Environmental Science MA, Governance for Sustainable Development, 7.5 Credits

Aim

The student shall acquire knowledge about the preconditions – barriers and opportunities – to operationalize environmental political decisions. The course aims at providing skills with a focus on modern theories relating to environmental law and environmental economy and to methodological development within this field of science. The student shall acquire good ability to integrate such knowledge from a systems perspective, with natural science and technical aspects of environmental problems and their solutions.

Course objectives

After completing the course the student is expected to:
- understand the interaction between societal control instruments, and how they interact and respond to environmental goals and technical issues
- account for the different instruments, their respective potentials and applicability as legal, economical and informal (soft) instruments for governance towards sustainable development
- discuss which type of instrument or combination of instrument that could be used to achieve a certain environmental objective in an effective way

Content

The course is an in-depth study of the complexity of operationalizing environmental political decisions. The course puts special focus on modern theories around environmental law and economy and methods/instruments such as principles of environmental law, environmental legislation, fees, taxes, subsidies, voluntary agreements, certificates etc. An international perspective is applied in the course.

Entry requirements

Degree of Bachelor of at least 180 credits (180 ECTS) or equivalent, with at least 30 credits (30 ECTS) in total from one or several of the following fields of study:
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Technology
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Law

Selection rules and procedures

The selection process is in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance and the local order of admission.

Teaching form

The teaching is given as lectures, seminars and various excercises. Computer applications may be included. The students are expected to work thematically and problem-based in study groups with tasks of increasing difficulty.

Examination form

1000: Written assignment, 4 Credits
Grade scale: Seven-grade scale, A, B, C, D, E, Fx and F. Fx and F represent fail levels.

2000: Oral presentation, 2 Credits
Grade scale: Seven-grade scale, A, B, C, D, E, Fx and F. Fx and F represent fail levels.

3000: Written assignment, 1.5 Credits
Grade scale: Seven-grade scale, A, B, C, D, E, Fx and F. Fx and F represent fail levels.

Grading criteria for the subject can be found at www.miun.se/gradingcriteria.

The examiner has the right to offer alternative examination arrangements to students who have been granted the right to special support by Mid Sweden University’s disabilities adviser.

Grading system

Seven-grade scale, A, B, C, D, E, Fx and F. Fx and F represent fail levels.

Other information

The course is given in English.