About this course

With a concrete farm as starting point, the course deals with structure and functioning of agroecosystems as whole entities seen from different perspectives. Examples of such are ecological, economic, social, time and spatial scale, and organisational level perspectives. The students will also learn about and practice methods for describing and analysing the case and its goals, and and to develop plans for improvement towards sustainability. Students will further develop a document that contains their reflections on course experiences.

Learning outcome

The aim of this course is to provide students with an introduction to working with the complexity of farming systems.

After completion of the course, the student will be able to:

Knowledge

  • Have knowledge of structure and function of farming systems.

Skills

  • Apply a systemic approach to a complex farming system.
  • Recognize the steps needed to understand and improve a complex farming system.
  • Identify and use suitable methods at the different steps of a systemic approach

Generic competence

  • Engage in a constructive peer feedback process.
  • Reflect on own learning and on group dynamics based on the course experiences

  • Learning activities

    The course is web-based, and faculty resources and students will be located in several countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland). In order to effectively deal with the interdisciplinary nature of agroecology, teachers will provide guidance and feedback to the students.

  • Syllabus

    Provided at course start.

  • Prerequisites

    Bachelor´s degree or its equivalent in agriculture, plant science, economics, natural resources, human nutrition or other relevant social or natural sciences.

  • Assessment method

    Details for the portfolio assessment will be given at course start. Students will be assessed on written assignments, on understanding of the materials, on ability to conceptualise the course content and on making application to the case and to their current local situations. Their papers, short assignments, and peer feedback contributions will be the basis for a grade.

    Portfolio Karakterregel: Letter grades

  • About use of AI

    K2 - Specified use of AI

    In the group reports and the individual reflective essay, AI can be used for idea generation and language proofreading. Use of AI should be described with a brief explanation of which programs you have used and how they have been used in the text. The students are responsible for the final content of the text after language proofreading has been completed. Use of AI must be in line with the guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at NMBU: www.nmbu.no/en/guidelines-use-artificial-intelligence-ai-nmbu

    Descriptions of AI-category codes.

  • Examiner scheme

    Examiner has approved the course plan, literature and chosen the assessment structure.

  • Mandatory activity

    Individual and group based deliverables throughout the course.

  • Notes

    NB! Course registration to studieveileder-biovit@nmbu.no. The course is based on collaboration between universities in Norway (NMBU), Sweden (SLU), and FInland (HU), and participating students will come from all of these institutions.

  • Preferential right

    MSc students students in Agroecology. Students from other masterprogram at NMBU are also welcome to apply.

  • Admission requirements

    Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)