Master´s programme in Oral Sciences

Start-up Date

Autumn

The Degree

The master´s programme leads to the degree Master of Philosophy in Oral Sciences. It is a two-year programme (120 ECTS credits).

Objectives / Contents

The Master´s programme in Oral Sciences includes the main disciplines in oral research, such as epidemiology, oral biology and public dental health, and provides an introduction to international health (major global health problems, culture and health). The programme aims to enable you to initiate, implement and evaluate research projects relating to oral health and diseases.

Programme profile

The Master¿s programme offers a variety of research possibilities within which you can realise a research project. You will be part of one of these research groups:

• Dental biomaterials
• Craniofacial function and development
• Behaviour and community dentistry
• Cancer biology
• Oral inflammation and infection

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the degree/master´s programme in Oral Sciences students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a clear conceptual understanding of the key factors and processes shaping oral health and oral quality of life of populations with particular emphasize of low and middle income countries
• Understand the evidence base for research and the basic principles of research methodology and be able to suggest relevant design for research that is appropriate in diverse environmental settings
• Critically analyze, formulate, synthesize and construct effective and appropriate responses to policy and practice issues in health service delivery in diverse settings
• Demonstrate competence in utilizing relevant and appropriate tools and frameworks for planning, developing and managing and evaluating responses to oral health challenges in resource poor settings
• Communicate effectively to diverse audiences utilizing a range of media
• Examine their own practice in a critical manner.

Programme structure

The Master´s programme consists of an individual research project (Master´s thesis) of 60 ECTS credits, and 60 ECTS credits consisting of courses. Some of the courses are compulsory, but the rest of the courses can be freely chosen. The programme is concluded by an oral examination and a public defence of the thesis.

Master thesis

The Master´s thesis is the most important part of the programme. During the two first semesters, you will, together with your supervisor(s), design a research project. The Master´s students are accepted as part of one of the research groups and can establish a research project in accordance with the research groups´ thematic focus. The thesis may be written as two manuscripts for scientific articles or as a monograph. The research groups cover a variety of subjects within dental research: Autoimmune disease, biomaterials, oral cancer, international health and community dentistry, inflammation and infections, gerodontology, maxilliofacial function and development and pedodontics. The aim of the thesis is for you as a student to demonstrate knowledge of central research principles and to critically and systematically analyse different research topics and data materials.

Method

Research projects can be outlined by choosing between various scientific methods, such as experimental laboratory work, fieldwork, epidemiological surveys and literature studies.

Start-up Date

Autumn

Admission requirements

Competence in the English language must be demonstrated by obtaining an adequate score on the TOEFL or IELTS test or an equivalent qualification. The required minimum entrance score is 600 for TOEFL or 6.0 for IELTS. Exemption is given to applicants from countries whose language of instruction has been English throughout secondary school and university or, alternatively holding an A-level examination in English with the mark C or better.

Application procedyre

The deadline for applying is 1 December for the next academic year (starting in August) .

The Master´s Programme in International Health is open to applicants with a quota scholarship (only candidates from our collaboration institutions) and for self financing applicants residing abroad. Please note that the online application form is not open before October.

Self financing students residing in Norway may apply within 15 April via søknadsweb.

Who may apply

Applicants for the Quota Scheme: For further information, please follow this link http://www.uib.no/education/admission/master/international-applicants-residing-abroad/applicants-for-the-quota-scheme. Please note that you will not be accepted unless your home institution has a collaborative agreement with Centre for International Health/University of Bergen (http://www.uib.no/cih/en/resources/partner-institutions).

For self financing applicants residing abroad, follow this link http://www.uib.no/education/admission/master/international-applicants-residing-abroad

For self financing applicants residing in Norway, follow this link http://www.uib.no/education/admission/master/international-applicants-residing-in-norway

Admission Requirements

Competence in the English language must be demonstrated by obtaining an adequate score on the TOEFL or IELTS test or an equivalent qualification. The required minimum entrance score is 600 for TOEFL or 6.0 for IELTS. Exemption is given to applicants from countries whose language of instruction has been English throughout secondary school and university or, alternatively holding an A-level examination in English with the mark C or better.

Master thesis credits

The thesis is the most important part of the programme. During the first semester, each student will together with the supervisor(s), design a research project. The thesis work is made up of the following steps:

1. Review the appropriate literature.
2. Development of own research proposal.
3. Data collection or experimental work.
4. Writing the thesis.

An ethical approval of the research protocol, obtained either from the Regional Committee for Ethics in Medical Research or an ethical committee for medical research in the country where the study will take place, must be obtained in due time for the data collection. At the end of the programme, the student shall submit a thesis. The thesis may preferably be presented in two parts:

1. A short general part presenting: (1) the state of the art and thus explaining the rationale of the current research and (2) the aims, (3) methods and (4) conclusions of the study.

2. One larger or two short manuscripts written in accordance with the Vancouver Style of Scientific Writing: http://www.library.uq.edu.au/training/citation/vancouv.pdf and Instructions to Authors in Health Sciences: http://www.icmje.org/ . Submitting a thesis does not require the manuscript (s) to be accepted for publication elsewhere.

Alternatively, the thesis may be presented as a monograph of approximately 100-120 pages written in accordance with the Vancouver Style of Scientific Writing.

Teaching methods

Research projects may be outlined choosing between various scientific methods like experimental laboratory work, field work, epidemiological surveys and literature studies.

Application procedyre

The deadline for applying is 1 December for the next academic year (starting in August) .

The Master´s Programme in International Health is open to applicants with a quota scholarship (only candidates from our collaboration institutions) and for self financing applicants residing abroad. Please note that the online application form is not open before October.

Self financing students residing in Norway may apply within 15 April via søknadsweb.

Admission requirements

The programme is aimed primarily at students holding a quota programme scholarship. Students are selected among graduates from schools of dentistry, medicine and pharmacy and disciplines such as public health, nutrition, biology, medical technology, pharmacy and social and behavioural sciences.

Students from universities collaborating with the University of Bergen and/or The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry will be accepted in preference to other applicants (free movers), and may study for a master's degree as part of a joint teaching programme with their home institution.

Instruction

The course part is estimated to last two semesters (60 credits) and is comprised of a compulsory part and a free-option part. Each course will be concluded by an exam and/or in some cases a written scientific essay which the student is required to pass according to the graded (passed: A-E, F=failed) European transfer character system (ETCS). The compulsory courses should be completed within the first year of the programme.

The compulsory courses/activities are:

Statistics 1 (6 credits)

Epidemiology (6 credits)

Basic course in research tools and theory (6 credits)

Major global health problems (6 credits)

Student research seminar (2 credits)

Proposal development (12 credits)

The student should select the free-option part of the core curriculum, which can consist of optional courses offered at UoB or, if not available at UoB, elsewhere, inn full understanding with the main supervisor. The courses should be on a master´s level (300 level courses, see Regulations for degree programmes at the University of Bergen, section 3), and of relevance to the research project and the thesis.

The course requirement of 60 credits must be met before submitting the thesis.

In addition to the courses, the master's student can obtain credits for the following academic activities:

1. Received tuition in the form of lectures, laboratory work, practical exercises, group work and participation in seminars - 15 hours gives 1 credit.

2. Presentation of own findings at a scientific meeting/congress or at other academic assemblies. One national presentation gives 1,5 credits and an international one gives 3 credits.

3. A research stay for a minimum of 2 weeks at a foreign/other national research institution: 2 weeks gives 2 credits (maximum 4 credits can be obtained this way).

Academic advising

Each master's student is assigned a main supervisor who will coach her/him through the study. The main supervisors are senior staff members at The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry participating in the programme. The student will join the research group of the main supervisor. An agreement for the Master's programme will be signed by the student, the main supervisor and the Director of Centre for International Health (the department that runs the programme).

If the master's project is part of a joint programme between the University of Bergen and a collaborating institution, supervisors from both institutions will be appointed.

Programme structure

This programme gives an international research degree and all instructions are given in the English language. The study is estimated to require two full-time academic years and is equivalent to 120 credit points (credits). It is comprised of a core curriculum (courses) and a research project (thesis). The course is estimated to 60 credits and is comprised of a compulsory and a free-option part. The research project is a written thesis of 60 credits. The programme is finished by an oral examination and defence of the subjects of the thesis.

Introductory courses

Introductory courses and elective courses are offered by both Centre for International Health and at The Department of Clinical Dentistry. Introductory courses are:

• Statistics 1
• Epidemiology
• Basic course in research tools and theory

Major global health problems

Compulsory Activities

Each student shall have an individual education plan for her or his programme of study in a form agreed jointly between the student and the main supervisor.

The individual education plan shall specify the main rights and obligations of both parties. It shall be drawn up in such a way that the student shall be able to complete the planned study leading to the degree within the nominal length of study allowed for a full-time or part-time student. The individual education plan shall be drawn up in accordance with models laid down by the University of Bergen Board or by a body to which it delegates the authority.

The student's right to continuous follow up and adaptation during the programme of study are dependent on her/his compliance with the obligations set out in the individual education plan.

In addition to the introductory courses, the student should fulfill the activities of participating at student seminars and national and international conferences.

Assessment / Examination Format

Courses and thesis will be evaluated according to Regulations concerning admissions, academic studies and examinations at the University of Bergen using the ETCS scale A-F.

At the end of the 2-year programme, the student shall apply to The Centre for International Health (CIH) (the department that runs the programme) to sit for the master's final examination. This is done by submitting the thesis together with documentation of at least 60 credits acquired through the compulsory and free-option courses or additional qualifying activities mentioned above.

The thesis will be evaluated by a committee, consisting of one external and one internal (The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry) member (the latter being the leader), appointed by CIH. When the thesis has been accepted and the documentation of the credits approved, the master's student shall sit for an oral examination to present the thesis and answer questions from the external and internal members of the evaluation committee related to the thesis.

The two members of the evaluation committee will assess the total scope and quality of the thesis and the student's own contributions to it. The assessment of the thesis and oral examination will follow these criteria:

• Are the objectives clearly stated?
• Are the methods used adequately?
• Is the material clearly described?
• Are the conclusions based on sufficient evidence based in the background information and research results?
• Is the discussion balanced and based on the research results?
• Are the formal parts of the thesis acceptable?

The grade obtained at the final examination is based on the quality of the written thesis and the result of the oral examination. The grade will be shown on the diploma.

Start-up Date

The master´s programme in oral sciences starts every autumn.