Bachelor`s degree programme in Economics and Resource Management

Cathrine Strømø

180 credits, full time study, taught in Norwegian. Contact: Dept. of Economics and Resource Management (IØR): www.umb.no/ior

Bachelor`s degree programme in Economics and Resource Management Foto: Knut Werner Alsén

There is a large demand in the public and private sectors for graduates with an insight into economic analysis linked to the management of natural resources. The programme emphasizes interdisciplinarity, which is also in popular demand.

The study qualifies students for positions in businesses, organisations and public administration. In addition, the degree qualifies students for admission to the Master's degree programme in Economics and Resource Management, in Social Economics and the Master's programme in Development and Resource Economics. The programme meets the national requirements for the Bachelor's degree in Social Economics, with the electives concentrating on two courses in social economics. Together with a combination of certain courses, the degree also qualifies for admission to the Master's degree programme in Economics and Administration.

Admission requirements
General study competence. 70 students are admitted each year.

Internationalisation, study abroad and cooperation
The Department of Economics and Resource Management has extensive research cooperation with universities in e.g. USA, Europe and Africa. Within the Socrates programme, research cooperation, teacher exchanges and student exchanges are possible. Students have the opportunity to study half a year at a university in the USA, Australia, New Zealand or in Europe. A study period abroad is most suitable in the third year of study. The study advisor will assist the student with such plans.

Related studies
The programme has many courses in common with the Bachelor's degree programme in Economics and Administration, especially in the first year.
With an additional 15-20 credits in Social Economics, the study qualifies students for admission to the Master's programme in Social Economics at the University of Oslo.

Learning goals
Students will acquire fundamental knowledge in economics and methods, plus they will learn to apply this knowledge to particular problems related to the business sector and management of resources. They will learn to use theory in problem solving which they will later meet in public management, environmental organisations and other organisations and businesses. Compared to other economics programmes, there is a greater focus on developing co-operational skills and acquiring the skill to work in an interdisciplinary manner – especially between the social and natural sciences. Information technology is utilised actively in teaching. Students give both written and oral presentations.

Working with nature and biological production systems raises a number of ethical questions. Such themes are taken up in the courses when relevant. Students are also given the opportunity to work with value questions that are raised within the field of economics, for example the relationship between effectiveness and fairness and between the use and protection of natural resources.

Teaching and evaluation methods
The study is built around a combination of lectures, seminars and independent work with assignments under supervision. The frequency of assignment work increases over time. The students will be evaluated through a combination of graded assignments and oral presentations plus written and oral exams. Bachelor level evaluation is dominated by written work. The exams are designed to check the fundamental knowledge elements; whilst assignments and presentations are aimed more at documenting skills, especially the skill to apply knowledge to problem solving.

Programme contents and structure
The study is built around an obligatory block of 110 credits that include fundamental courses in economics, organisational learning, scientific theory, math, statistics plus methods. In addition, students will choose among a selection of relevant courses at the 100 and 200 level for specialisation.

Obligatory courses

Year 1 - Autumn:
- AOS130 Organisation and Society, 5 credits
- BUS110 External Accounting, 10 credits
- PHI100 Examen Philosophicum, 10 credits
- ECN120 Social Economics 5 credits

Year 1 - Spring:
- BUS100 Business Economy, 5 credits
- MATH010 Math, 10 credits
- ECN170 Resource Economics, 5 credits

Year 2 – Autumn:
- ECN210 Microeconomics I, 10 credits
- ECN140 Economic History, 5 credits
- ECN220 Social Economics II, 5 credits

Year 2 – Spring:
- STAT100 Statistics, 10 credits

Year 3 - Autumn:
- ECN211 Microeconomics II, 10 credits
- ECN200 Econometry, 10 credits

Year 3 - Spring:
- ECN271 Resource Economics, valuation, 10 credits

In addition to these obligatory courses, students must choose at least 45 credits of Economics courses and at least 30 credits from Technology and Natural Science courses (offered by other departments at UMB).

The elective courses in Eonomics can be profiled towards:
-Environment and Resource Economics
-Business Economics
-Business Development and Entrepreneurship
-Organisation and Leadership
-International Economics
-Development Economics
-Agricultural Politics

The elective courses within Natural Sciences and Technology can be profiled towards:
-Management of Nature and the Environment
-Renewable Energy (bioenergy and hydro energy)
-Biotechnology
-Food Industry
-Aquaculture
-Agriculture: Plants and Livestock
-Gardens
-Forestry and the Forest Industry
-Tropical Agriculture

Specialisation requirement
The combination of obligatory courses (110 credits) and 40 credits of restricted electives within Economics assures UMB's specialisation requirements for a Bachelor's degree.

Study advisor
The programme has a study advisor who assists students in choosing natural science courses, plus teacher supervision in assignment work in all courses. Email:studieveileder-okonomi@umb.no


Quality assurance
Teachers and the Department follow up on the student’s course evaluation on UMB’s web-based system each semester. Meetings are regularly organised where students, teachers and representatives of the study committee discuss the structure of individual courses. Censors are important references for quality development of the programme. In addition, former students are actively consulted about their experiences.

Updated: 26.01.05
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