Labour and policy

Academic year: 2010-2011 Course code module 1MSEWCL006 Semester: 1st semester Credits: 12 Study load (hours) 336 Theory (hours): 60,00 Practice/Exercises(hours): 20,00 Other (hours): Part-time program: 1 Instructor(s) Ive Marx Erik Henderickx Walter Nonneman Language of instruction: Dutch Semester exam information: exam in the 1st semester Contract restriction information: 1. Prerequisites *Algemene competenties None. *Sequentiality None 2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes) The main objective of the course is to make students familiar with the multi- and interdisciplinary approach - from economics and sociology -  of current issues in labour and labour policy.   This implies that at the end of the course students should a) be familiar with classic and contemporaneous sociological and economic approaches to the analysis of labour issues, and the resulting empirical evidence; and b) be able to offer an integrated perspective.       3. Course content Students are required to take the state-of-the-art course in the sociology of labour in the sociology departement and the labour economics course in the economics department (4 credits each) (see seperate course descriptions) A third component of the course (also 4 credits) consist of an individual paper that applies both economic and sociological insights and methods to a topical issue in the labour-welfare-policy nexus. At regular group meetings, students discuss their progress and provide feedback to their fellow-students. They present and defend the final paper.   The focus is on issues including:  What are relevant external contingencies of work and welfare (globalization, technological change ...)? Is there a (growing) trade-off between solidarity (social cohesion) and (economic) competitiveness? What are developments in production paradigms; and what are the implications ?  Industrial relations: divergence or convergence?  Which type of welfare state can survive within a global economy?       How to understand the relationship between changes taking place at the level of the global economy and changes taking place in the workplace, the labour market and in the system of industrial relations?    4. Teaching method Direct contact: Lectures Seminars (possible question and answer sessions) Tutorials Personal work: Assignments - individual Assignments - in group Supervised self-study Project-based work - in group 5. Assessment method Exam: Written, with oral presentation Oral, with written preparation Continuous assessment: Assignments Participation in classroom activities Written assignment: Without oral presentation 6. Compulsory reading – study material See list on Blackboard. 7. Recommended reading - study material See list on Blackboard. 8. Tutoring Please contact one of the professors: www.ua.ac.be/ive.marx , www.ua.ac.be/erik.henderickx , www.ua.ac.be/stefan.kesenne . laatste aanpassing: last update: 30/09/2010 13:59 ilke.franquet

Master's project partim I: Seminar SES

Academic year: 2010-2011 Course code module 1MSEWMPDL1 Semester: 1st and 2nd semester Credits: 3 Study load (hours) 84 Theory (hours): Practice/Exercises(hours): Other (hours): Part-time program: 2 Instructor(s) Ive Marx Language of instruction: Dutch Semester exam information: exam in the 2nd semester Contract restriction information: exam contract not possible 1. Prerequisites *Algemene competenties Basic presentational skills. *Sequentiality None 2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes) The objective of this seminar is to enhance the quality of the master thesis through a process of 'peer coaching' and 'peer review'. At various stages of the process of writing their thesis, students present and discuss their progress. This process of interaction and mutual learning is aimed at improving the quality of the final product. At the same time, presentational skills are put into practice and hopefully improved. 3. Course content See 'objectives'. 4. Teaching method Direct contact: Tutorials Skills training 5. Assessment method Discussionbased exam Presentation 6. Compulsory reading – study material - 7. Recommended reading - study material - 8. Tutoring Please contact the instructor: www.ua.ac.be/ive.marx laatste aanpassing: last update: 30/09/2010 14:43 ilke.franquet

Master's project partim II: Master thesis

Academic year: 2010-2011 Course code module 1MSEWMPDL2 Credits: 15 Study load (hours) 420 Theory (hours): Practice/Exercises(hours): Other (hours): Part-time program: 2 Instructor(s) Ive Marx Language of instruction: Dutch Semester exam information: exam in the 2nd semester Contract restriction information: exam contract not possible 1. Prerequisites *Algemene competenties *Sequentiality None 2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes) Students will acquire the following competences: 1.      Development of a problem-solving attitude 2.      Development of a problem definition within the chosen graduation option 3.      Development of an adequate research method 4.      Development of critical reflection 5.      Development of excellence in writing reporting 6.      Application of previously acquired competency in oral reporting 7.      Development of a personal contribution 3. Course content More information can be found here: http://www.ua.ac.be/main.aspx?c=*TEWHI&n=44676 4. Teaching method Direct contact: Seminars (possible question and answer sessions) Personal work: Paper - individual 5. Assessment method Written assignment: With oral presentation 6. Compulsory reading – study material Depends on the subject. 7. Recommended reading - study material Depends on the subject. 8. Tutoring Students are entitled to a number of hours of thesis guidance by their promoter. The promoter should state very clearly where and when he shall be available for individual meetings. The student is required to maintain regular contact with the promoter. laatste aanpassing: last update: 30/09/2010 14:49 ilke.franquet

Sociology of and policy on labour (state-of-the-art)

Academic year: 2010-2011 Course code module 1MSOC_410 Semester: 1st semester Credits: 6 Study load (hours) 168 Theory (hours): 45,00 Practice/Exercises(hours): Other (hours): Part-time program: 2 Instructor(s) Ive Marx Erik Henderickx Language of instruction: Dutch Semester exam information: exam in the 1st semester Contract restriction information: 1. Prerequisites *Algemene competenties Work in human resources is situated between two challenges. On the one hand there is the challenge to deliver an explicit contribution to a lasting competitive advantage of organisations. This implies finding the appropriate competences and tying them to a labour organisation that makes people passionate about their efforts, with attention towards the global cost of labour within a globalising economy. Another challenge is to keep people working longer (increasing the activity degree with 70%) precisely in order to continue to maintain and to afford the welfare state. The tension between competitiveness and solidarity is a central focus in this theme for students of “Social Work.” *Sequentiality None 2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes)   At the end of the degree plan SEW/ Sociology, the student is expected to show his/her competence, based on the various (inter) active education activities, in the following:   Scientific “state of the art” and thus recent scientific insight in the more important sociological and economic theories regarding labour, economic policy, social policy within a European perspective. To be able to understand and situate a limited number of authors (e.g. Manuel Castells, Esping-Andersen). Have insight into the recent problems related to labour in a scientific context, analysis, and empirical results To be able to compare various theoretical approaches with results of (international) comparative and/or longitudinal scientific research Students can draw scientifically founded relationships between HRM within companies on the one hand and societal/economic developments on the other hand. (Possibly as starting point for a “master after master Personnel Sciences at uAms.) Academic competences/skills such as: critical examination of the literature, translation to a scientific problematization and initiate scientific research, with a critical reflection to probable conclusions. Understand and apply statistical calculations. These will later be specified via behavioral examples. Social skills such as being able to: plan and organise, work goal-oriented, work within a team, communicate orally and in writing, and be assertive, show empathy and integrity. These will later be specified via behavioral examples. 3. Course content Various problems within the area “labour and policy” will be discussed. The intent is to present the students with several advanced conceptual frame works, directed at an actual problematization or a societal question. In addition, a current “state of the art” regarding theory and empirical research related to labour and policy will be offered. A connection will be made between various aggregation levels: micro, meso, and macro within economics as well as sociology.   Possible problems are: relationship labour-social security-poverty; content and objectives of the activation policy in current affluent societies; the OMC employment of the EU; the highly variable performances of the EU countries in terms of employment and social exclusion; European labour markets and migration, the problem of life-course transition/ageing, discrimination (foreigner/native, gender, age).   The student preferably has achieved (or chooses as an elective) the following study competences: (t1) Society, facts and problems, (2) sociology of labour, and (3) Economy of labour   Given the intended differences in credits between sociology (PSW) and SEW, the degree course will further be specified.   Method of study. The path of learning is BB directed and supported. This means: Motivating education methodsthrough feedback Guided independent study and feedbackon study tasks Audio-visual information (BB), next to scientific problems Discussion sessions Discussion forums Presentations (group to be composed later)   4. Teaching method Direct contact: Lectures Skills training Personal work: Assignments - individual Supervised self-study 5. Assessment method Exam: Oral, with written preparation Open book Open questions Continuous assessment: Assignments Written assignment: With oral presentation 6. Compulsory reading – study material Course materials (reading lists, articles, statistics, weblinks) are provided via Blackboard. 7. Recommended reading - study material Nihil. 8. Tutoring After class and by appointment. laatste aanpassing: last update: 28/09/2010 11:53 ive.marx

In depth study of sociology of and policy on labour

Academic year: 2010-2011 Course code module 2301PSWGAR Semester: 1st semester Credits: 9 Study load (hours) 252 Theory (hours): 15,00 Practice/Exercises(hours): 45,00 Other (hours): Part-time program: 2 Instructor(s) Ive Marx Erik Henderickx Language of instruction: Dutch Semester exam information: exam in the 1st semester Contract restriction information: 1. Prerequisites *Algemene competenties *Sequentiality Undefined 2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes) 3. Course content 4. Teaching method Direct contact: Lectures Seminars (possible question and answer sessions) Tutorials Personal work: Exercises Assignments - individual Supervised self-study Project-based work - individual 5. Assessment method Exam: Oral, with written preparation Open book Continuous assessment: Assignments Participation in classroom activities Written assignment: With oral presentation Presentation 6. Compulsory reading – study material 7. Recommended reading - study material 8. Tutoring laatste aanpassing: last update: 24/08/2010 05:56 ive.marx

Bachelor's thesis partim II: Seminar Topics of social and economic policy

Academic year: 2010-2011 Course code module FTEBPSEW2 Semester: 1st and 2nd semester Credits: 6 Study load (hours) 168 Theory (hours): Practice/Exercises(hours): 25,00 Other (hours): Part-time program: Instructor(s) Ive Marx Language of instruction: Dutch Semester exam information: exam in the 2nd semester Contract restriction information: exam contract not possible 1. Prerequisites *Algemene competenties It is preferable that students have completed an introductory statistics or econometrics course. *Sequentiality Bachelor's thesis partim I: Seminar Economic Policy (FTEBPSEW1) AND Microeconomics (FTEBAAE220) AND Macroeconomics (FTEBAAE210) AND Society, facts and problems (1BPSW-10) AND Sociological Authors (2BPSW-04) AND [ [Statistics with applications in (business and) economics 1 (FTEBAKM150) AND Statistics with applications in (business and) economics 2 (FTEBAKM250) ] OR Statistics I (1BPSW-09)] 2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes) The objective of this seminar is to teach and practice skills that enable students to analyse social and economic problems in an interdisciplinary way. More specifically, the objectives are these: to be able to formulate a scientific research question, building on the existing scientific literature (drawing on both economics and sociology) to be able to translate this research question into a set of testable hypotheses; to be able to conceive and execute a methodologically sound approach of analysis, using real survey data; o be able to critically interpreted the results and draw relevant conclusions to be able to present and defend a resulting paper 3. Course content The format is a group project and paper. Students are provided with a dataset on which they are required to perform an analysis relating to a research question of their own choice. At regular group meetings throughout the year, students are required to report on the progress they are making. Group and individual feedback is provided. Towards the end of the course they are required to submit and present the paper resulting from their research project.   4. Teaching method Direct contact: Lectures Seminars (possible question and answer sessions) Personal work: Assignments - in group Paper - in group Project-based work - in group 5. Assessment method Continuous assessment: Assignments (Interim) tests Written assignment: With oral presentation Discussionbased exam 6. Compulsory reading – study material / 7. Recommended reading - study material / 8. Tutoring / laatste aanpassing: last update: 18/08/2010 21:09 ive.marx