SUM4016 – Science, Culture and Sustainability
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
To what extent are the sciences implicated in the environmental crises we face? While some of the environmental sciences provide the information and techniques to assess and repair environmental degradation, other sciences lack the vocabulary in terms of which to articulate the problems we face. This has led some commentators to accuse the physical and biological sciences of being blind to the problems of sustainability. In this module students are exposed both to approaches that claim that the sciences are part of the environmental problem and those that insist that science contributes to the solution to environmental dilemmas. The aim of this course is to illuminate the ways in which science can be used to revise and refine our ideas and practice of sustainable development.
Learning outcome
- To provide students with a thorough theoretical understanding of the challenge of sustainability, with an emphasis on cultural perspectives and environmental values
- To introduce students to the complexities of interdisciplinary research
- To develop students’ skills in, and knowledge of, philosophical argumentation, historical processes and cultural understanding of environmental problems
- To use the ongoing case studies provided by SUM researchers to provide practical training to those who may go on to careers in research and policy areas
Admission
Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.
International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The Masters study is directed at students with a background in humanities, social sciences or the natural sciences. The minimum requirement for admission is that the students must have a bachelor’s degree (equivalent at least to a good second class honours degree from a reputable university). Students must also have a good working knowledge of English. Those whose language of instruction at school and university was not English must produce evidence of a TOEFL score of at least 580 (paper based) or 237 (computer based) and TWE of 4.5, or an IELTS score of at least 6.5 with no individual band below 6.
Teaching
Lectures
Examination
Portfolio assessment
Other
Contacts: Study consultant Gitte Egenberg - gitte.egenberg@sum.uio.no