Nordic Social Policy and Global Sustainable Development

To apply for this programme you need:

• a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) in social work, childcare and welfare, education, political science, sociology, economics, anthropology or other social science degrees.
• an average grade of at least C (according to the ECTS grading scale) on your bachelor's degree
• proof of your English proficiency

Applicants will be ranked on the basis of grade average from their bachelor's degree.

Fifty percent of the places are reserved for applicants who are citizens of countries outside EU/EEA.

The master's programme aims for a diverse group of students from many countries. Given the limited number of places, normally no more than three students from each country will be assigned, with the exception of students from Norway.

More about admission to master's programmes.

You apply via Søknadsweb, where you fill in your details and upload all the required documents.

There are different application deadlines based on which country you apply from:

• 1 November: for applicants from countries outside of the European Union / the European Economic Area (EEA) / Switzerland
• 1 March: early admission for applicants from the European Union, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, and for non-EU/EEA citizens with a Norwegian national ID number residing in Norway
• 15 April: ordinary admission for applicants from the European Union, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, and for non-EU/EEA citizens with a Norwegian national ID number residing in Norway

For students from the EU/EEA/EFTA the only cost of this programme is the semester fee (student.oslomet.no) of approximately NOK 1,000, which you pay each semester of the programme. For these students there are no tuition fees.

For students from countries outside the EU/EEA/EFTA there are tuition fees in addition to the semester fee (student.oslomet.no).

The Nordic Social Policy and Global Sustainable Development programme (NORPOL) offers a critical and interdisciplinary approach to understanding contemporary welfare systems and social sustainability.

With a strong foundation in comparative social policy, you will learn how global challenges – like climate change, new and increasing social inequalities, migration, digitalization and demographic shifts – intersect with the design and implementation of social policy.

You will gain the analytical tools to understand and shape social policy – with sustainability, equity, and human wellbeing at the core.

You will explore:

• social policy challenges in a Nordic and international comparative perspective
• how Nordic societies have responded to past crises and ongoing social and environmental changes
• strategies for assessing the sustainability and long-term impacts of welfare policies
• different theoretical and critical approaches to understanding the concept of sustainability in social policy

The programme emphasizes critical thinking, policy analysis, and the ability to develop socially sustainable solutions for the future.

Programme description (student.oslomet.no)

The full-time master’s programme runs over two years (120 ECTS) and includes:

• 50% compulsory courses in social policy, welfare state theory and research methods
• 25% elective courses or international exchange (third semester)
• 25% master’s thesis (fourth semester)

You will attend:

• lectures
• seminars
• workshops
• group discussions and student-led sessions

You spend the two first semesters in Oslo. 

The third semester gives you the opportunity to choose electives in Oslo or apply for exchange studies abroad, enabling you to specialise in areas relevant to your thesis and future career.

The workload for students in the programme amounts to 40 hours per week.

This overview shows the structure of the programme. It is updated each spring, and until then this overview shows the courses available to current students.

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You can go on an exchange during your third semester or while you write your master’s thesis.

We encourage you to conduct your fieldwork abroad in the third semester. We have a number of partner organisations with projects that you can write your master's thesis on, and we help to facilitate your studies abroad.

Graduates from the NORPOL master’s programme are qualified for positions that require in-depth knowledge and analytical skills in social policy and sustainable welfare development.

You can work in:

• public administration at local, national, or international level
• NGOs or international organisations (e.g. UN, EU, Red Cross, Save the Children)
• policy development, consulting or programme evaluation
• research and teaching
• project coordination in areas such as welfare innovation, social inclusion, health equity and sustainable development

This programme also provides a solid foundation for further academic studies, such as a PhD.