Teaching Philosophy and Delivery of Instruction
The Master’s programme in Leadership is designed so that the totality of courses and study activities will guide students towards achieving the intended learning outcomes for the programme.

Each course is structured to provide a broad spectrum of knowledge, skills, and general competence that reflect the professional field. Some courses are more oriented toward knowledge acquisition, others toward developing specific skills, while still others combine several competencies by linking theory and practice. This is reflected in the teaching.

The work, teaching, and assessment methods in each course are selected to ensure a meaningful alignment between the intended learning outcomes, the teaching methods used, and the examination that concludes the course.

The methodological choices also reflect how each course contributes to the programme as a whole. Students will therefore encounter a variety of learning activities throughout their studies, designed to reflect the professional practice field for which the programme prepares them.

The Master’s programme in Leadership emphasises that students learn to apply relevant methods from research and professional or artistic development work. This is intended to enable students, during their master’s studies, to carry out an independent, delimited research or development project—or artistic work—under supervision and in accordance with relevant academic and ethical standards. To support this, teaching will include commentary, illustration, and elaboration of material from course literature, as well as guidance and supplementary resources not available in printed form.

As with all higher education, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences requires students to engage in independent learning. The university considers it its responsibility to facilitate and support students’ work through effective learning design. At the same time, it must be emphasised that instructors can only teach and facilitate learning—actual learning takes place within each student as a result of their own efforts. Consequently, students should expect to invest a significant amount of independent work alongside scheduled teaching.

The main work, teaching, and assessment methods encountered in the Master’s programme in Leadership are described below:

Lectures, instruction, general guidance, and other teacher-led activities
Supervision and formative assessment
Digital preparatory and follow-up work
Case, group, and/or project work
Workshops and seminar participation
Independent practice / laboratory work / practical assignments, individually or in groups
External and internal projects, productions, or commissions
Other student activities, including presentations, plenary discussions, and dissemination
Industry contact and practical experience
Study groups and written assignments
Independent academic work with syllabus and supplementary literature

For students who require guidance beyond scheduled teaching, the university provides access to a range of academic resources, including administrative staff, librarians, digital learning resources (such as online videos), and student advisors. These may be contacted individually as needed.

In addition to providing literature and research support, the library also offers various forms of training in academic writing.

During the course of the programme, subject-specific academic events are organised, featuring guest lecturers, external organisations, and industry partners. Projects may be initiated by course coordinators and/or students and are supported by administrative resources.

Examinations and Assessment Methods
Assessment is a situation in which a submitted or presented piece of work is evaluated against a set of criteria—criteria derived from the learning outcomes defined for the specific course. Assessment may be conducted by peers, instructors, or examiners, who may also provide feedback, either as formative comments or as a grade (examination).

At Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, a distinction is made between assessment as learning, assessment for learning, and assessment of learning. The form of the work being assessed (the assessment method) may be the same across these three contexts, but the purpose differs.

In assessment as learning (peer assessment) and assessment for learning (feedback from instructors), the purpose is to shape the learning process and help the student achieve the best possible learning outcome. This type of assessment is considered part of the teaching methods.

Assessment of learning refers to summative assessment, where the actual learning outcomes achieved are evaluated—i.e., the examination. At Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, an examination is defined as “a final assignment within a course or a delimited part of a course.” The submitted or presented work is evaluated through grading, and the result of the assessment is recorded on the diploma.

In the Master’s programme in Leadership, students may encounter the following types of examination:

Oral examination
Performance / practical examination
Supervised written examination
Multiple choice test
Home examination
Portfolio assessment
Term paper
Master’s thesis

In some courses, mandatory activities are required. A mandatory activity is a prerequisite that must be approved before a student may take the examination. Such activities may include submission of one or more assignments (coursework requirements) and/or participation in specified activities, lectures, or mandatory practical components.

A mandatory activity is assessed as Approved or Not approved. The right to sit for the examination in a course that includes mandatory activities requires that these activities are approved. If the activities are not approved, the student loses the right to take the examination in the course until the activity (or activities) has been assessed as Approved.

For more detailed information about examinations and mandatory activities, please refer to Kristianias website.

Study program MLS

Master in Leadership