Master in Community Development and Social Innovation

Do you want to learn more about grassroots community development, civil society, diversity, and being an agent and leader for the social change? Our new master's degree prepares students to solve societal challenges in local and global communities.

What will you learn?

Global trends increasingly affect local societies. Both individual citizens and local actors in civil society, religious organizations, churches, welfare, and health services have to adjust to new frameworks and situations of constant change. Are you looking for a future job where you can contribute to sustainable societal development? Do you want to acquire skills that foster cooperation and social innovation?

Starting from the UN sustainable development goals, this master's programme in Community Development and Social Innovation offers a platform for learning about co-operation and leading for change. Candidates will be prepared to initiate and nurture processes of interaction between different cultures and sectors in society (public, private, civil society), between varying secular and religious life stances and between professionals and volunteers.

Who can apply?

We offer a cross-disciplinary programme directed towards students with a bachelor's degree who want to learn more about frameworks and methods for bottom-up development and change in local and global contexts.

The programme emphasizes both a global outreach and a close connection to various fields of practice. Therefore, students are invited from a range of relevant professional backgrounds, disciplines, and work experience from all over the world in order to create an innovative and international environment for discussion and sharing of knowledge.

For admission, we require a bachelor's degree within social sciences, humanities, theology, religious studies, health or social work.

Specializations and location

The programme has three different specializations on two campuses. You can study either in Norway’s thriving capital, Oslo – or in Stavanger, an international town on the west coast surrounded by stunning nature. Choose between the following specializations:

Diakonia, Community Development, and Christian Social Practice (Oslo)

Diakonia has its value basis in a Christian tradition, emphasizing service to the world which is rooted in ‘being’ Church in different contexts, both locally and globally.

Value-Based Leadership and Social Innovation (Oslo)

This specialization has a particular focus on social innovation and value-based leadership within social welfare and the health sector, in and outside of Christian and other traditions, beliefs and worldviews.

Migration and Intercultural Relations (Stavanger)

In a globalized world, communication and engagement are key factors in building strong communities, and this specialization will focus on issues of diversity, engagement across boundaries, communication, and migration, including online and digital literacy.

Students must select one of the specializations when enrolling for the programme.

Internationalization

All courses within the programme will be taught in English, and all students are strongly encouraged to spend one semester during their studies abroad in one of our partner institutions in for instance Cape Town, Kampala, Heidelberg, Budapest, or Stockholm.