Welcome to the Masters programme - Outdoor Environmental Education at LinköpingUniversity!
National Centre for Outdoor Environmental Education (NCU)
Web site:
In this letter we will give you a short presentation of what you will meet during your studies in Sweden 2010/2011.
Linköping University is the working place of app. 30.000 teachers and students. It is situated in two cities, Campus Norrköping and Linköping, but we will spend most of the time in Linköping and the area around this city and the outdoor landscape in theCounty of Östergötland with streams, lakes, forests and meadows.
The programme consists of full time courses.There will be many days without lectures or field trips. These days are for private studies, individual or in a group. To be able to pass the courses this work is necessary and the ground for writing a thesis.
Starting date is September the 1st and then you will have a presentation of our University together with all the other international master’s students. September the 2nd you will have a presentation of the programme.
The following weeks you will take part in a Introduction Course, 3 credits, starting already September 3rd and containing mainly Academic Writing and the Swedish academic traditions.
The following week we will have our first field trip to a little cottage in the forest
Those who want can sleep in a windshield but it is also possible to sleep indoors. That means that you need most of the equipment recommended, from the very first day of your studies. The difference between day and night temperatures can be considerable so you need a sleeping bag and an isolation mat, as well as some warm clothing for the evening.
On our web page you will find the schedule and literature list for the first Module and an equipment list.
Here are some examples of the activities that will take place during the course, just to give you an idea of what it will be like:
In September we will go to the little town where Astrid Lindgren, the famous author of children’s books, was born. There we will work with focus on the literature in the authentic landscape. You will also get the opportunity to improve your outdoor knowledge and skills.
In October we will visit a youth hostel at the shore of the second biggest lake, Vättern in Sweden where you will meet the Swedish master’s students. You will have some outdoor drama, nature and culture activities together with them. Teaching and learning for sustainability is one of the main topics on this field trip.
It is also time to start thinking of the Master thesis, so we start with methodology lessons.
In November you will visit some Swedish schools and make your first outdoor project together with the teachers you meet there.
In December you can take part in the traditional celebration of the SaintLucia before going for Christmas vacation.
In January it is time to start writing your thesis and you will meet your personal supervisor for the first time.
In February you are probably spending a lot of time working with your Master Thesis.
We will make some field trips with learning and teaching activities, to learn to read the landscape and be able to teach about nature and culture. We will also focus on leadership in theory and practise.
In March we are going to the mountain area of Sweden, there you will meet the culture of the north of Sweden with the Same people and the reindeers, and of course you will have the possibility to learn cross-country skiing. Winter ecology and tracks in landscape is another topic for this trip.
April, thesis work, meeting the spring, celebrating Walpurgis night together with the rest of the students. Field trips to learn about landscapes in spring, natural and cultural heritage interpretation.
The studies are organized in intensive working periods with live-in seminars and in between these periods you will have group work and student organized seminars.
To a great extent the seminars and lectures are given outdoors, all year around.
From March to the end of the course you will mainly work with your Master’s thesis.
The practical examination, a student organized field trip will be 25-27/5 2011.
The examination seminar will be 7-8/6 2011.
This master’s program has its emphasis on personal and social development in order to be a good outdoor leader.Nature- and culture meetings are also important parts. The main aim is to learn about the different learning environment, outdoor education and place based learning in the context of landscapes, nature, culture and the history. The recreational perspective connected to green learning environments and ecology is also important.Teaching in the outdoors and educating children and young adults for sustainable living are some of the aims.All of these aims request a thorough knowledgeof scientific theories on knowledge, education andlearning which isan important part of the course as well.
For the live in seminars there will be some expenses for meals, transports, huts and youth hostels. It will be approx. 100-200 SwCr/night.
The total cost for the excursions and fieldtrips, including the visit to North of Sweden is app. 6.000 – 10.000 SwCr.
Please check our web page for the latest information.
For further information, contact:
Eva Kätting
(0)13 282741
Helén Karlsson
(0)13 281992
Anders Szczepanski
(0)13 281991