Syllabus, valid from 2016-01-18

Title

Urban Studies: Making Urban Studies

Swedish title

Urbana studier: Självständigt arbete i urbana studier

Course code

US640E

Credits

15 credits

Grading scale

UA / Excellent (A), Very Good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Pass (E) or Fail (U)

Language of instruction

English

Decision-making body

Faculty of Culture and Society

Syllabus approval date

2014-08-14

Syllabus valid from

2016-01-18

Level

Advanced level

Entry requirements

At least 30 credits from US610E, US620E and US630E

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Main field

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Main fields

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Urban Studies

Progression level

A1F

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course forms part of the main field of Urban Studies, second-cycle level.

Course objectives

The purpose of the course is that students should develop their ability through specialisation to independently relate to current research within the main field of Urban Studies

Course contents

The course consists of independent work with a research product under qualified supervision.

The course consists of several integrated elements:

Introductory presentations of possible student projects within the main field of Urban Studies.
Group supervision where students comment on each other's ongoing work.
Seminars where students present and express criticism of each other's research products.

Learning outcomes

Following successful completion of the course students should demonstrate

a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as a deepened insight into current research and development work
specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of Urban Studies
such skills as are required to participate in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity within the Urban Studies field
a further developed ability to critically, independently and creatively identify and formulate issues within the main area of Urban Studies
a further developed ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information
the ability to plan and implement and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and thus contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work
a further developed ability to critically, autonomously and creatively, in cooperation with social actors, identify and formulate issues in relation to contemporary urban challenges
a further developed ability to clearly report and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and the arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences within the framework of the international context of the program
a further developed ability to make assessments in the main field of Urban Studies informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work
the ability to critically discuss the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used
the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for their ongoing learning.

Learning activities

Work formats include, in addition to individual literature studies, essay writing and the assembling of presentation material, inspiration seminars of various types, the gathering of research material, group supervision and opposition seminars.

Assessment

Written and oral presentations of research work within Urban Studies, either in the form of an essay or in the form of a realized cooperation project (10 credits) (objectives 1 – 11) (grading scale A-E, U)
Criticism of another student's equivalent work (2.5 credits) (objectives 1 – 11) (grading scale UG)
Active participation in group supervision, including active participation in seminars (2.5 credits) (objectives 1 – 11) (grading scale UG)

Course literature and other study material

Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.G. & Williams, J.M. (2008). The craft of research. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Hart, C. (1998). Doing a literature review: Releasing the social science research imagination. Sage.
Martin, D. & Flowerdew, R. (2013). Methods in Human Geography. A guide for students doing a research project. Taylor and Francis (e-book).
Silverman, D. (2011). Interpreting qualitative data. Sage.
Tashakkori, A. & Teddlie, C. (2003). Handbook of mixed methods in social & behavioral research. Sage.
Walcott, H.F. (1990). Writing up qualitative research. Qualitative Research Methods Series (20).
Further articles may be added (max 120 pages).

Students are expected to autonomously search, evaluate and use literature relevant to the chosen topic.

Course evaluation

The University provides students participating in or upon completion of a course with the opportunity to relay their experiences of and opinions on the course through a course evaluation which is administered by the University. The University compiles and summarizes the course evaluations and informs students of the results and any decisions relating to measures made on the basis of the course evaluations. Results are made available to students (HF 1:14)

Interim rules

If a course is no longer offered or has undergone major changes, students are offered two re-take sessions based on the syllabus in force at registration during a period of one year from the date of the implementation of the Changes.