NATF301 Practical Nature Management

Credits (ECTS):5

Course responsible:Ronny Steen

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk

Limits of class size:40 students

Course frequency:Annualy

Nominal workload:Structured teaching: 12 hours. Students' own efforts on the project paper: 113 hours.

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

About this course

Students will be introduced to and acquire advanced knowledge about project implementation and reporting in practical nature management. Thereafter the students will work together with a contact person who works as a manager within a public management agency or an NGO.

Learning outcome

A candidate who has completed the qualification has the following learning outcomes of the course:

Knowledge: A thorough insight into real-life cases that nature managers work with in public nature management agencies or in various organizations.

Skills: The student should be able to analyze problems and come up with suggestions for solutions, based on their own data collection and previously acquired knowledge. This involves critical thinking, analysis and interpretation of information, and the application of academic knowledge in real-life cases. The student must also be able to write a scientific report for an employer/client.

General competence: When completed the course, the student will have a good understanding of local, practical nature management in Norway, and be able to cooperate with nature managers in public or private sectors and NGOs.

Learning activities
Students will be given lectures on project implementation and writing of scientific reports on assignment from an employer. The students will work in groups and in cooperation with employers. The employer will get access to the written assignments (reports) after the course is finished. The students themselves must find and interpret much of the information that is used in the project.
Teaching support
Students are given support through an introductory lecture about project implementation and writing of scientific reports. They can also contact the course responsible for supervision during office hours.
Syllabus
No fixed syllabus.
Prerequisites
Bachelor degree within relevant subject areass.
Recommended prerequisites
The students should have completed courses in environmental law, resource economy, social studies, ecology etc. on Bachelor level, so that they have useful knowledge in this practical course.
Assessment method
Students are evaluated based on a project assignment
About use of AI
Compulsory activities: K3 - Full use of AI.
The use of AI is permitted, but it must comply with the Guidelines for Use of Artificial Intelligens (AI) at NMBU.
Project assignement: K2 - Specified Use of AI
Use of AI is permitted in the following contexts:
- Idea generation - for example, suggestions for research questions, structure, and perspectives.
- Translation - AI-generated text must be rephrased in the student’s own words.
- Text structuring - for example, suggestions for the layout of chapters and paragraphs.
- Support in R statistics - for example, troubleshooting, suggestions for methods and coding.
- Language editing - for example, suggestions for improved phrasing, correction of grammar and punctuation.
Statement on AI UseIf AI is used in the project assignment, the student must clearly document:
- Which AI tools have been used - for example, ChatGPT, DeepL.
- Which parts of the assignment AI has contributed to - for example, text structure, translation, data analysis, language editing.
- How AI has influenced the content and structure of the assignment - describe how AI has supported the work process.
Important
- It is not permitted to submit AI-generated text directly in the assignment. The text must be the student’s own work and phrasing.
- AI can support analysis and discussion, but evaluations and interpretations must be the student’s own work.
- Failure to disclose the use of AI may be considered academic misconduct under NMBU’s guidelines (Guidelines for Use of Artificial Intelligens (AI) at NMBU).
Descriptions of AI-category codes.
Examiner scheme
The extemal examiner provides a written assessment of each individual project assignment. The purpose of the written feedback is to highlight strengths and weaknesses of the report, so that students can learn from it.
Mandatory activity
- Approved participation in organized activities
- Approved written progress submissions
Notes
The course consists of a team work project, with a management authority (usually municipality or county) or an NGO as the employer. There is close cooperation between the person responsible for the course at NMBU and the external ‘employers’.
Teaching hours
The regular teaching will be as followed: Introduction and lecture on report writing: ca. 3 hours. The first meeting with the contact persons: ca. 3 hours. Supervision throughout the work and project presentations: 3 hours. The rest of the time will be allocated to group work and possibly further contact with the contact persons.
Preferential right
Students enrolled in M-NF.
Admission requirements
Special requirements in Science