Entering the field, methods and philosophy of science

E2024

Social Entrepreneurship and Management

Course

English

Read about the Master Programme and find the Study Regulations at ruc.dk

You register for activities through stads selvbetjening during the announced registration period, which you can see on the Study administration homepage.

When registering for courses, please be aware of the potential conflicts and overlaps between course and exam time and dates. The planning of course activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programmes, which should not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programmes, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

5

Christine Revsbech (crevsbech@ruc.dk)
Anna Umantseva (annau@ruc.dk)

Luise Li Langergaard (luiseli@ruc.dk)

IMT Registration & Exams (imt-exams@ruc.dk)

U60689

The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge and tools to study and do their own research in the field of social entrepreneurship. The course provides a basis for students’ knowledge of and own research in the field of social entrepreneurship. The workshop offers insight into social entrepreneurship and social enterprises and its leadership and management in the wake of global transformations and challenges. The workshop also prepares students to do their own research through problem-oriented project work. Furthermore, the course trains the students to select between key philosophies of science aiming at deepening students’ understanding and application of methodologies relevant to the field.

The central themes of the course

This workshop offers an introduction to the social entrepreneurship/social enterprise/social economy as a research field. Social entrepreneurship is a vibrant and diverse practice-oriented field where citizens engage in on-the ground processes of developing socially innovative organisations and projects, based on societal problems. At the same time, social entrepreneurship is also a growing and diverse research field.

The course aims at positioning and rooting social entrepreneurship within relevant theories of social science and exploring the relevance of ontological and epistemological implications in a research design in social entrepreneurship research field.

The course introduces key philosophies of science, such as critical realism, social constructivism, hermeneutics and phenomenology, as well as key aspects of qualitative methodologies, including research ethics and data analysis. It discusses epistemologies (such as epistemologies of the South), critical research designs, as well as problem-oriented project work.

Through workshops building on case studies of social enterprises as well as students’ own research projects, the key direction of the course is to deepen students’ understanding of how methodological, ontological and epistemological choices frame social entrepreneurship research.

Finally, the course supports students’ reflection and articulation of learning and competencies in relation to their role as researchers in social entrepreneurship.

Study intensity

5 ECTS = 127 hours: 28 hours of class teaching. 8 hours of notes and reflection for portfolio. 20 hours for writing portfolio exam paper. 71 hours for reading and preparing for classes.

This is equal to an average of 8,8 hours of preparation per class.

Preparation for class includes reading and preparing written or oral presentations and follow-up after classes with taking reflection notes for the portfolio.

Teaching and learning activities:

• Workshops (2-4h sessions with group exercises, peer-to-peer feedback, both based on group work and not, seminar-style)
• Panel: teachers running the game/ setting the stage, expertise-led and let students ask questions.
• Lectures (90 minute talks – delivery of content)
• Group exercises in class
• Individual writing of reflections for portfolio
• Portfolio exercises in class
• Peer feedback in class
• Independent work individually and in groups
• Homework/reading

The course is evaluated with an individual survey and with an oral evaluation in class of the last session of the course.

There is continuous alignment of expectations and feedback throughout the course via joint discussions. At the end of the course, students will conduct an oral evaluation that is summarized in writing and sent to the semester coordinator (to inform the head of study and the study board). Every 6th semester, at minimum, there will be an additional survey-based evaluation. Every semester the study board will review evaluations in the light of continuous quality development of the program. You can read more on the study boards page on the intranet.

After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Compare, assess and select between different philosophies of science and epistemological pluralism relevant to doing research in the field of social entrepreneurship.

• Critically reflect on the relevance and impact of different scientific methods for the study and execution of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise.

• Compare, assess, and analyse methods and methodology related to case-based studies in the field of Social Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise and Social and Solidarity Economy.

• Present and reflect upon own research interest and learning goals in the field.

Individual portfolio exam

The character limit of the portfolio is 12,000-14,400 characters, including spaces.

The character limits include the cover, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but exclude appendices.

The portfolio is written partially during the course.

The entire portfolio must be handed in at the same time (uploaded to eksamen.ruc.dk). Handing in the portfolio or parts of the portfolio to the supervisor for feedback, cannot replace the upload to eksamen.ruc.dk.

Assessment: Pass/Fail

Samme som ordinær eksamen / same form as ordinary exam

The portfolio should contain the following sections and in total be 12.000-14.400 characters, including spaces:

• Social entrepreneurship as a research field (approx. 1-2 pages)

• Philosophy of science in the field of social entrepreneurship (approx. 2-4 pages)

• Ethics or PPL (problem oriented project learning) in relation to social entrepreneurship research (approx. 1 page)

• Reflections on the students own learning through the course (approx. 1 page)

The details about specific questions to be addressed in the portfolio will be presented in class and distributed on Moodle.

The assessment is based on the portfolio as a whole.

Assessment criteria

It will be assessed to which degree the student demonstrates:

• Understanding the key characteristics, trends, and critiques of social entrepreneurship as a research field.
• Critical reflection on the relevance and impact of different scientific methods and philosophies of science for the study and execution of social entrepreneurship and social enterprise.
• Understanding of the ontological and epistemological methodological implications in a research design.
• Understanding and critical reflection on the issues of research ethics relevant to social entrepreneurship field.
• Ability to reflect on and apply learning on problem-oriented research and qualitative methods to their preunderstandings, prior experiences and different research methods for studying social entrepreneurship and social enterprise.
• Present and reflect upon own research interest and learning goals in the field. This includes a reflection on how the course has contributed to learning and competencies for studying social entrepreneurship.
• Master correct language and referencing according to academic standards
• and whether the exam fulfils all formal requirements.