REIS202 Introduction to the Master Program in Nature-Based Tourism

Credits (ECTS):15

Course responsible:Stian Stensland

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Norsk

Limits of class size:20

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:About 375 working hours for the students, including lectures (90 h), exercises/excursion (60 h) and semester assignments (225 h)

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in August block, and continues throughout the fall semester.

About this course

The course provides an introduction to NMBU, the master's program in nature-based tourism, and career opportunities after graduation. Nature-based tourism is located at the intersection between nature experiences, natural resource management & conservation, and business development. The course aims at collaboration, meeting with and an understanding of public authorities, the private sector, voluntary organizations and local communities' role in this intersection. Emphasis is placed on the significance of premises (administration, political signal, etc.), environment (natural resources, public rights, property rights, local communities, etc.), trends (outdoor recreation, activities, community development, etc.) and entrepreneurs' drivie for the development of sustainable, nature-based tourism.

An important part of the course is to weld the class together, create belonging and commitment through group work, student active communication, and excursions.

Learning outcome

A candidate with a completed qualification shall have the following learning outcomes in the course:

Knowledge: The student should be able to describe and discuss the role of nature-based tourism in Norway. Furthermore, be able to analyze the opportunities, challenges and conflicts that lie in this intersection between nature experiences, natural resource management & conservation, and business development. The student shall have insight into practical tasks that nature-based tourism candidates work with.

Skills: The student shall be able to identify the most important public, private and voluntary actors in nature-based tourism, and be able to discuss their role and scope in the development of a sustainable, nature-based tourism. The student shall be able to write an academic report for a client, including preparing a problem statement, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data. The student shall master the newspaper chronicle genre, as well as the technical and compositional skills required to create a digital story (video). The student shall be able to carry out assessment of fellow students' work (newspaper article, digital storytelling, group assignment). The student shall be able to present subject matter orally to the class.

General competence: The student shall have a good understanding of the nature-based tourism in Norway. Students wiill work in interdisciplinary groups to plan and carry out a project (group assignment) using project planning tools and theory of group processes. The student should be able to convey popular science about nature-based tourism in the form of a newspaper article and a digital story (video) to a wider section of the population.

  • A 5-day excursion in August, 2-day Innovation Camp / excursion (voluntary), lectures, guest lectures, full-day seminar, each other's assessment, oral presentation, and semester assignments.
  • The course responsible is available for questions during office hours.
  • REIS200 (can be taken same semester) or similar tourism competence
  • The exam consists of three semester assignments, all of which must be passed to pass the course.

    • A. Writing a newspaper article with a theme within nature-based tourism. Individual task that counts 30%.

    • B. Semester assignment in group. Counts 40%.

    • C. Digital storytelling. Individual task that counts 30% .

  • Internal and external examiners grade group paper and opinuion piece (kronikk). Internal examinators grade digital story.
  • 5-day mandatory excursion in the August block to Hallingdal. Feedback on other people's opnion piece (kronikk) digital history (video) and group assignment. Preparation / submission of project plan, group contract. Assessment of group work. Participate in story circles and video showing
  • Students at the masterprogram Nature-based Tourism will automatically be registered for the course at semester start. Others must apply to the course responsible by August 1st

    NB! REIS202 is especially designed for first year masterstudents in Nature-based Tourism. REIS202 is their first course in the master program. Lectures and the field trip is therefore intended to give these students an overview of the choices and possibilities of what to expect later in studies of nature-based tourism.

  • 5-day compulsory field trip. Innovation Camp/ field trip (voluntarily). Lectures.
  • First year students, M-REIS are given priority. Student from other study programs must contact course responsible to find out if they can take the course.
  • Letter grades
  • Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)