Type of course

Master course for biology students - principally aimed at students specializing in "Ecology and sustainability".

The course is available as a singular course.

Maximum of 30 students, priority to students enrolled in following biology disciplines: Ecology and Sustainability (obligatory), Freshwater Ecology, Arctic marine Ecology and Northern Population and Ecosystems .

Admission requirements

Local admission, application code 9371 - Master's level singular course.

Admission requires a Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, with a major in biology of minimum 80 ECTS.

Course content

Students will learn the rapidly emerging research field associated with sustainability science and ecosystem management. The ecosystem approach embraces broader interdisciplinary approaches to understand the interactions between natural and social systems, and how those interactions affect sustainability. Students will learn the conceptual and analytic foundations for analysing terrestrial and aquatic socio-ecological systems. They will use case studies to apply and understand better how to put in practice the concepts that they learn during lectures and seminars.

The following topics are covered in this course:

• Global environmental change and ecosystem-based management
• Protected area management and surrounding landscapes and seascapes
• Biodiversity and ecosystem services approach
• Adaptive monitoring /management
• Community-based management/Co-management and adaptive governance
• Socio-ecological systems in the Arctic

Objectives of the course

Students will learn:

• Key principles of ecosystem-based management
• The relationship between the concept of biodiversity, ecosystem services and socioecological systems and their application in ecosystem-based management
• Adaptative monitoring and management

• Community-based management and Indigenous - and Local knowledge systems
• Resilience and ecosystem-based adaptation
• Tools for Ecosystem Based Management

Students will have the ability to:

• Critically discuss research relevant for ecosystem-based management
• Demonstrate ability to apply knowledge relevant for ecosystem-based management
• Read and understand articles in the field of ecosystem management.

General competence:

• Can communicate the principles underlying ecosystem-based management in an appropriate and accessible way  
• Understand the differences between disciplinary and interdisciplinary research
• Can work in group with interdisciplinary context
• Competence in discussing the scientific knowledge on policy relevant questions in plenaries/workshops

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

To teach students concepts and analytic approaches relevant for ecosystem-based management, a variety of teaching and assessment techniques will be used. 

The course is structured around 6 topics, each taught in 2 weeks modules.  

Lectures (14 hrs) introduces the students to the concepts and issues relevant for each of the 6 modules. Thereafter the students will have seminars where articles are presented and discussed (24 hrs). In the seminars, students will learn to critically analyze both seminal and recent articles in ecosystem-based management research. There will be an extra seminar per topic with invited experts (10 hours). There will be 6 student workshop that will train students to synthesize research and evaluate questions relevant for policy makers and managers (12 hours). The preparations for seminars and the supervised preparations and the participation in workshop/panel are an essential teaching method in this course. Total workload for the student, including the participation in classes, is estimated to 300 hours. 

The seminars and the workshops will communicate and bridge different disciplines and teach students to present research papers to a broader audience. Oral feed-back on the presentation in class will be provided. Teaching will also be supported by online tools available in Canvas. 

The students will work in groups to apply the concepts they learn during the course to specific case-study. The student groups will regularly apply their acquired knowledge to their case-study during seminars and workshops. Each group will have to submit a final portfolio on their case-study.

Information to incoming exchange students

This module is open for exchange students with a bachelor degree in Biology.

Do you have questions about this module? Please check the following website to contact the course coordinator for exchange students at the faculty: INBOUND STUDENT MOBILITY: COURSE COORDINATORS AT THE FACULTIES | UiT

Recommended reading/syllabus