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NATF302 Nature Management in Norway

Credits (ECTS):5

Course responsible:Ole Gunnar Støen

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk

Limits of class size:30

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:Lectures: ca 10 hours. Excursion: ca 50 hours. Semester assignment: ca 65 hours.

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in August block. This course has teaching/evaluation in August block, .

About this course

The course provides insight into how Norwegian nature is managed in practice, the actors and their roles in nature management, as well as current issues and how this is handled at different levels. The course is divided into three parts with one week of lectures, one week of field excursion and one week of group assignment writing. The lectures provide a theoretical introduction to Norwegian nature management and the history of nature conservation in Norway, thesis writing at master's level, and a full - day course in conflict management. During the trip, students visit a range of habitats from coast to mountain, terrestrial and aquatic where they meet nature managers from the national to local level, in the public and in private sector. The managers will provide an introduction to practical management and their way of handling issues regarding the use and protection of nature. The group assignment deals with current issues in nature management from the field excursion and will provide training in writing an assignment at master's level. The course will also create a companionship environment in the student group and enthusiasm for the master's program.

Learning outcome

A candidate with a completed qualification will have the following learning outcomes in the course:

Knowledge: The student will have knowledge of how Norwegian nature is managed in practice, important issues, the actors and their roles, as well as the challenges you will face as a nature manager. This includes knowledge of Norwegian management of areas, endangered habitat types and species, various forms of protection, case procedures both nationally and locally, as well as knowledge of the effects of nature encroachment, conflicts within nature management and conflict management.

Skills: The student should be able to collect relevant information, critically evaluate and analyze this information, and in collaboration with others be able to write an academic assignment on issues within Norwegian nature management.

General competence: After completing the course, the student will have a good understanding of how Norwegian nature is managed at all levels and be familiar with various value assessments that are relevant to the management of Norwegian nature. The student should be able to reflect, argue and contribute to academic discussions on current issues within Norwegian nature management.

  • Learning activities
    Lectures, one week excursion with visits to practioneers, briefings and discussions, semester assignment in groups of 3-4 students.
  • Teaching support
    Students receive lectures on thesis writing at master's level, including search and correct use of relevant information, as well as academic guidance in thesis writing by the course coordinator. The groups give feedback on each other's draft assignments before submission.
  • Prerequisites
    Admission to the master´s program in Natural Resource Management.
  • Assessment method
    Students are evaluated on the basis of a semester assignment

  • Examiner scheme
    The semester assignment is evaluated by an external examiner and the course coordinator. The examiner provides a written evaluation of all the assignments that are made available to everyone, so that the students can learn what is good in an assignment and what can possibly be improved.
  • Mandatory activity
    All lectures and the excursion.
  • Teaching hours
    Approx. 10 hours of lectures/exercises, and 5 days field trip with excursions all day.
  • Preferential right
    Students with admission to M-NF. Students with relevant academic background on related MSc programs will be prioritized if remaining seats are allocated.
  • Admission requirements
    Special requirements in Science