- Course code: PHD901
- Credits: 5
- Language: English
Study program affiliation:
Theory of Science and Research Ethics PHD901
GENERAL INFORMATION
The course offers advanced training in the theory of science and research ethics, highlighting both historical and contemporary perspectives and key conceptual and fundamental issues. It deals with different positions in the interdisciplinary field where knowledge, rationality, objectivity, religion, values, and practices are central scientific theoretical themes. The course also stresses ethics and normativity related to research in the social and human sciences.The course includes the following topics:
- How do scholars define their object of research?
- Which methodologies, topics, subjects, and materials are considered appropriate to respond to basic questions in the field?
- Hermeneutics and pragmatics
- Varieties of realism and constructivism: critical realism, social constructivism, and post constructivist
- Ethical guidelines for humanities and social sciences and essential topics in research ethics relevant to these academic fields
MODES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Mandatory presentations by the students
- Workshops
- Paper writing
The course is offered every second autumn semester- approximately 20 hours distributed over four days.
Study requirements
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
- Attend the course seminar (min. 75 %)
- Submit a draft (1000-1500 words) for a course paper two weeks before the first session
- Submit min. four questions on the background of the work with the course paper
- Respond to the paper and questions of one fellow PhD student
- Either submit a draft for a course paper within three weeks after the course (1000-1500 words) or submit a final version of the course paper (4000-5000 words) within three weeks after the course.
- Participate in the evaluation of the course, if such evaluation is stipulated in the relevant term
Final assessment/Exam
FINAL ASSESSMENT
The course is graded ‘passed’/’not passed.’
Learning outcome
COURSE OBJECTIVE AND AIM
The students will gain
Knowledge
- historical and contemporary perspectives of the theory of science
- key conceptual and fundamental issues within the theory of science and research ethics
- how various disciplines and theoretical approaches relate to each other and the tasks they are intended to solve
- how one’s own research project is located, functions, and is situated within the research context and relevant areas /disciplines
- Ethical guidelines for humanities and social sciences
- Ethics and normativity related to research in the social and human sciences
Skills
- Ability to identify, reason, and argue on relevant issues related to the theory of science in their own research project