The Meaning of Work - Meaning-making, Identity and Learning, 7.5 credits
Arbetets betydelse - meningsskapande, identitet och lärande, 7.5 högskolepoäng
| Course Code: | LABR24 |
| Confirmed: | Jun 09, 2025 |
| Valid From: | Sep 01, 2025 |
| Education Cycle: | Second-cycle level |
| Disciplinary domain: | Social sciences |
| Subject group: | Education |
| Specialised in: | A1N Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements |
| Main field of study: | Education |
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
The teaching consists of lectures, seminars and exercises performed individually and in groups.
A learning management system is used.
Students who have been admitted to and registered for a course have the right to receive instruction/supervision for the duration of the time period specified for the particular course instance to which they were accepted. After that, the right to receive instruction/supervision expires.
Language of instruction is in Swedish but English may occur.
The applicant must hold the minimum of a bachelor’s degree (i.e. the equivalent of 180 ECTS credits at an accredited university) with at least 90 credits in Education, Social science, Social Work or Study and career guidance. English proficiency is required.
The grades A, B, C, D and E are all passing grades. For courses with more than one element of examination, students are given a final grade based on an overall assessment of all the elements included in the course. The final grade of the course is issued only when all elements of examination have been passed.
The examination is based on the intended learning outcomes.
The form of examination is individual written assignment.
The examination must allow for students to be assessed on an individual basis. Further information concerning assessment of specific intended learning outcomes and grading criteria is provided at the beginning of the course.
To pass the course students must receive at least a passing grade on every assignment. The final course grade is determined by the grade received on Individual written assignment.
| Name of the Test | Value | Grading |
|---|---|---|
| Individual written assignment | 7.5 credits | A/B/C/D/E/FX/F |
The instruction is followed up throughout the course. A course evaluation is conducted at the end of the course. A summary and comments are published in the learning management system. The evaluation constitutes a basis for future improvements to the course.
Students are guaranteed a minimum of three attempts to pass an examination, including the regular attempt.
If a student has failed the same examination three times, the student can request that the next attempt be graded by a new examiner. The decision to accept or reject such a request is made by the associate dean of education. A student may not make a second attempt at any examination already passed in order to receive a higher grade.
In case a course is terminated or significantly altered, examination according to the earlier syllabus shall be offered on at least two occasions in the course of one year after the termination/alteration.
The examiner has the right to give an adapted examination or let the student carry out the examination in an alternative way provided that the intended learning outcomes can be secured and that there are exceptional reasons for this, including the student's right to targeted study support.
Baldry, Chris, Hyman, Jeff, Taylor, Phil, Bain, Peter, Scholarios, Dora, Marks, Abigail, Watson, Aileen, Gilbert, Kay, Gall, Gregor & Bunzel, Dirk (2007). The Meaning of Work in the New Economy. Palgrave Macmillian.
Bimrose, J., Brown, A., & Barnes, S-A. (2008). Researching careers, learning and identities: Career attachments as anchors or chains? Perspectives in Education. Vol. 26 (3). pp- 71-80.
Blustein, D. L. (2019). The importance of work in an age of uncertainty - The eroding work experience in America . Oxford University Press.
Blustein, David L., Kenny, Maureen. E., Di Fabio, Annamaria, & Guichard, Jean (2019). Expanding the Impact of the Psychology of Working: Engaging Psychology in the Struggle for Decent work and Human right. Journal of Career Assessment. Vol. 27 (1). 3-28. DOI: 10.1177/1069072718774002 (26 sidor)
Blustein, D.L., Devenis. L.E., & Kidney, B.A. (1989). Relationships between the identity formation process and career development. Journal of Counseling Psychology. Vo. 26 (2). pp.196- 202.
Brophy, Sean, Christie, Fiona, and Scurry, Tracy. (2025). Field of study and the subjective labour market outcomes of UK graduates: examining meaningful work, career progression, and skills utilization. Studies in Higher Education . Available open access
Cunningham, Eileen, Christie, Fiona, Deakin, Ria, and Jones, Katy. (2024). Embedding the concept of Decent Work in career development learning. Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling. Vol 53(1), pp 36-50.
Elliot, Anthony (Ed). (2011). Routledge Handbook of Identity Studies. Routledge. (selected chapters)
Girdler, Ross (2023). Investigating the relationship between post-injury occupational change and persistent occupational identity. Doctoral Thesis: University of Wollongong, Australia. (Digital resurs via lärplattform)
Jarvis, P. (2009). Learning to be a person in society: learning to be me. In K. Illeris (Ed.), Contemporary theories of learning. Learning theorists… in their own words (pp. 21-34).
Mezirow, J. (2009). An overview on transformative learning. In K. Illeris (Ed.), Contemporary theories of learning. Learning theorists…in their own words . (pp. 90-105.)
Ravanelle, Alexandrea J. (2019). Hustle and Gig. University of California Press. 288 p.
Ulfsdotter Eriksson, Y., & Linde, M. (2014). "Being" or "doing" a profession: Work as a matter of social identity. International journal of Interdisciplinary cultural studies. Vol 8 (1). pp.33-43.
Wilinska, Monika, Rolander, Bo., & Bülow, Pia H. (2021). When I'm 65: On the Age-negotiated Duty to Work. Work, Employment and society. Vol. 35 (1), pp 21-36.
Citing Sources – How to Create Literature References
http://ju.se/library/search--write/citing-sources---how-to-create-literature-references.html
Sourcewise: A Student's Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism
Information about plagiarism at higher education institutions
Available in the learning management system