The student should demonstrate ability to:
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formulate, delimit and analyse an academic problem,
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apply and discuss the theories and methods relevant to the project, in particular the concepts and theories relevant to organisational sociology,
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select and apply fundamental quantitative methods, and relate these to theoretical positions presented in the syllabi of the courses ’Philosophy of Science’ and ’Introduction to Organisational Sociology’,
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structure the layout and present the material in a clearly formulated and accessible way in terms of both language and content,
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discuss how the knowledge acquired in the second semester courses ‘Philosophy of Science’, ‘Introduction to Research Methods’, and ‘Quantitative Methods I’ is reflected throughout the project, and
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reflect upon his/her own ways of applying data.
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First year project on organisational sociology and research design:
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Assessment
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Oral with Written Assignment
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Marking Scale
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7-step scale
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Censorship
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External examiners
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Exam Period
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May/June
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Aids
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Without preparation
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Duration
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30 Minutes
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All four second semester courses are assessed at this first year project examination. - The examination is an individual oral examination of 30 minutes, including the examiners’ discussion and awarding of the grade. It is based on the first year project report.
- The project is to be written in groups of four, cf., however, section 6(7). Maximum size: 15 standard pages + additional 3 standard pages per student. It must include an abstract. For more details, see the separate project guidelines.
- The student will be awarded one grade according to the 7-point grading scale, reflecting an overall assessment of the project, the oral presentation and the defence. The student’s proficiency in spelling and fluency in writing will also be taken into account in the assessment; however, most emphasis will be put on academic content.
- The examination is external, and assessment is carried out by an internal examiner and an external examiner appointed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
Make-up examination and re-examination
The re-take takes place according to the same rules as the regular examination. However, the following supplementary rules apply: - For projects where some of the group members are awarded the grade 00 or below at the oral examination, the failed students must submit individually, before the re-take, 2-3 pages on aspects of the project, as specified by the internal examiner.
- For projects where all members are awarded the grade 00 or below at the oral examination, the overall project is deemed unacceptable. Before the re-take, the project must be revised and improved. For supervision in this respect, the internal examiner will give a brief written critique of the project within eight working days after the regular oral examination.
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2PS. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
Aim: To provide the student with (1) a general insight into the different conceptions of science which have informed social sciences to this day; (2) knowledge about different perceptions of society and the individual, rooted in the ontological and epistemological assumptions of different philosophy of science traditions.
On completion of this course, the student should be able to: - give an account of the basic ontological and epistemological assumptions within the different philosophy of science traditions presented in the syllabus,
- locate the theoretical positions and key concepts in a broader science-philosophical context,
- identify central similarities and differences between the main ideas within the different philosophy of science traditions presented in the syllabus, and
- integrate an understanding of the different philosophy of science traditions with the methodological considerations in the first year project.
2IRM. INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS
Aim: To introduce students to academic research methods in general and survey research specifically. In the course, the students will be required to a) design and carry out a small survey of their own, and b) to work upon research questions for their semester project. The focus in the course is on the beginning and end of the research process – the production of data and the reporting of results.
On completion of the course, the student should be confident with basic academic working methods for identifying research problems and selecting theory, methods and data for analysis. More specifically, the student should be able to: - formulate a limited and precise quantitative research problem,
- operationalise a research problem, including developing models and hypotheses,
- develop a simple questionnaire and demonstrate knowledge of random sample design and sample size,
- account for the effect of the sampling methods on the research design, at a basic level,
- discuss strengths and weaknesses of the applied empirical methods, drawing on relevant methods resources, and
- be able to report results according to academic standards.
2QNM. QUANTITATIVE METHODS I
Aim: to give the student (1) a theoretical and practical introduction to quantitative methods in the social sciences, and (2) an understanding of the relevance of these methods in relation to the other second semester courses. The course focuses on the implications of different research designs, possibilities and limitations of quantitative methods as well as assessments of their validity.
On completion of the course, the student should be able to use different quantitative methods and analytical strategies within organisational sociology and business administration. Specifically, the student should be able to: - plan a basic statistic analysis,
- analyse data and present the relevant findings in tables and figures,
- account for and demonstrate knowledge about which impact the level of measurement has on the analyses,
- discuss strengths and weaknesses in the data set in relation to a given problem, and
- use the computer assisted tools such as e.g. the software programs SPSS and Microsoft Excel.
2IOS. INTRODUCTION TO ORGANISATIONAL SOCIOLOGY
Aim: To provide the student with (1) a basic sociological knowledge about different aspects of organisational life such as power, conflict or organisational change, as well as different approaches to the daily handling of organisational operations through management, decision-making and leadership; (2) fundamental skills to identify and analyse how various types of activities are organised in different sectors (3) an understanding of the potential interactions between organisational analysis and organisational reality.
On successful completion of the course, the student should be able to: - account for, at a basic level, how organisations are viewed and analysed from a sociological perspective based on relevant theories of organisational sociology,
- account for the organisational structure, purpose and functions of organisations when analysed through different perspectives in organisational sociology,
- describe, explain, compare and assess organisational circumstances and identify models for how organisations handle their everyday operations,
- account for and discuss the implications of different models of organisation for actual organisational practices, and
- apply the theories covered in the curriculum to empirical cases and use them to formulate and justify relevant research questions.
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Indicative course literature
PLEASE CHECK THE UPDATED 2012 VERSION OF THE COURSE GUIDES ON CBSLEARN BEFORE BUYING ANY BOOKS 2IOS Introduction to Organisational Sociology A compendium for the course will be available in the CBS bookstore.The readings for each session are mostly structured as follows: one compulsory reading per session, a case study of a specific organization that illustrates the respective topic of the session and relevant chapter(s) for each session in a textbook. 2PS Philosophy of Science
Gerard Delanty (2005): Social Science: Philosophical and Methodological Foundations, 2nd ed, Maidenhead: Open University Press. The other prescribed reading is available in a compendium which will be available in CBS bookstore. 2IRM Introduction to Research Methods
Alan Bryman and Emma Bell: Business Research Methods. Oxford University Press 2007. The other prescribed readings are collected in a compendium which will be available in the CBS bookstore. 2QNM Quantitative Methods I
R. Mark Sirkin: Statistics for the Social Sciences. SAGE 2009. Carol S. Aneshensel: Theory-Based Data Analysis for the Social Sciences. Pine Forge Press 2002. |
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