V2EDSL Education for Diversity and Sustainable living
Education for Diversity and Sustainable living
- Number of credits30
- Part-time/full-timeFull-time
- Start semester2025 Autumn
- Language of instructionEnglish
- CampusHamar
This is a full-time study programme, comprising three courses of 10 ECTS credits each, in total 30 ECTS credits. The programme is at bachelor level, and runs from August to December.
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University) currently holds the UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Lifestyles to promote education for sustainable lifestyles. As part of this effort, INN University offers an international programme that highlights the Nordic perspectives on diversity and sustainable living within the field of education.
The programme is interdisciplinary, comprising contributions from Education in Natural Science, Social Science, and Religious Education. Thus, issues of diversity and sustainable living are illuminated and discussed within a broad range of academic traditions. The programme explores Nordic approaches on education for sustainable development and global citizenship education. Students will explore the knowledge, skills and values related to this theme, and engage in practical activities to learn relevant educational methods. Therefore, the programme prepares the students to be critical discussants in the Nordic discourse, as well as in the global discourse on how to educate for diversity and sustainable living.
The programme is offered at bachelor level. All lectures, instructions and teaching materials are in the English language.
Learning Outcome
Upon completing a full semester programme in Education for Sustainability and Global Citizenship, candidates will have acquired the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:
The candidate
- has knowledge of international agreements relevant to sustainable living
- understands the interrelationship between individual responsibility and collective action
- has knowledge of ethical and philosophpical perspectives on sustainable development
- has knowledge of central theories related to culture, identity, and religion in diverse societies
- has insight into how lifestyle choices influence social, economic and environmental development
- has insight into ecological processes and biodiversity and the science of environmental sustainability
- has knowledge of the discourses related to education for sustainable living and diversity
- has knowledge of the Nordic welfare model
The candidate
- can identify systems and processes that determine lifestyle and livelihood patterns
- can critically reflect on and discuss theories related to culture, identity, and religion in diverse societies
- can acquire, assess and use information to achieve a more sustainable future
- can reflect on and discuss reasonable paths for sustainable development
The candidate
- is able to discuss values upon which good quality of life is based
- is able to adapt to new situations (change management)
- has an understanding of the complexity and interrelatedness of issues about education for sustainability and global citizenship
- has knowledge of the key learning competencies for sustainability
Teaching is organised as lectures, workshops, web discussions, excursions, practical laboratory work, seminars and student presentations. Students are expected to actively participate in discussions, as well organise and run their own study groups. There is an 80 % attendance requirement for lectures, seminars and workshops. Participation in practical laboratory work and excursions is compulsory. Use of the e-learning platform, Canvas, will be an integrated part of the instruction.
This programme is especially suited to students with an interest in education for sustainability and global citizenship. It is aimed at both Norwegian and international students who want to learn more about subjects related to nature; human and environmental diversity; and sustainable development. Students from INN University's partner institutions are encouraged to apply.
Admission requirements
Higher Education Entrance Qualification. Norwegian language proficiency is not required.
The programme has an international perspective and is offered to international students. All lectures, instructions and teaching material in the programme are in the English language.
Instruction in information literacy is included as a topic in the theoretical curriculum in course 1 and is linked to the student’s work on written assignments. The students will receive training on how to search for information and evaluate different sources of information. Emphasis is placed on the student’s understanding on when the acquisition of reference information is necessary; and independently being able to find, evaluate and make use of information in their own learning.
The three courses have mandatory components that must be passed before the student can be enrolled for the examination.
The final exams:
- Course 1 - Education for Sustainable Society and the Nordic Welfare model: a 24-hour individual home exam
- Course 2 - Environmental education: a written in-depth study followed by an oral exam
- Course 3 - Global Citizenship, Culture and Religious Diversity: Nordic education perspective: individual written school exam (4 hours)
Examination marks are awarded on a scale from A (best) to F (fail), where E is the lowest pass mark.