PhD course in Philosophy of Science (DUH602)


Course description for study year 2025-2026

See course description and exam/assesment information for this semester (2024-2025)
Facts

Course code

DUH602

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

7

Semester tution start

Spring

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Spring

Language of instruction

English

Offered by
Time table

View course schedule

Content

The course will give a broad orientation on central issues in the philosophy of science related to the social sciences and the humanities (‘the human sciences’).

The main topics are:

  • Objectivity and the role of values in the human sciences.
  • Scientific confirmation.
  • Feministic perspectives on science.
  • Social ontology and constructivism.
  • Scientific explanation.
  • Individualism versus holism.
  • Fundamental questions related to qualitative and quantitative methodology.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

The student will gain knowledge of fundamental philosophical issues related to the social sciences and the humanities.

Skills

By the end of the course, the student will be able to:

- Facilitate critical reflection and argumentation upon presuppositions that may easily be taken for granted in their own research tradition, or in science as a whole.

- Relate discipline-specific topics to general reflections and concepts of philosophy of science

General competence

By the end of the course, the student will be able to demonstrate competence in analytical discussion and well-structured academic argumentation.

Required prerequisite knowledge

Students must be enrolled in a PhD program.

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Individual paper 1/1 Passed / Not Passed

• Evaluation will be based on one individual paper (4000 words (+/- 10%) on a self-chosen topic approved by the instructor.
• The paper must be written in English or in a Scandinavian language.
• The paper must be submitted within six weeks after the topic has been approved.

Coursework requirements

Active participation in lectures and seminarsActive participation in lectures and seminars
At least 75% attendance

Course teacher(s)

Study Program Director:

Hein Berdinesen

Course coordinator:

Ståle Gundersen

Course teacher:

Marianne Hafnor Bøe

Course teacher:

Ulrich Dettweiler

Course teacher:

Hein Berdinesen

Method of work

The course will be given in the form of five full-day lectures\seminars. A detailed timetable will be made available at the beginning of the course-semester

Active participation in lectures and seminars

Open for

PhD candidates enrolled in PhD programmes at the University of Stavanger and at cooperating research institutions may participate in the course.

Course assessment

The faculty decides whether early dialogue should be conducted in all or selected groups of courses offered by the faculty. The purpose is to gather feedback from students for making changes and adjustments to the course during the current semester. In addition, a digital evaluation, students’ course evaluation, must be conducted at least once every three years. Its purpose is to collect students` experiences with the course.

Literature

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