Students will learn theories and practices underpinning sustainability science and ecosystem-based management. To solve complex sustainability challenges, students will learn how to understand and analyze the interactions between natural and social systems to find solutions and support decisions that can meet the needs of present and future generations while conserving the planet's life supporting systems. Students will get insights in sustainability theories, principles, models and indicators, including those of relevance for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, the European Green Deal, IPCC, IPBES and the climate- and environmental assessments produced by the Arctic Council. Ecosystem-based approaches to research, management and adaptations are generally regarded as the key for addressing complex sustainability challenges, and this program will train students in system thinking by working with ecosystem ecology, spatial ecology, resilience, socio-ecological systems, regime shifts, tipping points, biodiversity and ecosystem services assessment, and adaptive management and governance. Students will also be trained in equitable engagement of citizens, stakeholders and indigenous – and local communities science and management. Skills and tools that students learn in our group depend on the topic chosen for the MSc thesis. We also encourage students to do their MSc project together with external partners at the FRAM center or to link their tasks closely to needs of business or management agencies.

For more information about the research group see: Arctic Sustainability Lab

Courses:

Selection of one of the following courses is obligatory:

Autumn

• BIO-3013 Northern food web ecology – 10 ECTS
• BIO-3015 Arctic Marine System Ecology and Climate Change – 10 ECTS

Spring

• Northern inland waters and global change – 10ECTS

Recommended elective courses

Autumn

• BIO-3019 Quantitative methods for molecular systematics and biodiversity analyses - 10 ECTS
• BIO-3505 Ecological interaction – 10 ECTS
• BIO-3024 Northern Biodiversity Hotspots: taxonomy field courses - 5 ECTS
• BIO-3516 Food-webs and Fisheries – 10 ECTS
• BIO-3009 Arctic Marine Pollution – 10 ECTS
• BIO-3805/3810 Individual Special Curriculum - 5/10 ECTS

Spring

• BIO-3805/3810 Individual Special Curriculum - 5/10 ECTS

Candidates that have completed a master’s degree in biology in the discipline Environment & Sustainability will have the skills necessary for understanding and analyzing causes and possible solutions to sustainability challenges. They have the capacity to critically reflect upon the different sustainability theories, principles and models that prevails in contemporary environmental policies and in global environmental assessments (e.g. IPCC, IPBES and the Arctic Council’s working groups). Ecological sciences are the fundament for sustainability, and our program will focus on three fields of research that are central for sustainability sciences: ecosystem ecology, landscape ecology and global ecology. Translational skills and system thinking is also important for understanding causal interactions between social- and ecological systems and to identifying solutions and measures that can be implemented by management agencies and businesses. Depending on their MSc topic, students can acquire in-depth knowledge about specific tools used in sustainability science, such as sustainability analytics using big data analysis, carbon – or ecological footprint analysis, environmental impact analysis, spatial ecology & GIS analysis, socio-ecological systems analysis, ecosystem services assessment, climate risk assessment, or different methodologies and approaches for engaging citizens and stakeholders in sustainability science and ecosystem-based management.

The Master’s degree in Biology will allow you to qualify for different career paths and prepare you to step into a professional role or to apply for a PhD.

A Master of Science degree in Biology will prepare you for a wide range of jobs, in both public and private sectors, including research, resource and nature management, administration, consulting and the teaching profession.

The master thesis can play an important role to establish your domain of expertise and to showcase acquired technical and soft skills. Also, it can be very important in building scientific and professional network, that will be a support in your future job search.

Admission to the master’s program in Biology requires a bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, including a specialization in biological topics [i.e., biodiversity (zoology/botany), ecology, cell- and molecular biology, microbiology, physiology (animal/plant), biochemistry and bioinformatics] corresponding to a minimum of 80 ECTS.

Applicants must have a minimum grade average comparable to a Norwegian C (3,0) in the ECTS scale. The average grade is calcualted from the entire bachelore´s degree.

Applicants with education from non-Nordic countries must document English language proficiency. You will find more information of English language requirements here: https://en.uit.no/admission#v-pills-735946

Applicants with a degree in Agricultural, Fisheries and Aquaculture studies, Biomedical laboratory sciences ("Bioingeniør"), or Bachelor of Pharmacy, Medicine or Dentistry do not fulfil the admission requirements.

More information on admission requirements:

General admission requirements-Master

Nordic applicants:

Online application is via Søknadsweb, application code 6026

EU/EEA + Swiss applicants:

Online application, application code:7116

Non-EU/EEA applicants:

Online application, application code: 2082

How to apply for admission to UiT? Read more here

Several teaching and assessment methods are employed, including lectures, seminars, laboratory work, computer lab and field courses. These will vary from course to course.

Course examinations may be oral or written examinations, assessments of project work/ lab reports/field reports, often in combination.

Supervision of the project work that leads to the writing of the Master`s thesis will be given by faculty staff, sometimes in co-operation with an external supervisor.

The language of instruction and all syllabus material is English.

On successful completion of the degree programme, students may be qualified for admission to a PhD-programme in Biology at the UiT or elsewhere.

Students can undertake periods of studying at The University Centre at Svalbard (UNIS). Each discipline highlights relevant courses at UNIS under program description.

International exchange during an entire semester is not possible in the first year of studies due to obligatory courses in all discipline.

Stays abroad can take place as part of a master project in the third and fourth semester. Please consult the program study advisor for more information.