Examination arrangement

Course content

This course challenges you to identify the relationship between your chosen topic and field of research, as well as your research questions and the methods you may use for collecting data in a systematic and ethically responsible manner.

The course provides insights regarding general methodological approaches in the social sciences with a particular focus on ethnographic methods and the anthropological research process.

In this course, you will also acquire knowledge regarding how to develop and design your own research project, where there are logical relationships between research questions, choice of theoretical perspectives and methods.

Learning outcome

A student who has completed this course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

• You will have ethnographic and thematic knowledge regarding the field and topic for your research project.
• You will have in-depth knowledge regarding how theory and methods relate in ethnographic research, and are able to choose methods on the basis of the topic you wish to research.
• You will have in-depth knowledge regarding project development and how the different elements of a research project relate.
• You can identify and reflect on ethical dilemmas that the research project and field research raise.

Skills

• You can find, assess, and discuss existing research literature on a given research topic.
• You can formulate and operationalize research questions and problems.
• You can develop and finalize a research project.
• You will have obtained skills to critically assess the methodological choices of a project in relation to research questions and source material.

General competence

• You can critically evaluate the feasibility of a research project.
• You can assess the relationship between ethnographic methods and data materials.
• You can critically assess risk and ethical problems pertaining to a research project.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, workshops, and library course. Lectures will normally be given in Norwegian but can also be given in English.

Compulsory assignments

• Oral presentation and active participation in seminars

Further on evaluation

The grade will be based on the project description (4000 words) and an oral examination. The project description will receive a grade that may be adjusted based on your performance during the oral examination. An overall grade will be given based on the project description and the oral examination immediately after the oral examination, included an explanation of the grading.

The project description may be written in Norwegian, English or a Scandinavian language.

The compulsory assignments are oral presentations and active participation in the workshops. The compulsory assignments must be approved in order to be eligible to take the exam. Information is available by the start of the semester.

Specific conditions

Course materials

See reading list available at the beginning of the semester

Credit reductions