PhD Programme in Health Sciences Programme description

Studenter ved;OsloMet;-;storbyuniveristetet;har tilbud om å kunne ta deler av studiet i utlandet. Fakultet for samfunnsvitenskap har et etablert samarbeid med en rekke universiteter, høgskoler og institusjoner i land i og utenfor Europa. Studieopphold i utlandet kan gi et viktig bidrag til faglig og personlig utvikling; det vil gi nye faglige utfordringer, nye internasjonale kontakter, bedre språkkunnskaper og innsikt i andre kulturer. Det er mulig å søke om å gjennomføre praksisstudiene i 5. semester i utlandet.;;

Det stilles særskilte krav til å ta deler av utdanningen i utlandet.;;

Obligatoriske oppgaver og arbeidskrav som skal leses av samarbeidspartene i utlandet skal skrives på engelsk.;

Innreisende studenter fra partneruniversiteter kan søke om å gjennomføre sin praksisperiode i Oslo og omegn. De må først ha gjennomført minst ett år av sitt studium ved sin institusjon.;

The target group for the study programme is social workers, developmental therapists, child welfare educators, nurses, physiotherapists, or occupational therapists who wish to deepen their professional knowledge in mental health, substance abuse, and addiction work.

Admission to the programme is in accordance with the Regulations relating to Admission to Studies at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University and regulations on ‘National guidelines for tverrfaglig videreutdanning i psykisk helse-, rus- og avhengighetsarbeid’ (the Ministry of Education and Research, 2022).

A bachelor's degree or an equivalent degree which gives the occupational title of Social Worker, Social Educatorist, Child Wealfare Worker, Nurse, Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist.

Transcript of police records

Applicants who are admitted to the programme must submit a transcript of police records, cf. the Regulations for admission to higher education, Chapter 6.

On completion of the PhD Programme in Health Sciences, the candidate should have achieved the following learning outcomes defined as knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• is in the forefront of knowledge within the field of research and masters the field’s philosophy of science and methodology
• is in the forefront of knowledge on the current national and international academic debates within health sciences specific to their own research field
• can evaluate the expediency and application of theories within health sciences and methodology specific to those theories
• can evaluate the research ethics related to the application of different research methods
• can evaluate the expediency and application of different methods and processes in health research
• can contribute to the development of new knowledge, new theories, and new methods within health sciences specific to their own field

Skills

The candidate can

• formulate research questions and decide appropriate research design, plan and carry out research projects, analyse data, and discuss the results
• place their own project in relation to a theoretical context and research tradition within health sciences
• carry out high-level research in cooperation with national and international research environments
• manage complex academic issues related to ethics, theory and method within their field of research
• challenge established knowledge and practice within their area of the health sciences
• disseminate their research both within the scientific community and to a wider audience

General competence

The candidate can

• identify and discuss ethical issues in health sciences
• carry out their research with scholarly and ethical integrity
• manage complex interdisciplinary assignments and projects
• participate in debates in international forums of their research field
• assess the need for, initiate, and practice innovation in health sciences

The PhD program is a three-year full-time study. The program’s required work duties can either be completed full time or part time. The maximum duration for completing the PhD programme is six years.

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 to adapt the training component to their individual theses. All courses conclude 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 may choose other 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. 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 (30 credits) must promote the candidates' research and competence development. It comprises courses offering theoretical and methodological training in performing the work involved in conducting research and writing the thesis.

The compulsory courses, PHVIT9000, Health Sciences I, 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. Quantitative, 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.

In addition to the compulsory courses the candidates must elect at least 5 credits in methodology.

The PhD programme currently offers various 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 Meta-analyses; PHVIT9560 Bioinformatics with emphasis on analysis of high throughput sequencing data; PHVIT9570 Needs Led Research and PHVIT9580 Theories and Models for Midwifery; PHVIT9600 The Municipal Health and Care Services as a Research Setting; PHBA8110 Single-Case Research Methods; PHBA8230 Pervasive Developmental Disorders – diagnosis, aetiology, prevalence and intervention; PHBA8200 The philosophical and conceptual basis of radical behaviorism and behavior analysis; PHBA8240 Complex stimulus control - research and application. The elective element of the PhD programme forms multidisciplinary arenas that 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 their respective fields of study through their own projects.

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

• Course PHVIT9000: Health Sciences I 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 between the following courses:

• 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 Meta-analyses, 5 credits
• Course PHVIT9560: Bioinformatics with emphasis on analysis of high throughput sequencing data, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9570: Needs Led Research, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9580; Theories and Models for Midwifery, 5 credits.
• Course PHVIT9600: The Municipal Health and Care Services as a Research Setting, 5 credits
• Course PHBA8110: Single-Case Research Methods, 5 credits
• Course PHBA8230: Pervasive Developmental Disorders – diagnosis, aetiology, prevalence and intervention, 10 credits
• Course PHBA8200: The philosophical and conceptual basis of radical behaviorism and behavior analysis, 10 credits
• Course PHBA8240: Complex stimulus control - research and application, 10 credits

Elective courses are normally offered at least every second year. Students enrol for courses by given deadlines, and the faculty reserves the right to cancel courses with inadequate enrolment. The faculty may cancel courses with less than 8 enrolments.

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 substantial contribution towards collecting data, interpreting results, and writing the article. On submission of the thesis, at least one of the articles must already have been accepted for publication.

The learning outcomes of the programme include knowledge at the forefront of research, managing complex academic issues, 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 introduce 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 working independently. Self-study entails student-initiated activities such as individual study and cooperation with fellow students. Self-study takes as its starting point the theoretical and methodological issues and a knowledge base in the health sciences.

Seminars

Organized 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 has 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. 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. 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' thesis projects are linked to OsloMet’s established research communities via the candidates' supervisors. Active participation in the research communities will provide candidates with insight into research management and experience in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research cooperation. Participation also provides 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 and halfway through the programme.The midway presentation must ideally be conducted in English and be followed by a discussion on the current progress between the PhD candidate, an independent evaluator, and the supervisor(s). Furthermore, candidates are expected to present their research at international scientific conferences. 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.

Regler for studieprogresjon

Alle arbeidskrav/obligatoriske aktiviteter må være gjennomført/bestått for at studenten skal kunne framstille seg til eksamen i emnet. Alle eksamener for det enkelte studieår må være bestått for at studenten skal kunne fortsette i påfølgende studieår. For å kunne gjennomføre praksis i 2. semester må minst 20 studiepoeng fra 1. semester være bestått.

Skikkethetsvurdering

Bachelor i sosialt arbeid er omfattet av Forskrift om skikkethetsvurdering i høyere utdanning, fastsatt av Kunnskapsdepartementet 30. juni 2006:

Skikkethetsvurdering er en helhetsvurdering av studentens faglige og personlige forutsetninger for å kunne fungere som helse- eller sosialpersonell. Nærmere informasjon om skikkethetsvurdering finner du på intranettet for studenter ved OsloMet.

Studentmedvirkning

Tillitsvalgt

Hvert kull velger to til tre studenter som sine tillitsvalgte. Tillitsvalgt ved det enkelte kull har jevnlige møter med årstrinnets koordinerende lærer (årskoordinator) for å gi situasjonsrapporter fra kullet.

Dialogseminar og dialogmøte

Hvert år arrangeres det et dagsseminar og et kortere dialogmøte der de tillitsvalgte på alle tre årstrinn, og representanter fra utdanningen deltar. Tema for dialogseminaret drøftes i forveien med studentene.

Tverrprofesjonelt prosjekt - INTERACT

Studentene deltar i prosjektet INTERACT, (som utgjør til sammen 4,5 stp.) der en del av undervisningsopplegget gjennomføres i tverrprofesjonelle studentgrupper. Undervisningen (INTER1100, INTER1200 og INTER1300) gjennomføres i henholdsvis 1., 2. og 3. studieår, med økende kompleksitet, og er integrert som obligatoriske arbeidskrav i eksisterende emner i programplanen. For nærmere informasjon om INTERACT se https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/interact

Examination and grading systems

Assessment of examinations in the training component will be conducted in accordance with the provisions regarding examinations and cheating in the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet; see the PhD Regulations, section 4-3.

All examinations in the training component will be specified on the certificate.

The forms of assessment for courses PHVIT9100 to PHVIT9600 (except PHVIT9550) and the PHBA courses in the training component consist of individual home examinations, essays, or portfolio. Home examinations shall be used for the compulsory courses and the methodology courses. These are appropriate for testing candidates' knowledge, skills, and general competence under specific conditions. Home examinations are based on specific questions. Answer papers must normally contain up to 3,500 words for courses worth 5 credits, and 5,000 words for courses worth 10 credits. Essays are used for examinations in some of the elective courses and are based on a specific concept and/or theory of the candidate's choice. As a form of examination, essays are suitable for giving candidates the opportunity to critically reflect on their own research work in terms of topic, research problems, concepts, theoretical issues, and methodological and ethical challenges covered in the respective courses. Essays must consist of up to 5,000 words and must be submitted no more than 2 weeks after the end of the course. The portfolio exams can consist of several individual works. For the elective course PHVIT9550, each candidate must plan and write a protocol of a systematic review based on a research question of their choice, to be submitted no more than 6 months after the first day of the course.

Course code / Assesment / Grading scale

• PHVIT9000 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9100 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9200 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9300 / Individual home exam / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9560 / Individual home exam /Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9570 / Individual home exam/Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9580 / Indidivual home exam/Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9510 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9520 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9530 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9540 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9600 / Essay / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9550 / Protocol of a systematic review / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8110 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8200 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8230 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHBA8240 / Portfolio / Pass-Fail
• PHVIT9900 / Thesis / Pass-Fail

Grading

Assessment of PhD theses in health sciences is regulated by the PhD Regulations, sections 6-1 to 6-8 and general regulations regarding doctoral degrees at OsloMet. Supplementary guidelines for the PhD Programme in Health Sciences contain more details regarding procedures for assessing PhD theses.

Examinations in courses PHVIT9100 to PHVIT9600 in the training component are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. PHBA courses are assessed by an internal examiner. All courses are graded on the basis of pass or fail.

The thesis is assessed by an assessment committee consisting of three members, two of whom are external examiners: see the PhD Regulations, section 6-3. Once the thesis is considered worthy of public defense, the candidate must deliver and receive approval of a trial lecture on a given subject and must defend the thesis in a public defense.

The degree of philosophiae doctor is conferred on the basis of

• approval of the training component
• approval of the thesis
• approval of the trial lecture on a given topic
• approval of the public defense of the thesis

Study progression

The training component must be approved by the faculty, and the work required for PHVIT9900, the thesis, must be approved before the candidate may apply to have the thesis assessed.

Coursework requirements are all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for being permitted to take the examination. These can be written assignments, oral presentations, compulsory attendance, guidance, and similar activities. They can be carried out individually or in groups. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description. Course requirements are given to promote student progression and development and to ensure participation where it is deemed necessary to achieve the learning outcomes. The learning activities should contribute to in-depth learning and integration of the various knowledge areas and to reflection on one's own relational skills. They should also stimulate students to seek out and acquire new knowledge.Compulsory attendanceWhere students cannot acquire skills and knowledge through self-study, mandatory attendance is required. There is an 80 % compulsory attendance requirement for seminars, study groups, guidance groups, and simulations. Attendance in practical studies, see the chapter on practical studies.If a student exceeds the specified attendance limit for mandatory attendance, the study group supervisors and course coordinators will assess whether it is possible to compensate for the absence through oral or written individual assignments. If the absence cannot be compensated for, the student loses the right to take the examination and must retake the course. The possibility of compensation depends on the extent of the absence and the activities the student has not participated in. It is the student's responsibility to keep track of their own attendance.Approval of written course requirementsCourse requirements are assessed as approved/not approved. Normally, there are three attempts for a course requirement. Course requirements that are not approved must be improved and approved before the student can take the examination. As far as possible, the second attempt is given before the regular examination/assessment, unless otherwise stated in the course description. A third and final attempt is normally given before the new and deferred examination. Non-approved course requirements may result in delays in the education.