Master's Programme in Implementation, Transformative Learning and Sustainability
Programme syllabus, MIL2M
- Code
- MIL2M
- Finalised by
- The Educational Board of Medicine, 1 June 2021
- Registration number
- MEDFARM 2020/501
- Responsible faculty
- Faculty of Medicine
- Responsible department
- Department of Women's and Children's Health
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university, with 90 credits in technical-natural science, social science-humanities or medical-pharmaceutical fields.
Language requirements
Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. This requirement can be met either by achieving the required score on an internationally recognised test, or by previous upper secondary or university studies in some countries. Detailed instructions on how to provide evidence of your English proficiency are available at universityadmissions.se.
Aims
The programme aims to provide theoretical, empirical and practical knowledge about learning and change processes, implementation and leadership in, about and for sustainable development. The programme prepares students for independent work with learning for sustainability and global health in qualified professions, such as government administration, aid organisations, and the education sector. Students will also acquire knowledge to implement projects and programmes that address complex (wicked) sustainability problems. The programme also provides students with the opportunity to contribute to the scientific knowledge in the field and critically reflect on this knowledge production in different research and development contexts.
Students with a master's degree in implementation, transformative learning and sustainability will be eligible for PhD studies in "learning for sustainable development" and "global health". The programme also qualifies students for PhD studies in several other interdisciplinary subject areas, such as environmental communication, human ecology and gender studies.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
For the master's degree, the student must:
* demonstrate a general understanding of the subject area of learning for sustainable development and global health. Within this context, in-depth knowledge of implementation science, transformation, governance, and learning processes, including insights into contemporary research and development practice must be demonstrated.
Skills and abilities
For the master's degree, the student must:
* demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess and handle complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information.
* demonstrate the ability to critically, independently and creatively identify and formulate issues, plan and with adequate methods carry out qualified tasks within given time frames, and thereby contribute to the development of knowledge and its evaluation.
* demonstrate a methodological, theoretical and analytical ability to contribute to knowledge development in implementation, transformative learning and sustainability, and other relevant research traditions.
* demonstrate the ability to present and discuss insights from dialogue emerging from national and international contexts and across different societal intersections.
* demonstrate a capacity to apply critical systems thinking within economic, social/cultural and ecological sustainability domains, taking into account manifest complexity and goal conflicts.
* demonstrate the skills required to independently undertake qualified work with implementation, sustainability and transformative learning in research and development settings.
Judgment and approach in the first year
For the master's degree, the student must:
* demonstrate the ability to undertake assessments in the subject area of learning for sustainability and global health concerning relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects and show awareness of ethical aspects in research and development settings,
* show insight into normal science's possibilities and constraints, its role in society and human responsibility for its use, and
* demonstrate the ability to identify their need for additional knowledge and to take responsibility for their knowledge development.
Layout of the programme
The programme comprises four semesters (120 credits). Students must read at least five courses in learning for sustainable development and global health corresponding to 105 credits, including an independent work of 30 credits and 15 credits of elective courses outside or within the central area.
The first semester (30 credits) consists of three modules. Modules 1 and 2 provide a basic conceptual understanding of sustainability, social learning, implementation and wicked problems. Module 3 deals with implementation challenges in contexts characterised by conflicts of interest, power asymmetries and inequities.
The second semester (30 credits) begins with a course that introduces and trains students to use tools, approaches, and methods for implementation and foster transformative learning. The second course supports an understanding of the crucial elements in institutional governance design to enable implementation and transformative learning.
Students are assessed via various oral and written assignments in the first year, individually and in groups. The students will be encouraged to take active responsibility for their learning. Students will also be involved in co-creating assignments, examinations and peer review.
The second year begins with a 15 credit elective course or an internship. This is followed by a 15 credit course in research methods that prepares students for independent research. The last semester consists of an independent research project of 30 credits.
Programme Courses
Term 1:
Introduction to Sustainable Development, 7.5 credits
Introduction to Implementation Science, 7.5 credits
Power, Equity and Transformation, 15 credits
Term 2:
Implementation Methods and Design, 15 credits
Governance for Sustainability, 15 credits
Term 3:
Elective Course (s) [Internship or theory and method courses], 15 credits
Research Methods, 15 credits
Term 4:
Thesis, 30 credits
Progression within the master's programme consists of specialisation in learning for sustainable development and global health, leading to PhD studies and/or working life eligibility. The following chart depicts the programme's progression:
Introduction to Sustainable Development and Introduction to Implementation Science 7,5 credits + 7,5 credits The course explores how diverse perspectives and knowledge systems can be translated into implementable actions that address complex sustainability problems. | Elective Course 15 credits Internship or theory/methods courses | |
Power, Equity and Transformation 15 credits This course examines role of power and agency and their potential to distort the implementation of just sustainability actions. | Research Methods 15 credits Interviews, statistics, discourse analysis, etc.) | |
Implementation Methods and Design 15 credits In this course explorative methodologies deliberated upon. Explorative methods allow for co-inquiry, co-design and testing of sustainability actions without having real world consequences. | Thesis work 30 credits The second year research block enables students to review desirable implementation practices growing out of the course work in year 1. | |
Governance for Sustainability 15 credits This course analyses the formation of appropriate institutional support, in the context of enabling governance approaches, to support the implementation of sustainable development. |
Instruction
The teaching consists of lectures, seminars, and assignments carried out individually and in groups. The students present their knowledge continuously during the education through oral presentations, discussions and writing of scientific papers. The design of the master's programme draws on pedagogical principles, which includes active student participation and close contact and co-creation of knowledge with the surrounding society. The teaching draws on collaborative learning and student-activating pedagogy, where the student's previous experience of research perspectives and education are considered central.
Degree
The programme leads to a master's degree in medicine (Masters Degree of Medicine, 120 credits) in the main field of learning for sustainability and global health.
In fulfilment of the master's degree, students must complete the course requirements of 120 credits. At least 60 of these credits must fall under the subject area, and 30pts must consist of an independent research component of at least 30 credits. In addition, there are requirements for a completed bachelor's degree, artistic bachelor's degree, vocational degree of at least 180 credits or an equivalent foreign degree.