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 a thorough knowledge of the history, culture, and society of a selected region or group, with particular emphasis on ethnic, religious, and socio-cultural relations specific to the context.
• has a thorough knowledge of key historical events specific to the context and major developments in culture, society, and politics.

Skills

The student

• can search for and find relevant, valid, and up-to-date information on specific cultural contexts.
• can analyze academic problems on the basis of the history, culture, religion, socio-political context, and power relations relevant to the Master thesis theme. 
• can identify and analyze identity markers that are relevant to the context (for example: race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class, etc.).
• can use intersectional perspectives to analyze intercultural issues connected to a specific context.

General competence

The student

• has knowledge and understanding of the selected context with particular emphasis on culture, religion, politics, and society, and can apply general intercultural theories to a particular context.
• can find relevant, valid, and up-to-date information on the cultural, social, and political aspects of a selected context, with special attention to dynamic processes and historical development.

Content

For the purposes of this course, students may propose their own geographic and sociocultural specialization based on their research interests and career plans. The course aims to prepare the student for fieldwork in a particular cultural and geographical context. The choice of syllabus/readings should be discussed with and approved by an appointed course supervisor. The self-composed syllabus must be submitted in Canvas within the given deadlines.

Teaching and learning methods

The teaching methods include workshops/seminars on academic writing, the preparation of a literature review, and self-study. A working reading list has to be handed in and approved by the supervisor in the beginning of the semester. A more complete reading list will be handed in later in the semester with the second version of the literature review.

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 a 1200-page self-composed curriculum with relevance to the master thesis. The student must hand in the self-composed curriculum developed in dialog with a supervisor. This will be done in stages during the semester.
• Give prepared comments on co-students' drafts 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.