Environment and Natural Resources - master

120 credits, taught in Norwegian. Contact: Department of Plant- and Environmental Sciences (IPM),www.umb.no

There is a need for professionals that have a holistic understanding of the connections in nature, who have a solid competence to evaluate the cause and extent of different human interference and who can evaluate which efforts should be carried out from a natural science background. The programme offers specialisation in five central areas of high relevance within natural environment (four specialisation in Norwegian and one i English: 1) Environmental pollutants and ecotoxins, 2) Soil and environment, 3)Limnology and water resources 4)Geology 5) Sustainable Water and Sanitation, Health and Development. Graduates will have a management competence that can contribute to 1) preservation, 2) Restoration/reparation and 3) use of environmental goods and natural resources in the best possible way (sustainability).Engelsk:The Master’s degree qualifies for jobs in the environmental departments of municipalities, counties and the central government, or for jobs in different consulting firms and institutes that develop practical solutions for both local and global environmental problems. The Master’s degree will also provide a basis for self-employment. The Master’s degree qualifies graduates to apply for Ph.D. programmes within fields of environment and natural resources and qualifies graduates for research positions.

Admission requirements
You can find general information on admission to UMB here: http://www.umb.no/study-options/article/admission Bachelor’s degree from a university or university college or similar education (minimum 180 ects.) that includes: - basic knowledge of natural sciences such as math/statistics, biology, chemistry, physics of minimum 60 credits - specialisation of minimum 80 credits within one or more of the following areas: geology/ground water, soil/plant nutrition, limnology/hydrology, environmental chemistry/radiochemistry, biology/ecology, natural resource management/resource studies.

Internationalisation, studies abroad and exhange agreements
The study programme will work towards a broad international profile, tied to contacts in relevant teaching institutions abroad. In the different courses of the study programme, international examples are utilised.Students have a large degree of flexibility regarding the possibility to study abroad. Exchanges are possible with institutions such as KVL Copenhagen (DK), SLU in Uppsala (S), University of Wageningen (NL),and University of Nebraska, USA, Lincoln University, New Zealand and UNIS Svalbard,

Many of the 300-courses which are relevant for the master can be taught in English at request.

Related studies
The Master’s degree programme in Environment and Natural Resources has a number of elements in common with the 5-year Master’s degree programme in Water and Environmental Technology and the 2-year Master’s degree programme in Management of Natural Resources. In this programme, there is emphasis on understanding the biogeochemical processes and mechanisms in natural systems, while the Master’s degree programme in Water and Environmental Technology is more technical/action-oriented and the Master’s degree programme in Management of Natural Resources puts more emphasis on management, biology/biodiversity, species knowledge and ecology. In addition, the specialisations in environmental pollutants and ecotoxicology have quite a lot in common with the Master’s degree programme in Chemistry (environmental chemistry). Currently, biogeochemical processes in the environment and biological effects are more central in the specialisation Environmental pollutants and ecotoxicology than in the Master’s degree programme in Chemistry (environmental chemistry).

Learning goals
A candidate who has completed the education is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in competence, knowledge and skills: Knowledge: View a comprehensive understanding of biogeochemical processes related to terrestrial and aquatic environments. Display a thorough knowledge about the interaction of nature with special emphasis on pollution and climate change. Skills: Applying their knowledge to contribute to: 1) preserve, 2) restoring, 3) stabilize, 4) use of environment and natural resources in the best possible (sustainable) way in one of these specialty areas: Pollutants and Ecotoxicology, Soil and Environment, Limnology and water resources, geology and Cardiovascular Technology Conducting interdisciplinary analysis of problems and solutions related to environment and sustainable development in collaboration with colleagues from other disciplines. Analyze and understand the methods and theories related to the environment, climate change, natural resources and land use. Be able to analyze technical issues on the basis of the history, traditions, character and community needs. Analyzing, structuring and think critically about information sources and scientific literature in the field. Can carry a limited project in an independent manner in accordance with ethical standards. General competencies: Control own learning related to the study, and show independence in carrying out practical and theoretical problem. To be able to apply their professional knowledge and skills in new areas to conduct independent projects. Mastering communication, team work and cooperation in the international academic community andTo a discussion with specialists and the general public Should be able to engage in public debate and still have respect and humility for the opinions of others. Conduct an independent and limited research under the guidance and thoughtful ethical stance on global imbalances with respect to the use of nature. Communicate more independent work in academic forums. Should know the Norwegian and English term within the field.

Teaching and evaluation methods
In addition to lectures (theory), field and laboratory work (practice) are central in this programme. Sampling, processing and analysis are followed by interpretation of data. Processed data can be used when evaluating different plans and illustrating the connection between state form and biological uptake effect. In addition, processed data is a good basis when quantifying the importance of different processes (modelling). This requires a good balance between independent work and group work with presentation of results both written and oral. The Master’s thesis will be done as a supervised independent work of 30 or 60 credits.Courses with a large amount of practical field and laboratory exercises will to a large degree have continuous evaluation (field reports, laboratory journals, etc.) both in groups and individually. Semester assignments (with continuous evaluation) are given in many courses, and represent either the entire grade or part of the grade. Many of the courses at the 300 level will have a final exam (written or oral). The Master’s thesis will be evaluated, and a final grade will be given after an oral discussion.

Programme content
The study programme contains four specialisations (four in Norwegian and one in English): 1) Environmental pollutants and ecotoxicology, 2) Soil and environment, 3) Limnology and water resources 4), Geology, 5) Sustainable Water and Sanitation, Health and Development. For all specialisations, 30 credits on 300-level and an compulsary Master\'s degree thesis of 30 or 60 credits must be completed. The Master\'s degree programme contains the following obligatory courses within the different specialisations: Specialisation Environmental pollutants and ecotoxicology: Environmental pollutants and ecotoxicological effects (15 credits) and environment and resource techniques (5 credits). Specialisation Soil and environment: Advanced Hydrogeology (10 credits) and Global and local pollution (10 credits). Specialisation Limnology and water resources: Water pollution (20 credits, 300 level) and limnology methods (5 credits, 200 level). Specialisation Geology: Paleoenvironment and climate change (10 credits, 300 level) and excursion (5 credits, 300 level).Specialisation Sustainable Water and Sanitation, Health and Development: Ecotecnology Basics (200 level 10credits), Hydrogeologi (200 level - 5 cr), Health, Environment and Development (200-level - 10 cr), Advanced Hydrogeology (10cr), Ecological and Conventional systems for Treatment of Water (15 cr) and choose minimum one of: Treatment of Water and Sewage (200-level - 10cr), On-site Wastewater treatment - planning, design and impact assessment (200 level 10 cr)and Sustainable sanitation -decentralized, natural and ecological wastewater treatment. For the studyprogram courses up to 10 credits at 100-level can be included, those courses are: STAT100, JORD101 and GEO100.

Spesialisation requirements
Cf. 18, course contents.

Student advising

Evaluation