Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)
Man, Nature and Society
SAM1018
Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)

Man, Nature and Society

SAM1018
Explore the society using geography. In this online course, you will learn about the interaction between people, nature and society, and how to teach about this. We use real-life examples to understand how natural resources, spatial conditions, different scales and specific locations influence and shape societies. The course equips you to teach about major societal challenges such as distribution, demography, migration, climate change and food production.
The course is part of a full year unit in social studies which provides teaching competence in primary school and in other types of school, provided that you have completed teacher training in accordance with current regulations.
The program is open to anyone who has general study competence.

Knowledge

The student

  • has knowledge of basic geographical concepts such as place, space and scale and geography didactics
  • has knowledge of interaction and conflict between climate, natural resources, land use, food production and living conditions nationally and internationally
  • has knowledge of topics such as distribution, migration, demography, globalization and sustainable development, and how global, national and local processes work together
  • has knowledge of sustainability didactics and challenges for achieving sustainable societies

Skills

The student

  • can plan and reflect on teaching and integrate basic skills in teaching
  • can use different arenas and different methods to make social studies teaching exploratory
  • can critically assess various sources and find and summarize specialist literature
  • can discuss causes, consequences and solutions to climate and environmental challenges

General competence

The student

  • has the ability to see important connections between people, society and nature
  • can facilitate training that raises awareness of the important connections between people, society and nature
  • can work independently and together with others to facilitate students' learning and development in social studies
No tuition fees. Semester fees and cost of course literature apply. Students must have access to adequate technical equipment.
Elective.
The course is web-based with asynchronous and synchronous teaching sessions, and requires active digital participation throughout the semester. Active participation and dialogue are necessary to be able to achieve the course's learning outcomes.  This includes the work assignments (AK). Three work requirements (AK) will be given during the semester.
Evaluation using mid-term and final surveys. Students are also encouraged to participate in the central quality surveys.
There is no practice in schools related to the study.

Composite assessment (SV)

The final grade in the course is composed of two exam components: 

  • Work requirements (AK)

Three assignments will be given as work requirements during the semester. There may be both individual tasks and group tasks. Assessment expression: Approved / not approved. 

  • Semester assignment (OP / O)

Individual semester assignment. Assessment terms A-F. Weighted 100 percent of final grade.

All AK must be approved before the student can receive a final grade in the course.

All aids permitted.

Exception: Generating text using Chat-GTP or other artificial intelligence and submitting it as one's own work, partly or fully, will be counted as cheating.

No prior knowledge beyond the admission requirements is required, but it would be an advantage to have completed the first semester of the full year unit in Social Studies or equivalent.

Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:

SAM1013 - Social Studies 2 - 15 credits

SAM2006 - Social Studies 2D - Human Geography - 7.5 credits

Course language
Norwegian
Credits
15
Online
Teaching semesters
Spring 2026
Responsible faculty
The Faculty of Education and Arts
Course coordinator
Employee photo: Kaja Skårdal Hegstad
Assistant Professor

Kaja Skårdal Hegstad

kaja.s.hegstad@nord.no