course-details-portlet

KULT2205

STS: Knowledge, innovation and major societal challenges

Credits 15
Level Intermediate course, level II
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction Norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Aggregate score

About

About the course

Course content

Innovation is often presented as a necessity to solve grand societal challenges and "wicked problems". Norway is therefore heavily invested in innovation towards more sustainable solutions in for instance issues regarding environment and climate. In the health sector we also see that a coming wave of elderly is often presented as a problem that could be solved with new innovations. Is it possible to solve such societal challenges with innovation and new technology?

A range of actors are involved in most innovation processes. Innovators are of course important, but actors from research, policy work and use also matter and must be taken into account if a "good" social development is to be ensured. At the same time, new innovations have to be adapted to existing material infrastructures in order to succeed. Thus, we need an approach that can handle both social and technical perspectives in order to understand the role of innovations in society. In this course the students will develop a socio-technical innovation competence that is important to understand and handle change and development in public as well as private sectors. The course explores innovation as a phenomenon at the intersection between culture and socio-technical processes of change, and we ask how and why innovation has become so central in the present.

The course is open to all students, and is part of the STS (studies in knowledge, technology and society) one-year study program, which can be subject 2 / broad-based year in most bachelor's degrees and qualifies for admission to PPU (social studies).

Learning outcome

Students who have completed this course have knowledge of:

  • what innovation is and how innovation is done, different innovation theories and innovation models
  • different perspectives on knowledge work, expertise and interdisciplinarity
  • critical perspectives on innovation

Students who have completed this course have the skills to:

  • work independently and in groups with problem solving on the basis of knowledge from the subject
  • plan and carry out a small study project on social change - write reasoning texts
  • apply professional knowledge to practical and theoretical issues, including drawing own conclusions

Learning methods and activities

The course is taught in three parts: 1) introductory lectures, 2) combined lectures and seminars on 2-3 different topics (eg restructuring processes, public innovations and urban development), and 3) seminar with project work.

One mandatory task

The exam is in assignment form: It consists of one shorter exam assignment (constituting 20% of the total grade) and one longer exam assignment due towards the end of the semester (constituting 80% of the total grade). To qualify to sit the final exam, the mandatory course assignment must be approved.

Compulsory assignments

  • One mandatory task

Further on evaluation

The course has two exams: one written assignment that counts for 20% of the final grade and a home exam that counts for 80% the grade. To pass the course, both exams must be passed.

In case of illness or a grade of F on the shorter assignment, a resit exam will be organized before the final exam.

The student cannot appeal the grade before the total grade for both exams is announced.

Students who have completed the mandatory activity will have the opportunity to repeat or resit the exam whether or not the course is taught that semester. In a semester when the course is taught, both exams must be passed. In a semester when the course is not taught, there will only be one exam which will count for 100% of the grade.

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

Compendium + textbooks

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
HFEL0005 7.5 sp Autumn 2008
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Science and Technology Studies
  • Media Studies
  • Social Studies

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture

Examination

Examination

Grade: Letter grades

Examination arrangement: Aggregate score

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

Home examination
Weighting 80/100 Date Release 2025-12-01
Submission 2025-12-08
Time Release 09:00
Submission 14:00
Duration 1 weeks Exam system Inspera Assessment
Assignment
Weighting 20/100 Date Submission 2025-10-06 Time Submission 14:00 Exam system Inspera Assessment

Examination arrangement: Assignment (Resit)

Re-sit examination - Spring 2026

Assignment (Resit)
Weighting 100/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment