International Environment and Development Studies

International Environment and Development Studies

Bachelor Programmes 3 years

A unique combination of social science and natural science approaches to the study of international environment and development issues, including an introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methods.

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Requirements

Higher Education Entrance Qualification + ENG4

Application deadline:

April 15th
International applicants:
December 1st

Study start
Autumn 2023
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Study advisor(s)
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Contact info

sit@nmbu.no
Tel: +47 67 23 01 11


A great deal of attention is given to social justice, environmental sustainability, ecological and social resilience, political ecology, natural resource management, resource conflicts, development policies and politics, the effects of planned development interventions, and gender and development issues.

The program consists of compulsory and elective courses. These can be chosen among a variety of courses at NMBU or other universities in Norway or abroad. We recommend that you spend one semester abroad on exchange, and we encourage you to participate in our one-month field course (currently in Tanzania and India).

If you find this program interesting, please read more about the admission- requirements and process here on this website.

Job opportunities

Career possibilities: "Finding solutions for sustainable waste management" - Interview with former student

Graduates may find employment in a wide range of national and international institutions, including government agencies and non-governmental development organizations.

The program provides a sound basis for further studies within:

Learning outcomes

You will examine societal and environmental change in a historical, comparative and global perspective.

The program considers the specificity of different societies in terms of history, ecology, culture and technology. It introduces the students to critical reflection on how these differences translate into local responses to regional or global processes.

International Environment and Development Studies is a dynamic and evolving field of study.

Admission requirements

Higher Education Entrance Qualification to Norwegian Universities for international applicants. Applicants must demonstrate English language ability in accordance with the NMBU regulations.

You can find general information on admission to NMBU here.

"The program was organized to ensure that you receive valuable insights into theoretical understandings of development, by the hand of excellent professors".

Jonathan Telfer, Programme Advisor ADRA

Study structure

* See NOKUT (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education)

Programme structure

Select other year

Showing programme structure for students starting 2023

Study year: 1

Semester: autumn

Programme variant: Compulsory Courses
Emne ECTS
Introduction to Environment and Development 5 Compulsory Course
Introduction to Development Thinking 15 Compulsory Course
Introduction to Research Methods 10 Compulsory Course

Semester: spring

Programme variant: Compulsory Courses
Emne ECTS
General Ecology 10 Compulsory Course
Examen Philosophicum - English Option 10 Compulsory Course
Economics for Environment and Development 10 Compulsory Course
Study year: 2

Semester: autumn

Programme variant: Compulsory Courses
Emne ECTS
Global Environmental Changes 5 Compulsory Course
Linking Ecological and Social Resilience 10 Compulsory Course
Global Food Systems and Food Security 10 Compulsory Course

Semester: spring

Programme variant: Elective courses
Emne ECTS
Environment, Development and Climate Change in Tanzania 10
Programme variant: Compulsory Courses
Emne ECTS
Introduction to Political Ecology 10 Compulsory Course
Human Rights and Development 10 Compulsory Course
Study year: 3

Semester: autumn

Programme variant: Elective courses
Emne ECTS
Internship 10

Semester: spring

Programme variant: Elective courses
Emne ECTS
Bachelor's Thesis 15
Development Challenges in Rural India 10
Programme variant: Compulsory Courses
Emne ECTS
Introduction to Gender and Development 10 Compulsory Course

Study content

Social relevance:

Humanity is faced with challenges of increasing scale and complexity, including climate change, global inequality and poverty. The University, Research, and Higher Education sectors in Norway have determined that the guiding principles, directions and funding mechanisms for research and education will be aligned with a number of policy frameworks, all anchored first and foremost in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global agenda. The Bachelor’s degree in International Environment and Development Studies has a unique interdisciplinary and international focus that bridges environmental and social sciences and equips students with knowledge and skills to address global challenges.

Learning outcomes:

A candidate who has completed his or her qualification should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

▪ Good knowledge of international environment and development issues and their interlinkages.

▪ Knowledge of basic social science concepts common to disciplines spanning sociology, political economy and anthropology.

▪ Knowledge of development theory, the history of development, and the roots and theory of sustainable development.

▪ Basic knowledge of perspectives in political economy as well as neoclassical economics.

▪ Knowledge of theory, concepts, approaches and themes central to gender and development, with emphasis on the relevance of gender to development and environment issues, both in theory and in practice.

▪ Basic knowledge of ecology and the environmental sciences.

▪ Knowledge of the possibilities and limitations of different qualitative and quantitative methods of sampling, data collection, and analysis, as well as methodological issues related to interdisciplinarity.

▪ Knowledge of ethical considerations and challenges related to research involving human beings and society.

Skills:

▪ Ability to write academic texts and build logical literary argumentation.

▪ Ability to find, review and cite relevant literature in own papers and reports.

▪ Ability to design and carry out a basic qualitative and quantitative study, selecting suitable methods and justifying choices made.

▪ Ability to critically reflect on ethical and quality issues related to own and others' studies and research.

General competence

▪ Broad understanding of the interconnectedness of the social and natural sciences.

▪ Ability to seek new knowledge and acquire new skills relevant to meet local and global environment and development challenges.

▪ Ability to think critically and analytically, and to make well-founded assessments of local and global environment and development challenges.

▪ Ability to work in a focused and independent manner, and to communicate knowledge, analyses and results in a convincing manner, both orally and in writing.

Contents and structure:

The programme consists of mandatory and elective courses. The mandatory courses constitute 115 ECTS and make up the two first years of the programme. A progression from introductory to more advanced courses within the interdisciplinary field of international environment and development studies provides the specialization of the programme. Students will also be introduced to philosophy, ecology, scientific writing, and research methods. The third year is set aside for elective courses, either at the department, at other departments, or with other universities. A minimum of 45 ECTS from the elective courses must be on the 200-level or above. Some options for field courses will be provided and in the fifth semester exchange to partner universities abroad will be possible.

Learning activities:

The programme utilises a wide range of teaching methods. Because working with environment and development often involves adapting knowledge to new situations, many courses use case-oriented teaching and group work. This ensures that students take an active interest in their own learning. Teaching methods vary between courses and include lectures, seminar activities, assignments, presentations and discussions. Field exercises and practical experience is also part of the programme through elective field courses.

Evaluation:

The courses offered utilise a wide range of forms of evaluation such as written sit-in exams, take-home exams, oral exams and term papers. These evaluate the student’s skills in academic reading and writing, as well as analytical skills, in different ways.

Admission requirements:

Higher Education Entrance Qualification

Cooperation with other institutions:

Noragric has a broad network of international partners. One or more field courses in developing countries will be offered.

Arrangements, incoming exchange students:

Noragric can offer individually tailored packages for students from our partner universities. All courses at the department are offered in English.