Entry requirements

Academic requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university.

Also required is 90 credits in sociology or sociological social psychology.

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.

Aims

The master's programme in sociology aims to provide the students with a solid scientific foundation in order to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for independent, critical and strategic work within sociology. The program moreover aims to provide a platform for the students' continued professional and scientific development, and to make them qualified to apply for doctoral studies with possibilities towards a academic career.

The program also aims to prepare students for professional careers, within government, organizations, and business through developing versatile skills and an in depth understanding of the different aspects of sociology. Hence, the program should not only provide the students with theoretical knowledge, but will also develop the practical and analytical skills necessary in different professional and societal context.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the program, the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of sociological concepts, theories and perspectives and their applications in social phenomena, and particularly specialised knowledge in chosen areas of sociological theory and also in current research and development work of relevance to sociology
• Demonstrate broad and specialised methodological knowledge and be able to report on scientific points of departure, concepts, techniques, principles and theories of data collection, processing and analysis.

Competence and skills

• Demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate sociological knowledge and to analyse, assess and deal with complex social phenomena, social issues and situations even with limited information.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically, independently and creatively identify and formulate relevant sociological issues, to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced scientific tasks within predetermined time frames and thereby contribute to ongoing learning.
• Demonstrate the ability to problematise and evaluate their own and others' sociological interpretations and analyses.
• Demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or to independently work in some other qualified capacity.
• Demonstrate the ability to - in both national and international contexts, verbally and in writing - objectively report on and discuss their own and others' conclusions and the knowledge and arguments underlying these in dialogue with various groups.

Judgement and approach

• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate and reflect on relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects and also demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work.
• Demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of sociology and the changeable role of sociological expertise in society
• Demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for their own ongoing learning.

Layout of the programme

The programme covers two years and 120 credits, out of which 67,5 credits are mandatory courses.

The first semester consists of four courses, each amount to 7,5 credits. First an mandatory introductory course - The Sociological Problem - followed by three thematical core courses. All courses during the second semester are mandatory: Advanced quantitative methods (7,5 credits), Advanced qualitative methods (7,5 credits) and a project course (15 credits). If a one-year master's degree is chosen, the project course is replaced by the Master's thesis in Sociology(15 credits) The third semester consists, apart from its first course in comparative sociology (7,5 credits) of elective courses intended to prepare for the upcoming thesis (each 7,5 credits) The fourth semester is devoted entirely to the Master's thesis in Sociology  (30 credits).

Instruction

Courses are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and training of practical skills in scientific work. As the programme proceeds, students are expected to take an increasing responsibility for their own learning. Written and oral presentations are central parts of the courses.

Degree

The programme leads to the degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with Sociology as the main field of study. After one year of study, it is possible to obtain a degree of Master of Science (60 credits).