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REIS300 Nature-Based Tourism

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:<strong>Øystein Aas og Veronica Blumenthal</strong>

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Limits of class size:25

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:Ca. 250 hours; lectures and term paper included.

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

About this course

Core issues:

1. Critical examination and discussion of the definitions of sustainable nature-based tourism , and related concepts such as regenerative tourism and ecotourism. Tourism, sustainability goals and challenges at different scales.

2. Understanding key aspects of nature-based tourism, e.g., entrepreneurial behaviour, business and product characteristics

3. Analysing experiences in nature-based tourism, including in niches such as wildlife-, adventure- and event tourism.

4. Governance approaches to sustainable nature-based tourism. Resource dependency, public-private collaboration, the role of public regulations and private actions.

The course include participation in two excursions (a two days and a single day) and writing of a term paper. Students are required to bring their own sleeping bag and sleeping pad for the excursion.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The student shall obtain a theoretical basis for critical analysis and evaluation of the key dimensions of sustainable nature-based tourism, including knowledge-based approaches to managing for sustainability.

Skills: The student shall be able to write scientific reports, present research findings orally, and critically assess research from this professional field.

General competence: The students shall be able to contribute to scientific, professional discussions within this field and to provide knowledge about the subject in managerial and commercial settings.

  • Learning activities
    Lectures, two excursions, colloquies and individual term paper.
  • Teaching support
    The students' learning can be supported by discussions with teachers during office hours.
  • Syllabus
    Reading list is handed out when the course starts.
  • Prerequisites
    REIS200
  • Recommended prerequisites
    Broad knowledge in nature-based tourism subjects such as REIS202
  • Assessment method

    Combined assessment:

    Term paper (counts 40%) and oral exam (counts 60%). All of the evaluated elements in the course must be completed to pass the course.



    Oral exam Karakterregel: Letter grades Term paper Karakterregel: Letter grades
  • About use of AI

    Semester assignement: K2 - Specified use of AI

    The use of AI is permitted for the semester assignment for translation, and structuring of text. It must be explained how AI has been used in the assignment.

    Descriptions of AI-category codes.

  • Examiner scheme
    An external examiner will grade the oral exam and the term paper.
  • Mandatory activity
    Both excursions. A two day excursion to Ytre Hvaler National Park second week of the fall semester (mid-September), and a day trip to the woods of Oslo in October.
  • Notes
    Students are required to bring their own sleeping bag and sleeping pad for the excursion.
  • Teaching hours
    Lectures, excursion and term paper: 80 hours.
  • Preferential right
    Students enrolled in the master program in nature-based tourism.
  • Admission requirements
    Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)