KOS4002 – Fieldwork Method and Practice
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course is designed for Master students who will conduct fieldwork in connection with their thesis. The course is designed for students in the Culture and Ideas Program and the Program for Asian and African Studies.
The course will give students an introduction to practical and theoretical aspects of fieldwork in accordance with different disciplinary traditions.
Learning outcome
The students should acquire an understanding of fieldwork as method, both in theory and in practice. They should also develop an understanding of questions related to source criticism and ethics. Fieldwork as part of a Master thesis will give experience in various forms of field collection of primary material. The use of such material in the thesis will give the student experience in handling and evaluating field material.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Individual course students may apply after January 12th depending on capacity.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Admission as a Master student to the Culture and Ideas Program or the Program for Asian and African Studies.
Recommended previous knowledge
Students in the Culture and Ideas Program should take KIS4000 - Introduksjon til masterstudiet i kultur- og idestudier the same term. Students in the Program for Asian and African Studies should take KOS4000 - Project Description for Asian and African studiesthe same term.
Teaching
Teaching will consist of lectures and seminars, as well as individual guidance. Most of the teaching will be given early in the term. The fieldwork itself may be conducted later the same term or the following term. For some students the course will therefore stretch over two terms. Presence in at least two thirds of the teaching is required. The joint lectures will be offered in English, whereas seminars and individual guidance may be conducted in English, French or Norwegian – depending on individual needs and disciplinary traditions. Requirements regarding length of fieldwork and its content vary between the different Master studies. Detailed information will be made available before the beginning of term. The fieldwork itself is organized by the student, alternatively after consultation with a supervisor. The fieldwork will give the students an opportunity to collect material for the thesis as well as experience in conducting a project. Some supervision may be available during fieldwork.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
The students will hand in a term essay in the form of a field report that presents and critically examines the student’s own fieldwork. The term essay should be 8-10 pages long (line spacing 1.5, 2300 characters per page, including spaces). Requirements regarding content and structure of the term essay vary between the different Master studies. Detailed information will be made available before the beginning of the term. The term essay may be written in English, French or Norwegian – as appropriate. The material collected after fieldwork should be deposited with the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages. Guidelines will be available.
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. If you would prefer to have the exam text in English, you may apply to the course administrators.
Grading scale
The student’s presentation is assessed as pass or fail
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.