RIGA STRADINS UNIVERSITY
PhD STUDY PROGRAMME
SOCIAL SCIENCES
SUB-SECTION – SOCIOLOGY (5131008)
Riga - 2005
Table of Contents
Application...... 3
Self-appraisal of PhD study programme
in social sciences (SOCIOLOGY) ...... 4
Study course descriptions ...... ….28
Academic staff CVs ...... 70
RSU Senate’s decision on starting
the implementation of a PhD programme ...... 117
Decision of RSU Deans’ Council on the
recommendation of a PhD programme for accreditation ...... 120
RSU Statute of studies for a PhD degree ...... 121
Doctoral student’s record book...... 125
Estimates of study costs ...... 135
Letter of guaranty ...... 136
Agreements of intentions with
lecturers not on the regular staff...... 137
Licence on the rights to implement
the Doctor’s programme in sociology ...... 143
Registration certificate of educational
institution...... 144
Application
of PhD study programme „Sociology” for accreditation.
Name of higher educational institution: Riga Stradins University
Legal address and telephone number
of higher educational institution: 16 Dzirciema street, Riga, LV-1007;
telephone Nr. 7409224
Number of registration certificate of
higher educational institution: 3341202042
Title of study programme: sociology
Code of study programme: 5131008
Length of implementation of
study programme: 3 years
Volume of study programme: 144 credit points
Requirements on starting study
programme: Master’s degree in social sciences or
humanitarian sciences
Degree to be acquired: Dr.sc.soc.
Venue for implementation
of study programme: Riga Stradins University
Form of implementation
of study programme: full-time studies
Authorized person (position, head of PhD study course in Social
name, surname): Sciences of RSU,
assoc.prof. Andris Vilks
SELF-APPRAISAL OF DOCTORAL (PhD degree) STUDY PROGRAMME IN SOCIAL SCIENCES (SOCIOLOGY)
Classification code: sociology – 5131008
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF PhD STUDY PROGRAMME
Aim of study programme:
The aim of RSU PhD study programme in Social Sciences is to train highly qualified scientists and lecturers, complying with the international standards:
- in theoretical and applied sociology;
- in social, culture and medical anthropology;
- in sociology of culture and mass communication;
- in social policy and organization of social work with a specific competence in distinct medical branches (public health, rehabilitation, psychotherapy and other fields).
The aim of the programme includes the acquisition of leading methodologies, principles of research work organization and management, pedagogical skills in order to acquire internationally comparable competence, and finally a PhD degree in social sciences to be acknowledged internationally.
Objectives of study programme:
- to provide opportunities to acquire such knowledge, skills and attitude that would allow to make a successful research work;
- to train a high level specialists who would be able to make analysis and systematize the empirical observations, attributing them to theoretical knowledge, and to demonstrate conceptual and logical skills in the theoretical development of the speciality;
- to develop the competence in problem identification, formulation of hypothesis and the basic principles of the research, making the research plan or its design, data collection, and their empirical and theoretical interpretation;
- to enhance the integration of research into an innovative environment of the action, to promote the productivity of research and its competitiveness both in Latvia as well as worldwide.
- to educate highly qualified scientists who would be able to compete in the local and international research market;
- to offer opportunities to PhD programme graduates to work successfully as highly qualified teachers in Latvia and overseas higher schools.
EVALUATION OF STUDY PROGRAMME
FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF LATVIA AND RSU
PhD study programme in Social Sciences is being organized in accordance with LR law on Higher Educational Institutions, the law „On Research Work”, the law on Education, the Regulations of Cabinet of Ministers on the order and criteria of promotion, RSU Constitution, RSU Statute on studies for PhD degree. The topicality of the programme is determined by modern tendencies in Europe and worldwide, which are characterized by focussing attention on social processes, the necessity to solve local and international problems based on these aspects by applying progressive theories and methodologies. The topicality of the programme is made acute by problems of Latvia’s development, building up a stable and positive social environment in the country, as well as the strategic advancement of Latvia and other Baltic States – not only to join but get fully integrated into the European Union. This fact calls for the necessity for the study programmes which would qualitatively improve the training of specialists who would be able to identify and solve these problems.
The programme has been designed with an aim to provide studies complying with the needs of Latvia and European standards and which would be based on theory and methodology of different research branches.
PhD students have a possibility to acquire deeper theoretical programme in their special field and to carry out research work not only at the departments of RSU Faculty of European Studies, but at some other RSU structural units, as well as in other research and pedagogical institutions in our country and abroad. On the basis of the acquired theoretical knowledge and practical skills, PhD students, who have done their research work, are able to ensure the development of various social sciences, as well as scientific development in some medical aspects, at the same time perfecting the pedagogical processes in this field.
Riga Stradins University, in accordance with RSU strategy of development, is greatly interested in the implementation of PhD studies to provide professional growth of the academic staff and its renewal, training highly qualified specialists for scientific and academic work which is envisaged by mastering a full course of PhD study programme both in theory and pedagogics.
1028 students are learning in various Bachelor and Master programmes of Social Sciences in the Departments of Sociology, Political Sciences, Communication Studies and Regional Economics and Business of RSU Faculty of European Studies.
The last three of the departments mentioned include essential and specific issues of sociology in their Bachelor and Master study programmes. In the doctoral studies of Social Sciences one can continue the acquired education in several directions:
- for political science the following themes and subthemes are included in the doctoral study programme: sociological content of such notions as „social, humanistic, political”; man and society; social order; social relations; society and state; contemporary economic, social and national principles of society; structure of social institutes; non-governmental organizations and their role in the contemporary society; socially-political problems of Europe’s identity; globalization; ethnic pluralism; principal values of society and the national character; problem of historical development; criticism of historical materialism; character of contemporary civilization; national identity; Durkheim’s conception; Weber’s teaching; Marx’ theory; Pareto’s sociological teaching; Marcuse: society without opposition; Habermas: elaboration of the theory of contemporary society; Parson’s system theory; Merton: ideology as a religion, functions of political „machinery”; Althusser: contradictions of humanism; interpretation of Lenin’s activities; Birnbaum: theory of Marxism crisis; Dahrendorf: conflict theory; Sorokin’s sociological conception; Giddens’s theoretical views,etc.
- economics and business are inseparable from the following themes and subthemes included in the doctoral programme: European demographic processes; society and state; economic relations; economic, social and national principles of the contemporary society; social stratification and social mobility; structure of social institutes; management of organizations; globalization; criticism of historical materialism; Durkheim’s conception; Weber’s teaching; Marx’s theory; Marcuse: criticism of industrialism, Parson's theory; Zimmel’s sociology,etc.
- communication science includes the following themes and subthemes in the doctoral programme: man and society; communication and language; semiotics of culture; culture as a text, drama, narrative or task; Habermas: purposeful rational and communicative action; Parsons: symbolic mediators of communication; Luhman: paradigm analysis of communication theory, meaningful communication systems, development of social communication mediators; symbolic interactionism; Foucault’s discourse theory; Bourdieu’s conception,etc.
In total, about 1/3 of all themes and subthemes of all doctoral study programmes are connected with political science, economics and business. It allows to draw a conclusion that Master’s students may successfully continue their further education not only from Department of Sociology of RSU Faculty of European Studies but also from Department of Political Sciences and Department of Communication Studies and Department of Regional Economics and Business in the current PhD study programme in Social Sciences.
It is worth mentioning that RSU Faculty of Rehabilitation has started the work at the implementation of a study programme in social work. Within the framework of this faculty, the Institute of Rehabilitation has begun its work and the Laboratory of Social Research is its structural unit. Study programmes of RSU Faculty of Public Health are inseparable with social sciences too.
The study programme complies with Regulations on Higher Academic Education standard. The strategic goal of the academic education is respected: to ensure students to acquire such theoretical knowledge and research skills which would allow them to do independent, high-quality research in the chosen field of science or its sub-branch. The volume of studies is determined by credit points – 144 credit points which are given for each subject learned, research aspect and pedagogical work, if the evaluation according to 10 point score is positive. The study programme is arranged in 3 blocks: compulsory part, compulsory elective part, free elective part. The basic principles to evaluate the knowledge acquired are as follows: compulsory principle of positive evaluation; diversity principle used in evaluation of knowledge testing; conformity principle of evaluation.
COMPARISON OF STUDY PROGRAMME WITH PROGRAMME OF
LATVIA UNIVERSITY AND TWO STUDY PROGRAMMES
IMPLEMENTED IN FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES
Comparison with Latvia University (LU) programme
Comparing Riga Stradins University (RSU) PhD study programme in Social Sciences in a sub-branch of sociology to the study programme carried out at Latvia University (LU), one can discover several important components which are for both programmes in common, at the same time there are some essential differences which do not allow the substitution of either programme and emphasizes the uniqueness of RSU programme due to its implementation in cooperation with RSU Faculty of European Studies, RSU Department of Humanities, Faculty of Rehabilitation and Institute of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Public Health, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health and Institute of History of Medicine.
The most essential components in common
Nr. /Component
/ RSU / LU1.
2.
3. / Full-time studies
Neccesary credit points to be acquired
Sociological content of studies / 3 years
144 CP
similar / 3 years
144 CP
similar
Components which are in common prove that both programmes in a broader sense are allied and correspond to the principal requirements of doctoral studies, as well as to the specificity of sociology. However, analyzing them deeper, one can find quite significant differences.
Main differences
Nr. /Component
/ RSU / LU1.
2.
3.
4.
5. / Pedagogics as a compulsory part of study course
Promotion work – compulsory part of programme
Promotion examination in speciality
Research monograph
Study courses related to medical sociology / included in programme
unnecessary
20 CP
50 CP
included in programme /
not included in programme
necessary5 CP-
not included in programme
Differences between RSU and LU PhD study programmes in social sciences are determined by RSU development strategy.
An essential difference between both study programmes is seen in the fact that RSU PhD study programme has included a special course in pedagogics, which is not envisaged in LU programme. This difference can be explained by the fact that RSU pays a great attention to the outcome of studies – the graduates of PhD study course are expected to work as highly qualified teachers, meeting the needs not only of RSU and other Latvia’s higher educational institutions, but being in demand on an international scale as well.
Quite a serious distinction between both programmes is seen also in the attitude to the promotion examination in speciality (RSU is giving 20 cr.p., LU – 5 cr.p.). RSU programme is based on the assumption that the promotion examination is the most assertive criterion of a doctoral student’s scientific competences. This criterion is the evaluation of the doctoral student’s research and conceptually qualitative academic work. RSU emphasis for research activities is seen also in the fact that RSU programme, in comparison to LU programme, awards greater number of credit points for scientific publications, including also such a component, as scientific monographs.
The distinction of RSU programme from LU study programme is seen in one more essential aspect: the mechanism of acquisition of a certain number of credit points in RSU PhD study programme gives a chance to complete doctoral studies without handing in a promotion paper. RSU PhD study programme is designed with an aim that by fulfilling doctoral study programme, all preliminary work is done for the defence of the promotion paper. Fully accomplished PhD study programme, acquiring 144 credit points, which is in line with Regulations of Cabinet of Ministers Nr.131, paragraph 4, gives the right to get a PhD degree on defending the prpmotion paper.
A fundamental distinction between both programmes is seen in its main line. RSU programme, in collaboration with other RSU structural units, makes a serious emphasis on social policy and organization of social work, and also on sociological problems in medicine. In order to maintain and consistently realize this tendency, the substitution of RSU programme by LU programme, as well as PhD student training within LU programme framework, is not possible.
Comparison with Budapest Central Europe University (CEU) programme
It is noteworthy that RSU, similarly to CEU, has emphasized the anthropological aspect in its programme.
The most essential components in common
Nr. /Component
/ RSU / CEU1.
2.
3.
4. / Full-time studies
Promotion examination
Sociology in relation to anthropology
Study courses:
Classical sociology
Modern sociological and social theories / 3 years
is envisaged
is emphasized
10 CP
10 CP / 3 years
is envisaged
is emphasized
4 CP
2 CP
(the title “Contemporary macrosociology theory and research”)
The diagram shows that RSU and CEU PhD study programmes are allied in several essential aspects: in both programmes are emphasized the problems of anthropology, full-time study course for both programmes is 3 years, in both cases the promotion examination is planned.