PhD Programme in Behavior Analysis Programplan

The PhD programme may be taken either as a full-time programme over three years or as a part-time programme over four years combined with 25% required duties. Each candidate must take six courses.

Programme structure

The programme is divided into two main parts:

• Training component (30 credits).
• Research component (150 credits).

The programme structure is flexible in that candidates may choose when to take the courses so as to adapt the training component to their individual theses. All courses are concluded with an examination. The academic year lasts for 40 weeks, and candidates are expected to work 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, individual activities, and the examination.

Candidates who choose other compulsory methods course or elective courses will be given supervision in finding such courses at other units at OsloMet or at other national or international institutions. The PhD committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences shall consider the approval of such courses in individual applications. Candidates are advised to apply for approval in advance.

Candidates may be awarded a maximum of 5 credits for research stays abroad in connection with their thesis. The maximum amount of credits may replace credits awarded for an elective course. Awards totaling less than 5 credits that cannot be integrated into the PhD programme will be specified on a separate transcript. Candidates must apply to the PhD Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences to have credits approved before research stays are undertaken. On their return, candidates must submit a report for assessment by the PhD Committee as to whether the stay was undertaken in accordance with their application. Credits for research stays abroad are awarded subject to assessment by the PhD Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences. The following criterion will apply:

• Activity:  Research stay abroad in connection with work on the thesis (minimum of 2 weeks).
• Credits:  2-5 credits (maximum of 1 credit per week).

See section "Internationalisation" for a more detailed description of research stays abroad.

Training component

The training component must promote the candidates' research and competence development. It comprises courses offering theoretical and methodological training in performing the work involved in writing the thesis.

The compulsory courses, PHVIT9000, Health Sciences I: Health and Illness, and PHVIT9100, Health Sciences II: Philosophy of Science, Research Ethics and Research Methodology will provide candidates with a theoretical and methodological platform. Health Sciences I will give candidates a critical perspective of different views of health and illness and will enable them to apply these concepts in complex physical, physiological, and social contexts. Health Sciences II promotes critical thinking on philosophical, ethical, and methodological issues. Qualitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods are key elements, and the course provides candidates with a broad methodological basis for assessing research strategies in their own research.

The PhD programme offers seven elective courses, each Worth 5 credits. Candidates must choose three of the seven elective courses.

Elective specialisation in methodology is based on PHVIT9100, Health Sciences II: Philosophy of Science, Research Ethics and Research Methodology, and is offered either as PHVIT9200, Qualitative Methods or as PHVIT9300, Quantitative Methods. PHVIT9100, Health Sciences II, offers a broad methodological basis, whereas the elective specialisation courses provide the basis for deeper understanding of and advanced application of qualitative or quantitative methods. Candidates can therefore apply relevant design and methods when planning and undertaking their own research work.

Furthermore, the following elective courses are offered: PHVIT9510, Concept and Theory Development in Health Sciences; PHVIT9520, Intervention Design in Health Sciences; PHVIT9530, Assessment and Methods of Measurement; PHVIT9540, User Involvement and Coordination, PHVIT9550, Systematic Reviews and Metaanalyses and PHVIT9560 Bioinformatics with emphasis on analysis of high throughput sequencing data,PHVIT9570 Need Led Research and PHVIT9580 Theories and Models for Midwifery. The elective element of the PhD programme forms multidisciplinary arenas that will support interdisciplinary research. The courses integrate scientific theories and methods that are relevant to the Faculty of Health Sciences' areas of research. The elective courses are thematically and methodically rooted in the faculty's research activities, and offer candidates the opportunity to specialise in approaches and ways of thinking that are particularly relevant to their thesis.

The PhD programme will be closely linked to current research, and candidates will contribute to developing the respective fields of study through their own projects. Candidates who need to specialise in both qualitative and quantitative methods may choose to take both compulsory methodology courses and only one elective course.

Compulsory courses, a total of 15 credits (Offered once a year)

• Course PHVIT9000: Health Sciences I: Health and Illness, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9100: Health Sciences II: Philosophy of Science, Research Ethics and Research Methodology, 10 credits.

Elective courses, a total of 15 credits. Candidates choose three of the following courses (Offered once a year)

• Course PHVIT9200: Qualitative Methods, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9300: Quantitative Methods, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9510: Concept and Theory Development in Health Sciences, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9520: Intervention Design in Health Sciences, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9530: Assessment and Methods of Measurement, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9540: User Involvement and Coordination, 5 credits
• Course PHVIT9550: Systematic Reviews and Metaanalyses, 5 credits
• Course PHVIT9560: Bioinformatics with emphasis on analysis of high throughput sequencing data, 5 credits
• Course PHVIT9570: Needs Led Research
• Course PHVIT9580: Theories and Models for Midwifery

Research component

The research component comprises course PHVIT9900, Thesis, 150 credits.

Work on the academic thesis is spread across all six semesters and includes planning and conducting the research project, processing the results, and designing the thesis. The thesis may be produced as a compilation of articles or as a monograph; see the PhD Regulations under "Training component" above.

An article-based thesis must contain at least three articles, at least two of which the PhD candidate must be the main author. In the case of articles of which the PhD candidate is not the main author, the candidate ought to have made a material contribution towards collecting data, interpreting results, and writing the article. On submission of the thesis, at least one of the articles must already be accepted for publication.

Candidates will conduct independent research that leads to a scientific dissertation of high international standard. The candidate will receive advanced training in theories and methods which will provide a foundation for independent and objective thinking suitable for research in the field of behavior analysis. The graduated candidate will be qualified for research activities and academic work with high scientific requirements.

The learning outcomes of the programme include knowledge at the forefront of research, complex skills, and a high level of general competence in the field of health sciences. This means that the work and teaching methods must be sufficiently varied and complex to support the candidates' learning process on the way to achieving the learning outcomes.

Training component

Lectures

The lectures will cover key topics in the courses and will disseminate current issues and new research findings.

Self-study

Achievement of the learning outcomes depends mainly on the degree to which the PhD candidate makes effective use of the instruction and supervision offered and accepts responsibility for work independently. Self-study entails student-initiated activities such as individual study and cooperation with fellow students. The starting point is theoretical and methodological issues and a knowledge base in the health sciences.

Seminars

Organised group work requires candidates to discuss given research problems based on a topic covered in the course and on their respective academic backgrounds. This offers the candidates opportunities to reflect on multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research problems. The outcomes of the seminars are presented and discussed in plenary sessions, providing candidates with training in both academic dissemination and peer review.

Practical application of methodology

Different methodologies are applied in practical exercises, such as research interviews, qualitative and quantitative analyses, and different types of software. This provides candidates with practical experience in addressing, for example, complex analyses.

Research component

Research work

The work methods for the thesis consist mostly of self-study and research activities. Self-study entails student-initiated activities such as individual study and cooperation with fellow students and researchers. Research activities involve planning and conducting own research, processing the results, and designing the thesis. This part constitutes the most important contribution to the PhD candidate's research competence.

Supervision

The main supervisor shall have overall academic responsibility for the PhD candidate and shall normally be an employee of OsloMet. As a general rule, the candidate shall also have a co-supervisor from OsloMet or from another institution. If an external main supervisor is appointed, an employee of OsloMet shall be appointed as co-supervisor. Each PhD candidate is entitled to 210 hours of supervision, including preliminary and follow-up work during the course of the nominal length of study. A time schedule for tutorials and a work schedule must be agreed at the first tutorial in each semester. Supervision includes time spent on preparatory work, discussions with the PhD candidate, and follow-up work. Requirements regarding supervisors and rights and obligations are regulated in the PhD Regulations, section 3-1 to 3-3. The PhD candidate and the supervisor(s) must independently submit annual progress reports for assessment and approval by the faculty's PhD Committee. Supervision of the thesis shall ensure that the project is in accordance with ethical guidelines and shall contribute to the design of research problems and the quality of the methods to be used.

Participation in research communities

The candidates' projects are linked to OsloMet's established research communities via the candidates' supervisors. Active participation will provides candidates with insight into research management and experience in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research cooperation, and provide them with opportunities to discuss research problems and designs, challenge established knowledge and practice, and present their own projects. Candidates will have opportunities to establish and further develop cooperation with national and international research communities.

Research seminar and dissemination

Candidates must present their projects in seminars at the start of, halfway through, and near the end of the programme. This shall take place at the faculty's regular research fellows forums. The midway presentation must ideally be conducted in English and be followed by a discussion on current progress between the PhD candidate, the supervisor(s), and the head of the PhD programme. Furthermore, candidates are required to present their research at least once a year at an international scientific conference. This gives candidates competence in participating in scientific discussions within their field of research in cooperation with national and international research communities. Candidates are also encouraged to disseminate their projects to broader audiences, such as giving lectures to users or through popular science channels.

Descriptions of the work and teaching methods for the individual courses are provided in the course plans.

The Dublin Descriptors that signify completion of third cycle higher education (Doctoral awards) demand that graduates:

• have demonstrated a systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and methods of research associated with that field;
• have demonstrated the ability to conceive, design, implement and adapt a substantial process of research with scholarly integrity;
• have made a contribution through original research that extends the frontier of knowledge by developing a substantial body of work, some of which merits national or international refereed publication;
• are capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas; can communicate with their peers, the larger scholarly community and with society in general about their areas of expertise;
• can be expected to be able to promote, within academic and professional contexts, technological, social or cultural advancement in a knowledge based society.

Graduates of the Ph.D. program in behavior analysis will be required to show that they can:

• describe, discuss and use natural scientific research methods
• describe and discuss classic scientific concepts, and show how these concepts form the basis of an experimental and applied science of behavior
• distinguish description from explanation
• describe and discuss the relationship between theoretical, experimental and applied scientific knowledge
• analyze a practical problem with the theoretical knowledge from the relevant research literature
• justify their analyses with references to scientific literature of a high standard
• design, implement and manage a research project
• apply different strategies for measuring and recording the effect of experimental manipulations
• analyze the results of their research using relevant theory
• share their knowledge with others in a way that meets the requirements of scientific communication
• discuss ethical, practical and social implications of their own research and that of others

OsloMet has an extensive international network that includes cooperation partnerships in doctoral programmes and research projects in the health sciences. Each semester, international researchers are invited to give lectures on current research in areas that are relevant for PhD candidates in the health sciences. The Faculty of Health Sciences will place emphasis on inviting health science researchers from foreign institutions to give lectures.

OsloMet will encourage candidates to conduct some of the work on their thesis through cooperation with international research communities. Candidates may earn up to 5 credits for undertaking research stays abroad. Such research stays must be academically relevant and must last for at least 2 weeks. Up to 1 credit per week may be awarded, and a stay of 5 weeks may therefore be awarded with 5 credits. Candidates are required to give at least one presentation of their research to their host institution during they stay. An agreement must be made to ensure that candidates participate in an active research community at the host institution and that they are provided with the necessary infrastructure to do so.

Candidates are required to present their research at least one international scientific conference. The midway presentation of the thesis must ideally be conducted in English, irrespective of the chosen language of the thesis. All teaching and supervision in connection with the PhD Programme may also be conducted in English if necessary.

The educational component consists of literature studies, lectures, seminars, essays and reaction papers. Some courses may include laboratory exercises and / or simulations. The research component consists of finding and defining a research question, framing it in terms of investigative strategy and conducting the research with the tactics and tools that are signal features of behavior analysis: experimental design for demonstration of functional relations between variables, and conceptual rigor. Reports of the research are written according to the standards of the field, and observing the guidelines of the APA Publication Manual.

Ph.D. scholars, employed by the Department of Behavioral Science will supervise master students on their research projects and theses, and participate in the courses in the master program, under the supervision of core faculty. They will have encouragement and financial assistance in attending conferences to present papers, and in submitting research papers to scientific journals with peer review. Students financed by their external employer or otherwise are expected to have sufficient support so that they may attend relevant conferences.

The Ph.D. program is organized as an international collaborative degree. Students are encouraged to take educational courses and do research for their theses at University of North Texas and Pontificia Universdade Católica de São Paolo. The educational courses can be offered in all the partner institutions, depending on student demand. Research activities and supervision are offered at all the partner institutions. All partner institutions have faculty with the necessary qualifications to cover all three fields of behavior analysis.

Examinations are regulated by the Act Relating to Universities and University Colleges, Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at Oslo Metropolitan University, Supplementary Provisions to Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at Oslo Metropolitan University and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.d.) at Oslo Metropolitan University.

Quality Assurance

The University educates professionals who in their studies have acquired skills, knowledge and attitudes which are important for their personal development and at the same time are relevant for the society and the professional area of which they will be part. The quality assurance system at OsloMet has the following functions:

• to ensure high quality teaching and learning
• to create a positive study and learning environment for the students
• to ensure that students complete their studies with good results and within the normal length of the study.
• to ensure a continuous quality improvement of the education the university offers
• to ensure that students will achieve the qualifications that are needed in the labour market for competent practitioners
• to ensure that demands and expectations from higher authorities are met.

Study programss are also evaluated in discussions and dialogue meetings between students, practice supervisors and teaching staff, as well as in written evaluations from students. At the end of every academic year an evaluation is carried out by means of a questionnaire based on

the defined aims of the study program. These evaluations may add valuable information for further developments of the program.

Principles for the quality management system.

Systems designed to document quality in the Ph.D. program ensure both the quality of the teaching, and the actual learning outcomes for the students.

Quality systems comprise:

• the scientific profile of the program
• the thematic and pedagogical coherence of the program
• study quality and learning outcomes
• procedures for tracking study progression and academic standing
• procedures for supervision and tutoring - including supervision contracts
• plans documenting the totality of the learning environment, including but not limited to core faculty with permanent positions at OsloMet, management procedures and chains of command, information systems and access, plans for the professional and scientific development of faculty, laboratory facilities and access, office space and lecture rooms.