Guidelines for education

Some policies are specific to the Faculty of Humanities, others are centralized. Here you can see what applies to the guidelines in education.

Guidelines and syllabus template

There are two important decisions to make when creating a course syllabus: whether to create the course and whether to approve the syllabus. The Dean makes the first decision on behalf of the Faculty Board.

See what is required for a new syllabus.

Application format

To apply for establishing a new course, include the following information:

Course code [space] course name [comma] level of education [comma] credits.

Example: JKA Japanese III, UG, 7.5 credits

Include the course code and name in the email subject line. If there are multiple courses in the same application, only include the course code. Indicate that the application has been approved by the departmental board or equivalent. See the Human Science decision-making and delegation rules. The application should be accompanied by the form: Anhållan om inrättande av kurs Pdf, 232.7 kB. and a course syllabus draft as a PDF file from Ladok with all basic information completed.

Schedule - Deadline

According to the Regulations for education and examination at first-cycle and second-cycle level at Stockholm University (2020-11-12), course syllabi must be established at least one month before the final application date. This usually means by 15 March or 15 September.

Policy documents related to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral education.

You must apply to the Faculty Office at least three weeks before the final application date. If the final application date falls on a holiday, you must ensure that the application is submitted by the nearest working day before that holiday.

Application for establishing a completely new course

A completely new course should be established after needs and impact analysis at the departmental level. The application should be made using the form: Anhållan om inrättande av kurs Pdf, 232.7 kB.

Before establishing a course, the following basic information must be completed in Ladok:

  • Course name in Swedish and English
  • Course code
  • Number of credits
  • Level of education
  • Grading scale
  • Main field of study/SCB subject
  • Course's level of specialization
  • Host department
  • Planned term from which the course syllabus is valid
  • Prerequisites

The basic information is necessary to establish a course and cannot be changed once the decision has been made and implemented in Ladok. If you wish to change the basic information, you will need to create a new course with a new course code.

Establishment of course due to revision of basic information in an existing course

When establishing a new course as a result of revising the basic information of an existing course, the department must specify what is to be done with the existing course. (Specify in the comments section of the form:  Anhållan om inrättande av kurs Pdf, 232.7 kB.

Courses with special administrative procedures

Courses that are part of the pedagogical core (UVK) and courses that include work placements (VFU) are interdepartmental and are prepared and decided according to special guidelines and special rules of procedure.

Decision on deviations from course syllabi

The Dean of the Faculty of Humanities has decided that departments can change specified teaching methods, mandatory elements, and examination forms for individual courses if necessary. This can occur if there is a special need.

Guidelines and templates for programme syllabi

Part 1. Higher Education Ordinance

The procedure and template are based on:

1. Background

Courses may be grouped together in degree programmes, which shall have a programme syllabus. The courses in a programme must collectively ensure that students are provided with sufficient conditions to achieve the degree objectives of the programme. In other words, the expected learning outcomes of the courses must be aligned with the degree objectives and any other programme objectives. The programme syllabus is an important steering and information document and is legally binding for both the university and the student. It is therefore of great importance that the programme syllabus is comprehensive and informative, while not being so detailed that it requires frequent revision.

2. Procedure

Offering a degree programme is a bigger commitment for the institution than offering a stand-alone course. The development of a new degree programme is usually preceded by a study (needs and impact assessment) at departmental level.

Preparation of the decision-making basis for the establishment of a degree programme must take place at the programme's host department and comply with the department's decision-making and delegation procedures. The process should include student representation.

Decisions on the establishment of a programme and the adoption of its curriculum are made by the Faculty of Humanities Board. Minor revisions can be decided by the Dean on delegation from the Faculty of Humanities Board. All cases are prepared at the Faculty Office before decisions are made. Requests must therefore be received in good time. A programme syllabus must be established no later than when registration for the programme opens.

For a programme to be opened for application, the programme's host department must create programme events in the university's educational database Ladok. For programme events to be created, the programme must be established. Programme instances need to be created in good time before the application opens, as they must have time to be reviewed, approved and transferred to NyA by the Student Office.

The processing time at the faculty for the request for the establishment of a new programme and the adoption of its curriculum is normally about four weeks. However, this time is affected by how much of the content needs to be supplemented or corrected in order to comply with the current procedural regulations and template for study programmes. The processing time can also be affected by the Faculty Board's meeting times. It is therefore important that departments plan their work on programme syllabi carefully and that the request is submitted to the Faculty Office for preparation prior to decision in good time.

If the request for a new degree programme also includes a new degree specialisation, see Stockholm University's Rules and Procedures for the Establishment and Discontinuation of Programmes for more information.Programme plans for any of the faculty's teacher education programmes do not follow this procedure. Instead, they are prepared and decided by the Board of Human Science according to specific guidelines and templates.

Curricula for any of the faculty's teacher education programmes do not follow this system but are prepared and decided by the Board of Human Science.

2.1 Establishment and definition of a new programme

Please ensure that all work related to study plans is carried out using the Ladok tool, and that all draft study plans are submitted as PDF files created in Ladok. The host department of the programme should apply to the Faculty Board for the establishment and definition of a new programme. The request should be sent to the Education Group at the Faculty Office via utbildning@hum.su.se.

According to the University's Rules and Procedures for the Establishment and Discontinuation of Programmes, the request for a new programme must include brief descriptions of the following information (points 1-9). Additionally, the request must include a draft programme syllabus (PDF draft from Ladok), draft syllabi for the programme courses (as far as possible), and a completed degree objective matrix.

Justification which should include information on:

a) The purpose of the planned programme.
b) The need for the programme in relation to student demand.
c) The need for the programme in relation to society and working life, including the higher education sector.
d) The need for the programme in relation to similar programs within and outside the institution.

1) Fulfilment of objectives
a) Describe in detail the structure of the programme (including compulsory and elective courses) and the progression within the programme (use the degree objective matrix).

2) Teaching resources
a) Enter the names of the permanent teachers.
b) Indicate the planned teaching time of the teachers within the programme (scope).
c) Indicate the academic title of the teachers and their scientific competences.
d) Indicate the higher education pedagogical competences of the teachers.
e) Indicate the teachers' opportunities for professional development, including research.
f) Indicate any planned recruitments and retirements in the next five years.
g) Indicate whether courses within the programme are offered at other departments or universities and if so, how this affects teaching resources.

3) Research linkage
a) Describe (preferably with examples) how the programme is characterised by a close link between research and education and is based on proven experience. Illustrate with concrete examples.

4) Internationalisation, sustainable development and widening participation
a) Describe international perspectives in the programme.
b) Describe the conditions for international student exchange and teacher exchange (including virtual exchanges).
c) Indicate whether there are educational collaborations with other higher education institutions.
d) Indicate whether there is teaching in languages other than Swedish.
e) Indicate whether, and if so with concrete examples, sustainable development (ecological, economic, social, ethical and global) is taken into account in the education programme.
f) Describe how the programme works to broaden recruitment and participation.

Note: The above point does not need to be included if the request for establishment is made in connection with a request for the establishment of a main field of study or degree programme within the main field of study.

5) Gender equality
a) Describe how gender equality has been taken into account in the planning, content and delivery of the programme.

Note: The above point does not need to be included if the request for establishment is made in connection with a request for the establishment of a main field of study or degree programme within the main field of study.

6) Learning environment
a) Indicate the estimated and likely student volume that the programme/degree programme will have when fully developed.
b) Indicate whether, and if so in what forms, co-learning with other students will take place.
c) Describe the availability of study- and career counselling at the department(s) concerned.
d) Describe the conditions for organising internships, if relevant to the study programme.
e) Describe the conditions for work-life linkages within the programme.

This point does not need to be included if the request for the establishment of a degree programme is made in connection with the request for the establishment of a main field of study or degree specialisation within the main field of study.

7) Student influence
a) Describe the ways in which you will work with student influence.
b) Describe whether, in addition to preparatory and decision-making bodies, there are, for example, other forums where students can participate and where students' views can be systematically utilised.

This point does not need to be included if the request for establishment is made in connection with the request for the establishment of a main field of study or degree specialisation within the main field of study.

8) Finances and infrastructure
a) Indicate whether the programme fits within the ceiling amount or whether additional resources are required.
b) State whether appropriate premises exist or whether there is a need for new premises, and if so, of what kind.
c) Also indicate any equipment needs that exist.

Note: The above point does not need to be included if the request for establishment is made in connection with a request for the establishment of a main field of study or degree programme within the main field of study.

Established programmes whose curriculum has not been established within two years of their establishment shall be cancelled in accordance with point 4.

Note that establishing a programme syllabus may mean that the local degree description for the main field(s) needs to be revised.

2.1.1 Programmes delivered in co-operation with other departments

When a programme is offered in cooperation with several departments, the host department has overall responsibility for the programme. This means that it is the host department that makes the request to the Faculty for the establishment and definition of a new programme or for its revision after obtaining the agreement of all departments. In these cases, the request for revision of the programme may need to be decided by two departmental boards before the request is made to the Faculty Board.

2.2 Establishment of the revised programme syllabus

A programme can be revised once per semester, at which time information in each of the fields, except the basic information, can change. When the basic information changes, the programme must be set up again. If the revision of the programme plan involves substantial changes transitional provisions apply. The changes can apply from the semester following the decision at the earliest. Only once a curriculum has been established can the programme be opened for application.

The department responsible for the programme should apply to the Faculty Board for the establishment of a revised syllabus. The application should be sent to the education group at the Faculty Office at utbildning@hum.su.se.

The application must include:

  • A missive with information on what changes have been made and why.
  • Information about who has prepared and approved the changes at the department and how the student representative has been involved.
  • A complete draft programme syllabus created in Ladok (pdf file).
  • Syllabi for new courses (as far as possible).

2.3 Establishment and adoption of a new programme replacing the existing one

When the basic information of the programme syllabus is changed, the programme (with a new programme code) shall be re-established. The programme's host department requests the Faculty Board to establish and define a new programme to replace an existing one. The request is sent to the Education Group at the Faculty Office at utbildning@hum.su.se.

The request for the establishment and definition of a new programme replacing an existing one shall follow the same procedure as for the establishment and definition of a new programme (point 2.1). For each point, the department shall briefly describe what has changed since the establishment of the programme.

With the request for the establishment and definition of a programme replacing an existing programme, the department shall also provide complete information on the old programme (name, programme code, level of education, and credits). When an existing programme is replaced, the old one must be closed.

Once the decision to discontinue has been taken, the discontinuation process of the old programme starts (see point 4).

Degree description

Decisions on requests for the establishment of local degree descriptions are made by the Department Board. The request and proposal for a revised or new degree description are sent to the Faculty Office utbildning@hum.su.se for further processing.

Rules for second-cycle programmes

The rules for programmes leading to a general degree at second-cycle level at the Faculty of Humanities are based on the document: Rules for second-cycle education, Faculty of Humanities.

The document is aimed at directors of studies or others involved in programme design and explains how to organize advanced higher education to obtain a general degree. This applies whether you are following a specific degree programme or taking individual courses to obtain a degree. These rules and conditions apply to both ways of obtaining a degree.

Regulations for education

Rules and procedures

See information from the Vice-Chancellor's Office on rules and procedures for establishing and discontinuing programmes,

Regulations and Procedure for Establishing and Discontinuing Courses and Programmes Pdf, 519.3 kB.

Guidelines for working with student influence

The Faculty of Humanities follows Stockholm University's central regulations for student influence. If you have questions regarding student influence at the faculty level, contact Administrator Yliali Asp at the Faculty Office, utbildning@hum.su.se

For central information on student influence.

Contact

Contact person, educational issues:
utbildning@hum.su.se
Contact person, dissertation issues:
disputationer@humfak.su.se

Last updated: 2024-10-03

Source: Faculty of Humanities