Society is undergoing digital transformations. Across sectors, digital technologies are transforming the way we work, communicate, and participate in society. The master in Digital Society and Societal Transformations educates social scientists that understand how technology works.
2 years / 4 semesters
English
120
August every year
Check www.uis.no/whenapply to see if you are considered a local applicant
About the programme
As we move towards a securing a more sustainable future, digitalisation represents challenges as well as opportunities. We therefore need more interdisciplinary competences about how technologies affect political processes, social relations, identity, and sustainability.
The MA in Digital Society and Societal Transformations educates social scientists that also understand how technology works. Digitalisation is not just a technical challenge that we need engineers to solve. We also need to understand how the digital impacts on our everyday lives.
The programme gives students insight into how datafication is changing public administration, how social media transform the way we communicate, and how algorithms and automation alter the conditions for organised working life. Students will tackle key issues in sociology, political science, media studies and data science to understand how the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation affects society as a whole. The programme prepares students for work in all sectors undergoing digital transformation, including in organisation and management, civic and cultural sectors, public administration, and in media and communication.
You will study theoretical approaches to living in the digital society. You will learn to think critically and analytically about the challenges and opportunities of the digital transformation. You will train in methods for researching digital environments, and gain the technological, practical, and interdisciplinary skills to work in digitising sectors.
Learning outcomes
All study programmes at the UiS have a set of defined learning targets. Read more about the learning outcome for this study programme.
The student will, after having completed the programme, have the following knowledge, skills, and general competencies:
Knowledge:
Upon completing the programme, the student will have:
- advanced knowledge of digitalisation as a social, political, communicative, and technical process
- thorough knowledge of the theoretical and practical implications and impacts of digitalisation in contemporary societies
- in-depth interdisciplinary knowledge of the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for society
- the ability to apply knowledge to new areas within the academic field
- the ability to analyse academic problems on the basis of the history, traditions, distinctive character and place in society of the academic field
Skills:
Upon completing the programme, the student can:
- analyse and critically assess different academic, political, and technical sources of information
- apply theories independently to practical and theoretical problems
- use relevant scientific methods and work independently as well as interdisciplinarily
- carry out an independent, limited research project under supervision
- shape the digital transformation for sustainable development
General competence:
Upon completing the programme, the student can:
- analyse and present relevant academic, professional, and research ethical problems
- apply knowledge to new and emerging areas within the social sciences
- communicate and master the terminology of the field
- communicate about academic issues, analyses and conclusions in the field, both with specialists and the general public
- contribute new thinking, entrepreneurship, and innovation processes related to the digitalisation of society
Career prospects
Relevance for working life and/or further studies
The programme gives students the skills to work in public administration, the civil society sector, and the private industries. Their competencies are suited to facilitate processes of digitalisation
- in municipalities and other public sector organisations that service the public
- in smart cities that seek to build and utilise digital infrastructures
- at government ministries that regulate and facilitate digitalisation and innovation processes in all sectors of society
- in organisations and private enterprises where digital services are key to customer relations, product development and resource management
- in the education sectors that seek to strengthen digital literacy
- in the health sector where patient care is transformed by automation and robotisation
- in the media and cultural industries where information, heritage and creativity is increasingly digitised
The programme is also relevant for candidates who wish to pursue a doctoral degree in the social sciences.
Academic Requirements
A bachelor's degree with a specialization of at least 80 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas or equivalent is required: social science, political science, media studies, sociology, psychology, pedagogics, anthropology, law, human and social geography, history, hotel management, hospitality, administration or economics.
Professional bachelor degrees in the following areas also qualify for admission: journalism, police, teacher education and social care
Quota: A quota of up to 3 study places is reserved for qualified applicants from partner institution (Stavanger Smart City).
Admission to this master's programme requires a minimum grade average comparable to a Norwegian C (according to ECTS Standards) in the bachelor's degree.
Supplementary rules for admission to the Master in Digital Society and Societal Transformations
Admission requirements
A Bachelor's degree with a specialization of at least 80 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas or equivalent is required:
- Social sciences
- Political science
- Media studies
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Pedagogics
- Anthropology
- Law
- Human and social geography
- History
- Hotel management
- Hospitality
- Administration
- Economics
Professional bachelor degrees in the following areas qualify for admission: journalism, police, teacher education, and social care.
Admission to this master's programme requires a minimum grade average comparable to a Norwegian C (according to ECTS Standards) in your bachelor's degree.
Application and admission
Deadlines
and other admission requirements
This programme will not be open for international applicants in 2023. Check here if you can be considered a local applicant: www.uis.no/whenapply
For local applicants the application period will be:
- 1 February - 1 March: local applicants with a bachelor's degree from outside the Nordic countries
- 1 February - 15 April: local applicants with a bachelor's degree from one of the Nordic countries.
Apply through Søknadsweb.
For inquiries regarding admission to local Master's programmes, send an email to: masteropptak@uis.no
Study plan and courses
Enrolment year: 2023
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Compulsory courses
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Media, Data and Society
Year 1, semester 1
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The Digitalization of Politics
Year 1, semester 2
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Philosophy of Science and Research Methods
Year 1, semester 1
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Technological Foundations
Year 1, semester 2
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Digital Culture and Everyday Life
Year 1, semester 1
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Social Science Methods
Year 1, semester 2
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Master thesis
Year 2, semester 4
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Elective courses og exchange studies
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Elective courses
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Work placement
Year 2, semester 3
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Foundations of Risk Analysis and Risk Science
Year 2, semester 3
Foundations of Risk Analysis and Risk Science (RIS505)
Study points: 10
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New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development
Year 2, semester 3
New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development (BYG655)
Study points: 10
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Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development
Year 2, semester 3
Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development (SAM550)
Study points: 10
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Global Sexualities:Theories, Methodologies, Practices
Year 2, semester 3
Global Sexualities:Theories, Methodologies, Practices (GEN570)
Study points: 10
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Exchange studies
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Student exchange
By going on exchange to one of our partner institutions abroad as part of your studies, you will have an opportunity to get a unique education. In addition to improving your career opportunities, you grow as a person and gain the ability to greater reflect on the topics you study as part of your degree. All about exchange
Students can choose to spend the third semester (autumn) abroad. Exchange serves to broaden the interdisciplinary competencies of the candidates, strengthens their language skills, and increases their international profile. Students can choose among five ECIU universities (European Consortium of Innovative Universities) offering relevant programmes, as well as existing agreements (including 13 Erasmus agreements and two Nordplus agreements).
Students can choose courses between the following recommended programmes:
Aalborg University: Master in Techno-Anthropology.
Dublin City University: MA in Social Media Communications
Linköping University: MA in Computational Social Science
Tampere University: MA in Sustainable Digital Life
University of Twente: MA in .
For more information about the exchange-process, read here: Outbound exchange | University of Stavanger (uis.no)
Students who wish other universities outside the list of pre-approved studies will have to proceed with the formalities on their own and seek pre-approval of university and courses.
Student exchange
- All countries
Aalborg Universitet
Aalborg Universitet (AAU) er kjent for å benytte seg av problembasert læring i grupper, noe som kan by på en spennende læringsprosess.
Linköpings universitet
Linkøpings universitet er et av Sveriges største universitet med en sterk tradisjon for samarbeid over landegrenser. Universitetet er kjent for sin innovative profil innenfor forskning og utdanning, og er, som UiS, medlem av nettverket European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).
Tampere University
Tampere University of Technology (TUT) er Finlands nest største tekniske universitet. Universitetet er internasjonalt høyt rangert og er kjent for å kombinere forskning innen naturvitenskap og teknikk med industri og næringsliv. Campus ligger midt i de tusen sjøers land og bare 2 timer fra Helsinki.
University of Twente, Enschede
Opplev Europa og det internasjonale studiemiljøet i Nederland. University of Twente er UiS` partneruniversitet i ECIU-nettverket og tilbyr utvekslingsmuligheter for mange studenter ved UiS. Det er et moderne og innovativt campus-universitet som satser stort på entreprenørskap.
- Denmark
Aalborg Universitet
Aalborg Universitet (AAU) er kjent for å benytte seg av problembasert læring i grupper, noe som kan by på en spennende læringsprosess.
- Finland
Tampere University
Tampere University of Technology (TUT) er Finlands nest største tekniske universitet. Universitetet er internasjonalt høyt rangert og er kjent for å kombinere forskning innen naturvitenskap og teknikk med industri og næringsliv. Campus ligger midt i de tusen sjøers land og bare 2 timer fra Helsinki.
- Netherlands
University of Twente, Enschede
Opplev Europa og det internasjonale studiemiljøet i Nederland. University of Twente er UiS` partneruniversitet i ECIU-nettverket og tilbyr utvekslingsmuligheter for mange studenter ved UiS. Det er et moderne og innovativt campus-universitet som satser stort på entreprenørskap.
- Sweden
Linköpings universitet
Linkøpings universitet er et av Sveriges største universitet med en sterk tradisjon for samarbeid over landegrenser. Universitetet er kjent for sin innovative profil innenfor forskning og utdanning, og er, som UiS, medlem av nettverket European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).
Contact
Department of Media and Social Sciences
Faculty Administration SV
Administrasjon IMS