Study plan - Bachelor's programme in Energy Transition

Balancing economic, environmental and societal considerations is crucial for successfully achieving the required sustainable energy transition. The Bachelor's degree in Energy Transition equips students with analytical skills and problem-oriented approaches that are helpful for assessing, discussing and potentially enabling the energy transition. The program particularly considers key challenges, problems and dilemmas that arise in the ongoing transition, assisting students to better understand, work with, and hopefully solve challenges related to transformation of the energy system.

Knowledge of technology and technological development, administration and planning, and nature and environment are important components of the program. Furthermore, the candidate develops skills in key tools (e.g., GIS), models (e.g., energy system modeling), and approaches (e.g., system approaches) that are useful in analytical and practical work with energy planning and consulting. In addition, the candidate develops competence related to understanding and addressing complex problems. Overall, this makes the candidates well-suited for work in land-use and community planning, project development, and consulting within the broad area of energy and transition.

Learning outcomes

A candidate with a completed education has the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has knowledge of the Norwegian energy system.
• has knowledge of the natural resource base and technologies that are central to today's and future energy systems.
• has knowledge of nature's tolerance limits and the environmental impacts of energy and energy transition.
• has knowledge of land-use challenges and solutions that arise in connection with the energy transition, including how new developments affect landscapes and the environment.
• has knowledge of drivers and barriers for sustainable technology development and implementation.
• has knowledge of political and administrative processes and instruments that are central to the transition to a low-emission society.
• has knowledge of key scientific approaches and methods for understanding, analyzing, and critically evaluating topics of relevance for energy transitions and sustainability.

Skills

The candidate

• can perform basic calculations of natural resources and energy technologies in the Norwegian energy system.
• can use key professional tools, such as GIS and energy system modeling.
• can apply legislation and administrative processes in planning and permitting that are relevant to energy transition.
• can analyze relevant topics for energy transition from various professional perspectives.
• can assess and analyze key societal drivers and barriers for energy transition, including political and industry-related instruments.
• can critically analyze and present complex issues from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Competence

The candidate

• has interdisciplinary competence on challenges and solutions related to energy transition.
• has analytical competence to explain and understand complex interrelationships between nature, environment, and society.
• has applied competence to challenge and find solutions to complex issues in energy transition processes.

Content

The bachelor's program is a three-year course (a total of 180 ECTS credits) structured into courses of 10 ECTS credits each. Most courses are taught intensively over a period of 6-7 weeks, a period that also includes the final assessment (exam). This means that one course is completed before the next course begins. See the individual course descriptions for more information about the courses.

The first two years (the first four semesters) are dedicated to foundational courses in natural sciences, technology, and social sciences. In the fifth and sixth semesters, there are opportunities for elective courses, and the program culminates in a 20 ECTS credit bachelor’s thesis on a chosen topic in the sixth semester.

The program has an interdisciplinary structure, providing a broad understanding of the field of energy transition. By gaining insight and knowledge from different disciplinary perspectives/understandings from social, natural, and environmental sciences, students develop comprehensive, analytical understandings of energy transition.

Teaching

Lectures, discussions, seminars, guest lectures, group work, assignments, exercises, excursions, lab- and field work.

A more detailed description of the teaching- and learning methods are presented in the individual course descriptions.

Assessment

Several courses have compulsory work, either in the form of laboratory exercises, fieldwork, excursions, or written assignments/exercises. Approved (passed) compulsory work is a requirement for proceeding to the exam in these courses.

There are several forms of final evaluation: written bachelor-/semester-/project- assignment, written school or home exam, oral exam, and portfolio assessment. Further information regarding forms of evaluation is presented in the individual course descriptions.

Internationalization

Arrangements for student exchange in the fourth or fifth semester have been made. The Department of Environmental- and Natural Sciences has exchange agreements with several international universities and colleges. Selection of courses must be approved by HVL in advance.