IKF304 Socio-Cultural and Regional Specialisation

All versions:
IKF304 (2024—2025)
IKF304 (2023—2024)
IKF304 (2022—2023)
IKF304 (2021—2022)
IKF304 (2020—2021)
IKF304 (2019—2020)
IKF304 (2018—2019)
IKF304 (2017—2018)

Course code: IKF304

Course name: Socio-Cultural and Regional Specialisation

Semester: Spring

Location: Bergen

Academic year: 2023–2024

Language: English

Credits: 15 ECTS Credits

Available for course students: No

Required prerequisite knowledge

Master students in ICSM must have completed coursework requirements in IKF301 and IKF302 to continue with IKF304.

Relevance within study programme

Optional subject in the ICSM-program

Learning outcomes descriptors

Knowledge

The student

  • has thorough knowledge on the history, culture, major worldviews and religion of the selected region or ethnic groups, with particular emphasis on ethnic, religious and socio-cultural relations specific to the field.
  • has thorough knowledge on historical key events and on culture and society, including system of government, religion and worldviews specific to region/the immigrants´ region of origin.
  • has thorough knowledge on the human rights challenges in the region/the immigrants´ region of origin.
  • has thorough knowledge of relevant white papers / policy papers on the region.

Skills

The student

  • can analyse academic problems on the basis of the history, traditions, distinctive socio-cultural character and place in the regions relevant for the Master thesis– theme.
  • can analyse relations between culture, worldviews, religion and ethics in the relevant regions.
  • can identify human right violations and ethical challenges.
  • can search for and find relevant and valid information on specific cultural contexts.

General competence

The student

  • has knowledge and understanding of the selected cultural context with particular emphasis on the culture, religion, ethnicity and human rights, and is able to apply general intercultural theory to a particular context and find relevant and valid information.

Content

Students may compose their own course of geographical and sociocultural specialisation based on their own research interests and career plans. The aim of the course is to prepare the student for field work in a particular cultural and geographical context. The choice of syllabus should be discussed with and acknowledged by an appointed course supervisor. For the time being we can offer specialisation on Africa, Europe, Latin-America, China and Japan. The self-composed syllabus must be submitted in itslearning within given deadlines

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching methods include workshops/seminars on academic writing and literature review, and self-tuition. The reading-list has to be handed in and approved by the supervisor at the beginning of the semester.

Scope

450 hours. This includes self-study.

Coursework requirements

  • Participation and presentation of your project in three seminars.
  • Develop a research question on the sociocultural background with relevance to the master thesis. Select 1200 pages self-composed curriculum with relevance to the master thesis. The student must hand in the self-composed curriculum developed in dialog with a supervisor.
  • Give prepared comments on a co-students research proposal draft at two seminars.

Grading, coursework requirements

Approved / Not approved

Final assessment

  • Write an individual literature review of approx. 4000-6000 words. The literature review has to be handed in within a given date.

Grading, examination

The literature review will be graded according to the normal ECTS grading scale from A to F, in which E or better is necessary in order to pass the examination.

Permitted aids under examination

All aids permitted.

Assessment language

Scandinavian languages or English.

Practice

None.

Incompatible courses

IKF 305

Course evaluation

Annually course evaluation in accordance with the quality assurance system for NLA University College. Students may also give their feedback on the course in the student group/ in class.

Available as Single Course

No.