Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course participants are expected to be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• explain how the concept of mindfulness is defined according to international consensus;
• describe how mindfulness is practiced and how this experience and knowledge can be of use in situations of psychological and physical stress; 

Skills and abilities

• analyse and reflect on the research and theory that mindfulness methodology is based on and in relation to their own experience-based understanding and knowledge of mindfulness practice; 

Evaluation ability and approach

• critically evaluate relevant research, and assess the usefulness and relevance of mindfulness-based methodology in complex situations, for example, when working in settings of conflict, violence and trauma, or sustainable development, wicked problems, and social transformation;

Content

This course aims to give participants evidence-based tools for stress management, well-being and health. It aims to provide participants with concrete tools for sustainable health and well-being when working with complex issues related to sustainable development, wicked problems, social transformation, war and peace, and other contexts involving trauma, violence, and suffering. Complex problems such as these involve high emotional charge and at times existential stress; people engaging with these topics read, watch, hear and work with some of the worst experiences known to humanity. The course seeks to prepare participants for the psychological challenges they may encounter in their studies, including in fieldwork, as well as in their future careers.

The experience-based part of the course is based on Eastern philosophy, Western psychology, group dynamics and experiential learning. The central aim of the course is to learn strategies to manage one's own stress in a rapidly changing world, often involving much uncertainty. To learn to meet these challenges with empirically grounded tools for recovery and recuperation, and for increased sustainability in one's personal and professional life, for example, when working in challenging fields which can cause existential anxiety, such as sustainable development,  aid in conflict zones, post-conflict peacebuilding, trauma, violence, and health.

Instruction

The course consists of lectures, seminars and a silent retreat day, as well as two independently written assignments.

Assessment

In order to receive the grade Pass (G), the participant is required to complete the following course components:

• Experience-based group meetings

  Mandatory participation in the experience-based group meetings with reflecting conversation, a silent retreat day, and home assignments between the meetings..

• Theoretical reflective seminars

  Seminars and two written assignments in which the literature in relation to the participant's own experience is reflected upon. The scope of and grading criteria for the written assignments will be given at the start of the course.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a participant to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

All examinations are in English.