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2018/2019  BA-BPOLO2007U  Philosophy of Social Science and Second Year Project

English Title
Philosophy of Social Science and Second Year Project

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc/MSc i International Business and Politics, BSc
Course coordinator
  • Hubert Buch-Hansen - Department of Organization (IOA)
Main academic disciplines
  • Philosophy and ethics
  • Methodology and philosophy of science
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 27-06-2018

Relevant links

Learning objectives
The overall purpose is to develop students’ skills in making informed and reasoned methodological and theoretical choices in their own analytical work. At the end of the course students are expected to be able to:
  • Describe, compare, and discuss the basic positions in the philosophy of science.
  • Formulate a research question.
  • Make and critically assess theoretical and methodological choices.
  • Retrieve relevant information and data.
  • Produce and present coherently argued answers, combining theory, methodology, and data, to the research question posed.
  • Explain how their own work is situated in relation to the basic positions in the philosophy of social science
Examination
Philosophy of Social Science and Second Year Project:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance.
Individual or group exam Oral group exam based on written group product
Number of people in the group 2-4
Size of written product Max. 40 pages
It is possible to write the project individually without applying for exemption.

Maximum project length:
3-4 students: 40 standard pages
2 students: 30 standard pages
1 student: 20 standard pages
Assignment type Project
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Re-exam when the ordinary exam is failed is an individual oral exam (20 minutes per student) based on the original report and 3 standard page supplement. The report must also be resubmitted.
If you have not handed in a project in the first exam try you must hand in a full report plus the additional 3 pages.

Make-up exam when ill with Doctor's certificate at the ordinary exam is an individual oral exam (20 minutes per student) based on the original report. The report must also be resubmitted.

Make-up exam when ill with Doctor's certificate during the writing of the project is the same as the ordinary exam.
Course content and structure

The overall purpose is to develop students’ skills in making sound, informed, and reasoned methodological and theoretical choices in their own analytical work. The course covers i) key positions in the philosophy of social science, ii) the implications of such positions for research design iii) the writing of a project report.

 

The course introduces established philosophy of social science positions, such as positivism, constructivism and critical realism. It brings into focus the implications of philosophy of science for the research design, including the choice of theory, methods and data.

 

In extension of the lectures, students write a project report under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. Students choose their own project theme and develop their own research question. The project must i) apply theories in an empirically grounded analysis, ii) it must use either qualitative or quantitative methods to analyse data and iii) it must relate theoretical and methodological choices to philosophy of science.

Description of the teaching methods
Lectures
Feedback during the teaching period
Students receive feedback in the form of supervision of the second year project.
Student workload
Preparation time (readings, group work etc.) 32 hours
Lectures / class exercises / “homework cafés” / workshops etc. 16 hours
Exam (incl. preparation for the exam and actual exam period) 160 hours
Last updated on 27-06-2018