HEV9002 Methodology, Philosophy of Science and Research Ethics

    • Number of credits
      10
    • Teaching semester
      2025 Autumn
    • Language of instruction
      Norwegian/English
    • Campus
      Elverum, Lillehammer
Course content

  • Key theoretical and ethical issues within the fields of health science, public health science, sports science and social science. 

  • Methods in the design of qualitative and quantitative research, and with mixed methods. 

  • Different approaches and strategies for qualitative and quantitative analysis. 

  • Assessment and evaluation of research questions, design and methodology. 

  • The role of user participation in research. 

  • Research requirements in the Health Research Act and the Act relating to the processing of personal data. 

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

Candidates: 

  • have in-depth knowledge about the main principles of quantitative and quantitative methodology. 

  • can assess the appropriateness of applying qualitative, quantitative and ‘mixed’ methods in the research process. 

  • have in-depth knowledge about and can critically assess key positions on scientific theory and ethical challenges associated with these positions. 

Skills

Candidates: 

  • can manage and justify both methodological research decisions and ethical research decisions in their own research projects. 

  • can identify ethical issues and deal with them according to established research ethics principles. 

  • can critically assess methodological and ethical strengths and weaknesses of health and welfare research projects. 

General competence

Candidates: 

  • can participate in professional debates on theoretical, ethical and methodological issues in health and welfare research.  

  • can critically assess applied research in health and welfare from theoretical and methodological perspectives.  

  • have insight into interdisciplinary approaches to complex issues. 

Teaching and working methods

Lectures with subsequent discussions.  

Language of instruction: 

Teaching is mainly conducted in Scandinavian languages and English, depending on the native language of the lecturer. If there are participants who do not use Scandinavian languages, English is used as a course language. 

Required coursework

There is a requirement of 80% attendance in order to take the exam.

Form of assessment

Individual home examination in the form of an essay.

Form of assessment:

Pass/Fail 

Assessments
Form of assessmentGrading scaleGroupingDuration of assessmentSupport materialsProportionComment
Home exam
Passed - not passed
Individual

Reading list

Faculty
Faculty of Social and Health Sciences