Management of Natural Resources - master

120 credits, taught in Norwegian. Contact: Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management (INA). www.umb.no/ina

The study encompasses conservation biology, global change ecology, management of wildlife and fishery resources, water resource management, and resource economics. After completing the programme, graduates will have an understanding of the ecological and social reasons for nature management and will be able to apply these in practice.The programme qualifies graduates for positions in public natural resource management, as an official in municipalities, county municipalities, county governor departments or in central government departments. The education also qualifies graduates to take positions in industrial organisations and organisations with connections to the use and protection of natural resources and areas. The programme also qualifies graduates for admission to Ph.D. studies in natural resource management or ecology in Norway and abroad.

Admission requirements
The applicants must have obtained a Bachelor?s degree or equivalent in Natural Sciences (biology, ecology, agricultural or environmental sciences).

Internationalisation, studies abroad and exhange agreements
Many of the courses use English literature and some are held in English. The program focuses on both Norwegian and international challenges in natural resource management. The degree of internationalisation will depend upon which speciality, research topic, and advisor the student chooses. It is possible to have a semester at a foreign university. Most students write their thesis in English.The programme allows for the possibility of studying abroad, provided the student takes the compulsory subjects in the Master?s degree programme. These subjects can be taken at UMB or at another college or university abroad, subject to approval.

The department has a broad spectrum of subjects taught through English, either as a rule or upon request from the students. The department can therefore offer foreign students a normal academic year in English within the area of natural resource management and ecology.

Related studies
Few related educations at this level can be found in Norway. The specialisation Resource economics is related to studies at the Dept. of Economics and Resource Management, and the specialisation Water resource management is related to studies at the Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences, but is more focused on ecology.

Learning goals
A candidate who has completed the education is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in competence, knowledge and skills: Competence: - Can work well with others who have different professional backgrounds, and behave analytically and mediate among parties involved in conflicts. - Are able to acquire relevant information and assess reliability of such information. - Are able to communicate their assessments and conclusions in a clear and convincing manner both orally and written. Knowledge: - Have a good understanding of the ecological and social basis for a sustainable management of natural resources. - Can analyze the consequences of the use and protection of natural resources in a thorough, critical, and multidisciplinary manner. - Have good knowledge of the structure, relevant laws, and administrative rules in natural resource management and social planning. Skills: - Can evaluate the results of scientific studies and use them in practical natural resource management. - Can make operative management plans. - Can evaluate various management strategies for the sustainable use of natural resources.

Teaching and evaluation methods
Teaching and evaluation methods consist of lectures, student assignments, study groups, seminars, oral and written presentation of work, field work and completion and reporting of the individual research project (Master\'s thesis).The types of evaluation include written and oral exams, semester assignments, participation in and reporting from compulsory activities, and student presentations. The Master\'s thesis and the special syllabus related to it are defended with an external examiner present.

Programme content
The following courses are compulsory for all students. Conservation Biology, Practical Nature Management, Municipal planning, Administrative law, Main Excursion in Nature Conservation and a course in Scientific Methodology. Students specialise by taking at least two of the following 300-level courses: Wildlife Management, Management of Freshwater Fish, Water Pollution, Environmental Pollutants and Ecotoxicology, Global Change Ecology, Landscape Ecology, Ecology and Management of Rivers and Lakes, Nature-based Tourism, Environmental Economics, Environmental Politics and Management and Law of Planning and Environment.

Spesialisation requirements
To gain adequate specialisation in the programme, it is required that students take the prerequisites to their 300 level courses. Students complete the programme with a Master\'s thesis of 30 or 60 credits that is a scientific work that students conduct within one of the specialisation areas. The student completes the thesis with guidance from a scientific member of the Department staff.

Student advising

Evaluation