Biodiversity and Systematics, Nordic Master's Programme

Biodiversity and Systematics concerns the multitude of organisms living on our planet and the evolutionary relationships among them.

Far from all existing organisms have been discovered and described, and among those organisms science knows of, classification is still ambiguous. With molecular tools and morphological and anatomical observations, new species are continuously being identified and their relationship to other organisms is being disentangled. In this programme, students are trained to gain the systematic and taxonomic expertise needed in our society to be able to take action against global loss of biodiversity.

The Nordic Masters in Biodiversity and Systematics provides an intellectually challenging learning environment with roots in a research group and a wide range of courses, distributed across the Nordic countries, combining theoretical studies with practical elements. The programme is offered in cooperation with other Nordic universities.

Career areas

The programme is directed to students who are interested in a career as Nature conservation manager (public administrator or private consultant), officer at government agencies (Environmental Protection Agency, Swedish biodiversity Centre, etc) or non-governmental organizations (World Wildlife Foundation, Nature Conservation Organizations, etc), manager of biodiversity infrastructures (GBIF etc.) or want to pursue an academic career as Museum curator or university researcher.

Contents

The Nordic Masters in Biodiversity and Systematics curriculum emphasizes four key components:

• Scientific knowledge
• Practical skills
• Independent academic thinking and ability to convey knowledge
• Ethics and sustainability in a global perspective.

Upon completion of the programme you will:

• have a broad overview of living organisms and the relationship between them.
• have specific identification skills in one of more organism groups allowing for inventory of species and natural habitats.
• be familiar with nomenclatural rules, be able to describe evolutionary mechanisms leading to speciation and account for the species concepts.
• in practice be able to produce and assess molecular systematic information.
• understand the role of biodiversity in a global perspective and the ethical and economical aspects of conservation.
• have practice in conveying scientific information to academic groups as well as to the public.

You find more detailed information about the program at http://www.nabismaster.org/ .

Degree

This programme leads to the degree Master of Science with a major in Biology. The degree will be achieved after you have fulfilled the requirements of 120 hec, at least 90 hec of which have to be at the advanced (second) level in biology, including a degree project of at least 30 hec.  This means that you can include courses at the bachelor (first) level of up to 30 hec in your Master of Science degree.

More information

http://www.nabismaster.org/