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Studies

Master's degree (2 years)
Full time
Economics and Environmental Governance

The master’s degree will give you a solid understanding of the drivers of environmental change and its effects on society and the economy, as well as the policies needed to pursue sustainable development. 

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ECTS credits:

120

Application deadline:

Applicants outside EU/EEA: 1 December

Norwegian, Nordic, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens: 15 April 

Start of Studies:

Autumn

Language:

English

Required points:

C/ 3,00 (2025)

Number of students:

35

Requirements:

Tuition fees

Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree in one of the academic fields specified in the 'Requirements in detail' section below:

  • Requirements in detail

    Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in economics, business administration, political science, geography, development studies or other social sciences, environmental science or related fields. Applicants must have a minimum of two of the following courses: economics, mathematics, or statistics (quantitative methods), for example one in economics and one in statistics. Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) is C (or the equivalent).

    Admission requirements


    Applicants must demonstrate English language ability in accordance with the NMBU regulations for programmes taught in English: Language requirements for programmes taught in English at NMBU | NMBU

I 2023 år er totalt 211 internasjonale studenter tatt opp. Her er noen av fotografert i festsalen. Der fikk de inspirerende ord på veien fra blant andre prorektor for utdanning Elise Norberg, ny studentleder Wilhelm Olav Anthun og SiÅs-direktør Pål

Master of Science. Two-year, full-time, 120 ECTS 
Language of instruction: English

The master’s degree in Economics and Environmental Governance will give a solid understanding of (i) the foundations of environmental change and its effects on society, the environment, and the economy, and (ii) the policies to address environmental challenges.  

The master is interdisciplinary, drawing on economics and its different branches (environmental, resource, climate and ecological economics), political science, environmental sciences, and human geography. This pluralistic approach to learning will give students a wide set of lenses through which to see the world, the problems and, importantly, sustainable solutions for a better future. The program will give students practical tools to analyze and address real world problems, and a broad skillset enabling them to meet the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow. 

Full overview of program structure

 

Prestigious accreditation 

NMBU has accreditation from the global standard-setting body for business education, confirming that our economics degrees rank among the very best in the world. AACSB represents the largest and most respected network of business schools globally. We are especially proud that the evaluation committee recognized the quality of our degree programmes as ‘outstanding’. Read more 

 

Student accommodation: 

Accommodation close to our beautiful campus is offered through NMBU's Student Welfare Association (SiÅs). International students are prioritized for on-campus housing, though this is not guaranteed. We recommended that you apply for accommodation immediately after accepting your admission offer to secure housing. Read more. 

Career opportunities

Students who graduate from the program are ideal candidates for jobs in both the public and private sectors. In a changing world, governments, NGOs, and businesses need people who understand both drivers and solutions to environmental change. Through the program students will develop skills applicable to the real world.  

Types of jobs our candidates would qualify for are public administration, management, policy analysis, communication, and more. Tasks that graduates are qualified for include, among other things, preparing policy briefs, analyzing policy impacts, and make recommendations for decision makers. 

The study program also qualifies for PhD studies in relevant and related fields.   

Read student stories and get information about the student life at NMBU here.

 

Do you have questions for the study counselor?

If you have any questions about the study program that you cannot find the answer to here, you are welcome to contact us. Feel free to contact us by email at studieveileder-hh@nmbu.no or by phone directly to the study counselor. You can also book a study guidance appointment if you wish to schedule a meeting.

  • Program structure

    The master’s degree consists of 120 ECTS, including a 30 ECTS master’s thesis.

    The program is structured in four parts:
    - The first semester, which is designed to bring students up to a necessary level of competence in economics, political science, and methods (30 ECTS)
    - The program comprises 4 core courses in Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, Global Environmental Governance, Climate Economics, and Climate Change and Society (40 ECTS)
    - Specialization profiles or elective courses (20 ECTS), either in one of the profiles in Energy Economics or Ecological Economics, or freely chosen among the courses offered at NMBU.
    - Master thesis (30 ECTS)

    Full overview of programme structure

     

  • Learning outcomes

    Learning outcomes
    Knowledge:
    - In-depth understanding of key concepts, frameworks, and tools for understanding climate change, biodiversity loss, and other environmental problems; and for creating solutions.
    - Knowledge about different schools of economic thought and how they attempt to address contemporary environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
    - Know the foundations and drivers of environmental change. 
    - Extensive knowledge of the challenges posed by environmental change and its drivers at different scales: global to local.
    - Understand the role and impact of environmental and climate policy on society, the environment, and the economy. 

    Skills:
    - Apply theories from economics and political science to analyze complex environmental change problems and governance issues.
    - Develop a critical perspective on power relations, ethical issues and value conflicts related to environmental change and governance.
    - Create and evaluate solutions to environmental change challenges, acknowledging the dynamics between ecological and socio-political processes.
    - Engage in management and policy formulation for sustainable development.
    - Undertake and complete an independent research project including assemble data, conduct analysis, and draw robust conclusions.


    General competency:
    - Identify, review and evaluate different theories and positions, primary and secondary data, and research and other publications; and to extract reliable information from these sources and identify knowledge gaps.
    - Work independently, or with direct responsibility to a diverse, interdisciplinary team to organize, plan, and conduct assigned tasks to achieve common goals in a timely fashion.
    - Build teams and inter-personal communication across cultures and across academic fields.
    - Communicate clearly and effectively, in speech and writing, about complex problems and solutions in ways tailored to different audiences.
    - Develop writing skills and learn to evaluate and use primary and secondary sources of data in academic writing in line with ethical standards.

  • Exchange possibilities

    Given the structure of the program and its focus on drawing synergies across courses offered at NMBU, there are limited opportunities for exchange. Students who wish to go on exchange will have to find replacement for affected core courses. For now, this is assessed on a student-by-student basis in collaboration with the study advisors.

  • More about the program

    • Societal relevance

      Most of humankind has for the past two centuries experienced economic growth and improved living conditions. However, this economic growth, powered by the consumption of fossil fuels, has come at the cost of the environment. Industrialization, energy production, deforestation, agriculture, urbanization, international trade, and changing consumption patterns have led to an unprecedented increase in emissions of greenhouse gases and a nature crisis. One of the consequences is rising global temperatures and climate change.

      Climate change affects, among other things, biodiversity, food production, human health, and infrastructure. The full consequences of climate change depend both on where and by how much emissions are reduced and how well we adapt. In the Paris agreement (2015), countries agreed to work towards reducing emissions to keep the increase in the global average temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius (and preferably 1.5 ). To reach this target, the world must enact society wide changes within the next decade and reach net zero emissions by 2050. We need to change both how we produce and consume energy, and how we use land and natural resources. Signatories to the agreement have committed to ambitious (but not legally-binding) climate targets to reduce emissions. However, there is gap between how much countries have said they will reduce and how much is needed to reach the 1.5-degree target.

      On top of this, we are facing an unprecedented loss of biodiversity. In the Kumming Montreal-agreement (2022) countries agreed to protect 30% of land and ocean areas by 2030, leading some to call it "the Paris agreement for nature". Together, climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss falls under the broader category of environmental change.

      The M-EEG programme will provide a solid understanding of the foundations of environmental change and its effects on society, the environment, and the economy. The program is multidisciplinary, drawing on economics, environmental and resource economics, climate economics, ecological economics, political science, environmental sciences, and human geography. This pluralistic approach to learning will give students a wide set of lenses through which to see the world, the problems and, importantly, sustainable solutions for a better future. The program will give students practical tools of analysis and a broad skillset enabling them to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

    • Learning activities

      The courses included in the program use a diverse set of pedagogical approaches including traditional lectures, group- and teamwork case studies, excursions and field trips and digital learning tools. There is a focus on student centered learning.

      A student mentorship program is implemented where 2nd year students act as mentors for 1st year students. A student conference takes place each spring where master students present their work.
      We aim to make use of the fact that this is a interdisciplinary program where students with social sciences, political science, and economics backgrounds are mixed in the same program to create potential for peer learning and exchange of experiences. This will improve soft skills such as teamwork and interdisciplinarity, and foster creativity and collaboration.

      During work with the master thesis, students will be assigned a supervisor which provides ongoing feedback and assistance from beginning to end. Supervisors will be allocated according to students’ topics of interest.

    • Examination

      Individual courses in the program use a range of different assessment methods including semester assignments, project reports, peer review, presentations, and exams. All assessments are constructively aligned with each course’s learning outcomes, and courses in the program are selected such that they together meet the learning outcomes of the program. Assessments in courses are such that students will meet a variety of different assessment methods throughout the program.

    • Equipment

      In this study program we use computers in learning situations and on exams. Therefore every student must have their own laptop, cf. The Academic Regulations for the Norwegian University of Life Sciences § 17-4.

    • Cooperation with other institutions

      NMBU School of Economics and Business is a member of the National University Board for Economics and cooperates with other Norwegian universities.

Study advisor(s):

Kateryna Krutskykh

Kateryna Krutskykh

Senior Advisor