The master's programme leads to the degree Master of Philosophy in Development Geography. It is a two year programme (120 ECTS credits).
The aim of the programme is to provide the candidates with theoretical and methodological skills enabling them to qualify for a Master's Degree. The topics are related to issues of relevance for the study of livelihoods and environmental problems in mountain areas and other marginal areas of the Third World. The courses aim at introducing the candidates to contemporary scientific discourses on human-nature relations, and provide them with analytical skills and critical thinking. The thesis is normally based on field collection of data in the country of origin, carried out between the first and second year of study.
The programme is primarily aimed at candidates exchanged via collaborative programmes between University of Bergen and the following partners: Tribhuvan University, Nepal, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Peru, University of Ghana, Ghana, Kumaon University, India and Makerere University, Uganda. The program is open for Norwegian applicants.
The candidate has acquired the theoretical knowledge and skills required to solve a concrete research project. The candidate has obtained detailed knowledge on the steps involved in a research process, from choice of theme, delimitation of a research problem, collection of sources and information, evaluation of the validity and reliability of sources, analysis and interpretation. The candidate has acquired skills in and is able to use qualitative methods, and further is able to assess the complementarity of methods and choose appropriate methods for solving specific problems. The candidate is able to discuss own empirical findings in the light of relevant theory, and with respect to geographic and thematic context. Although done under supervision, the candidate has learned to independently write a research report. The choice of theme has turned the candidate into an expert in her/his field of research, but the learning outcome of the degree is primarily general skills with respect to selection of methods and application of theories to perform scientific work, relatively independent of the specialisation within the topic.
The programme is primarily aimed at candidates exchanged via collaborative programmes between University of Bergen and the following partners: Tribhuvan University, Nepal, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Peru, and University of Ghana, Ghana.
The students must hold a 4 year bachelor degree with major in geography or a master degree in geography.
The program is open for Norwegian applicants who have a bachelor¿s degree with a minimum of 90 ects in geography.
The thesis is normally based on field collection of data in the country of origin, carried out between the first and second year of study. The master's thesis itself, and course options, will be adapted to the individual academic backgrounds and interests of the students. For the sake of the flexibility, the students may choose to split the second and the third semester between thesis work and courses in order to attend elective courses only available in autumn semester and vice versa.
The programme consists of the following courses. All courses are compulsory and must be taken in the order listed.
Autumn 1st semester;
Spring 2nd semester;
Summer
3rd and 4th semester;
The courses (60 credits) must be completed before the thesis can be submitted. The students must also accomplish and pass 3 milestones before submitting the master thesis.
Department of Geography uses a variety of assessments.
At the University of Bergen the student's academic performance is assessed both through final examinations as well as various term assignments.
The grading system has either
Grading A-F is most commonly used.
Department of Geography
Studieveileder@geog.uib.no