Decisions and guidelines

The Master Programme in Social Sciences comprises 120 credits. The program has for the present eight different specialisations;

• Digital Media and Society

• Economic History

• Education

• Food, Nutrition and Dietetics

• Psychology

• Social and Economic Geography

• Sociology

• Urban och Region Planning

Entry requirements

Digital Media and Society

A Bachelor's degree equivalent to a Swedish degree of at least 180 credits (i.e. three years of full-time studies), including at least 90 credits of studies in social sciences or a comparable field. A statement of intent (3–5 pages) and a summary in English (1–2 pages) of a previous degree project (if any).

Proof of skills in English to a level corresponding to English B in the Swedish secondary school. This is normally attested by means of an internationally recognised test with the following minimum scores:

• IELTS: an overall mark of 6.5 and no section below 5.5
• TOEFL: Paper-based: Score of 4.5 (scale 1-6) in written test and a total score of 575. Internet-based: Score of 20 (scale 0-30) in written test and a total score of 90
• Cambridge: CAE, CPE

Economic History

Food Science and Nutrition

Social and Economic Geography

Media and Communication Studies

Education

Psychology

Urban and Regional Planning

Sociology

Statistics

Urban Studies

Aims

Upon completing the programme students will be able to address advanced work assignments in public authorities, in organisations and in companies as qualified analysts, project leaders or project participants. A solid theoretical and academic in-depth programme will foster a capacity for analytical and synthetic thinking, preparing for independent research in the discipline.

Training in the scientific method is integrated in the courses and the main content of certain methods courses. The ability to independently identify, formulate, and solve problems is a central theme of the programme, regardless of discipline. Students’ ability to make independent and critical judgements established at earlier levels will also be further developed.

Learning outcomes

Goals Expressed as Expected Outcomes

For a Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) the student shall

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
• demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study.
• demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information
• demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work
• demonstrate the ability in speech and writing both nationally and internationally to report clearly and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
• demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity.
• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

Upon completing the programme students shall also

• be able to identify and contextualise processes of change on various social levels
• be able to carry out their own project work based on solid social scientific analysis.
• independently and critically integrate and analyse knowledge in the area of social science.

Progression in the Programme

The programme is a two-year Master, with a clear exit option after one year, with the possibility of taking a one-year Master's degree. Studying at the advanced level represents a clear progression compared with the basic level. The progression in the programme consists of either greater depth in the main field of study, preparation for research or thematic specialisation.

Layout of the programme

Courses in student’s main field of study at the advanced level are combined with skills courses and elective courses that are taken together with other programme students from differing discipline backgrounds. The programme thus enables a broad schooling in social sciences in combination with

in-depth study.

The curriculum for the specialisations of the Master programme is based on a common programme structure. The centre of this structure consists of course modules comprising 7.5 credits that are pursued at a half-time rate, two and two in parallel.

On the programme there are courses in student’s main area of study (core courses), skill courses (common methodology courses for all students) and elective courses. The students take a least 60 credits of core courses, of which 30 credits consist of the Master's thesis. Skill courses comprise 30 credits and are offered by the programme. The students also take 30 credits of elective courses. Each specialisation has an outline prescribing the order of courses. The requirement for the thesis courses are decided by each discipline and are available in the course syllabus of the thesis courses for each specialisation.

Semester 1 starts with studies in a selected subject (major field) in tandem with two skills courses. Semester 2 consists of continued studies at the major subject department and two elective courses at another department, and/or a one-year-master degree thesis. In Semester 3 students take two skill courses and two elective courses. The final skill courses prepares for the thesis. Semester 4 is devoted to writing the Master's thesis.

Instruction

Instruction consists mainly of seminars and lectures. Written and oral treatments of articles and literature where students present their own assignments are a central part of instruction. Mandatory elements are included in most courses. Instruction can be offered in English. For the specialisation in Digital Media and Society all instruction is in English.

Degree

The programme leads to a two-year Master's degree (Degree of Master in Social Science, 120 credits) in the respective major field included in the programme comprising 120 credits, with at least 60 credits in the major field, including an independent degree project comprising at least 30 credits. The programme can be concluded with a one-year Master's degree (Degree of Master in Social Science, 60 credits) comprising 60 credits (in the respective major field), with at least 30 credits in the major field, including an independent degree project comprising at least 15 credits.

Other directives

Main fields of study in the programme are:

Economic History

Education

Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics

Media and Communication Science

Psychology

Social and Economic Geography

Sociology