The International Master programme Education for Democracy and Social Justice leads to a Master Degree in Social Sciences (MSc.) with orientation to the field of education. The programme is offered in cooperation with the Research School for the Conditions of Democracy at Örebro University and other partners in Europe, Africa and Central America. The programme deals with central questions of education in the 21st century in different parts of the world in relation to issues of democracy, social justice, globalization and citizenship education. In focus are questions of democracy and the different demands of democracy that vary for different groups of people worldwide, but which can at the same time be characteristic for a common, global, context. The content of the programme is formed in the interrelation of the general and the particular. 

Contents
In the first year the thematic basis of the programme is laid down through several profile courses. This is followed by a deepening of the perspectives of democracy at the same time as the concept of democracy is put in relation to education and citizenship. During the second year research perspectives are in focus. In a concluding independent work (thesis) questions dealt with during the first year of the programme are problematised in relation to their relevance for education.

 Study programme syllabus for Education for Democracy and Social Justice

Study form
The programme is organized as a combination of distance education from your home country and concentrated periods at Örebro University.

The first semester contains two concentrated periods with lectures and seminars at Örebro University. The second semester contains one concentrated period, each concentrated period lasts for two weeks. These concentrated periods serve to introduce different course modules. A similar structure is designed for the second year, with one concentrated period each semester. These two concentrated periods focus on the specific particularities of the independent work with the concluding thesis.

The remaining time of each semester consists of distance studies from your home country, during which an independent work should be made consisting both of course papers and in the form of a concluding thesis.

The student must have access to a computer with Internet in the home country in order to follow the distance education between the concentrated periods.

Also visit: www.oru.se/pi/master

Aims of the programme
After this education students should have:
-knowledge about democracy theories and actions related to education and teaching,
-knowledge about human rights and how they are contextualized in different societies and environments and their relevance for education,
-knowledge about the effect of globalization on society's different levels and its meaning for education and teaching,
-knowledge about social factors and conditions for individuals to educate themselves,
-knowledge about theories of social justice and their consequences and relevance for education and teaching
-knowledge about the meaning of identity for learning and knowledge, knowledge about how diversity is handled and develops in teaching and education

After completing the education students should also:
-independently be able to integrate educational perspectives and methods in their work,
-have developed the ability to handle complex questions in relation to social and cultural differences and the demands of this on teaching and education,
-have developed, to a high level, the ability to independently formulate research problems and to be able to do research and write reports.

Requirements
The applicant must have a completed Bachelor degree, comparable to a Swedish Bachelor degree, from an institution of higher education of three years or more. The Bachelor degree must have the field of education as major (90 ECTS credits in education) and must include a degree thesis.

The applicant must have knowledge in English. If the applicant's first language is not English, knowledge in English must be documented by an internationally recognised proficiency test. See the following link for information on the different proficiency test and their required minimum scores for eligibility.

 English proficiency tests

Selection
The selection of the qualified applicants is based on the applicant's grade from the Bachelor degree, and/or the courses within the Bachelor degree and the applicant's written statement of purpose.

Submit
All documents listed below must be attached to the application form. You find the application form on the page with information on how to apply.

- Officially certified copies of your original graduation diploma and transcripts from the upper secondary school issued in the official language.

- Completed Bachelor degree, comparable to a Swedish Bachelor degree, from an institution of higher education of three years or more. Submit both diploma and transcript issued in the official language. Please note that if you are a citizen of a country other than a Nordic or EU/EEA country your university diploma and transcripts must be sent directly to Örebro University from your university in a separate sealed official envelope. This separate sealed official envelope from the university can also be placed in the envelope with your application form and other necessary documents.

- Certificate of English proficiency test if your first language is not English.

- Documents confirming professional experience.

- Written statement of purpose.
The written statement of purpose must be no less than one and no more than two pages. You shall also describe your expectations on the programme, why you want to attend the programme, and how you believe you would benefit from it in the future.

- All documents must also be translated into English and issued by the official educational authorities (or a notary public) in your country.

Application deadline
February 1st 2006.
More information about the specific dates for the concentrated period will be published here later.

Scholarships
There are a limited number of full scholarships on offer from the Swedish Development Agency and the Swedish Institute for needy and deserving students. These cover travel, accomodation, insurance and other living expenses during the time spent in Sweden.

Start date
End of August 2006. More specific information about start date will be published here as soon as possible.

Issuing department
 Department of Education

Degree awarded
Degree of Master of Social Sciences

Contact
For information about the programme, please contact the Department of Education.
E-mail:
Also visit: www.oru.se/pi/master

For information about the application or the admission procedure, please contact the Admission Office.
E-mail: