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Social AI Through the Looking Glass

Course • Bachelor's level • 7.5 credits

How does AI affect our society – and how do we affect AI? If AI systems become more empathetic and more intelligent than us, will we prefer social robots over human partners? This course offers an introduction to social robots and how we as humans interact with them.

Application dates

Start

Autumn 2026

Level

Bachelor's

Language

English

Place of study

Lund

Course code

SASH92

Application dates

The course provides you with tools to understand how artificial intelligence is reshaping the boundaries between technology, culture, ethics, and social structures. You will explore the difference between interacting with another human and with a robot, and how technology may influence our relationships, our thinking, and our society – both now and in the future. Combining philosophy, psychology, and technology, the course gives you an overview of theories of human social cognition and how these theories are applied to understand human–robot interaction. You will also gain insight into how social robots are designed, how they learn and adapt, and the ethical questions that arise as robots become part of our lives. Throughout the course, you will discuss and attempt to answer the question: why, and in what contexts, do we humans need social robots as partners? 

Course syllabus

The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.

Syllabus (PDF, new tab)

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

Course literature SASH92 (PDF, New tab)

Autumn Semester 2026

Closed for applications. This application round runs from mid-March to mid–April.

Start

21 October 2026

21 Oct 2026

End

11 December 2026

11 Dec 2026

Form

Normal learning

Pace

Part time

Language

English

City

Lund

When and how to apply

This is a local application round, primarily recommended for EU/EEA citizens. Due to time constraints, we do not recommend applying if you are from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland. You must first find and add the course or programme on Antagning.se before you can log in to Universityadmissions.se and apply.

Entry requirements

General requirements for university studies in Sweden

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to the following: The general average (GPA) of your higher secondary school leaving certificate: 34 %, The Swedish national university aptitude test: 34 %, number of previous ECTS at application deadline (up to 165): 32 %. If students have equal credentials, seats are allocated based on their results on The Swedish National University Aptitude Test. If this too is equal, seats are allocated based on a draw.

When and how to apply

This is a local application round, primarily recommended for EU/EEA citizens. Due to time constraints, we do not recommend applying if you are from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland. You must first find and add the course or programme on Antagning.se before you can log in to Universityadmissions.se and apply.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

  • The European Union (EU)
  • The European Economic Area (EEA) and
  • Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 15,625
First payment: SEK 15,625

Convert currency – xe.com

Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.

Contact us

Study adviser

Filosofiska institutionen

Email: studievagledare@fil.lu.se