Learning outcome

After successfully completing the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence.

Knowledge

The candidate has advanced knowledge of:

• Cultural traditions and traditional arts, and the historical and cultural contexts these are placed in
• Scientific and art theories and methods within the humanities, social sciences and artistic/cultural practices

Skills

The candidate can:

• Analyse theories, methods and interpretations within the areas of art/culture and the traditional arts

General competence

The candidate can:

• Analyse academic, vocational and research-ethical issues
• Use their knowledge and skills in new areas to carry out advanced assignments and projects

Course Description

The subject material of the Master’s study programme falls into two components: the Joint Introductory Component and the individual practical-theoretical component: the Master’s Degree Project, Including the Preliminary Project.

The Joint Introductory Component:

This component includes the following three topics:

• Tradition, culture, and identity
• Scientific theory and project development

• Practical part

These will to some extent intertwine and overlap each other.

Tradition, culture and identity:

Students will be able to discuss identity-formation processes in relation to tradition and traditional arts in different cultural contexts. A particular theme is communication and dissemination of traditional arts and changes in relation to new media, globalization and other cultural conditions. Other important fields are social class issues and nationalism, including questions concerning how Norwegian identity became associated with folk culture and rural Norway.

Scientific theory and project development:

Students will gain an overview of the scientific theory within the field of arts and cultural subjects and become familiar with important concepts and questions associated with this. They will apply these concepts in their own project plans and develop a first draft. Emphasis will be placed on methodological problems which will prepare students for work on their preliminary and Master’s degree projects, where a combination of theoretical and practical aspects will be emphasised.

Practical part:

Through practical work with different expressions, students will acquire practical knowledge in the use of concepts that are suited to analysis, descriptions and work with aesthetic expressions. Separate seminars will be given for folk art and folk music. The practical part concludes with a presentation where the student will show how his/her work developed during the seminars.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course includes lectures and seminars with both regular teachers and guest lecturers. Teaching and assessment in the Joint Introductory Component will primarily be offered in the autumn semester. The teaching sessions are usually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Some of the teaching sessions each semester will be run as seminars which will comprise practical workshops. Assignments and further information will be given out during the course of the semester.

Assessment Methods

The Joint Introductory Component of the Master’s degree programme comprises 30 ECTS.

Students must submit two assignments, one in the middle and one at the end of the first semester. The first must be evaluated as “passed” before students may continue to the next assignment. In addition, students will give a presentation in connection with the practical part, which must be passed before final submission. The final submission will be given a grade on the scale A-F, where grades A-E represent passing grades, and F represents a failing grade. The grade for the final assignment counts for ¼ of the final grade for the entire Master’s degree programme.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean