Entry requirements

Academic requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. The main field of study must be within the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Social Sciences or the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Language requirements

Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. This requirement can be met either by achieving the required score on an internationally recognised test, or by previous upper secondary or university studies in some countries.

Aims

The program aims to provide students with advanced theoretical and empirical knowledge in the social sciences and humanities analysis of the relationship between man and nature. The program is designed to provide methodological and analytical skills that are necessary to critically and independently conduct studies in Global Environmental History at the level required of for a professional career or research in the field.

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the program, students will have fulfilled the objectives of a Master's degree, as specified in the decree of higher education. At the completion of the programme students will be able to demonstrate:

• knowledge and understanding of the subject global environmental history, including both an overview of the field and in-depth knowledge of certain parts of the field, and also insight into current research and development,
• deeper methodological knowledge in Global Environmental History,
• ability to integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena in Global Environmental History and to contextualise questions and situations even with limited information,
• ability to identify and formulate questions in Global Environmental History and to plan and carry out advanced tasks within specified time limits;
• an ability to make judgments with respect to scientific, social and ethical aspects of Global Environmental History and demonstrate an awareness of ethical aspects of research and development,
• an understanding of the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society and the responsibility for its use,
• the ability to identify needs of further knowledge and the ability to take responsibility for their learning.

Layout of the programme

The program extends over two years and gives 120 credits. The program runs over four semesters and is taught in English. The first term focuses on an introduction to Global Environmental History through three required courses (each 7.5 credits):

• Historical Ecology
• The Process of Research: Theories and Methods
• Modern Natures: Conflicts and Transformations

In term 1, students take an additional optional course of 7,5 hp. During terms 2 and 3, students specialise through elective courses in Uppsala University that are eligible within the program (the supply is determined by the academic year). In addition, there is the opportunity to do field work, study courses at foreign universities through exchange studies and do a 7.5 or 15 credits internship.The thesis work begins during term 3 at the latest. Term 4 focuses on the Master's thesis, and students are able to choose to write a thesis of either 45 or 60 credits. The thesis is examined at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History.

Instruction

Instruction will be in English and consists of lectures, seminars, discussion groups and independent work. Students have the opportunity to arrange and run workshops. Courses are usually part-time and students are required to study two part-time courses in parallel.

The thesis is normally supervised by teachers with relevant specialist skills in one of the collaborating departments, i.e. Dept. of Archaeology and Ancient History, Dept. of Art History, Dept. of Social and Economic Geography, Dept. of Economic History, Dept. of Earth Sciences or Dept. of Urban and Rural Development (SLU). Supervisors can also be recruited from other subjects.

The program coordinator is responsible for establishing an individual study plan with each student in the program. The individual curriculum is established at the beginning of the education and is followed up continuously.

Degree

Upon completion of the program a student will receive a Master of Arts degree in Global Environmental History (Masterexamen i global miljöhistoria). The requirements for the Master of Arts degree are 120 credits with at least 60 credits in the main subject (Global Environmental History), including a thesis of 45 or 60 credits.