Type of course

PhD course aimed at students enrolled in the research school "Changing Arctic".

The course is available as a singular course.

Admission requirements

Who can apply as a singular course student:

• PhD student enrolled at another institution than UiT. PhD students must upload a document from their university stating that there are registered PhD students. This group of applicants does not have to prove English proficiency and are exempt from semester fee.
• Holders of a master´s degree of five years or 3+2 years (or equivalent) may be admitted. These applicants must upload a Master´s Diploma with Diploma Supplement / English translation of the diploma. Applicants from listed countries must document proficiency in English. To find out if this applies to you, see the following list: Proficiency in English must be documented - list of countries. For more information on accepted English proficiency tests and scores, as well as exemptions from the English proficiency tests, please see the following document: Proficiency in english - PhD level studies

PhD students enrolled in the Changing Arctic Research School will be given priority.

Course content

Objectives of the course

Knowledge and understanding:

• Can evaluate how recent scholarly debates in sustainability science relate to their own field of research
• Critically judge the use of different methodologies for analyzing key components and interactions in socioecological systems and knows frameworks and concepts for analyzing them.
• Demonstrate how sustainability challenges are framed (by/with/for whom, where, when why), including the sustainability values underpinning the different arguments
• Demonstrate the ability to translate how the United Nations’ SDGs are interconnected in their own field of research.

Skills:

• Can use system - and critical thinking to define and reframe the sustainability challenge and identify opportunities that have the greatest potential to trigger change for sustainability
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the appropriate research methodology for addressing a sustainability challenge relevant to the students’ field of research.
• Develop a scientific report demonstrating ability to apply concepts and research methodology in sustainability science at a high international standard.

General competence:

• Demonstrate creative and critical thinking in the use of concepts, methods, and tools in sustainability science, and reflect upon their underlying definitions and values.
• Judge and weigh arguments for selecting specific research methods of socio-ecological systems.
• Capacity to reflect about how the students’ own work is related to the broader field and sustainability science and the SDGs

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

Lectures/videos - 24 hrs, 4 hour discussion seminar, and 3 seminars x 4 hr where students outline and present their work with supervision (34 hours). The rest of the workload includes reading (30 hours) and writing the assignment as a scientific report (80 hours).

Online options can be made on request.