MILJØ100 Introduction to Environment Sciences

MILJØ100 is the introductory course for the bachelor program in Environmental Science. The course sheds light on interdisciplinary issues and focuses on the connections between climate and the environment and how human activity affects the natural environment. Ecosystem functions, food production, pollution and water quality are important topics that are addressed. The course emphasizes system understanding and critical thinking where sustainable development, climate change, pollution, global perspective, population growth, urbanization, people, nature and the valuation of the nature are central. The course consists of 1) lectures and discussions on environmental science related to the UN's sustainability goals and covers the most central and most frequently debated topics related to environmental and resource issues, sustainability and global change; 2) seminars based on current environmental science issues where students immerse themselves in one or more topics covered in the lectures and 3) group work and semester assignment on selected topics related to resource and land use, pollution and climate. The group work culminates in a written report and an oral presentation in plenary.

After passing the course, students must possess the following knowledge and skills:

Knowledge:

1. Students can define and describe key concepts within environmental science subject areas taught in the course.

2. Students have knowledge of the UN's sustainability goals and can give examples of why environmental science knowledge is important to achieve these goals.

3. Students know and can explain why interdisciplinarity is important for studying and understanding the connections between climate and the environment and how human activity affects the natural environment.

4. Students know the importance of key biogeochemical processes and how human activity such as pollution, population growth and land use affect the natural environment.

5. Students have knowledge of and can explain why basic subjects such as mathematics, chemistry and biology are important in environmental science.

Skills:

Through lectures, seminars and group work with subsequent written submission, students can apply environmental science knowledge to analyze and evaluate simple but central challenges and opportunities related to human activity and sustainable development.