Program Overview

Course Overview

The course "Policy, Welfare and Inequality" (ISA3000) is a second-degree level course offered at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). It is taught in English and is worth 7.5 credits.

Course Details

Course Content

This course focuses on the structural conditions that shape the lives of individuals and groups in society. It explores the development of policy, provision of welfare, and inequality in a national and international context. The lectures cover different theoretical perspectives on welfare regimes and forms of inequalities, including concepts such as citizenship, inclusion and exclusion, diversity, social class, poverty, discrimination, and social investment.

Learning Outcome

Upon completion of the course, students will have advanced knowledge of:

• The historical and current development of the welfare state nationally and internationally
• Challenges associated with different welfare regimes
• Diversity, equality, and inequality in the contemporary and future welfare context

Students will also demonstrate the ability to:

• Account in-depth for different sociopolitical ideas and discourses
• Discuss in-depth concepts such as citizenship, inclusion and exclusion, and inequality, and their intersections
• Critically compare and analyze political objectives, strategies, and their implications

Additionally, students will be able to critically and advancedly reflect on how institutional ideas and structures frame and shape the lives and living conditions of individuals and groups in society.

Learning Methods and Activities

The course consists of lectures, seminars, and a written assignment.

Evaluation

The form of assessment is a term paper, which should be 4000-5000 words.

Recommended and Required Previous Knowledge

Students are recommended to have a Bachelor's degree or the equivalent in the Social Sciences. A Bachelor's degree is required.

Course Materials

The reading list for the course is 600-800 pages, and the syllabus list is published on Blackboard at the start of the course.

Subject Areas

The course falls under the subject area of Social Sciences.

Examination

The examination arrangement for the course is an assignment, which accounts for 100% of the grade. The assignment is submitted through the Inspera Assessment system.

Location and Duration

The course is located in Trondheim and lasts for one semester.

Language of Instruction

The language of instruction for the course is English.