PhD Course in Educational Sciences (DUH221)
Educational sciences are a multidisciplinary field that spans pedagogy and a range of its sub disciplines. It also comprises educational research rooted in the social sciences, psychology, sociology and the humanities.
Educational sciences, their application, potential and relationship to various types of practices, are not primarily defined relative to other scientific fields, but by education, broadly understood.
Educational sciences comprise research on learning, teaching, and education within societal institutions like kindergarten, school, family, leisure and workplaces. These are relevant areas of scientific and scholarly studies.
Course description for study year 2025-2026. Please note that changes may occur.
Course code
DUH221
Version
1
Credits (ECTS)
5
Semester tution start
Autumn
Number of semesters
1
Exam semester
Autumn
Language of instruction
English, Norwegian
Content
The course will address historical and current approaches to the construction of the field of educational sciences. The content of the course is organized into three main topics: (i) The educational sciences; Nordic and European perspectives, (ii) Educational sciences; research approaches at the Faculty of Arts and Education (iii) Research status and challenges.
Learning outcome
The course will provide the students with the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
Comprehensive knowledge of the field of educational sciences, its construction and developments.
In-depth knowledge of competing research paradigms within the field, (i.e. key analytical concepts, theoretical models, and research practices), and their relation to educational policies and practices.
Skills
Relate their doctoral projects to the field of educational sciences.
Identify and handle complex academic issues, and critically analyze research within the field.
General competence
Identify, reflect upon, and evaluate ethical issues relating to research in the educational sciences.
Contribute to critically reflective discussions regarding the field's basic assumptions, discourses and research practices.
Required prerequisite knowledge
Applicants must meet the requirements for enrollment in PhD programs.
Exam
| Form of assessment | Weight | Duration | Marks | Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual paper | 1/1 | Passed / Not Passed |
Evaluation will be based on the students' individual papers of 4500 words (+/-10%). The papers will be graded Pass/Fail. Students will earn 5 credits for the course when a paper has been submitted and approved. The students' workload will be approximately 150 hours of work.Deadlines:The paper should be submitted within 4 weeks after the final seminar.
Coursework requirements
The course will be taught as a seminar with discussions of reading material and student presentations. Active participation is required. Attendance at the sessions is obligatory. A student who, for whatever reason, is absent from 25% or more of the sessions will not be permitted to submit the paper.
Course teacher(s)
Study Program Director:
Hein BerdinesenCourse coordinator:
Ketil KnutsenMethod of work
The course work consists of lectures, discussions and student presentations. Whenever there are non-Scandinavian speakers present, the working language will be English. When only Scandinavian/Norwegian speakers participate, Norwegian/Scandinavian will be used.
The course is organized in three blocks; part one runs over two days (2 x 6 hours), the second and third both cover one day (2 x 6 hours). A detailed schedule will be available when the course is announced.
Overlapping courses
| Course | Reduction (SP) |
|---|---|
| PhD Course in Educational Sciences (DSP221_1) | 5 |
Open for
The course is open to PhD candidates in educational sciences and related scientific fields.