Core topics

• Ghana and Africa
• Politics, governance and social movements
• Environment and social development
• Development studies and fieldwork (method)

Read the full course description

Fieldwork

This program aims to give the students fieldwork experience (in groups of 4 to 6) within development studies. It takes an inductive approach, where the students' personal field experiences shed light on the literature, rather than the more deductive approach where a theoretical model is applied to research data. 

Through the course, lectures, assignments and seminars, the students will build their foundation of quantitative, qualitative and participatory methods. They prepare for the possibilities and limitations of the different methods, and develop an understanding of the methodological and ethical issues connected to development research.

Academic prerequisitions

To study Development studies 2, students need to have studied at least one year of social sciences or one semester of development studies, thus already having a basic understanding of development theory, practice and politics.

Bachelor program?

If you have previously studied one semester of development studies, following development studies 2 will enable you to qualify to apply for admittance for the second year and finish the bachelor at OsloMet.

The structure of the semester

1. The self-study period: before you travel to Ghana you are expected to get acquinted with the curriculum and write an introductory assignment.
2. The main periode: consists of ten weeks in Accra with lectures, seminars, fieldwork, exam and group assignments.
3. Field report: after the lecture periode you have five weeks to write up your field report. 

The self studies and the field report can be done anywhere in the world, advantageously in Ghana.

The students

The majority of the students are from Scandinavia, with an increasing number of participants from other European countries. Kulturstudier offers scholarships to students from Ghana. This is to make our program accessible to local students, that might not otherwise have the financial means to participate.The scholarship students helps the visting students connect with and understand their environments.

The differences in the students´ social, academic and professional backgrounds also make for interesting debates and seminar groups. Approximately one third of the students come directly from college, one third has started their bachelor programs and the last third is made up of experienced students.

The teachers

The independent status of Kulturstudier makes it possible for us to recruit the best lecturers and seminar leaders from all over the world, including Vietnam. We are very proud of our proficient teaching staff who ensure that students recieve the maximum benefits from their studies.

Relevance

As Development studies focuses on social change, it naturally draws on all the traditional social science disciplines, such as economy, sociology, anthropology, geography and political science. Whether you are planning a bachelor in development studies or take this semester as an elective subject, you will benefit from the experience of analyzing social change, and seeing the connection between the individual, global processes and society at large. 

University partners

Institute for International Studies at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) holds the academic responsibility for the program. You get your ECTS and state loan/scholarships through and because of OsloMet. It is Norway´s third largest university college, with approximately 20 000 students and 2000 employees.

In Ghana we cooperate with the University of Cape Coast, which contribute with,among other things, some of the students and course lecturers.

The application process

To apply for the courses you must be eligible for university training and have studied at least one year of social sciences or one semester of development studies.

Fill in the application form. If there are still places available we will send you an offer with an invoice for the deposit of 250 Euro. By paying the deposit you confirm your place on the programme. Leading up to the start of the programme we will keep you informed about the preparations for travel and studies.

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