Course

ECN350 Development and Global Challanges

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Stein Terje Holden, Arild Angelsen

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:250 hours

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

About this course

The course focuses on global threats, challenges and opportunities for sustainable development (SDGs). The global challenges include climate change and policy responses, population growth and employment creation, migration and youth unemployment, land degradation and land policies, local and global food security, impacts of pandemics, inequality and political (in-)stability and armed conflicts. Contradicting perspectives include theories on the rationality of agents, Malthus versus Boserup, Hardin versus Ostrom, free trade versus protectionism, human rights, national sovereignty vs. international rules, and the roles of international institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, UN organizations and International agreements.

The main activity in the course is writing two essays on self-selected topics, and emphasis is put on systematizing the relevant literature and writing skills.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

  • Has solid knowledge about key development and global challenges, and knowledge of the main literature and alternative perspectives
  • Has advanced knowledge, including the relevant literature, with the topics chosen for the two essays

Skills

  • Can search and identify the key literature for their two issues papers, e.g., by using Google Scholar.
  • Can undertake a thorough literature review, including structuring the literature, extracting the main points, and critically discussing the theory, data, methods and conclusions.
  • Can write scientific English, including the correct use of references.

General competence

  • Can present their own work in a structured and engaging way.
  • Can critically assess others’ work and provide constructive feedback.
  • Is able to receive critical comments and use them to improve own work.
  • Learning activities
    • Self-study of material in Canvas.
    • Choice of two topics for two papers with focused research questions and paper outline.
    • Search for relevant literature in Google Scholar for own chosen topics.
    • Writing of two own papers in English with proper scientific use of references.
    • Presentation of own papers for other students (and teacher).
    • Give written and oral comments to two papers written by other students.
    • Revise own papers based on comments from other students and the teacher.
  • Teaching support

    Canvas material (literature, YouTube links, exercises, guidelines for essay writing).

    Lectures on choice of topics, choice of research questions, outlining of papers, literature search, and writing.

    Supervision related to paper topic choice, problem formulation, theoretical approach, use of literature, and writing papers.

    Comments from the teacher on outlines of papers and drafts.

    Comments from other students on own papers.

  • Prerequisites
    Basic knowledge in Economics.
  • Assessment method

    Portfolio evaluation, course grade (A-F) based on:

    Submission of two draft papers per stated deadlines in the course. Oral presentation by the student on their own two papers in two course workshops. Provide written and oral comments to two papers by other students in the two course workshops. Revise the two own papers based on comments from other student and teacher, and the final submission of the two papers within the set deadline.

    1. Two completed and submitted papers (by the deadline set) and presentations (2*40%).
    2. Two comments given (written and oral) to two papers presented by other students (2*10%).


    Portfolio Karakterregel: Letter grades
  • Examiner scheme
    External sensor assesses the course outline and material. The grading is done by the lecturer(s).
  • Notes

    The course is in English. Incoming students can contact student advisors at the School of Economics and Business (studieveileder-hh@nmbu.no) for admission to the course.

    The course is organized jointly with a PhD-version of the course (ECN450).

  • Teaching hours

    2 hours per week in the beginning of the semester

    2 course workshops, one in the middle of the semester and one at the end of the semester

    Supervision and meetings based on demand by students

  • Preferential right
    M-GEP