Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Teaching language

English

Recommended previous knowledge

ME-413-1 Research methods

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • select theoretical literature relevant for practical research exercises within a given topic
  • plan and conduct a practical field exercise, including data collection
  • select and apply various research methods to explore a given research topic
  • organise work and collaborate in research teams across interests and disciplines
  • recognise the challenges of doing research in unfamiliar contexts
  • disseminate research, both through oral presentations and written reports

Contents

The aim of this course is to familiarise students with the practical experiences of doing field work for research, in a new context. The course provides a clear connection to previous courses and literature, as the student is expected to tie the practical experiences and challenges of doing research in a given context to relevant literature and theories learnt throughout the master’s courses. As such it is also an important preparation for the students’ individual thesis work and the thesis seminar ME- 521. Through the field course, students will be introduced to:

  • how to exercise practical fieldwork methods for a given topic
  • how to relate to various stakeholders and act in the field
  • how to report from the fieldwork and how to reflect on the fieldwork experience
  • how to work in teams as part of research
  • how to tie practical findings to theories and concepts
  • how to write a research report and how to disseminate research findings to the general public.

The field course takes place as a four weeks exercise in a country in the Global South. For students attending a field course in Norway or the Nordic Countries, the field exercise will last one week, but include preparatory work and work with the final assignment. Students who for particular reasons cannot participate in the organised field course and its practical exercises must deliver an equivalent work. The replacement exercise focuses on further developing practical skills in research methods, building on ME-413-1 and leading to the next steps of the thesis seminar curriculum. A written, graded replacement assignment which requires a short, initial field work exercise by the student is set by the course instructor.

Teaching and learning methods

Seminars, lectures and practical field exercises. Estimated workload, 27 hours per credit.

Examination requirements

The student must pass all components to pass the course. The portfolio includes: one group-based scientific field report and one group based presentation for the general public (For students not attending the field course, a replacement assignment (written + oral) form the basis of assessment.

Examinations

Portfolio assessment counting 100%. All components are assessed as pass/fail. The student must pass all components to pass the course. The portfolio includes: one group-based scientific field report and one group-based presentation for the general public. For students not attending the field course, the replacement assignment forms the basis of assessment, a written report and an oral presentation.

Student evaluation

The person responsible for the course decides, in cooperation with student representative, the form of student evaluation and whether the course is to have a midway or end of course evaluation in accordance with the quality system for education, chapter 4.1.

Reduction of Credits

This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:

Course Reduction of Credits
ME-521 – Thesis seminar in Development Management. 5
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 2:06:39 PM