge and skills. The Master's Degree Programme applies theoretical perspectives to these fields.

An increasingly globalized world requires the development of innovative social welfare and health policies. The two policy fields are interdependent. Both are also characterized by complex governance structures: Social welfare and health policies are shaped in a multi-actor setting involving different combinations of market actors, family, public agencies and non-profit NGOs. Additionally, the social welfare and health policies take place in a multilevel setting. Increasingly the social welfare and health policy depends on the working relations between supranational organisations, such as the UN and EU, national and local entities.

The MIS programme consists of 6 mandatory courses (60 ECTS), 3 elective courses (30 ECTS) and a master's thesis (30 ECTS). Elective courses allow students to pursue topics of special interest that may be relevant for both the master's thesis, as well as for future career possibilities.

All courses are taught in English, and the diploma will be issued in English for all successful candidates. Candidates will be awarded the title Master of Applied Social Sciences, programme option International Social Welfare and Health Policy.

The programme focuses upon general critical analytical skills with an understanding of the importance of gender, ethnicity, generation, and social class, living standards and living conditions. The programme option qualifies a graduate for:

• positions in social and health services that require the knowledge and ability to undertake systematic documentation and evaluation of social and health service programmes, as well as the knowledge of international and comparative studies within health and social welfare.
• positions in government agencies, non-governmental organisations or voluntary organisations engaged in international health and social welfare programmes and developmental assistance
• research positions at lower levels in educational programmes for social or health workers, and social science positions dealing with social and health policy issues
• PhD programmes in the fields of social welfare and health policy

This programme is aimed at students who have a special interest in international efforts to develop social and health policies.

Admission to this programme is regulated by Regulations Relating to Admissions to Studies at OsloMet.

Admission requires a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) in social work, childcare and welfare, political science, sociology, economics, anthropology, law, medicine or nursing. Other degrees with a focus on social and health issues may also be considered.

Applicants will be ranked on the basis of grade average from their bachelor's degree.

Fifty percent of the places are reserved for applicants who are citizens in countries outside EU/EEA.

The master's programme aims for a diverse group of students from many countries. Given the limited number of places, normally no more than three students from each country will be assigned, with the exception of students from Norway.

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

Knowledge

Upon completion of the degree the graduate has

• advanced knowledge of research designs relevant to the investigate a particular research question
• the ability to relate specific research questions to specific research methods
• a high level of understanding of and ability to apply and evaluate basic theoretical and methodological frameworks in order to examine, explain and understand social and health phenomena
• a broad understanding of global social and health problems, including current situations, trends, and challenges
• in-depth knowledge of the fields of social and health care systems: their organisation, delivery, and financing
• insight into cultural differences in social and health concepts and terminology

Skills

Upon completion of the degree the graduate is able to

• analyse explicit and implicit knowledge in the fields of health policy and social welfare
• conduct a systematic and critical analysis of a problem, apply core research principles and give a clear academic presentation of the results
• identify dimensions and challenges in the current global health and welfare situation
• critically assess the advantages and disadvantages of various social and health policy approaches
• evaluate relevant research in terms of methodological quality and appropriateness
• implement a range of data and literary sources for analysis

General competence

Upon completion of the degree the graduate has acquired

• a high degree of intercultural competence, and increased understanding of international trends that affect health and social welfare
• advanced knowledge of perspectives on social and health inequalities at a high academic level. The candidate is able to evaluate the impact of social and health policies, including how policies can contribute to (re)production or change in social inequalities
• a high level of ethical reflection when assessing the development of social and health policies, as well as a broad and in-depth knowledge of ethical dilemmas in research

Se fagplanen.

Opptakskravet er allmenn-/grunnskole-/faglærerutdanning eller PPU. Studenter som innvilges studieplass, må være i arbeid som lærer eller ha kontakt med en skole der det er mulig å ta aktivt del i matematikkundervisning. Kravet om bestått lærerutdanning kan fravikes dersom søkeren kun mangler faget hun/han søker på, for å få fullført sin lærerutdanning.

Søkere rangeres etter karakterpoeng fra lærerutdanningen. Søkere som har fått innvilget stipend og/eller vikarmidler fra Utdanningsdirektoratet (Udir), får 5 tilleggspoeng.

Læringsutbyttet er beskrevet i emneplanene.

Matematikk 1, trinn 5–10 – oppdrag er bygd opp av to emner à 15 studiepoeng. I disse delene gjengis sentrale innholdskomponenter. Gjennom faglig og fagdidaktisk arbeid med dette innholdet søker vi å nå målene nedenfor.

Emne 1

Tall og algebra

• Tall, tallsymboler, regning med tall, ulike tallsystemer i vår og andres kultur
• Barns utvikling av tallforståelse, teorier om kognitiv utvikling og læring
• Ulike tallbegreper, inkludert naturlige tall, hele tall, rasjonale tall og reelle tall, additiv og multiplikativ gruppering, posisjons- og grunntallsprinsippet, hoderegning og overslagsregning
• Ulike algoritmer og strategier knyttet til tallregning
• Arbeid med brøk, desimaltall og prosent
• Arbeid med overgangen fra tallregning til algebra, herunder generalisering og algebraisk tenkning
• Grunnleggende algebraiske lover for tall, behandling av algebraiske uttrykk, bl.a. i tilknytning til tallfølger, figurtall og enkle ligninger
• Likninger som løsningsmetode i praktisk regning

Emne 2

Tall og algebra

• Barns utvikling av tallforståelse, teorier om kognitiv utvikling og læring
• Ulike tallbegreper, inkludert naturlige tall, hele tall, rasjonale tall og reelle tall, additiv og multiplikativ gruppering, posisjons- og grunntallsprinsippet, hoderegning og overslagsregning
• Arbeid med likninger, herunder annengradslikninger og lineære likningssystemer
• Likninger som løsningsmetode i praktisk regning
• Ulike representasjoner av funksjoner og variabelbegrepet

Geometri, statistikk og sannsynlighet

• Geometriske begreper og grunnleggende geometriske figurer i plan og rom
• Arbeid med grunnleggende geometriske setninger, herunder Pytagoras’ setning
• Geometriske konstruksjoner som er aktuelle i grunnskolen og prinsippene bak disse, de klassiske geometriske stedene og deres egenskaper
• Formlikhet og kongruens, sammenhengen med modeller, kart, arbeidstegninger, mønstre og symmetri
• Statistiske undersøkelser og grafiske framstillinger av datamaterialer
• Sannsynlighetsbegrepet, sannsynlighetsregning og kombinatorikk