Digital Society and Societal Transformations - Master's Degree Programme


Study programme description for study year 2024-2025

Facts

Credits (ECTS)

120

Studyprogram code

M-DIG

Level

Master's degree (2 years)

Leads to degree

Master i digitale samfunn og sosiale transformasjoner

Full-/Part-time

Full-time

Duration

4 Semesters

Undergraduate

Yes

Language of instruction

Technologies shape society. AI, data, and algorithms transform the way we work, communicate, and live our daily lives. Who benefits from these technological transformations? That depends on the economic, political, and cultural contexts in which they evolve.

The Master in Digital Society and Societal Transformations educates social scientists who understand how data and AI work, and how technology impacts democratic society. This program will not teach you coding - it will give you the analytical and critical tools to live and work in the digital society, and better understand how technologies shape society.

About the program

Who is technology for? As we move towards a securing a more sustainable future, digitalisation represents challenges as well as opportunities. Society needs more interdisciplinary competences about how technologies affect political processes, social relations, identity, and sustainability. Digitalisation is not just a technical challenge that we need engineers to solve. We also need topeople who understand how the digital impacts on our everyday lives.

The programme gives students insight into how artificial intelligence alter the conditions for life and work, how datafication is changing public administration, and how social media transform the way we communicate. Students will tackle key issues in sociology, political science, media studies and data science to understand how the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation affects society as a whole. The programme prepares students for work in all sectors undergoing digital transformation, including in organisation and management, civic and cultural sectors, public administration, and in media and communication.

Do you want to understand how AI shapes decision making? Are you curious about the conditions for digital democracy? Do you think citizens should be heard when authorities make technology decisions?

If you are looking for an interdisciplinary education that prepares you for working under digital transformations, then this is the right programme for you.

Work Placement

The programme offers work placement in the third semester with municipalities and private companies undergoing in digitalization processes in the region. UiS has a number of work placement agreements, but you can also propose work placements, evaluated in accordance with pre-defined criteria established by the Department.

  • The intership course is worth 30 credits
  • The work placement increases your awareness of your role in relation to others in specific work enviromnets
  • The course will increase your capacity to perform new tasks in a dynamic setting, often this involves different an altering tasks
  • You gain insight into how to analyse situations and make use of different theories, methods and skills to affect real processes

Learning outcomes

The student will, after having completed the programme, have the following knowledge, skills, and general competencies:

Knowledge:

Upon completing the programme, the student will have:

  • advanced knowledge of digitalisation as a social, political, communicative, and technical process
  • thorough knowledge of the theoretical and practical implications and impacts of digitalisation in contemporary societies
  • in-depth interdisciplinary knowledge of the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for society
  • the ability to apply knowledge to new areas within the academic field
  • the ability to analyse academic problems on the basis of the history, traditions, distinctive character and place in society of the academic field

Skills:

Upon completing the programme, the student can:

  • analyse and critically assess different academic, political, and technical sources of information
  • apply theories independently to practical and theoretical problems
  • use relevant scientific methods and work independently as well as interdisciplinarily
  • carry out an independent, limited research project under supervision
  • shape the digital transformation for sustainable development

General competence:

Upon completing the programme, the student can:

  • analyse and present relevant academic, professional, and research ethical problems
  • apply knowledge to new and emerging areas within the social sciences
  • communicate and master the terminology of the field
  • communicate about academic issues, analyses and conclusions in the field, both with specialists and the general public
  • contribute new thinking, entrepreneurship, and innovation processes related to the digitalisation of society

Career prospects

Relevance for working life and/or further studies

The programme gives students the skills to work in public administration, the civil society sector, and the private industries. Their unique interdisciplinary skills are suitable for jobs tackling:

  • citizen services, user engagement, and inclusive democratic processes
  • regulatory compliance and business implementation of technology solutions
  • ethical technology procurement and digitalization for sustainability
  • digital rights, data protection and digital literacy
  • the responsible use of artificial intelligence
  • smart city datafication processes
  • policy development and analysis
  • business strategy, business models and monetisation of technology solutions
  • risk management and regulatory compliance
  • digital communication and social media strategies
  • data analysis and data research

Sectors where students will find relevant roles include:

  • in municipalities and other public sector organisations that service the public
  • in smart cities seeking to build and utilise digital infrastructures
  • at government ministries regulating and facilitating digitalisation and innovation processes in all sectors of society
  • in organisations and private enterprises where digital services are key to customer relations, product development and resource management
  • in the education sectors that seeking to strengthen digital literacy
  • in the health sector where patient care is transformed by automation and robotisation
  • in the media and cultural industries where information, heritage, and creativity is increasingly digitised

The programme qualifies students to apply for a Ph.D. programme in social science.

Course assessment

All courses undergo evaluation in accordance with UiS system for quality control.

Study plan and courses

  • Compulsory courses

  • Elective courses og exchange studies

    • Elective courses

      • MENPRA: Work Placement

        Year 2, semester 3

        Work Placement (MENPRA)

        Study points: 30

      • RIS505: Foundations of Risk Analysis and Risk Science

        Year 2, semester 3

        Foundations of Risk Analysis and Risk Science (RIS505)

        Study points: 10

      • BYG655: New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development

        Year 2, semester 3

        New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development (BYG655)

        Study points: 10

      • SAM550: Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development

        Year 2, semester 3

        Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development (SAM550)

        Study points: 10

      • GEN570: Global Sexualities:Theories, Methodologies, Practices

        Year 2, semester 3

        Global Sexualities:Theories, Methodologies, Practices (GEN570)

        Study points: 10

      • MEE128: Digitalisation for Sustainability

        Year 2, semester 3

        Digitalisation for Sustainability (MEE128)

        Study points: 10

    • Exchange studies

  • Compulsory courses

    • DIG501: Media, Data and Society

      Year 1, semester 1

      Media, Data and Society (DIG501)

      Study points: 10

    • DIG504: Digital Culture and Everyday Life

      Year 1, semester 1

      Digital Culture and Everyday Life (DIG504)

      Study points: 10

    • MEE125: Philosophy of Science and Research Methods

      Year 1, semester 1

      Philosophy of Science and Research Methods (MEE125)

      Study points: 10

    • DIG502: The Digitalization of Politics

      Year 1, semester 2

      The Digitalization of Politics (DIG502)

      Study points: 10

    • DIG503: Technological Foundations

      Year 1, semester 2

      Technological Foundations (DIG503)

      Study points: 10

    • MEN185: Applied Social Science Research Methods

      Year 1, semester 2

      Applied Social Science Research Methods (MEN185)

      Study points: 10

    • DIGMAS: Master thesis

      Year 2, semester 4

      Master thesis (DIGMAS)

      Study points: 30

  • Elective courses og exchange studies

    • Elective courses

      • RIS505: Foundations of Risk Analysis and Risk Science

        Year 2, semester 3

        Foundations of Risk Analysis and Risk Science (RIS505)

        Study points: 10

      • BYG655: New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development

        Year 2, semester 3

        New Technologies and Ideas for Sustainable City Development (BYG655)

        Study points: 10

      • SAM550: Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development

        Year 2, semester 3

        Energy, Societal Safety and Sustainable Development (SAM550)

        Study points: 10

      • GEN570: Global Sexualities:Theories, Methodologies, Practices

        Year 2, semester 3

        Global Sexualities:Theories, Methodologies, Practices (GEN570)

        Study points: 10

      • MEE128: Digitalisation for Sustainability

        Year 2, semester 3

        Digitalisation for Sustainability (MEE128)

        Study points: 10

      • MENPRA: Work Placement

        Year 2, semester 3

        Work Placement (MENPRA)

        Study points: 30

    • Exchange studies

Student exchange

Students can choose to spend the third semester (autumn) abroad. Exchange serves to broaden the interdisciplinary competencies of the candidates, strengthens their language skills, and increases their international profile. Students can choose among five ECIU universities (European Consortium of Innovative Universities) offering relevant programmes, as well as existing agreements (including 13 Erasmus agreements and two Nordplus agreements).

Students can choose courses between the following recommended programmes:

Aalborg University: Master in Techno-Anthropology.

Linköping University: MA in Computational Social Science

Tampere University: MA in Sustainable Digital Life

University of Twente: MA in .

For more information about the exchange-process, read here: Outbound exchange | University of Stavanger (uis.no)

Students who wish other universities outside the list of pre-approved studies will have to proceed with the formalities on their own and seek pre-approval of university and courses.

Student exchange

  • All countries

    Aalborg Universitet

    Aalborg Universitet (AAU) er kjent for å benytte seg av problembasert læring i grupper, noe som kan by på en spennende læringsprosess.

    Linköpings universitet

    Linkøpings universitet er et av Sveriges største universitet med en sterk tradisjon for samarbeid over landegrenser. Universitetet er kjent for sin innovative profil innenfor forskning og utdanning, og er, som UiS, medlem av nettverket European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).

    Tampere University

    Tampere University ligger i Tampere regionen, som er Finlands nest største regionale senter etter Helsingfors. Universitetet er internasjonalt høyt rangert og er kjent for god undervisning og for å kombinere forskning innen naturvitenskap og teknikk med industri og næringsliv. Campus ligger midt i de tusen sjøers land og bare 2 timer fra Helsinki.

    University of Twente, Enschede

    Opplev Europa og det internasjonale studiemiljøet i Nederland. University of Twente er UiS` partneruniversitet i ECIU-nettverket og tilbyr utvekslingsmuligheter for mange studenter ved UiS. Det er et moderne og innovativt campus-universitet som satser stort på entreprenørskap.

  • Danmark

    Aalborg Universitet

    Aalborg Universitet (AAU) er kjent for å benytte seg av problembasert læring i grupper, noe som kan by på en spennende læringsprosess.

  • Finland

    Tampere University

    Tampere University ligger i Tampere regionen, som er Finlands nest største regionale senter etter Helsingfors. Universitetet er internasjonalt høyt rangert og er kjent for god undervisning og for å kombinere forskning innen naturvitenskap og teknikk med industri og næringsliv. Campus ligger midt i de tusen sjøers land og bare 2 timer fra Helsinki.

  • Nederland

    University of Twente, Enschede

    Opplev Europa og det internasjonale studiemiljøet i Nederland. University of Twente er UiS` partneruniversitet i ECIU-nettverket og tilbyr utvekslingsmuligheter for mange studenter ved UiS. Det er et moderne og innovativt campus-universitet som satser stort på entreprenørskap.

  • Sverige

    Linköpings universitet

    Linkøpings universitet er et av Sveriges største universitet med en sterk tradisjon for samarbeid over landegrenser. Universitetet er kjent for sin innovative profil innenfor forskning og utdanning, og er, som UiS, medlem av nettverket European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).

Admission requirements

A Bachelor's degree with a specialization of at least 80 ECTS credits in one or more of the following subject areas or equivalent is required:

  • Social sciences
  • Political science
  • Media studies
  • Sociology
  • Psychology
  • Pedagogics
  • Anthropology
  • Law
  • Human and social geography
  • History
  • Hotel management
  • Hospitality
  • Administration
  • Economics

Professional bachelor degrees in the following areas qualify for admission: journalism, police, teacher education, and social care.

Admission to this master's programme requires a minimum grade average comparable to a Norwegian C (according to ECTS Standards) in your bachelor's degree.

Contact information

The Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Media and Social Sciences. Phone no.: 51 83 15 00/15 35. Email address: post-ims@uis.no.

Please helle.sjovaag@uis.no.

Please magda.hognestad@uis.no.