Basic Seminar
10 credits (= about. 280 hours of work)
Objective
The Basic Seminar in the ph.d.-program is to ensure that the ph.d.-candidate has basic knowledge about and skills within areas that are of foundational importance for scholarly production in general and for the dissertation work in particular. The seminar takes place over a series of sessions. The faculty will ensure that the bulk of the activity and learning processes can be carried out in the first phases of the ph.d. period.
Implementation
Every ph.d. candidate will participate in the following activities (with an estimation of workload):
- Bibliographic Method (including EndNote) 15 hours
- Writing course with presentation 45 hours
- Research Ethics with presentation 45 hours
- Theory of Knowledge 75 hours
- Theory of Knowledge Essay 100 hours
The seminar is an obligatory part of the Faculty of Theology’s ph.d. program. Parts of the seminar may be taken outside the Faculty of Theology’s ph.d. program should the supervisor advise as much, and should there be weighty scholarly and social reasons to suggest such a measure. In such cases, the ph.d. candidate must document the satisfactory completion of research ethical training.
Bibliographic Course
The course gives an introduction to bibliographic standards, bibliographic databases and other accessories, and in the use of the bibliographic program EndNote (offered all research fellows at the University of Oslo). The objective is to give basic knowledge for adequate bibliographic work at a ph.d. level, establish good bibliographic routines and care early in the ph.d. work and to inspire towards high standards concerning the dissertation’s bibliographic aspects.
Work requirements: as a background to the seminar, the ph.d. candidate should acquaint themselves with various bibliographical standards and accessories.
Literature, programs, accessories are announced in connection with the course itself.
Writing course with presentation
The course gives an introduction to writing techniques, typical processes and usual challenges. The objective is to exercise one’s regard for the writing process, ability to learn various writing techniques, and also to exercise care regarding one’s own and others’ writing processes.
Work requirement: As background for the seminar, the ph.d. candidate should acquaint themselves with various accounts of writing techniques, read about 200 pages of dissertation text, and write a presentation that will give a taste of their own presentation form, style, etc.
Literature and accessories will be announced in connection with the course itself.
Research Ethics with presentation
The research ethics course will give an introduction to various research ethical problems in current research: quotation practice, interview practice, rules for storing research results, and in addition the assessment of the researcher as agent, of interests, political strategies in research activity, etc.
Work requirements: as background for the seminar, the ph.d. candidate should write a short presentation of their own project with a consideration of pertinent research ethical problems. The consideration should be based on research ethical guidelines for the Social Sciences, Humanities, Law, and Theology.
Laws, regulations, literature and resources are announced in connection with the course itself.
Theory of Knowledge with Theory of Knowledge Essay
The course gives an introduction to central theory of knowledge for Theology and the Humanities. Together with lectures, a substantial reading list is included. Reading in and understanding of the reading list will be assessed by the ph.d. candidate writing a theory of knowledge essay. This should be formed in such a way as to be publishable as a part of the scholarly literature in the relevant discipline. The theme for the essay is to be approved by the supervisor, who also approves the final essay.
Description of requirements for the writing of the theory of knowledge essay.
Literature is announced in connection with the course itself.