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Our students develop this ability through practical problem solving, skills training and academic-industrial cooperation. We call it Professional skills. It involves transferring knowledge from head to hand.

Professional skills courses are given during the educational programmes, focusing on different abilities.

Semester and course content

1 Leadership I

Teamwork, team roles and tools for feedback.

2 Professional writing

Professional writing for applications, progress reports, complaint processes, etc.

3 Leadership II

Project leadership.

4 Presentation

Plan and perform a persuasive presentation.

6 Career planning

Writíng a CV and letter of application and preparing for the interview.

The Centre for Research on Sustainable Societal Transformation at Karlstad University conducts multidisciplinary research on current and historical trends as well as future challenges. Our researchers work collaboratively across local, regional, national and international issues, and aim to contribute new research results and methods to the field of sustainable development and a range of other societal challenges.

CRS is an inclusive center that unites researchers from many different areas and with different approaches, which fosters a dynamic research environment. Some of the research questions in which our researchers are engaged include: How can we jointly use all the forest's resources in a sustainable way? How does digitization affect tourism and the development of visitor destinations? How is the day-to-day life of a family affected when moving from the big city to an urban area? How can we learn from local and historical knowledge for a sustainable future? These are just some of the issues within CRS's broad research fields.

CRS RESEARCH PROGRAMME

Research data is all data on which research results and conclusions are based. This may include raw experimental data, interview data, statistical analyses, data code or videos.

RESEARCH DATA MANAGEMENT

The research data management process spans the entire life cycle of a research project. It includes collection, documentation, processing, storing, sharing and archiving. Future use of the material is facilitated by working in a structured manner and making the data accessible.

Benefits of good research data management practices:

• Easy to find and understand data when needed in the future
• Continuity in the research project despite any staffing changes
• Easy validation of data on which research publications are based
• Facilitating the sharing and re-use of data
• Increasing the visibility and citations of the research

Contact the research data group for support.

In collaboration with the Centre for Social Science Education (CSD), researchers work with issues related to knowledge formation in Geography in years 4–6 in school. Within this collaborative framework, a national study on school Geography is underway.

Go directly to

• Centrum för de samhällsvetenskapliga ämnenas didaktik, CSD
• Research group GeoMedia

Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap vid Karlstads universitet strävar efter att vara en öppen miljö där forskare och doktorander med skilda bakgrunder bidrar till att utveckla kosmopolitiska perspektiv på samhället. Som en markering av ämnets globala prägel instiftades 2009 en årligen återkommande internationell gästprofessur.

Geomedia – en stark forskarmiljö

Forskningen på ämnet bedrivs huvudsakligen inom den starka forskarmiljön Geomedia. I en rad sammanlänkade forskningsprojekt studeras produktionen av rum, platser och mobiliteter i en (trans)medialiserad värld. Bland gruppens forskningsteman kan nämnas turism och sociala medier, filmkulturer och transnationellt minne, lokala nyheter i ett fragmenterat medielandskap, rörlighet, lokal identitet och journalistiskt arbete, nya medier och klyftan mellan stad och land, regional platsmarknadsföring, samt globala kommunikations- och maktgeometrier. Gruppen organiserar också workshops, symposier och andra forskningsaktiviteter inom ramen för det tematiska området.

NODE studerar det digitala

En annan forskningsinriktning inom ämnet representeras av forskningscentret NODE, The Ander Centre for Research on News and Opinion in the Digital Era. Centret analyserar hur relationen mellan olika aktörer tar sig uttryck i en digital kommunikationsmiljö som också högst påtagligt påverkas av sociala villkor och andra kulturella variabler. I synnerhet studeras a) nyhetsproduktion, distribution och konsumtion samt b) den strategiska opinionsbildningens mekanismer och samspelet mellan politiska partier, organisationer, företag och medborgare. Det finns ofta överlappningar mellan NODE:s och Geomedias forskning: till exempel samlar projekten om lokala nyheter i ett fragmenterat medielandskap och rörlighet, lokal identitet och journalistiskt arbete forskare från båda inriktningarna.

Identitet, visuell kultur och medborgarskap

Genom båda dessa miljöer löper också ett antal forskningsteman som byggts upp inom ämnet under åren. Ett sådant tema är kultur och identitet, där forskare studerar identitetsskapande både utifrån vardagens kommunikationsprocesser såväl som i relation till medieprodukter inom olika kulturella fält. Ett annat tema är visuell kultur och design, som bland annat inkluderar forskning om transmedial konst i offentliga miljöer. Ett tredje tema är globala medier och globalisering, där till exempel studier av medier i utvecklingsländer spelar en viktig roll. Ytterligare ett tema berör medier och medborgarskap, där vi undersöker vi dynamiken mellan medier, samhällelig tillhörighet och demokratiskt deltagande med fokus på hur medborgarskap konstrueras genom både institutionaliserade och alternativa medier. Forskningen inom ämnet är mångfacetterad men ändå fokuserad inom de breda områden som representeras av Geomedia och NODE.

Risk management is a broad concept that encompasses investigative, decision-making and transformation processes for different risks. In economics there is a long tradition focused on handling financial risks, usually taking the shape of calculated risk-taking to optimise long-term economic results. More recently the concept has also been used in relation to handling environmental and health hazards, particularly those connected to accidents or other sudden events. In these cases the emphasis is on prevention and preparedness, often against the backdrop of socioeconomic factors.

Risk management is commonly viewed as a working method comprising different steps in a process. Common steps include the identification, analysis, assessment and decisions, and developing measures or handling risks. The process has frequently been described as cyclical, or as a loop of gradual improvements.

Risk management as academic discipline

Risk management is a young academic discipline. At Karlstad University different disciplinary traditions come together in the subject risk management, since the risks in focus differ widely and include, for example, health, suicide and natural disasters. Nevertheless the systematic handling of risks is similar, irrespective of the type of risk involved. We are further interested in adopting a social perspective on risk management, and the social management of risk is central.

Four aspects

There are four aspects to risk management:

Risk management is a process or working method, as described above. Gradual improvements and learning from earlier events are seen as important, and the process is often represented as a loop.

Risk management is based on a perspective or an approach. Depending on the aim and context, approaches may involve risk mitigation through prevention, risk acceptance, or even deliberate risk taking. Different approaches include those taken to financial risk (risk taking is a prominent feature) and to natural disasters (only preventative measures are considered). 

Risk management may target different types of risk. Risks may pertain to life and health, natural disasters, the environment, investments, goodwill, national independence, uncertainty in decision making, etc.

Risk management takes place at different levels, stretching from the individual to society as a whole, and including important intermediate levels such as organisations and companies.

All four aspects can be studied. One can study the risk management process and develop methods for improving risk analysis and assessment, or study the societal levels affected by an event, the levels at which risks are managed, and accordingly the types of risk involved. Classifying risks form part of risk management. Our approaches to and perceptions of risks are also interesting areas of study.

Our specialisations

At Karlstad University we have first and foremost specialised in the community level and preventative approaches. In practice this means that we study the way in which communities handle risks through planning and preventative work, particularly on local levels. We also study communities’ vulnerability to different risks, as well as methods of assessing vulnerability and mapping risks. We are interested in individuals, organisations, and society, but approach the subject from the perspective of the community, for example by asking how a community can mitigate risks faced by individuals. Our approach focuses on the damage limitation through preventative measures.

In our research and education we also take usability into account. We generate knowledge on risk management for practitioners, such as health care providers and local government officials. We also contribute to improving risk management methods and the understanding of risks.

Good risk management is systematic, reveals risks and includes a plan for handling these risks. It is also important to highlight the ways in which contradictory goals can impede risk management.

At present the subject of risk management combines two main traditions: public safety, which aims to prevent personal injuries in different environments, and risk mitigation and adaptation in relation to extreme weather events. These areas overlap to some extent, because many natural disasters also lead directly or indirectly to personal injuries.

Co-funding and development collaborations

Through a development collaboration between CSR and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, MSB, during 2019–2021 the agency takes part as co-funder for CSR's activities. The aim of the collaboration is to support research in the field of climate adaptation and natural hazards as well as providing CSR opportunity to support the agency with analyses and overviews of the current knowledge in the field.

Through a collaboration with Karlstad municipality during 2020–2022 the municipality takes part as co-funder for CSR's activities. The aim of the collaboration is to support work in the field of societal risks in the municipality through research and communication. CSR is also a component in an ongoing discussion on the formation of a centre for societal safety in Karlstad.

CSR's co-funders are represented in the CSR board.

• Read more on the CSR board
• The Swedish Civil Contingencies agency, MSB
• Karlstad municipality

Background

CSR was inaugurated in 2020 as the product of a merging of two previous research centres at Karlstad University: the Centre for Climate and Safety, CCS and the Centre for Public Safety, CPS. Important arguments of the merger was to stimulate larger research projects, increased international collaboration and administrative synergies.

The predecessor Centre for Climate and Safety was formed in 2008 as a transdisciplinary research centre that aimed to act as a resource in research and learning on climate related risks and the management and governance of these. To a large degree CCS was aimed at uncommon and relatively big scale events connected to extreme weather such as heavy rain, floods and windstorms. The other predecessor Centre for Public Safety was formally started in 2013 and aimed at providing a collected cross-sectorial support for public safety work connected to everyday events. The work of CPS was also to a large degree transdisiplinary consisting of research, inquiries and development.

Collaboration between CPS and CCS increased over the years, partly as competences in the two research centres also had been the foundation on which a masters programme: Risk Management in Society had been built, but also through the formation of a new discipline: Risk- and Environmental Studies, at Karlstad University in which both centres had their core activities. Another area of collaboration was the development and use of the RiskLab, a physical environment used for research communication, pedagogic models and education within the societal risk area.

During the years up to the merger there also was a perceivable change in how society managed risk and safety which made such issues hard to categorize as "climate related" or "public safety related". Focus instead gradually shifted to risks for society where factors such as climate, society and human interact in complex ways. 

Organization

A research centre at Karlstad University is a formation ment to facilitate and develop research collaboration over disciplinary, departmental and faculty borders. Research centres at Karlstad University conducts research, evaluation and inquiries within a multi-disciplinary thematic area. As such the research centre aims at increasing interdisciplinary collaboration within the university as well as collaboration with actors outside of the university.

A research centre at Karlstad University is characterised content-wise by its focus on creating, developing and nurturing knowledge in a specific thematic area that encompasses more than one discipline. The foundation of a research centre is the research competences tied to the centre. 

The Centre for Societal Risk Research, CSR, has its organisational placement in the faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Karlstad University. CSR has a close connection to the discipline Risk- and Environmental Studies at the department of Political, Historical, Religious and Cultural Studies, a discipline where many of CSR's researchers are employed. CSR's researchers do however come from a wider range of disciplines, mainly at Karlstad University but also from other universities in Sweden and abroad. Several advisors with backgrounds in the private or public sectors are also tied to CSR.

CSR's research questions are trans-disciplinary and requires expertise from natural sciences, social sciences, the humanities and applied sciences to find answers and solutions. All taken together this makes CSR a broad and multi-disciplinary group. 

Director

2020 -

Board

The board of the Centre for Societal Risk Research is made up of people that work with societal risk issues, climate adaptation or public safety in various ways. The role of the board is to work in a wide manner with ensuring the quality and societal relevance of work done by CSR. The board contributes with valuable experiences and competence in discussions on CSR's development, budget and other strategical issues. The board meets two times each year, once in spring and once in fall.

Graduates from the Music Teacher programme are qualified to teach music in upper-secondary schools, as well as in years 1–9. The programme also gives you the necessary skills to teach at music or arts schools. When we designed the Music Teacher programme at MHI, we made sure to include music and arts school perspectives, to provide you with more future career opportunities.

Subject combinations

Ingesund School of Music specialises in the music-music subject combination and you will receive tuition in your main instrument in all the semesters on the programme, in one of three genres: folk music, classical music, and rhythm and improvisation.

You also play in different types of ensembles during the programme. There is a big band, a folk music ensemble, a choir, a wind symphony, a string and symphony orchestra, as well as a number of smaller genre ensembles.

To enhance the programme’s practical placements, you also regularly have practice teaching sessions, giving you valuable contacts and professional experience.

Ingesund School of Music offers new and recently renovated premised and ample practice rooms. Our excellent teachers contribute to the quality of the programme.

Programme structure and contents

Music Teacher programme comprises 300 ECTS credits.

• Subject 1, 120 ECTS cr.:  Music-specific teaching methodology
• Subject 2, 90 ECTS cr.: Elective
  - Instrument and ensemble (IE)
  - Music in class (MiK)
  - Music theory and composition (MoK)
  - Music and sound production (MuLP)
• General education core studies (UK), 60 ECTS cr.
• Practical placement (VFU), 30 ECTS cr.
• Independent projects 1 and 2 (15 ECTS cr. each): As part of Subjects 1 and 2
   
• Overview of the Music Teacher programme

Subject 1: Music-specific teaching methodology

You study your main instrument as part of Subject 1, and you receive tuition in your instrument during all ten semesters of the programme. You also play in different ensembles, study instrument-specific methodology and have practice teaching sessions. During the first two years of the programme, chord and accompaniment instruments are studied, as well as voice and song, choir, rhythm and dance, ear training, music theory, music production and the cultural context of music. You further study general music-specific teaching methodology, group methodology and ensemble methodology. The second of the programme’s independent projects is completed as part of Subject 1.

Subject 2

Before the second year of the programme, you choose Subject 2, a specialisation that will give your degree a specific profile. Each specialisation involves artistic as well as pedagogical development. Read more about the different specialisations below. The first of the programme’s independent projects is completed as part of Subject 2.

Instrument and ensemble (IE)

This specialisation provides in-depth knowledge of instruments and ensembles. Choose a second instrument that you can combine with your first instrument to broaden your knowledge of genres r instruments. You receive tuition in your second instrument and play in an ensemble, and you study instrument-specific methodology and have practice teaching sessions.

The subject further includes music-specific teaching methodology, ensemble methodology, a stage project, ear training, music theory, music production and the cultural context of music, offered in conjunction with other Subject 2 specialisations.

Music in class (MiK)

In this subject, you specialise in music class teaching. You continue to develop your knowledge and skills in chord and accompaniment instruments, voice and song and the cultural context of music. You further study classroom methodology for upper-secondary school and years 1–9, stage different projects and have practice teaching sessions in class.

The subject further includes general music-specific teaching methodology, ensemble methodology, ear training, music theory and music production, offered in conjunction with other Subject 2 specialisations.

Music theory and composition (MoK)

In this subject, you develop your knowledge and skills in ear training, music theory, composition and the cultural context of music. You also learn piano has a chord instrument and methodology for theory and composition, as well as practice teaching sessions. 

The subject further includes general music-specific teaching methodology, ensemble methodology, a stage project, and music production, offered in conjunction with other Subject 2 specialisations.

Music and sound production (MuLP)

This subject allows you to specialise in music and sound production. You work with recording, editing and processing of sound and other projects in the area of music production. Subject-specific teaching methodology is integrated into subject teaching and you have practice teaching sessions in this area.

The subject further includes general music-specific teaching methodology, ensemble methodology, a stage project, ear training, music theory and the cultural context of music, offered in conjunction with other Subject 2 specialisations.

General education core studies (UK)

General education core studies (60 ECTS cr.) comprise central and general ideas of teaching that are applied and related to music and music-specific teaching methodology. Studies are thematically organised into two areas: the teaching profession and pedagogical leadership. The first theme includes the history of the school system, its organisation and conditions, as well as development, learning and special needs education. The second theme includes social relations, conflict management and leadership, assessment and grading, evaluation and development work, as well as theory of science and research methodology.

In the study programme, general education core studies alternate with and are integrated into music studies and music-specific teaching methodology, as well as the practical placements (VFU), to provide a good foundation for a future professional identity. Students on the Music Teacher programme take these courses in Arvika, at Ingesund School of Music.

Practical placement (VFU)

Practical placements take place in different types of schools, such as upper-secondary schools, compulsory schools, music schools and arts schools. During the programme, there are four concentrated practical placements of five weeks each. In addition, you have regular practice teaching sessions to enhance VFU.

Independent projects

As part of your subject studies, you also have to complete two independent projects of 15 ECTS credits each. The first independent project is completed during the third year of the programme, and the second during the last semester of the programme. The aim of these projects is to develop basic knowledge of research and development work that is relevant to your future profession as music teacher. The first project gives you the opportunity to study your own performance and learning processes, and in the second you conduct a study in the area of music-specific teaching methodology

Student Health Services is a complement to other public and private health clinics in Karlstad. We understand how difficult it can be to adjust to life at the University or to a new country if you are an international student. Primarily the Student Health Services works proactively with lifestyle issues and sexual health. But we also offer support when you have problems that affect your ability to study - i.e. stress,worry, anxiety, depression and/or academic difficulties. All staff at the Student Health Services maintain confidentiality.

Annelie Berglind, Health Educator

Phone: 054-700 16 45, 073-270 28 62
E-mail: annelie.berglind@kau.se
Location: 3C 305

Eva Ohlin, Counsellor

E-mail: eva.ohlin@kau.se
Location: 3C 317

Jenny Davidsson, Counsellor

E-mail: jenny.davidsson@kau.se
Location: 3C 304B

Mira Fielding, Counsellor

E-mail: mira.fielding@kau.se 
Location: 3C 320

At Ingesund School of Music, applicants have to pass an entrance test before they are admitted to our programmes. There are different entrance test requirements for the different programmes. Doing an entrance test can be a nerve-racking experience, particularly if your nerves affect your concentration or if the uncertainty affects you in another way. Find out more about the entrance tests for each programme by clicking on the links below.

• Entrance tests for the Bachelor programme in Music
• Entrance tests for the Music teacher programme
• Entrance tests for the Music production programme

The journal is available in Swedish at arbetsmarknad-och-arbetsliv.kau.se

Arbetsmarknad & Arbetsliv is a cooperation between Working Life Science at Karlstad Business School and Sociology and Working Life Science at Univeristy of Gothenburg.

Additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D-printing technology is a new and nowadays hot topic in Sweden. The technology provides unique opportunities for resource efficient manufacturing of complex custom objects with features impossible to be manufactured by conventional methods.

The aim of the project is to install and launch an additive manufacturing laboratory at Karlstad University to use it as an interface between academia and regional companies providing opportunities for organization and realization of efficient knowledge transfer and demonstration events, create environment where industrial partners, in a close collaboration with university, could gain new knowledge in products and develop processes.

To develop new efficient knowledge exchange channels, the development of an open and accessible research and innovation environment is crucial. The AT-LAB will be such an environment for efficient and easy knowledge and technology transfer.

In a close contact with cluster organizations, the project will develop a new network involving interested small and medium size regional and national enterprises. In frame of the project, different activities like workshops, seminars, pilot manufacturing, prototyping and product verification and investigations will be organized.

The key target groups are

Regional SMEs and companies aiming to involve additive manufacturing in the production.

Regional SMEs and companies aiming to use externally manufactured parts and components made by additive manufacturing in their own production.

In the project, industries involved in research and pilot manufacturing activities will be able to

• get new knowledge about additive manufacturing technology, design, materials, machines and properties,
• use AT-LAB resources to design and develop CAD models,
• use AT-LAB for manufacturing of pilots, models and prototypes,
• test and characterize properties of articles and components manufactured in AT-LAB,
• establish new business contacts with other participants,
• use newly created channels and network for collaboration with other companies, university and society,
• take part in future research project applications to KKS, Vinnova and EU,

Project activities

• Install and launch additive manufacturing equipment.
• Organize a vibrant network of regional industries having interest to additive manufacturing technology.
• Organize seminars and workshops supporting interest of companies for groups having general interest to the AM technology.
• Organize educational learning events, in format “learning by doing” for industries interested in the implementation of technology.
• Organize demonstration, and/or validation projects demonstrating features of the method for industries interested in validation of the AM technology capacities.
• Organize research projects for companies interested in material and performance aspects of the AM technology.

The long-perspective goal is an implementation of the additive manufacturing technology in a production by regional industries. This technology is resource efficient and environmentally friendly. It also has indirect environmental effect, for instance by decreasing machining operations utilizing hazardous and polluting lubricants and cooling liquids. Therefore, long-term environmental contribution into green society will be done.

Facts:
Start: 1/7 2017
End: 30/6 2022
Budget: 28 750 000 SEK
Partner Institutions: KaU, CTH, LiU, LU
Coordinator: Karlstad University

Principle investigators:
Ellen Moons, KaU
Jan van Stam, KaU
Christian Müller, CTH
Ergang Wang, CTH
Fengling Zhang; LiU
Jonas Bergqvist, LiU
Ivan Scheblykin, LU
Petter Persson, LU

Do you have any questions on a specific page?

The name of the author of each webpage is displayed at the bottom of the page. Contact the author if you have questions or views on the content of that particular webpage.

Who creates the webpages?

The Communications Office is responsible for creating central webpages at kau.se. A central web team is responsible for:

• developing kau.se
• updating editorial content on central university webpages
• system administration of the web publishing tool Drupal
• answering emails sent to webmaster@kau.se

Kau.se also includes a large number of local webpages, with their own local webmasters. These include webpages for units, departments and subjects, as well as the webpages of different research groups. Local groups are responsible for their own webpages.

Our pedagogical model is based on combining theoretical knowledge with practical skills. It is important that students feel confident in their knowledge on graduation – it is necessary for doing a good job in their future profession.

From Autumn 2017, a Degree of Master of Laws programme 270 ECTS credits is offered, which means that the Bachelor degree programme in Legal Science is being phased out. The Master of laws programme leads to a professional degree, meeting the qualification requirements for legal professions such as judge, lawyer and prosecutor. Students will study and apply the fundamentals of legal theory and legal method, which is a requirement for professional Master’s Degree in laws, and also choose an employment market profile. 

 "Knowledge is worth nothing without the ability to use it"