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REIS300 Nature-Based Tourism

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Stian Stensland

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Limits of class size:25

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:Ca. 250 hours; lectures and term paper included.

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in Autumn parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Autumn parallel.

About this course

Core issues:

1. Critical examination and discussion of the definitions of sustainable nature-based tourism , and related concepts such as regenerative tourism and ecotourism. Tourism, sustainability goals and challenges at different scales.

2. Understanding key aspects of nature-based tourism, e.g., entrepreneurial behaviour, business and product characteristics

3. Analysing experiences in nature-based tourism, including in niches such as wildlife-, adventure- and event tourism.

4. Governance approaches to sustainable nature-based tourism. Resource dependency, public-private collaboration, the role of public regulations and private actions.

The course include participation in two excursions (a two days and a single day) and writing of a term paper. Students are required to bring their own sleeping bag and sleeping pad for the excursion.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The student shall obtain a theoretical basis for critical analysis and evaluation of the key dimensions of sustainable nature-based tourism, including knowledge-based approaches to managing for sustainability.

Skills: The student shall be able to write scientific reports, present research findings orally, and critically assess research from this professional field.

General competence: The students shall be able to contribute to scientific, professional discussions within this field and to provide knowledge about the subject in managerial and commercial settings.

  • Lectures, two excursions, colloquies and individual term paper.
  • The students' learning can be supported by discussions with teachers during office hours.
  • REIS200
  • Broad knowledge in nature-based tourism subjects such as REIS202

  • Combined assessment:

    Term paper (counts 40%) and oral exam (counts 60%). All of the evaluated elements in the course must be completed to pass the course.



    Oral exam Grading: Letter grades Term paper Grading: Letter grades
  • An external examiner will grade the oral exam and the term paper.
  • Both excursions. A two day excursion to Ytre Hvaler National Park second week of the fall semester (mid-September), and a day trip to the woods of Oslo in October.
  • Students are required to bring their own sleeping bag and sleeping pad for the excursion.
  • Lectures, excursion and term paper: 80 hours.
  • Students enrolled in the master program in nature-based tourism.
  • Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)