Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with a major in Education specialisation in Lifelong Learning

The master programme WorkS - Lifelong Learning, Sustainability and Work, focuses on social sustainability perspectives and strategies for the shaping of a socially just and socially sustainable working life. The master programme addresses the shared responsibility among different parties involved in the relation between and within education and the world of work for the common creation of social sustainability, in an increasingly challenged and continuously changing society.

The working life of today is undergoing several transformations, provoked by an increasingly challenged, digitalized, and globalized society. Societal changes and various crises, new ways of organizing and working, shifting ways of communicating, practicing, and regulating the labour market and workplaces, challenges both people, leaders, managers, and different career supportive professions with the mission of managing and supporting people’s navigation in the world of work. Changes forces forward new forms of leadership, new governing strategies, and new ways of supporting people in their career navigation and continuous lifelong learning. The world of work is inhabited by different stakeholders, all playing important roles in the arrangement of education, and work, and the bridges in between them, and how the future development of a sustainable working life can be shaped.

The challenges in the working life sector, and how these influence the educational sector, peoples’ work and career paths, as well as the bridging professional practices in between these sectors, need to be scrutinized and studied from a sustainability aspect, with specific focus on social sustainability, to create future-oriented learning, socially sustainable and socially just and decent working life conditions, and shape sustainable leadership that matters for coming generations.

The WorkS programme responds to societal, organizational, institutional, and individual needs of critical and practical thinking, and awareness creation regarding the shared responsibilities among parties involved in education and the world of work. Involved parties and their specific roles and functions, are explored in relation to the shared challenges and responsibilities for how the creation of a sustainable working life can be designed.

The WorkS programme is designed to develop various professionals in various positions in the world of work, to deepen their understanding of challenges, possibilities and potential strategies to strengthen social sustainability in the world of work. The programme deepens their understanding of the role of learning in different contexts. In the programme, students will acquire the necessary critical thinking skills to inform policy, implement sustainable strategies into various professional contexts.

The goal, content, and design of the programme
The goal of the programme is to prepare students for professional practice of designing for learning for a socially just, and socially sustainable working life, and to establish a solid research based knowledge appropriate for a further academic career.

The programme is designed to support students to get experience in data collection and analysis, and to develop both research skills for a further academic career and to develop practical skills and experiences in planning and working for inclusive, socially just workplaces, and to develop sustainable strategies and practices in the world of work, in organizational, and institutional contexts, and various professional practices.

The programme offers a solid knowledge platform of theoretical perspectives pertaining to the field of working life, bridging professional practices between education and work such as career guidance counselling, leadership, professional development, and HRM. Ethical and social considerations, critical issues of complexity and paradoxes in the world of work, the role of learning for social sustainability, inclusive perspectives, strategies and communicative practices, leadership, policies, and implementation processes, are included in this offering.

The programme provides a set of social science methods and tools for designing innovative solutions for learning for a socially just and sustainable working life within the framework of sustainable development goals. Throughout the programme a balance between theory and practice is implemented, and teaching methods strives to stimulate interaction among participants.

Courses highlight the need for collaborative practices across fields of expertise and professional roles within organizations, between education and work life sector, and the development of shifting leadership practices. Students learn to recognize, analyze, and reflect on global issues in local settings, to deal with problems on an interdisciplinary level related to challenges pertaining to work life changes. Critical issues of how to design for learning, well-being, health, diminish work-related stress occurring on different levels, among different professionals are addressed, along with existing knowledge on people’s conditions and possibilities for experiencing a socially just working life, with sustainable career development possibilities. Students are encouraged to deal with complex phenomena and practical problems on a cross-sectorial level. Students acquire key competences and soft skills for the professional world, such as self-responsibility, problem- solving skills, and pedagogic competence of relevance for the development of social sustainability in work, in organizations and in bridging professional practices between education and work.

The thesis work is carried out independently with support from a supervisor and through seminars during the process from the development and formulation of a thesis plan to the final defense.

The research base of the programme is anchored in the research environment Encell, focused on lifelong learning research, at the School of Education and Communication. The content of the programme is based on various collaborative research projects and produced knowledge on both national and international level of relevance for the focus and content of the programme.


1) The first semester introduces the social sciences of sustainability in a broader relation to social, political, and environmental aspects. Theories, strategies and planning for social sustainability in different settings in the world of work are introduced. The first semester provides courses specifically designed for deepening the knowledge of social sustainability, the meaning of work, meaning making, learning and identity along with managing sustainable career development throughout multi-dircectional careers, challenges of complexity and the role of lifelong learning for social sustainability.

2) The second semester consist of two research methodology courses, a 5-week systematic literature review/individual literature course and field studies in the world of work with particular focus on qualitative interviewing.

3) The third semester offers a course on meta-critical perspectives on transformation of work life. The semester also provides opportunities to choose courses among other master modules at HLK, or at other universities including the possibility of exchange studies abroad, after agreement with the Programme Director.

4) The fourth semester consists of the 30-credit master thesis course.

One academic year consists of 40 study weeks, divided into two semesters. This is equivalent to 60 credits (60 hp). Each study week consists of 1.5 credits (1,5 hp) that correspond to 40 hours of study.

Upon completion of the programme, students will have enhanced their existing knowledge of social sustainability in relation to the complexity characterizing the world of work. Students' will have deepened their awareness of challenges and possibilities for the design of a socially just and socially sustainable working life, increased the understanding of the challenging, balancing act between different, sometimes colliding goals, and developed their abilities for identifying the need for professional learning, development, and leadership for social sustainability among the different actors involved.

Upon completion of the programme, students will have enhanced their theoretical and practical knowledge to take on high-level developmental roles in various contexts in the world of work, and prepares students for applying for further education on third cycle, i.e., doctoral programmes. Thus, the programme both prepares for post-graduate studies in various pedagogical/educational research areas, and for qualified positions in a range of educational sectors.

General aims
Second cycle education shall essentially build on the knowledge students acquire in first cycle education or corresponding knowledge. Second cycle education shall involve a deepening of knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to first cycle education and, in addition to what applies to first cycle education, shall:

- further develop the students’ ability to independently integrate and use knowledge
- develop the students’ ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues, and situations
- develop the students’ potential for professional activities that demand considerable independence or for research and development work

Programme specific learning goals
For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall:

Knowledge and understanding
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialized knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
- demonstrate specialized methodological knowledge in the main field of study.

Competence and skills
- demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyze, assess, and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information
- demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously, and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work,
- demonstrate the ability in speech and writing both nationally and internationally to clearly report and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
- demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity.

Judgement and approach
- demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social, and ethical issues and to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work,
- demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
- demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

Independent project (degree project)
A requirement for the award of a Degree of Master (120 credits) is completion by the student of an independent degree project (Master’s thesis) for at least 30 credits in education with a specialisation in Lifelong Learning.

The programme consists of the following courses. For details about each course please consult the course curricula. All courses except the course Social Sciences of Sustainability and the elective courses in semester 3 are included in the specialisation of the programme.

Semester 3 consists of elective courses, in total 22.5 hp credits (available on 1 Semester, other Master programmes, SSS environment, alternatively studies at other university, or exchange studies abroad in agreement with the programme director).

There may be some rearrangement and revision of courses. However, a course can only be moved or revised if the move or revision does not affect the content of the programme or the way its courses build on each other.

Course Name	Credits	Main field of study	Specialised in	Course Code
The Meaning of Work - Meaning-making, Identity and Learning	7.5	Education	A1N	LABR24
Managing Sustainable Career Development throughout Multi-dircectional Careers	7.5	Education	A1N	LHMR25
Leading Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Workplaces	7.5	Education	A1N	LLLR24
Research Methods I in Lifelong Learning, Sustainability and Work	7.5	Education	A1F	LFSS26
Research Methods II in Lifelong Learning, Sustainability and Work	7.5	Education	A1F	LF2S26
Field Studies in the World of Work	7.5	Education	A1F	LFAS26
Individual Literature Course - Systematic Literature Review	7.5	Education	A1F	LILS26
Master´s Thesis in Lifelong Learning, Sustainability and Work	30	Education	A2E	LMSV27
Meta-critical Perspectives on the Transformation of Working Life	7.5	Education	A1N	LMKR24
Social Sustainability in Working Life	2.5	Education	A1N	LSHR24
Social Sciences of Sustainability	5	Education	A1N	LSOR24