KOS4030 – Work as a research assistant
Course content
Participation in research and academic service under the auspices of a qualified researcher or research group. The student will be actively involved in different parts of the research process, from project development and data collection/analysis to editorial work and publications, with independent responsibility for different tasks. The student may also assist with other research administration and academic service, for example by contributing to workshops, dissemination, teaching assistance, textbook development, etc. Other tasks may involve exploring the academic benefits of new technologies and AI. The tasks will serve to develop the student's academic and practical skills that will benefit their master project and prepare them for future jobs. The researcher in charge will communicate with the student throughout the term course and provide an overall assessment of the outcome at the end of the term.
The work must be equivalent to 100 work hours spread throughout the semester. The guiding principle is that the tasks should be academically relevant, and a general contract between the student and IKOS will ensure this. The content of the work should be beneficial to both the student and the researcher in charge.
Learning outcome
After completing this course, the student will:
- Develop research competence, analytical skills, and capacity to evaluate and choose among different research designs and methods.
- Learn about different aspects of the research process and develop a broader understanding of academic work.
- Learn to communicate academic knowledge in different contexts, and utilize different technologies employed in academic work.
- Develop skills that prepare them for future jobs.
Admission to the course
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.
This course is only available for students admitted to one of the Master Programmes at IKOS. For more information regarding registration, please contact the department.
In order to take this course, you must find a specific researcher or research group in need of a research assistant. Work as a trainee in a research institute or relevant institution may also qualify, but only if there is already an agreement in place between IKOS and the institution in question.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Bachelor’s Degree or Cand. Mag. Degree or equivalent recognised education.
Additionally, you must have studied for a minimum of one semester at the Master’s Degree level.
Teaching
The student works independently, or in a group, with the instructed tasks. A high degree of independence is required. Students will also receive supervision by the project manager throughout the process.
Examination
The examination is a portfolio and an oral exam.
The portfolio consists of a selection of works adding up to 10 pages. The oral exam is a 20 minute powerpoint presentation of the portfolio work, followed by a 10 minute discussion session. The written works produced in this course may not be used in other submissions, e.g. the project description etc.
You must submit the exam in Inspera - see guides for digital exams.
You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the requirements and deadlines for the exam.
Language of examination
You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.