The conditions and experiences of disabled people will be a central focus of this course with emphasis on the lifespan and main areas of everyday life such as family, education, employment and housing/homes. New Icelandic and international disability research will be explored as well as the forces which influence the identity formation of disabled children, youth and adults. Different theoretical approaches will be used to examine policy, law, services, the welfare system and disabled people's status and social situation in contemporary societies.

This course explores cultural reactions to disability and disabled people as well as examining the cultural representations and constructions of disability. Special emphasis will be on history, the role of media, popular culture, literature and arts in constructing, defining and representing images of disabled people. Topics also include disability art and culture, identity, femininity and masculinity. The cultural location and context of disability will be examined and how disability can be viewed as one of the aspects creating diversity in contemporary societies. The aim is that students will gain understanding and knowledge of the cultural origins of ideas about disability and will be able to relate them to theoretical perspectives in disability studies, current events and other fields of interest.

In the course, the student's task consists in being a mentor for participants that are upper secondary school students and university students in the project "Sprettur". Mentors' main role is to support and encourage participants in their studies and social life. As well as creating a constructive relationship with the participants, being a positive role model, and participating in events organized in Sprettur. The mentor role centers around building relationships and spending meaningful time together with the commitment to support participants. 

Sprettur is a project that supports students with an immigrant or refugee background who come from families with little or no university education. The students in this course are mentors of the participants and are paired together based on a common field of interest. Each mentor is responsible for supporting two participants. Mentors plan activities with participants and spend three hours a month (from August to May) with Sprettur’s participants, three hours a month in a study group and attend five seminars that are spread over the school year. Students submit journal entries on Canvas in November and March. Diary entries are based on reading material and students' reflections on the mentorship. Compulsory attendance in events, study groups, and seminars. The course is taught in Icelandic and English. 

Students must apply for a seat in the course. Applicants go through an interview process and 15-30 students are selected to participate. 

See the digital application form. 

More information about Sprettur can be found here: www.hi.is/sprettur  

This course focuses on the historical development of theories and perspectives on disability. Emphasis will be on ideologies that have influenced policies, services and disabled people everyday lives and social participation (i.e. normalization, independent living and human rights conventions). Considerable time will be devoted to exploring the new discipline Disability Studies, its origins, main characteristics and relations to other scholarship. Different theoretical perspectives on disability will be examined and the influence of particular theoretical approaches on the development of disability theory. Theoretical discussion will be connected to the disabled people's movements, human rights (including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), national and international policies, law and the social situation of disabled people.

The course’s objective is to introduce students to the diverse, academic criteria of qualitative research in social sciences and secondly that student’s gain experience in using qualitative methods. Furthermore, the course is practical in nature where each student works on an independent research assignment, which consists of designing and preparing a research project, collecting and analyzing data, and writing the main findings with guidance from the teacher. Research preparation, the creation of a research plan, data collection and analysis along with academic writing will be extensively covered during the course.

This introductory course in public administration provides students with a holistic overview over how public administration is organized and how it has developed over the last decades. The main characteristics of the public administration in Iceland is introduces, its foundations and main formative elements. The course covers the basic theories and concepts of the discipline of public administration and its scholarly endeavour. It introduces the main organizational theories, and the main theories on decentralization and delegation of power and decision-making. The focus is on the relationship between public administration and politics and how that relationship shapes organizational practices and public policy making. The emphasis is on analysing and understanding the differences between the private and the public sector.

Local authorities are one of two main branches of Icelandic government. The aim of the course is to give students insights into Icelandic local governments, administration and processes. In the course students will be introduced to Icelandic local governments, their legal and constitutional status in public administration, their tasks and responsibilities according to law. The main political theories on local governments will be introduced and discussed, with emphasis on the relationship between size, effectiveness and democracy. State and local government relations are briefly discussed, including the division of tasks and revenues.

This research seminar creates a space for MA students to discuss their research projects and receive support, encouragement and feedback in working on their MA research and writing their thesis. During the fall seminar students also learn about electronic databases, on line searches and use of references, as well as academic work practices. The seminar will be flexible to meet the needs of the group of students attending at each time and the teacher(s) will relate students' projects to relevant research and writing in disability studies. Students are encouraged to attend the seminar throughout their MA studies. Students are also strongly advised to start working on their MA research early in their studies and work on it alongside coursework.

Students in disability studies can apply for an independent study in relation with their program of study. In this reading-course the student explores a particular topic or a concept or makes a theoretical summary of interest in line with her or his educational emphases. The student sets out his / her own learning objectives in collaboration with the supervisor, searches for sources, analyzes them, criticizes, and applies the information to present knowledge in a new way.

This reading-course is primarily intended for the preparation of the student’s master's thesis.

Students can only take this course once in their curriculum. The student does not register for the course until the teacher has approved in writing (e.g. by e-mail) his / her role as supervisor.

Online class through TEAMS

October 30st from 10:00-12:00

November 1^st from 12:00 – 14:00

Studies into the Middle Ages and early modern history shed light on how disability manifests itself and is represented in new contexts. In this intensive course students will get insight into how disability studies inform research into medieval and early modern history. Emphasis will be put on framing disability within its cultural and historical circumstance. By touching upon topics such as intersectionality, agency, religion, and societal support we will paint a picture in broad strokes into which the students will be encouraged to paint. 

The aim is to:

• Give students insight into how to possibly understand the representation of disability within its cultural and historical contexts.
• Encourage critical thinking about disability, how to address it, and how to research it (without being dogmatic).
• Develop insight into interesting (sometimes disturbing, sometimes entertaining) case studies that show reality in a different perspective than what we are used to.
• Understand the importance of the mundane

The course reviews the literature on organizational theory and behavior with an emphasis on its application in the public sector. The course includes discussion on leadership, organizational culture, teamwork, organizational structure and change, decision making processes, strategic planning and performance management systems.

The aim of the course is provide insight into public government and the methods goverment employs to reach its goals. The course covers the various tools of government, including direct government, contracting, financial incentives, economic and social regulation, insurance and grants, with emphasis on evaluating the appropriateness of each tool in achieving different objectives. The examination of each tool emphasizes equally theoretical aspects and its use within Icelandic government. While the course OSS101F Microeconomics, Market Failure and the Role of Government is not a prerequisite, it is a recommended precursor. 

The course deals with describtion of Icelandic authoroties (the executive), the basic structure of the Icelandic administrative system, main tasks of public authotiries, the scope, relevance and rules of the Administrative Act. no 37/1993 and the relevance and rules of the Information Act. no 140/2012. The main emphasis is on the Administrative Act. 

The course provides the student with an understanding of the scientific method and the basic skills of data analysis. Concepts such as causality, reliability, and validity will be covered. The course covers descriptive and inferential statistics, including topic such as variables, values, standard deviations, samples, significance, and hypothesis testing

In connection with the course Human Rights and Disability FRR109F/104M (6 credits) students in Public Administration and Disability Studies will carry out a 4 credit project on the implementation and monitoring of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Article 33 of the convention calls for particular organisation within national governments in implementing the Convention. It is a new requirement in human rights treaties to call for particular administration with regard to implementation. The project entails examining the requirements of Article 33, scholarly writings and reporting on the article, and how it has been implemented in other countries. Students will also examine how Article 33 is implemented in Iceland, evaluate if it is in accordance with the requirements of Article 33, the Convention‘s general principles (Art. 3) and general obligations (Art. 4), and the basic ideas of the Convention. Findings will be presented in a paper. The project is carried out under the supervision and in collaboration with the course teacher.

This research seminar creates a space for MA students to discuss their research projects and receive support, encouragement and feedback in working on their MA research and writing their thesis. During the fall seminar students also receive training and practice in academic writing and oral presentation of their research. The seminar will be flexible to meet the needs of the group of students attending at each time and the teacher(s) will relate students' projects to relevant research and writing in disability studies. Students are encouraged to attend the seminar throughout their MA studies. Students are also strongly advised to start working on their MA research early in their studies and work on it alongside coursework.

This course places emphasis on developing understanding of subjects related to disability and disabled people‘s lives. The specific topic of the short course is subject to change. The objective of the course is to shed light on disabled people‘s position in society based on the current state in research and knowledge within the field of disability studies. The course builds on students‘ active participation and encourages them to relate the subject of the course to their own education. The course is relevant to those who wish to obtain insight into disabled people‘s experiences in certain domains of society and acquire both academic and practical knowledge to support their education and/or professional development. The course is taught by staff of the programme in disability studies as well as guest lecturers, for example academics, disabled people, and experts from the state, municipalities and disabled people‘s organisations.

Students in disability studies can apply for an independent study in relation with their program of study. In this reading-course the student explores a particular topic or a concept or makes a theoretical summary of interest in line with her or his educational emphases. The student sets out his / her own learning objectives in collaboration with the supervisor, searches for sources, analyzes them, criticizes, and applies the information to present knowledge in a new way.

This reading-course is primarily intended for the preparation of the student’s master's thesis.

Students can only take this course once in their curriculum. The student does not register for the course until the teacher has approved in writing (e.g. by e-mail) his / her role as supervisor.

The aim of this course is to provide students with knowledge and understanding of the human rights of disabled people, especially as these are articulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and national legislation. The course will examine the social and cultural understanding of disability developed within disability studies as well as discussing the ideology behind the CRPD. Special emphasis will be on equality and non-discrimination on the basis of disability in the CRPD, the EU directive on equal treatment and non-discrimination in employment, and Icelandic legislation.

MA thesis

MA thesis

MA Thesis

The conditions and experiences of disabled people will be a central focus of this course with emphasis on the lifespan and main areas of everyday life such as family, education, employment and housing/homes. New Icelandic and international disability research will be explored as well as the forces which influence the identity formation of disabled children, youth and adults. Different theoretical approaches will be used to examine policy, law, services, the welfare system and disabled people's status and social situation in contemporary societies.

This course explores cultural reactions to disability and disabled people as well as examining the cultural representations and constructions of disability. Special emphasis will be on history, the role of media, popular culture, literature and arts in constructing, defining and representing images of disabled people. Topics also include disability art and culture, identity, femininity and masculinity. The cultural location and context of disability will be examined and how disability can be viewed as one of the aspects creating diversity in contemporary societies. The aim is that students will gain understanding and knowledge of the cultural origins of ideas about disability and will be able to relate them to theoretical perspectives in disability studies, current events and other fields of interest.

In the course, the student's task consists in being a mentor for participants that are upper secondary school students and university students in the project "Sprettur". Mentors' main role is to support and encourage participants in their studies and social life. As well as creating a constructive relationship with the participants, being a positive role model, and participating in events organized in Sprettur. The mentor role centers around building relationships and spending meaningful time together with the commitment to support participants. 

Sprettur is a project that supports students with an immigrant or refugee background who come from families with little or no university education. The students in this course are mentors of the participants and are paired together based on a common field of interest. Each mentor is responsible for supporting two participants. Mentors plan activities with participants and spend three hours a month (from August to May) with Sprettur’s participants, three hours a month in a study group and attend five seminars that are spread over the school year. Students submit journal entries on Canvas in November and March. Diary entries are based on reading material and students' reflections on the mentorship. Compulsory attendance in events, study groups, and seminars. The course is taught in Icelandic and English. 

Students must apply for a seat in the course. Applicants go through an interview process and 15-30 students are selected to participate. 

See the digital application form. 

More information about Sprettur can be found here: www.hi.is/sprettur  

This course focuses on the historical development of theories and perspectives on disability. Emphasis will be on ideologies that have influenced policies, services and disabled people everyday lives and social participation (i.e. normalization, independent living and human rights conventions). Considerable time will be devoted to exploring the new discipline Disability Studies, its origins, main characteristics and relations to other scholarship. Different theoretical perspectives on disability will be examined and the influence of particular theoretical approaches on the development of disability theory. Theoretical discussion will be connected to the disabled people's movements, human rights (including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), national and international policies, law and the social situation of disabled people.

The course’s objective is to introduce students to the diverse, academic criteria of qualitative research in social sciences and secondly that student’s gain experience in using qualitative methods. Furthermore, the course is practical in nature where each student works on an independent research assignment, which consists of designing and preparing a research project, collecting and analyzing data, and writing the main findings with guidance from the teacher. Research preparation, the creation of a research plan, data collection and analysis along with academic writing will be extensively covered during the course.

This introductory course in public administration provides students with a holistic overview over how public administration is organized and how it has developed over the last decades. The main characteristics of the public administration in Iceland is introduces, its foundations and main formative elements. The course covers the basic theories and concepts of the discipline of public administration and its scholarly endeavour. It introduces the main organizational theories, and the main theories on decentralization and delegation of power and decision-making. The focus is on the relationship between public administration and politics and how that relationship shapes organizational practices and public policy making. The emphasis is on analysing and understanding the differences between the private and the public sector.

Local authorities are one of two main branches of Icelandic government. The aim of the course is to give students insights into Icelandic local governments, administration and processes. In the course students will be introduced to Icelandic local governments, their legal and constitutional status in public administration, their tasks and responsibilities according to law. The main political theories on local governments will be introduced and discussed, with emphasis on the relationship between size, effectiveness and democracy. State and local government relations are briefly discussed, including the division of tasks and revenues.

This research seminar creates a space for MA students to discuss their research projects and receive support, encouragement and feedback in working on their MA research and writing their thesis. During the fall seminar students also learn about electronic databases, on line searches and use of references, as well as academic work practices. The seminar will be flexible to meet the needs of the group of students attending at each time and the teacher(s) will relate students' projects to relevant research and writing in disability studies. Students are encouraged to attend the seminar throughout their MA studies. Students are also strongly advised to start working on their MA research early in their studies and work on it alongside coursework.

Students in disability studies can apply for an independent study in relation with their program of study. In this reading-course the student explores a particular topic or a concept or makes a theoretical summary of interest in line with her or his educational emphases. The student sets out his / her own learning objectives in collaboration with the supervisor, searches for sources, analyzes them, criticizes, and applies the information to present knowledge in a new way.

This reading-course is primarily intended for the preparation of the student’s master's thesis.

Students can only take this course once in their curriculum. The student does not register for the course until the teacher has approved in writing (e.g. by e-mail) his / her role as supervisor.

Online class through TEAMS

October 30st from 10:00-12:00

November 1^st from 12:00 – 14:00

Studies into the Middle Ages and early modern history shed light on how disability manifests itself and is represented in new contexts. In this intensive course students will get insight into how disability studies inform research into medieval and early modern history. Emphasis will be put on framing disability within its cultural and historical circumstance. By touching upon topics such as intersectionality, agency, religion, and societal support we will paint a picture in broad strokes into which the students will be encouraged to paint. 

The aim is to:

• Give students insight into how to possibly understand the representation of disability within its cultural and historical contexts.
• Encourage critical thinking about disability, how to address it, and how to research it (without being dogmatic).
• Develop insight into interesting (sometimes disturbing, sometimes entertaining) case studies that show reality in a different perspective than what we are used to.
• Understand the importance of the mundane

The course reviews the literature on organizational theory and behavior with an emphasis on its application in the public sector. The course includes discussion on leadership, organizational culture, teamwork, organizational structure and change, decision making processes, strategic planning and performance management systems.

The aim of the course is provide insight into public government and the methods goverment employs to reach its goals. The course covers the various tools of government, including direct government, contracting, financial incentives, economic and social regulation, insurance and grants, with emphasis on evaluating the appropriateness of each tool in achieving different objectives. The examination of each tool emphasizes equally theoretical aspects and its use within Icelandic government. While the course OSS101F Microeconomics, Market Failure and the Role of Government is not a prerequisite, it is a recommended precursor. 

The course deals with describtion of Icelandic authoroties (the executive), the basic structure of the Icelandic administrative system, main tasks of public authotiries, the scope, relevance and rules of the Administrative Act. no 37/1993 and the relevance and rules of the Information Act. no 140/2012. The main emphasis is on the Administrative Act. 

The course provides the student with an understanding of the scientific method and the basic skills of data analysis. Concepts such as causality, reliability, and validity will be covered. The course covers descriptive and inferential statistics, including topic such as variables, values, standard deviations, samples, significance, and hypothesis testing

In connection with the course Human Rights and Disability FRR109F/104M (6 credits) students in Public Administration and Disability Studies will carry out a 4 credit project on the implementation and monitoring of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Article 33 of the convention calls for particular organisation within national governments in implementing the Convention. It is a new requirement in human rights treaties to call for particular administration with regard to implementation. The project entails examining the requirements of Article 33, scholarly writings and reporting on the article, and how it has been implemented in other countries. Students will also examine how Article 33 is implemented in Iceland, evaluate if it is in accordance with the requirements of Article 33, the Convention‘s general principles (Art. 3) and general obligations (Art. 4), and the basic ideas of the Convention. Findings will be presented in a paper. The project is carried out under the supervision and in collaboration with the course teacher.

This research seminar creates a space for MA students to discuss their research projects and receive support, encouragement and feedback in working on their MA research and writing their thesis. During the fall seminar students also receive training and practice in academic writing and oral presentation of their research. The seminar will be flexible to meet the needs of the group of students attending at each time and the teacher(s) will relate students' projects to relevant research and writing in disability studies. Students are encouraged to attend the seminar throughout their MA studies. Students are also strongly advised to start working on their MA research early in their studies and work on it alongside coursework.

This course places emphasis on developing understanding of subjects related to disability and disabled people‘s lives. The specific topic of the short course is subject to change. The objective of the course is to shed light on disabled people‘s position in society based on the current state in research and knowledge within the field of disability studies. The course builds on students‘ active participation and encourages them to relate the subject of the course to their own education. The course is relevant to those who wish to obtain insight into disabled people‘s experiences in certain domains of society and acquire both academic and practical knowledge to support their education and/or professional development. The course is taught by staff of the programme in disability studies as well as guest lecturers, for example academics, disabled people, and experts from the state, municipalities and disabled people‘s organisations.

Students in disability studies can apply for an independent study in relation with their program of study. In this reading-course the student explores a particular topic or a concept or makes a theoretical summary of interest in line with her or his educational emphases. The student sets out his / her own learning objectives in collaboration with the supervisor, searches for sources, analyzes them, criticizes, and applies the information to present knowledge in a new way.

This reading-course is primarily intended for the preparation of the student’s master's thesis.

Students can only take this course once in their curriculum. The student does not register for the course until the teacher has approved in writing (e.g. by e-mail) his / her role as supervisor.

The aim of this course is to provide students with knowledge and understanding of the human rights of disabled people, especially as these are articulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and national legislation. The course will examine the social and cultural understanding of disability developed within disability studies as well as discussing the ideology behind the CRPD. Special emphasis will be on equality and non-discrimination on the basis of disability in the CRPD, the EU directive on equal treatment and non-discrimination in employment, and Icelandic legislation.

MA thesis

MA thesis

MA Thesis