The aim of the course is that students obtain understanding of principles and concepts relevant to biogeography and soil, and will be able to apply this knowledge for interpretation of the Icelandic environment. Soil formation and soil properties are discussed, as well as the distribution of soil types and problems of soil erosion and soil pollution. Chemical (e.g. nutrient) cycles, biomes, biological diversity and its protection are discussed. The influence of land use on the state of soils and vegetation, causes and consequences of soil erosion and degradation of vegetation is given special attention. Environmental history is introduced as a tool to examine the impact of people on nature.

Teaching arrangements: Three lectures per week, where the primary subjects of the course are discussed and two slots per week for practical work and projects in classrooms, laboratories and in the field. Introduction to measurements and descriptions of vegetation and collection of soil samples takes place during a half-day fieldwork outside of Reykjavík.

“visualization is the process of making the invisible visible[...] the process of making the cognitive imagination visual using available and culturally dominant technologies is one of the most consistent behaviors of mankind.” - Cox, D. (2006). "Metaphoric Mappings: The Art of Visualization." MIT Press.
Cartography is one of the central elements of spatial data visualisation.
This course introduces students to cartographic theory and mapmaking via using digital technology. It aims to give students a broad conceptual as well as practical understanding of cartographic visualisation and geographic communication, encompassing a range of topics relevant in spatial sciences. Through a series of lectures and discussions, students will come to understand the history of cartography, key cartographic theories and concepts, and the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in today’s map making process. The lectures will be complemented by practical exercises that help to gain an understanding of cartographic conceptualisation as well as a series of tutorial-based computer lab exercises where students will learn how to use GIS for basic spatial analysis and cartographic illustration. They will be able to critically evaluate their own work and of others and explain and justify their decision-making process in a cartographic project.

Introduction to concepts and theoretical approaches in social science, emphasizing their use in contemporary Human Geography and Tourism Studies. The aim of the course is to make students familiar with concepts in scientific discourse and train them in using concepts in argumentation. Among concepts dealt with in the course are: place, space, global, local, globalisation, sustainable development, nature, landscape, culture, identity, image and society. Teaching is in the form of lectures and discussion in smaller groups about themes in student assignments. To qualify for the written exam students need to participate in discussion sessions and assignments. For a successful course outcome a minimum requirement is needed in both exam and assignments.

The course deals with different aspects of working methods in university education and is intended to provide students with applied preparation for university studies. The course is split up in few themes that particular projects and exercises are connected to. The course deals with the preconditions and aims with research, system of references and citations, oral presentations and issues of writing, style and representation of data. Furthermore, the support system for students at the UI will be introduced (library and student counselling).The active participation of students is emphasized with the aim that they endorse effective working methods in their studies.

Other study skill courses may be considered equivalent 

Tutor classes for geography and turism students

The main topics covered in the course are:

• Fundamentals of sedimentology, with emphasis on changes in grain size, grain-size distribution, texture, and grain shape during transport by water, glaciers, and wind.
• The Earth’s hydrological cycle and its role in weathering, sediment transport, and sediment accumulation.
• Running water as the most important agent shaping terrestrial landscapes, both in terms of erosion and sediment transport.
• Earth’s coastlines: interactions at the boundary between land and sea, continuous coastal change, and the factors controlling coastal development.
• Groundwater: its role in landscape formation, its importance for drinking water supply, and methods for protecting this resource.
• Atmospheric circulation and its influence on the distribution of precipitation and the extent of arid regions.
• Major erosion and sedimentary processes and the landforms they create in Iceland.
• Glaciers: formation, variability in size, and the glacial history of the last glacial period.
• Inorganic and organic natural resources: formation, distribution, extraction, use, disposal, renewal, and recycling.
• Linking theoretical concepts to Iceland, through discussion of comparable geological phenomena found in Iceland.

 Teaching arrangement

The course is worth 7.5 ECTS credits and runs for 14 weeks. Course material is presented through lectures, discussion sessions, selected readings, and a field excursion.

• Lectures are held twice a week.
• The field excursion is a five-day trip to South Iceland and the Vestmannaeyjar islands. The excursion takes place immediately after the final spring examination day and participation is mandatory. The University of Iceland covers accommodation and transportation costs, while students are responsible for their own meals.
• Students complete weekly multiple-choice quizzes based on textbook chapters and scientific articles.

The main characteristics of the world economy are examined, in the light of the globalisation of economy, politics and culture taking place over the last decades. Shifts in the centre of gravity of the global economic system are outlined, as well as how various regions and countries relate to that system in different ways. Main actors and institutions that influence globalisation are identified and analysed, including multinational corporations, international institutions and states. Examples from different economic sectors are studied, including how chains of production and consumption have changed and what the impacts have been for places and regions.

Environmental issues are among the most urgent challenges of our time. The very concept ‘environment’ points to the entanglement of nature and society, which is a central topic for geographers. The integration of natural and social science is necessary for finding solutions for sustainability.

In this module, various geographical approaches to environmental dilemmas are outlined, and some globally important environmental issues are dissected. Students learn about their complex causes and consequences, and contemplate possible solutions. Population and food security receive special attention. What is the relation between population development, food production, increasing resource use and environmental stress? How do world regions differ in terms of their current state and prospects for the future? How can food security and sustainable food production be achieved during the next decades? The impact of changed land use and ever-increasing consumption on species and ecosystems will also be analysed. How does the Earth’s biosphere react to habitat change and pollution? What solutions are needed for achieving a more balanced resource use by society than now is the case, and for solving the problems that have emerged with the advent of mass consumption societies? Finally, the social aspects of climate change will be looked into. How does this drastic change of nature’s own basic systems manifest itself in various parts of the world, in different social groups?

The module focuses on global patterns and processes, but students are encouraged to make connections with their own lived reality. Short study trips together with assignments are part of the programme.

Students taking UMV401G as a mandatory course have priority for registration. 

Objectives: To enable students from broad backgrounds to apply geographical information systems for map development and geographic analysis in technical reports, project presentations, work, and research. To provide training and enhance student maturity to: 1) manage projects using geographical information, 2) evaluate and select the most appropriate geographic analysis and maps for diverse projects, 3) write text that interprets maps and describes a geographic analysis, and 4) write a professional report to describe a project applying geographic information systems, maps, and geographic analysis. 

Topics: Students get introduced to geographic information systems and geographic data. Learn the development of reference and thematic maps. Use vector and raster data. Learn selection by attributes and location, and creation of map layers from selections. Learn how to join tables and spatial join. Practice in various operations on map layers, e.g. clip, dissolve, transfer data between layers, drawing and developing new map layers. Link aerial photos to maps. Display GPS coordinate data on maps. Perform spatial analysis of data. Emphasis is on developing student ability to select map contents, operations and analysis tools, design maps and interpret maps in written text. 

Teaching: The course is taught in Icelandic. Students learn and receive practice in fundamental use of geographical information systems by completing hands-on projects in a computer lab, homework, and a final project, all based on real-world data. The projects are designed to develop student ability in selecting maps, map contents and analysis tools, along with interpreting maps.

The course is taught in a classroom with live streaming, the recordings are then made available a few days later. The course can be taken on-site, distance learning or mixed. The course is not designed to be taken without real-time participation during class.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use Jamovi to analyze data.

Introduction to the discipline of spatial planning, key terms and issues.

The course's main focus is on the planning system and governance of spatial planning and on data and practical methods in spatial planning, especially in the context of plan-making for larger geographical areas, such as cities, municipalities or regions.

Students get to know and train in applying different methods used in spatial planning for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of information on the built environment, local community and nature, to assess conditions, challenges and opportunities in the planning area. Also, methods for developing and presenting planning policies and planning documents.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

The course is taught in cooperation with the planning programme at the Agricultural University of Iceland.

The course involves training in methods used in the studies in physical geography which require collection of samples or other information from the field. The course consists of a four day trip in the week prior to the start of the autumn semester. During the trip students will be introduced to various equipment used to collect samples and other information, to study land surface changes over different spatial and temporal scales.
Students keep and hand in a diary from the trip within a week from coming back from the trip. After the trip students will be given an assignment which involves processing of materials gathered during the field excursions and/or the organisation and methologically planned execution of a pre-arranged research project. The oucome of the assignment is to be presented in the form of lecture and written report. Grading is based on participation and activity during the field trip, and evaluation of the diary, report and presentation.

Major theories and policy regarding the development of localities and regions are reviewed, together with a consideration of Icelandic conditions in this regard. Population developments, industries and work opportunities, as well as non-economic factors which influence local development, are examined for different  types of localities in Iceland, with emphasis on the 21 century. Goals, methods and conflicting opinions on regional policy are also looked into. At the end of this course the student should be familiar with the specific conditions of the various regions and localities of Iceland, and able to understand their position in a wider context of global development.

The course involves drivers for long term changes in the Earth‘s climate and how this appears in the geological epochs, terminating in the last epoch, the Holocene. For study are key factors in meteorology (e.g. energy balance, air pressure, winds, atmospheric stability, air moisture, through (lows) and highs, cloud formation, precipitation) for understanding of local and regional climate variations (e.g. formations of air masses, highs and lows) that lead to different ecosystem formations. Circulations in the atmosphere are studied alongside ocean currents and how these act as distributors for energy (heat) around the globe. Climate models for small and large climate processes in the Troposphere are discusses. Weather and climate in Iceland will be studied specifically and what dictates local and regional differences in weather and climate within Iceland.
The course is taught through lectures, discussions, biweekly short exams involving specific themes/chapters, and written reports and oral presentations. Institutions where weather and climate are studied or are of significance in research will be visited.
There is no final exam, but all parts of the course are evaluated for grading: biweekly exams (60%), reports and oral presentations (30%), short reports about information gathered in visits to institutions (10%).

The aim of the course is to provide students with theoretical foundations and training in social science methodologies commonly used in geography and tourism. Themes covered include the epistemological premises of social science research; research ethics; and common methods, both qualitative and quantitative. Special emphasis is laid on: a) how to carry out research interviews, including preparation and framing of interviews, selection of interviewees, interviewing, transcription, coding and analysis; b) survey research methodology, including organization of question surveys, sampling methods, the making of questionnaires, validity and reliability, wording of questions, dataset creation and analysis; and d) the coordination of methods. Lectures and discussion sessions aim to prepare students for a research project carried out during the semester.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

The course is intended for students who plan to write a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The aim of the course is to guide students in the preparation and formatting of a research proposal.

The course will cover the structure and content of research proposals, including:

1. a) objectives and research questions,
2. b) the state of knowledge in the field,
3. c) the scientific and practical value of the research,
4. d) methodology, and
5. e) work and time plans.

Students will develop a research proposal on a topic of their own choosing under the supervision of the course instructor and academic advisors.

The research proposal is expected to be suitable for use in a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The course aims at providing students with an overview of research topics in geography and philosophical positions which influence the work of geographers. The history of geography and its position among academic disciplines is discussed. Major ontological, epistemological and methodological points of departure are compared. Writings of selected scholars are analyzed and critiqued. New developments in physical and human geography are discussed. Students are also trained in designing their own research project.

In the final phase of the undergraduate programme, students work in pairs on an independent research project, involving a geographical topic that matches their own interests. The aim is to provide students with experience in organising and carrying out their own research. The course starts with common sessions at the beginning of the spring semester, followed by students working independently. They define their topics, formulate research questions and research design, investigate sources, define a theoretical framework and decide upon a methodological approach. Each project is allocated a teacher who acts as a supervisor. The research project as a whole is written up in a thesis, in the format stipulated by Faculty regulations.    

BS-thesis

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

The course deals with tourism planning and policy in the context of environment, society and economy. Broadly speaking planning issues touch on every aspect of tourism. Students will learn about the ideological premises of tourism planning and policy, historical development of policy making in Iceland and internationally with a special emphasis put on sustainable development and UN Sustainable Development Goals. The course will give students tools to describe, analyse and evaluate the premises, development and deployment of planning and policy work in tourism. The aim is to bridge between conceputal discussion and practical application.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

This course is designed for students in leisure studies, tourism, and teachers’ education (including sport, kindergarten and primary school educators). Also ideal for outdoor educators and field researchers. Emphasis is placed on knowledge and essential skills in risk management and safety planning for outdoor environments. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, equipping students to manage risks effectively in diverse outdoor settings.

Learning Activities:

Lectures/classes: Weekly from Mid-August to end of October. Field trip (3 days): Last week of September or beginning of October.

• Virtual and in house classes focusing on theoretical knowledge and group discussions.
• Independent group work: Collaborative projects where students develop risk management plans and solutions for outdoor education scenarios. Emphases on students tackling real-world outdoor education challenges and applying knowledge to practical scenarios.
• Guest lectures: insights from experts in outdoor education, safety management, and risk assessment.
• Fieldwork (3 days): hands-on learning in outdoor settings to practice risk management and safety skills. Part of the field work is a first aid course focusing on comprehensive training in outdoor-specific first aid.

A significant portion of the course is conducted outdoors and includes hands-on exercises to build practical experience.

Direct costs related to field-trips and travel will be approximately ISK 16.000.

The course covers the various events and processes that can create natural hazards. The concept of natural hazard is defined and the history of this important field in the various natural sciences is examined. The physical causes and processes of various natural hazards are discussed. Ongoing climate change is discussed as a form of hazard, as well as the links between climate change and various weather- and climate-related events. The role of Icelandic Meteorological Office in research and monitoring of natural hazard is discussed.

One-day fieldtrip to the Southern part of Iceland will be done in beginning of September.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

Taught in even-numbered years.

Taught in even-numbered years.The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape. Special attention will be paid to the landscape impacts of renewable energy. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a fieldtrip in the vicinity of Reykjavík on a Saturday in September.

Soil is the foundation of ecosystems, the basis of food production and life, and plays a key role in the cycling of nutrients, carbon, and water. Also, soils store important information on environmental change and the long-term interactions between humans and the environment.

In this course, students explore soil as an ecosystem, a natural resource, and a source of environmental information. The course provides a solid theoretical foundation in soil science while placing strong emphasis on practical skills, fieldwork, and data analysis.

The course covers the following main topics:

• Soil-forming factors and processes leading to the development of different soil types worldwide.
• Physical and chemical properties of soils, with particular emphasis on the role of clay minerals and organic matter.
• Icelandic soils, their formation, and distinctive characteristics.
• Soil biota: soil as an ecosystem and the role of soils in ecosystems.
• Soil as a resource: the role of soils in nutrient, carbon, and water cycles.
• Soil condition: methods for assessing soil health both in the field and through laboratory analyses.
• Influence of land use on soils: soil degradation and land degradation (erosion, contamination, salinization, etc.).
• Interactions between soils and climate.

• Soil as a research archive in relation to human settlement and environmental history.

Teaching takes place through lectures, field excursions, and laboratory work, during which students gain experience with real-world soil research and learn to link theoretical knowledge with their own research data.

The course is suitable for undergraduate students in their second and third year, as well as for graduate students.

The module looks at meanings and definitons of the concept of culture in cultural tourism especially regarding presentation and mediation of cultural heritage in museums as well as in other types of surroundings. Questions concerning political and ethical issues of collections and presentation of artefacts will be discussed and thoughts will be given to different ways in which people read and perceive of history and heritage, their own as well as others. The relations between cultural tourism and creative tourism will also be explored. Questions regarding appropriation of cultural heritage will be explored as well as who have the power to define cultural heritage Emphasis will be put on Icelandic heritage and museums and a visit will be made to at least one museum.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

In the 1980s that scholars in social sciences started considering tourism as an important topic of study. Questions such as "who is the tourist?", "what are the reasons behind travelling?" and "how can tourism be defined?" became dominant at first and influenced the original theorisation. These questions are still being asked, although with an ever changing emphasis in a constantly changing social, political and economic circumstances.

This module will look at the core theories in tourism and provide insight into different approaches to the topic by different scholars. Students will have to consider the theme of the course in order to think about the relevance of different approaches and theories if they were to set upp their own project in the field of tourism.

kemur

Introduction to theories and methods of urban geography and urban design, for the analysis of city life and the urban environment, with emphasis on urban spaces and the street and neighbourhood scale.

The historical development of cities from the beginning of urbanization to the present day. Main subjects dealt with in urban geography and urban design for analysis and policy-making, such as different social groups and residence, employment and transport, sense of place and quality of urban spaces, art and culture in urban spaces, nature in the city, and city branding. Challenges that cities face in our time, such as those related to climate change, sustainability, and emerging technologies.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

Introduction to the main topics, concepts and theories of tourism studies. Social, cultural and economic reasons for tourism and the effects of tourism on environment, society and economy. History and development of travels and tourism and main tourist destinations today. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

Volcanic eruptions are one of the principal forces that affect and modify the Earth’s surface. The resulting volatile emissions not only replenish and maintain our atmosphere, but are also known to have significant impact atmospheric properties and its circulation. Volcanism has also played a critical role in forming a significant fraction of mineral resources currently exploited by man. As such, volcanic phenomena influence directly or indirectly many (if not all) sub-disciplines of Earth Sciences. Consequently, a basic understanding of how volcanoes work and how they contribute to the earth system cycles is a valuable knowledge to any student in geosciences.

The basic principles of volcanology are covered in this course including the journey of magma from source to surface plus the general processes that control eruptions and dispersal of erupted products. We also cover the principles of eruption monitoring as well as volcano-climate.

Practical sessions will be held weekly and are aimed at solving problems via calculations, data analysis and arguments. One field trip to Reykjanes.

Molar volume of gases, thermochemistry, reaction enthalpies and Hesse's law, Rate of chemical reactions, decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, reaction reversibility and Le Chatelier's principle, determination of acid ionization constant with potentiometric titration, determination of equilibrium constant with absorbtion measurements.

General introduction to chemical foundations, atoms, molecules and ions. Stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Properties of gases, solids and liquides, and properties af solutions. Atomic structure and the periodic table. Atomic bonding (ionic, covalent and metal) using VB theory. Chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Acids and bases and the properties and application of aqueous solutions (buffers and solubility products). Thermochemistry (enhalpy, entropy, sponaneity and the Gibbs free energy). Electrochemistry (galvanic and electrolyic sells) and application of electrochemistry. Nuclear chemistry.

Subject Matter: Newtonian Mechanics for particles and rigid bodies. Dynamical variables and conservation laws. Elements of Fluid Mechanics. Thermodynamics. Elements of Electromagnetism. Laboratory exercises in which students are trained in handling physical instruments, performing measurements and interpreting the data.

The course is thaught in English or Icelandic according to the needs of the students.

Plants as organisms. Structure and function of the plant cell. Photosynthesis. The anatomy and morphology of plants. Alternation of generations, the evolution, life cycles and characteristics of mosses and vascular plant groups with emphasis on the flowering plants. The evolution of seeds, flowers and fruits. Vegetation of the earth, the biomes. The vegetation and vegetation history of Iceland. Laboratory work: Cells and tissue types. Examples of the anatomy and morphology of major groups, seeds, flowers and fruits. The diversity of plant form and environment.

Lectures: Introduction. Evolution. Behaviour. Historical and ecological biogeography. Populations: Dispersal, natality and mortality rates, life tables, age composition, population growth, regulation of population size, cyclic fluctuations, migration. Species interactions: Competition, predation, other forms of interactions. Communities: Community description, species composition, species diversity, food webs, stability, succession. Ecosystems: Biogeochemical cycles, energy flow, productivity, trophic efficiency. Marine ecology, fresh-water ecology, terrestrial ecology; introduction to Icelandic ecosystems. Practical work: Exercises are in the lab and in the field. The emphasis is on application of scientific method in ecology, variation and data analysis. The exercises include experimental studies of population growth and competition between Paramecium species, studies of terrestrial communities (plants and animals), zonation of tidal zones and life in streams. Obligatory: all practical exercises. Course evaluation: ractical exercises and seminars 50% including a more extensive written report to be orally presented. Ten written exercises 50%. Minimum grade of 5 required for all parts.

Land use. Types and utilization of mineral, fuel and water resources, origins and effects of major pollutants. Biodiversity, habitat, fragmentation, species extinctions and effects of introduced species. The application of ecological knowledge to environmental problems. Environmental impact assessment, restoration. The philosophy of nature conservation. International conventions. Major environmental issues in Iceland: fisheries, soil erosion, wetland drainage, impact studies, legislation, organization and administration of environmental affairs. Various excursions, student seminars.

Taught in even-numbered years.

The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape are discussed. Special attention will be paid to the production, transmission and use of renewable energy, and associated landscape impacts. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed in the context of renewable energy. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a field trip to existing and proposed energy production sites.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

The environmental and social impacts of tourism continue to increase worldwide as the number of tourists grows. It is therefore essential that students in the field of tourism and related disciplines are familiar with and understand these impacts and able to apply methods to counteract them. Students must also be able to understand the role of these impacts in a
wider context with future trends and global threats. This course aims to increase student’s knowledge and understanding of environmental and social responsibility and its importance in implementing sustainable tourism. The course focuses on identifying the environmental and social impacts of tourism and introduces the student to the theory and practice of environmental management and corporate social responsibility. Different approaches and various tools and methodologies used in the field of environmental management and corporate social responsibility will be explored.

The course is aimed at post graduate students, but students who have completed at least two years of their undergraduate study can also register to the course. The course is taught in English.

Aim: To give an overview of the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of anthropogenic activities and to introduce the procedures and methods used in the environmental assessment process. At the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of the main principles of EIA and the methods used for its application.  After having completed the course, students should be able to actively participate in the making of EIA. Subject: Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects is the main subject of the course.  EIA is a systematic process meant to streamline development projects by minimizing environmental effects. The first part of the course is an introduction to the global context and history of EIA, the subject of EIA, and an introduction to the EIA methodology.  The second part of the course focuses on processes. The aim, subject, and process of EIA will be explained, including a discussion on the various stages and aspects of the EIA procedure (such as screening, scoping, participants, stakeholders and consultation, impact prediction and assessment, reporting and monitoring).  Although the examples of processes, definitions and methods introduced in the course will be based on the Icelandic legislation, the learning outcome will be of practical use for all students, without regard to their nationality. Through individual assignments, each student will be able to explore the EIA process in context with an area of their choice.  

The aim of the course is provide knowledge about tourism in Iceland and main tourist destinations and routes. Students also undergo practical training in organising trips, for example through the use of relevant mapping tools and methods. Travel routes are examined with regard to recreational services, and characteristics and attractions (f. ex. nature, history, culture). 

Emphasis is placed on training in:

• Collecting data to organise trips within Iceland for different tourist groups.
• Communication of information to tourists and writing brief information columns.
• Spatial thinking and use of geographical data in organisation of travel routes.

Students go on visual tours around the country. 

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

This module will focus on nature and landscape as resources for tourism. Emphasis will be on the interaction between man and nature. Introduction to the history, planning and management of national parks and protected areas will be given and discussed in an international context. Impact of tourism on the environment will be discussed with emphasis on tourism pressure and tourism carrying capacity. The ideology and practices of sustainable tourism and ecotourism will be given special attention. Students will further gain insight into the ethics of nature as well as some methods of estimating the value of nature. The course will include both theoretical lectures as well as practical exercises. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

This course deals with different types of tourism and manifestations of the tourism industry in various regions of the world. The course looks at particular currnets of tourism, such as masstourism, pro-poor tourism and backpacking tourism as well as introducing theories about the driving forces of travelling. The discussion is put in societal context of specific areas. Emphasis is put on providing insight into geographical context of tourism in the world today and the challenges and solutions that the tourism industry is dealing with in different places.

An excursion to Western Cape Region in South Africa  for 10 days, only open to full time students in Gegography and Tourism Studies. Students pay all cost of participation in the excursion. Some preparation time during the spring term and excursion after exams in May. 

The course is project orientated; students work independently on projects under the guidance of the teacher. Guidance is primarily on technical and theoretical solutions from the geographical information system (GIS) point of view. Major part of the semester is focused on the students own projects, often in connection with their final thesis (BS). Student projects can come from any discipline but need to have a GIS perspective that needs to be solved.

Topics: Projections, geographical objects, attributes databases, topology, geographical fields, presentation of GIS data, 3D, Meta data, open source programmes.

There is no exam but evaluation of students is through final report and smaller projects during the semester. In the beginning of the semester students are required to have a description of their project along with an estimation of the geographical information (data) they need to solve it

This module’s aim is to provide an understanding of the basic principles of nature conservation and the role of management and planning for nature conservation in Iceland. Emphasis will be on the interaction between conservation and the recreational use of protected areas. The module also provides students with increased knowledge of the complex relationships between tourism practices and the preservation of biodiversity and geodiversity. Tourism planning within protected area will be discussed. Also conflicts as regard different interest groups in land use and conservation, as well as regulations and laws in nature conservation. Basics in nature interpretation and guidance of protected areas will further be covered. In addition, students will gain practical experience of day-to-day management. The module will develop awareness and understanding of factors and influences that need to be taken into account in management for conservation. This will be achieved through a series of lectures, specified readings, and practical training in field. 

The subject of the course relates to the management and development of services and internal quality work at tourism companies and institutions. It will be discussed how these issues have a direct and/or indirect effect on the success of companies and institutions, which can be assessed in a variety of ways. Students work on a real project with a company of their choice, where the internal working aspects and structure of a company are analyzed. Part of the course is devoted to professional development, where an insight into jobs in the tourism market is given and students take the first steps in building a CV and portfolio.

The following topics are addressed:

Terrestrial food webs and biological communities above and below ground. The role of organisms and other factors in shaping terrestrial habitats. Relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem processes such as primary production and nutrient dynamics. Effects of individual organism groups and traits, of plants and herbivores in particular, on ecosystem processes, stability and resilience. Effects of climate change and land use on ecosystems with emphasis on northern regions (sub-Arctic and Arctic). The unique characteristics of Icelandic ecosystems. Restoration of degraded and collapsed ecosystems. Main methods in community and ecosystem research.

During this course, students will be introduced to organisms and acellular entities too small to be seen by the unaided eye.  They can acquire knowledge on the characteristics of bacteria, archaea, viruses and eukaryotic microorganisms.  The course will explain the importance of microorganisms, how they live in diverse and dynamic ecosystems and how some affect humans, for example by being valuable for the food industry or by causing disease.  The students will gain laboratory experience and practice aseptic techniques. 

The vascular flora of Iceland and the arctic flora: origins, composition, ecology. The biogeography of the flora of the North Atlantic. The Pleistocene environment of Iceland and the Holocene vegetation history of Iceland and Europe. Hypotheses on the age and origin of the Icelandic flora and the arctic flora. The soils of Iceland: characteristics and development, desertification. Post-settlement vegetation changes in Iceland. Biodiversity and distribution patterns of the Icelandic vascular flora. Protected and red-list species. after the biogeography of the circumpolar north. Origins and characteristics of the vascular flora of Iceland. Methods for the description and classification of vegetation. Icelandic vegetation: classification, distribution, environment and utilization. 4 day summer field course.

This is an introduction to palaeoecology aimed at students in archaeology. The main emphasis is on how past environmental conditions can be read from sedimentary archives (soil and freshwater sediments). The use of different indices (or proxies) will be introduced, including diatoms, Foraminifera, Cladocera, insects, pollen, seeds and pigments. Other topics include: basic limnology, sediment sampling, dating techniques and the history of the biota of Iceland. Problems encountered when extracting environmental information from ancient documents will also be discussed. One field trip to take sediment cores from a lake.

This course is an introduction to the study of the material culture of everyday life. Students will be get a good glimpse of this multidisciplinary field, with examples drawn from the past as well as the present, and with equal emphasis on the material culture of Iceland and that of other countries. The topics of study will range from clothes and fashion to foodways, from the objects in our daily surroundings to trash and hygiene, from crafts and consumer goods to houses, gardens and the home, and from urban landscapes to museums and exhibits. Along the way, students will gain familiarity with various theoretical concepts and approaches emphasizing for example the human body, gender, consumption, place and space.

This course deals with processes of glacial erosion, glacial sedimentation and glacial morphology. It is aimed at undergraduate students interested in physical geography, glacial geology and glaciology. Lectures will concern glacial systems, glacier movements, hydrology, erosion, sediment transport and deposition, glaciotectonic deformations, glacial landforms. The course ends with a 5-day field trip to present glaciers in southern Iceland and formerly glaciated areas in western Iceland, where students get to observe glacial processes and products. Participation in fieldtrip is required for getting course credits.

Glaciers in the world are responding fast to climate change, they are therefore important indicators for assessing changes, but have also impact on the climate system through for example albedo feedback and sea level rise. In this course glaciers will be studied, their distribution in the world, how glacier ice is formed from snow, how they move and respond to climate change.  Focus will be on Icelandic glaciers, their energy and mass balance, interaction of geothermal activity and glaciers in Iceland and reoccurring floods, jökulhlaups, from the main ice cap. During the course students will learn terminology and concepts that will equip them to understand and contribute to discussions of climate change and the role of glaciers in the climate system.  Background in high school physics and math is useful, as numerical  problems concerning temperature, energy budget, mass balance and flow of glaciers will be solved in groups. Glacier measurement techniques will be introduced and at the end of the course ablation stakes will be installed in Sólheimajökull on the south coast of Iceland in a two day fielld excursion. Participation in the field trip is mandatory.

The aim of the course is that students obtain understanding of principles and concepts relevant to biogeography and soil, and will be able to apply this knowledge for interpretation of the Icelandic environment. Soil formation and soil properties are discussed, as well as the distribution of soil types and problems of soil erosion and soil pollution. Chemical (e.g. nutrient) cycles, biomes, biological diversity and its protection are discussed. The influence of land use on the state of soils and vegetation, causes and consequences of soil erosion and degradation of vegetation is given special attention. Environmental history is introduced as a tool to examine the impact of people on nature.

Teaching arrangements: Three lectures per week, where the primary subjects of the course are discussed and two slots per week for practical work and projects in classrooms, laboratories and in the field. Introduction to measurements and descriptions of vegetation and collection of soil samples takes place during a half-day fieldwork outside of Reykjavík.

“visualization is the process of making the invisible visible[...] the process of making the cognitive imagination visual using available and culturally dominant technologies is one of the most consistent behaviors of mankind.” - Cox, D. (2006). "Metaphoric Mappings: The Art of Visualization." MIT Press.
Cartography is one of the central elements of spatial data visualisation.
This course introduces students to cartographic theory and mapmaking via using digital technology. It aims to give students a broad conceptual as well as practical understanding of cartographic visualisation and geographic communication, encompassing a range of topics relevant in spatial sciences. Through a series of lectures and discussions, students will come to understand the history of cartography, key cartographic theories and concepts, and the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in today’s map making process. The lectures will be complemented by practical exercises that help to gain an understanding of cartographic conceptualisation as well as a series of tutorial-based computer lab exercises where students will learn how to use GIS for basic spatial analysis and cartographic illustration. They will be able to critically evaluate their own work and of others and explain and justify their decision-making process in a cartographic project.

Introduction to concepts and theoretical approaches in social science, emphasizing their use in contemporary Human Geography and Tourism Studies. The aim of the course is to make students familiar with concepts in scientific discourse and train them in using concepts in argumentation. Among concepts dealt with in the course are: place, space, global, local, globalisation, sustainable development, nature, landscape, culture, identity, image and society. Teaching is in the form of lectures and discussion in smaller groups about themes in student assignments. To qualify for the written exam students need to participate in discussion sessions and assignments. For a successful course outcome a minimum requirement is needed in both exam and assignments.

The course deals with different aspects of working methods in university education and is intended to provide students with applied preparation for university studies. The course is split up in few themes that particular projects and exercises are connected to. The course deals with the preconditions and aims with research, system of references and citations, oral presentations and issues of writing, style and representation of data. Furthermore, the support system for students at the UI will be introduced (library and student counselling).The active participation of students is emphasized with the aim that they endorse effective working methods in their studies.

Other study skill courses may be considered equivalent 

Tutor classes for geography and turism students

The main topics covered in the course are:

• Fundamentals of sedimentology, with emphasis on changes in grain size, grain-size distribution, texture, and grain shape during transport by water, glaciers, and wind.
• The Earth’s hydrological cycle and its role in weathering, sediment transport, and sediment accumulation.
• Running water as the most important agent shaping terrestrial landscapes, both in terms of erosion and sediment transport.
• Earth’s coastlines: interactions at the boundary between land and sea, continuous coastal change, and the factors controlling coastal development.
• Groundwater: its role in landscape formation, its importance for drinking water supply, and methods for protecting this resource.
• Atmospheric circulation and its influence on the distribution of precipitation and the extent of arid regions.
• Major erosion and sedimentary processes and the landforms they create in Iceland.
• Glaciers: formation, variability in size, and the glacial history of the last glacial period.
• Inorganic and organic natural resources: formation, distribution, extraction, use, disposal, renewal, and recycling.
• Linking theoretical concepts to Iceland, through discussion of comparable geological phenomena found in Iceland.

 Teaching arrangement

The course is worth 7.5 ECTS credits and runs for 14 weeks. Course material is presented through lectures, discussion sessions, selected readings, and a field excursion.

• Lectures are held twice a week.
• The field excursion is a five-day trip to South Iceland and the Vestmannaeyjar islands. The excursion takes place immediately after the final spring examination day and participation is mandatory. The University of Iceland covers accommodation and transportation costs, while students are responsible for their own meals.
• Students complete weekly multiple-choice quizzes based on textbook chapters and scientific articles.

The main characteristics of the world economy are examined, in the light of the globalisation of economy, politics and culture taking place over the last decades. Shifts in the centre of gravity of the global economic system are outlined, as well as how various regions and countries relate to that system in different ways. Main actors and institutions that influence globalisation are identified and analysed, including multinational corporations, international institutions and states. Examples from different economic sectors are studied, including how chains of production and consumption have changed and what the impacts have been for places and regions.

Environmental issues are among the most urgent challenges of our time. The very concept ‘environment’ points to the entanglement of nature and society, which is a central topic for geographers. The integration of natural and social science is necessary for finding solutions for sustainability.

In this module, various geographical approaches to environmental dilemmas are outlined, and some globally important environmental issues are dissected. Students learn about their complex causes and consequences, and contemplate possible solutions. Population and food security receive special attention. What is the relation between population development, food production, increasing resource use and environmental stress? How do world regions differ in terms of their current state and prospects for the future? How can food security and sustainable food production be achieved during the next decades? The impact of changed land use and ever-increasing consumption on species and ecosystems will also be analysed. How does the Earth’s biosphere react to habitat change and pollution? What solutions are needed for achieving a more balanced resource use by society than now is the case, and for solving the problems that have emerged with the advent of mass consumption societies? Finally, the social aspects of climate change will be looked into. How does this drastic change of nature’s own basic systems manifest itself in various parts of the world, in different social groups?

The module focuses on global patterns and processes, but students are encouraged to make connections with their own lived reality. Short study trips together with assignments are part of the programme.

Students taking UMV401G as a mandatory course have priority for registration. 

Objectives: To enable students from broad backgrounds to apply geographical information systems for map development and geographic analysis in technical reports, project presentations, work, and research. To provide training and enhance student maturity to: 1) manage projects using geographical information, 2) evaluate and select the most appropriate geographic analysis and maps for diverse projects, 3) write text that interprets maps and describes a geographic analysis, and 4) write a professional report to describe a project applying geographic information systems, maps, and geographic analysis. 

Topics: Students get introduced to geographic information systems and geographic data. Learn the development of reference and thematic maps. Use vector and raster data. Learn selection by attributes and location, and creation of map layers from selections. Learn how to join tables and spatial join. Practice in various operations on map layers, e.g. clip, dissolve, transfer data between layers, drawing and developing new map layers. Link aerial photos to maps. Display GPS coordinate data on maps. Perform spatial analysis of data. Emphasis is on developing student ability to select map contents, operations and analysis tools, design maps and interpret maps in written text. 

Teaching: The course is taught in Icelandic. Students learn and receive practice in fundamental use of geographical information systems by completing hands-on projects in a computer lab, homework, and a final project, all based on real-world data. The projects are designed to develop student ability in selecting maps, map contents and analysis tools, along with interpreting maps.

The course is taught in a classroom with live streaming, the recordings are then made available a few days later. The course can be taken on-site, distance learning or mixed. The course is not designed to be taken without real-time participation during class.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use Jamovi to analyze data.

Introduction to the discipline of spatial planning, key terms and issues.

The course's main focus is on the planning system and governance of spatial planning and on data and practical methods in spatial planning, especially in the context of plan-making for larger geographical areas, such as cities, municipalities or regions.

Students get to know and train in applying different methods used in spatial planning for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of information on the built environment, local community and nature, to assess conditions, challenges and opportunities in the planning area. Also, methods for developing and presenting planning policies and planning documents.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

The course is taught in cooperation with the planning programme at the Agricultural University of Iceland.

The course involves training in methods used in the studies in physical geography which require collection of samples or other information from the field. The course consists of a four day trip in the week prior to the start of the autumn semester. During the trip students will be introduced to various equipment used to collect samples and other information, to study land surface changes over different spatial and temporal scales.
Students keep and hand in a diary from the trip within a week from coming back from the trip. After the trip students will be given an assignment which involves processing of materials gathered during the field excursions and/or the organisation and methologically planned execution of a pre-arranged research project. The oucome of the assignment is to be presented in the form of lecture and written report. Grading is based on participation and activity during the field trip, and evaluation of the diary, report and presentation.

Major theories and policy regarding the development of localities and regions are reviewed, together with a consideration of Icelandic conditions in this regard. Population developments, industries and work opportunities, as well as non-economic factors which influence local development, are examined for different  types of localities in Iceland, with emphasis on the 21 century. Goals, methods and conflicting opinions on regional policy are also looked into. At the end of this course the student should be familiar with the specific conditions of the various regions and localities of Iceland, and able to understand their position in a wider context of global development.

The course involves drivers for long term changes in the Earth‘s climate and how this appears in the geological epochs, terminating in the last epoch, the Holocene. For study are key factors in meteorology (e.g. energy balance, air pressure, winds, atmospheric stability, air moisture, through (lows) and highs, cloud formation, precipitation) for understanding of local and regional climate variations (e.g. formations of air masses, highs and lows) that lead to different ecosystem formations. Circulations in the atmosphere are studied alongside ocean currents and how these act as distributors for energy (heat) around the globe. Climate models for small and large climate processes in the Troposphere are discusses. Weather and climate in Iceland will be studied specifically and what dictates local and regional differences in weather and climate within Iceland.
The course is taught through lectures, discussions, biweekly short exams involving specific themes/chapters, and written reports and oral presentations. Institutions where weather and climate are studied or are of significance in research will be visited.
There is no final exam, but all parts of the course are evaluated for grading: biweekly exams (60%), reports and oral presentations (30%), short reports about information gathered in visits to institutions (10%).

The aim of the course is to provide students with theoretical foundations and training in social science methodologies commonly used in geography and tourism. Themes covered include the epistemological premises of social science research; research ethics; and common methods, both qualitative and quantitative. Special emphasis is laid on: a) how to carry out research interviews, including preparation and framing of interviews, selection of interviewees, interviewing, transcription, coding and analysis; b) survey research methodology, including organization of question surveys, sampling methods, the making of questionnaires, validity and reliability, wording of questions, dataset creation and analysis; and d) the coordination of methods. Lectures and discussion sessions aim to prepare students for a research project carried out during the semester.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

The course is intended for students who plan to write a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The aim of the course is to guide students in the preparation and formatting of a research proposal.

The course will cover the structure and content of research proposals, including:

1. a) objectives and research questions,
2. b) the state of knowledge in the field,
3. c) the scientific and practical value of the research,
4. d) methodology, and
5. e) work and time plans.

Students will develop a research proposal on a topic of their own choosing under the supervision of the course instructor and academic advisors.

The research proposal is expected to be suitable for use in a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The course aims at providing students with an overview of research topics in geography and philosophical positions which influence the work of geographers. The history of geography and its position among academic disciplines is discussed. Major ontological, epistemological and methodological points of departure are compared. Writings of selected scholars are analyzed and critiqued. New developments in physical and human geography are discussed. Students are also trained in designing their own research project.

In the final phase of the undergraduate programme, students work in pairs on an independent research project, involving a geographical topic that matches their own interests. The aim is to provide students with experience in organising and carrying out their own research. The course starts with common sessions at the beginning of the spring semester, followed by students working independently. They define their topics, formulate research questions and research design, investigate sources, define a theoretical framework and decide upon a methodological approach. Each project is allocated a teacher who acts as a supervisor. The research project as a whole is written up in a thesis, in the format stipulated by Faculty regulations.    

BS-thesis

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

The course deals with tourism planning and policy in the context of environment, society and economy. Broadly speaking planning issues touch on every aspect of tourism. Students will learn about the ideological premises of tourism planning and policy, historical development of policy making in Iceland and internationally with a special emphasis put on sustainable development and UN Sustainable Development Goals. The course will give students tools to describe, analyse and evaluate the premises, development and deployment of planning and policy work in tourism. The aim is to bridge between conceputal discussion and practical application.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

This course is designed for students in leisure studies, tourism, and teachers’ education (including sport, kindergarten and primary school educators). Also ideal for outdoor educators and field researchers. Emphasis is placed on knowledge and essential skills in risk management and safety planning for outdoor environments. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, equipping students to manage risks effectively in diverse outdoor settings.

Learning Activities:

Lectures/classes: Weekly from Mid-August to end of October. Field trip (3 days): Last week of September or beginning of October.

• Virtual and in house classes focusing on theoretical knowledge and group discussions.
• Independent group work: Collaborative projects where students develop risk management plans and solutions for outdoor education scenarios. Emphases on students tackling real-world outdoor education challenges and applying knowledge to practical scenarios.
• Guest lectures: insights from experts in outdoor education, safety management, and risk assessment.
• Fieldwork (3 days): hands-on learning in outdoor settings to practice risk management and safety skills. Part of the field work is a first aid course focusing on comprehensive training in outdoor-specific first aid.

A significant portion of the course is conducted outdoors and includes hands-on exercises to build practical experience.

Direct costs related to field-trips and travel will be approximately ISK 16.000.

The course covers the various events and processes that can create natural hazards. The concept of natural hazard is defined and the history of this important field in the various natural sciences is examined. The physical causes and processes of various natural hazards are discussed. Ongoing climate change is discussed as a form of hazard, as well as the links between climate change and various weather- and climate-related events. The role of Icelandic Meteorological Office in research and monitoring of natural hazard is discussed.

One-day fieldtrip to the Southern part of Iceland will be done in beginning of September.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

Taught in even-numbered years.

Taught in even-numbered years.The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape. Special attention will be paid to the landscape impacts of renewable energy. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a fieldtrip in the vicinity of Reykjavík on a Saturday in September.

Soil is the foundation of ecosystems, the basis of food production and life, and plays a key role in the cycling of nutrients, carbon, and water. Also, soils store important information on environmental change and the long-term interactions between humans and the environment.

In this course, students explore soil as an ecosystem, a natural resource, and a source of environmental information. The course provides a solid theoretical foundation in soil science while placing strong emphasis on practical skills, fieldwork, and data analysis.

The course covers the following main topics:

• Soil-forming factors and processes leading to the development of different soil types worldwide.
• Physical and chemical properties of soils, with particular emphasis on the role of clay minerals and organic matter.
• Icelandic soils, their formation, and distinctive characteristics.
• Soil biota: soil as an ecosystem and the role of soils in ecosystems.
• Soil as a resource: the role of soils in nutrient, carbon, and water cycles.
• Soil condition: methods for assessing soil health both in the field and through laboratory analyses.
• Influence of land use on soils: soil degradation and land degradation (erosion, contamination, salinization, etc.).
• Interactions between soils and climate.

• Soil as a research archive in relation to human settlement and environmental history.

Teaching takes place through lectures, field excursions, and laboratory work, during which students gain experience with real-world soil research and learn to link theoretical knowledge with their own research data.

The course is suitable for undergraduate students in their second and third year, as well as for graduate students.

The module looks at meanings and definitons of the concept of culture in cultural tourism especially regarding presentation and mediation of cultural heritage in museums as well as in other types of surroundings. Questions concerning political and ethical issues of collections and presentation of artefacts will be discussed and thoughts will be given to different ways in which people read and perceive of history and heritage, their own as well as others. The relations between cultural tourism and creative tourism will also be explored. Questions regarding appropriation of cultural heritage will be explored as well as who have the power to define cultural heritage Emphasis will be put on Icelandic heritage and museums and a visit will be made to at least one museum.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

In the 1980s that scholars in social sciences started considering tourism as an important topic of study. Questions such as "who is the tourist?", "what are the reasons behind travelling?" and "how can tourism be defined?" became dominant at first and influenced the original theorisation. These questions are still being asked, although with an ever changing emphasis in a constantly changing social, political and economic circumstances.

This module will look at the core theories in tourism and provide insight into different approaches to the topic by different scholars. Students will have to consider the theme of the course in order to think about the relevance of different approaches and theories if they were to set upp their own project in the field of tourism.

kemur

Introduction to theories and methods of urban geography and urban design, for the analysis of city life and the urban environment, with emphasis on urban spaces and the street and neighbourhood scale.

The historical development of cities from the beginning of urbanization to the present day. Main subjects dealt with in urban geography and urban design for analysis and policy-making, such as different social groups and residence, employment and transport, sense of place and quality of urban spaces, art and culture in urban spaces, nature in the city, and city branding. Challenges that cities face in our time, such as those related to climate change, sustainability, and emerging technologies.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

Introduction to the main topics, concepts and theories of tourism studies. Social, cultural and economic reasons for tourism and the effects of tourism on environment, society and economy. History and development of travels and tourism and main tourist destinations today. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

Volcanic eruptions are one of the principal forces that affect and modify the Earth’s surface. The resulting volatile emissions not only replenish and maintain our atmosphere, but are also known to have significant impact atmospheric properties and its circulation. Volcanism has also played a critical role in forming a significant fraction of mineral resources currently exploited by man. As such, volcanic phenomena influence directly or indirectly many (if not all) sub-disciplines of Earth Sciences. Consequently, a basic understanding of how volcanoes work and how they contribute to the earth system cycles is a valuable knowledge to any student in geosciences.

The basic principles of volcanology are covered in this course including the journey of magma from source to surface plus the general processes that control eruptions and dispersal of erupted products. We also cover the principles of eruption monitoring as well as volcano-climate.

Practical sessions will be held weekly and are aimed at solving problems via calculations, data analysis and arguments. One field trip to Reykjanes.

Molar volume of gases, thermochemistry, reaction enthalpies and Hesse's law, Rate of chemical reactions, decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, reaction reversibility and Le Chatelier's principle, determination of acid ionization constant with potentiometric titration, determination of equilibrium constant with absorbtion measurements.

General introduction to chemical foundations, atoms, molecules and ions. Stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Properties of gases, solids and liquides, and properties af solutions. Atomic structure and the periodic table. Atomic bonding (ionic, covalent and metal) using VB theory. Chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Acids and bases and the properties and application of aqueous solutions (buffers and solubility products). Thermochemistry (enhalpy, entropy, sponaneity and the Gibbs free energy). Electrochemistry (galvanic and electrolyic sells) and application of electrochemistry. Nuclear chemistry.

Subject Matter: Newtonian Mechanics for particles and rigid bodies. Dynamical variables and conservation laws. Elements of Fluid Mechanics. Thermodynamics. Elements of Electromagnetism. Laboratory exercises in which students are trained in handling physical instruments, performing measurements and interpreting the data.

The course is thaught in English or Icelandic according to the needs of the students.

Plants as organisms. Structure and function of the plant cell. Photosynthesis. The anatomy and morphology of plants. Alternation of generations, the evolution, life cycles and characteristics of mosses and vascular plant groups with emphasis on the flowering plants. The evolution of seeds, flowers and fruits. Vegetation of the earth, the biomes. The vegetation and vegetation history of Iceland. Laboratory work: Cells and tissue types. Examples of the anatomy and morphology of major groups, seeds, flowers and fruits. The diversity of plant form and environment.

Lectures: Introduction. Evolution. Behaviour. Historical and ecological biogeography. Populations: Dispersal, natality and mortality rates, life tables, age composition, population growth, regulation of population size, cyclic fluctuations, migration. Species interactions: Competition, predation, other forms of interactions. Communities: Community description, species composition, species diversity, food webs, stability, succession. Ecosystems: Biogeochemical cycles, energy flow, productivity, trophic efficiency. Marine ecology, fresh-water ecology, terrestrial ecology; introduction to Icelandic ecosystems. Practical work: Exercises are in the lab and in the field. The emphasis is on application of scientific method in ecology, variation and data analysis. The exercises include experimental studies of population growth and competition between Paramecium species, studies of terrestrial communities (plants and animals), zonation of tidal zones and life in streams. Obligatory: all practical exercises. Course evaluation: ractical exercises and seminars 50% including a more extensive written report to be orally presented. Ten written exercises 50%. Minimum grade of 5 required for all parts.

Land use. Types and utilization of mineral, fuel and water resources, origins and effects of major pollutants. Biodiversity, habitat, fragmentation, species extinctions and effects of introduced species. The application of ecological knowledge to environmental problems. Environmental impact assessment, restoration. The philosophy of nature conservation. International conventions. Major environmental issues in Iceland: fisheries, soil erosion, wetland drainage, impact studies, legislation, organization and administration of environmental affairs. Various excursions, student seminars.

Taught in even-numbered years.

The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape are discussed. Special attention will be paid to the production, transmission and use of renewable energy, and associated landscape impacts. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed in the context of renewable energy. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a field trip to existing and proposed energy production sites.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

The environmental and social impacts of tourism continue to increase worldwide as the number of tourists grows. It is therefore essential that students in the field of tourism and related disciplines are familiar with and understand these impacts and able to apply methods to counteract them. Students must also be able to understand the role of these impacts in a
wider context with future trends and global threats. This course aims to increase student’s knowledge and understanding of environmental and social responsibility and its importance in implementing sustainable tourism. The course focuses on identifying the environmental and social impacts of tourism and introduces the student to the theory and practice of environmental management and corporate social responsibility. Different approaches and various tools and methodologies used in the field of environmental management and corporate social responsibility will be explored.

The course is aimed at post graduate students, but students who have completed at least two years of their undergraduate study can also register to the course. The course is taught in English.

Aim: To give an overview of the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of anthropogenic activities and to introduce the procedures and methods used in the environmental assessment process. At the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of the main principles of EIA and the methods used for its application.  After having completed the course, students should be able to actively participate in the making of EIA. Subject: Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects is the main subject of the course.  EIA is a systematic process meant to streamline development projects by minimizing environmental effects. The first part of the course is an introduction to the global context and history of EIA, the subject of EIA, and an introduction to the EIA methodology.  The second part of the course focuses on processes. The aim, subject, and process of EIA will be explained, including a discussion on the various stages and aspects of the EIA procedure (such as screening, scoping, participants, stakeholders and consultation, impact prediction and assessment, reporting and monitoring).  Although the examples of processes, definitions and methods introduced in the course will be based on the Icelandic legislation, the learning outcome will be of practical use for all students, without regard to their nationality. Through individual assignments, each student will be able to explore the EIA process in context with an area of their choice.  

The aim of the course is provide knowledge about tourism in Iceland and main tourist destinations and routes. Students also undergo practical training in organising trips, for example through the use of relevant mapping tools and methods. Travel routes are examined with regard to recreational services, and characteristics and attractions (f. ex. nature, history, culture). 

Emphasis is placed on training in:

• Collecting data to organise trips within Iceland for different tourist groups.
• Communication of information to tourists and writing brief information columns.
• Spatial thinking and use of geographical data in organisation of travel routes.

Students go on visual tours around the country. 

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

This module will focus on nature and landscape as resources for tourism. Emphasis will be on the interaction between man and nature. Introduction to the history, planning and management of national parks and protected areas will be given and discussed in an international context. Impact of tourism on the environment will be discussed with emphasis on tourism pressure and tourism carrying capacity. The ideology and practices of sustainable tourism and ecotourism will be given special attention. Students will further gain insight into the ethics of nature as well as some methods of estimating the value of nature. The course will include both theoretical lectures as well as practical exercises. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

This course deals with different types of tourism and manifestations of the tourism industry in various regions of the world. The course looks at particular currnets of tourism, such as masstourism, pro-poor tourism and backpacking tourism as well as introducing theories about the driving forces of travelling. The discussion is put in societal context of specific areas. Emphasis is put on providing insight into geographical context of tourism in the world today and the challenges and solutions that the tourism industry is dealing with in different places.

An excursion to Western Cape Region in South Africa  for 10 days, only open to full time students in Gegography and Tourism Studies. Students pay all cost of participation in the excursion. Some preparation time during the spring term and excursion after exams in May. 

The course is project orientated; students work independently on projects under the guidance of the teacher. Guidance is primarily on technical and theoretical solutions from the geographical information system (GIS) point of view. Major part of the semester is focused on the students own projects, often in connection with their final thesis (BS). Student projects can come from any discipline but need to have a GIS perspective that needs to be solved.

Topics: Projections, geographical objects, attributes databases, topology, geographical fields, presentation of GIS data, 3D, Meta data, open source programmes.

There is no exam but evaluation of students is through final report and smaller projects during the semester. In the beginning of the semester students are required to have a description of their project along with an estimation of the geographical information (data) they need to solve it

This module’s aim is to provide an understanding of the basic principles of nature conservation and the role of management and planning for nature conservation in Iceland. Emphasis will be on the interaction between conservation and the recreational use of protected areas. The module also provides students with increased knowledge of the complex relationships between tourism practices and the preservation of biodiversity and geodiversity. Tourism planning within protected area will be discussed. Also conflicts as regard different interest groups in land use and conservation, as well as regulations and laws in nature conservation. Basics in nature interpretation and guidance of protected areas will further be covered. In addition, students will gain practical experience of day-to-day management. The module will develop awareness and understanding of factors and influences that need to be taken into account in management for conservation. This will be achieved through a series of lectures, specified readings, and practical training in field. 

The subject of the course relates to the management and development of services and internal quality work at tourism companies and institutions. It will be discussed how these issues have a direct and/or indirect effect on the success of companies and institutions, which can be assessed in a variety of ways. Students work on a real project with a company of their choice, where the internal working aspects and structure of a company are analyzed. Part of the course is devoted to professional development, where an insight into jobs in the tourism market is given and students take the first steps in building a CV and portfolio.

The following topics are addressed:

Terrestrial food webs and biological communities above and below ground. The role of organisms and other factors in shaping terrestrial habitats. Relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem processes such as primary production and nutrient dynamics. Effects of individual organism groups and traits, of plants and herbivores in particular, on ecosystem processes, stability and resilience. Effects of climate change and land use on ecosystems with emphasis on northern regions (sub-Arctic and Arctic). The unique characteristics of Icelandic ecosystems. Restoration of degraded and collapsed ecosystems. Main methods in community and ecosystem research.

During this course, students will be introduced to organisms and acellular entities too small to be seen by the unaided eye.  They can acquire knowledge on the characteristics of bacteria, archaea, viruses and eukaryotic microorganisms.  The course will explain the importance of microorganisms, how they live in diverse and dynamic ecosystems and how some affect humans, for example by being valuable for the food industry or by causing disease.  The students will gain laboratory experience and practice aseptic techniques. 

The vascular flora of Iceland and the arctic flora: origins, composition, ecology. The biogeography of the flora of the North Atlantic. The Pleistocene environment of Iceland and the Holocene vegetation history of Iceland and Europe. Hypotheses on the age and origin of the Icelandic flora and the arctic flora. The soils of Iceland: characteristics and development, desertification. Post-settlement vegetation changes in Iceland. Biodiversity and distribution patterns of the Icelandic vascular flora. Protected and red-list species. after the biogeography of the circumpolar north. Origins and characteristics of the vascular flora of Iceland. Methods for the description and classification of vegetation. Icelandic vegetation: classification, distribution, environment and utilization. 4 day summer field course.

This is an introduction to palaeoecology aimed at students in archaeology. The main emphasis is on how past environmental conditions can be read from sedimentary archives (soil and freshwater sediments). The use of different indices (or proxies) will be introduced, including diatoms, Foraminifera, Cladocera, insects, pollen, seeds and pigments. Other topics include: basic limnology, sediment sampling, dating techniques and the history of the biota of Iceland. Problems encountered when extracting environmental information from ancient documents will also be discussed. One field trip to take sediment cores from a lake.

This course is an introduction to the study of the material culture of everyday life. Students will be get a good glimpse of this multidisciplinary field, with examples drawn from the past as well as the present, and with equal emphasis on the material culture of Iceland and that of other countries. The topics of study will range from clothes and fashion to foodways, from the objects in our daily surroundings to trash and hygiene, from crafts and consumer goods to houses, gardens and the home, and from urban landscapes to museums and exhibits. Along the way, students will gain familiarity with various theoretical concepts and approaches emphasizing for example the human body, gender, consumption, place and space.

This course deals with processes of glacial erosion, glacial sedimentation and glacial morphology. It is aimed at undergraduate students interested in physical geography, glacial geology and glaciology. Lectures will concern glacial systems, glacier movements, hydrology, erosion, sediment transport and deposition, glaciotectonic deformations, glacial landforms. The course ends with a 5-day field trip to present glaciers in southern Iceland and formerly glaciated areas in western Iceland, where students get to observe glacial processes and products. Participation in fieldtrip is required for getting course credits.

Glaciers in the world are responding fast to climate change, they are therefore important indicators for assessing changes, but have also impact on the climate system through for example albedo feedback and sea level rise. In this course glaciers will be studied, their distribution in the world, how glacier ice is formed from snow, how they move and respond to climate change.  Focus will be on Icelandic glaciers, their energy and mass balance, interaction of geothermal activity and glaciers in Iceland and reoccurring floods, jökulhlaups, from the main ice cap. During the course students will learn terminology and concepts that will equip them to understand and contribute to discussions of climate change and the role of glaciers in the climate system.  Background in high school physics and math is useful, as numerical  problems concerning temperature, energy budget, mass balance and flow of glaciers will be solved in groups. Glacier measurement techniques will be introduced and at the end of the course ablation stakes will be installed in Sólheimajökull on the south coast of Iceland in a two day fielld excursion. Participation in the field trip is mandatory.

The aim of the course is that students obtain understanding of principles and concepts relevant to biogeography and soil, and will be able to apply this knowledge for interpretation of the Icelandic environment. Soil formation and soil properties are discussed, as well as the distribution of soil types and problems of soil erosion and soil pollution. Chemical (e.g. nutrient) cycles, biomes, biological diversity and its protection are discussed. The influence of land use on the state of soils and vegetation, causes and consequences of soil erosion and degradation of vegetation is given special attention. Environmental history is introduced as a tool to examine the impact of people on nature.

Teaching arrangements: Three lectures per week, where the primary subjects of the course are discussed and two slots per week for practical work and projects in classrooms, laboratories and in the field. Introduction to measurements and descriptions of vegetation and collection of soil samples takes place during a half-day fieldwork outside of Reykjavík.

“visualization is the process of making the invisible visible[...] the process of making the cognitive imagination visual using available and culturally dominant technologies is one of the most consistent behaviors of mankind.” - Cox, D. (2006). "Metaphoric Mappings: The Art of Visualization." MIT Press.
Cartography is one of the central elements of spatial data visualisation.
This course introduces students to cartographic theory and mapmaking via using digital technology. It aims to give students a broad conceptual as well as practical understanding of cartographic visualisation and geographic communication, encompassing a range of topics relevant in spatial sciences. Through a series of lectures and discussions, students will come to understand the history of cartography, key cartographic theories and concepts, and the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in today’s map making process. The lectures will be complemented by practical exercises that help to gain an understanding of cartographic conceptualisation as well as a series of tutorial-based computer lab exercises where students will learn how to use GIS for basic spatial analysis and cartographic illustration. They will be able to critically evaluate their own work and of others and explain and justify their decision-making process in a cartographic project.

Introduction to concepts and theoretical approaches in social science, emphasizing their use in contemporary Human Geography and Tourism Studies. The aim of the course is to make students familiar with concepts in scientific discourse and train them in using concepts in argumentation. Among concepts dealt with in the course are: place, space, global, local, globalisation, sustainable development, nature, landscape, culture, identity, image and society. Teaching is in the form of lectures and discussion in smaller groups about themes in student assignments. To qualify for the written exam students need to participate in discussion sessions and assignments. For a successful course outcome a minimum requirement is needed in both exam and assignments.

The course deals with different aspects of working methods in university education and is intended to provide students with applied preparation for university studies. The course is split up in few themes that particular projects and exercises are connected to. The course deals with the preconditions and aims with research, system of references and citations, oral presentations and issues of writing, style and representation of data. Furthermore, the support system for students at the UI will be introduced (library and student counselling).The active participation of students is emphasized with the aim that they endorse effective working methods in their studies.

Other study skill courses may be considered equivalent 

Tutor classes for geography and turism students

The main topics covered in the course are:

• Fundamentals of sedimentology, with emphasis on changes in grain size, grain-size distribution, texture, and grain shape during transport by water, glaciers, and wind.
• The Earth’s hydrological cycle and its role in weathering, sediment transport, and sediment accumulation.
• Running water as the most important agent shaping terrestrial landscapes, both in terms of erosion and sediment transport.
• Earth’s coastlines: interactions at the boundary between land and sea, continuous coastal change, and the factors controlling coastal development.
• Groundwater: its role in landscape formation, its importance for drinking water supply, and methods for protecting this resource.
• Atmospheric circulation and its influence on the distribution of precipitation and the extent of arid regions.
• Major erosion and sedimentary processes and the landforms they create in Iceland.
• Glaciers: formation, variability in size, and the glacial history of the last glacial period.
• Inorganic and organic natural resources: formation, distribution, extraction, use, disposal, renewal, and recycling.
• Linking theoretical concepts to Iceland, through discussion of comparable geological phenomena found in Iceland.

 Teaching arrangement

The course is worth 7.5 ECTS credits and runs for 14 weeks. Course material is presented through lectures, discussion sessions, selected readings, and a field excursion.

• Lectures are held twice a week.
• The field excursion is a five-day trip to South Iceland and the Vestmannaeyjar islands. The excursion takes place immediately after the final spring examination day and participation is mandatory. The University of Iceland covers accommodation and transportation costs, while students are responsible for their own meals.
• Students complete weekly multiple-choice quizzes based on textbook chapters and scientific articles.

The main characteristics of the world economy are examined, in the light of the globalisation of economy, politics and culture taking place over the last decades. Shifts in the centre of gravity of the global economic system are outlined, as well as how various regions and countries relate to that system in different ways. Main actors and institutions that influence globalisation are identified and analysed, including multinational corporations, international institutions and states. Examples from different economic sectors are studied, including how chains of production and consumption have changed and what the impacts have been for places and regions.

Environmental issues are among the most urgent challenges of our time. The very concept ‘environment’ points to the entanglement of nature and society, which is a central topic for geographers. The integration of natural and social science is necessary for finding solutions for sustainability.

In this module, various geographical approaches to environmental dilemmas are outlined, and some globally important environmental issues are dissected. Students learn about their complex causes and consequences, and contemplate possible solutions. Population and food security receive special attention. What is the relation between population development, food production, increasing resource use and environmental stress? How do world regions differ in terms of their current state and prospects for the future? How can food security and sustainable food production be achieved during the next decades? The impact of changed land use and ever-increasing consumption on species and ecosystems will also be analysed. How does the Earth’s biosphere react to habitat change and pollution? What solutions are needed for achieving a more balanced resource use by society than now is the case, and for solving the problems that have emerged with the advent of mass consumption societies? Finally, the social aspects of climate change will be looked into. How does this drastic change of nature’s own basic systems manifest itself in various parts of the world, in different social groups?

The module focuses on global patterns and processes, but students are encouraged to make connections with their own lived reality. Short study trips together with assignments are part of the programme.

Students taking UMV401G as a mandatory course have priority for registration. 

Objectives: To enable students from broad backgrounds to apply geographical information systems for map development and geographic analysis in technical reports, project presentations, work, and research. To provide training and enhance student maturity to: 1) manage projects using geographical information, 2) evaluate and select the most appropriate geographic analysis and maps for diverse projects, 3) write text that interprets maps and describes a geographic analysis, and 4) write a professional report to describe a project applying geographic information systems, maps, and geographic analysis. 

Topics: Students get introduced to geographic information systems and geographic data. Learn the development of reference and thematic maps. Use vector and raster data. Learn selection by attributes and location, and creation of map layers from selections. Learn how to join tables and spatial join. Practice in various operations on map layers, e.g. clip, dissolve, transfer data between layers, drawing and developing new map layers. Link aerial photos to maps. Display GPS coordinate data on maps. Perform spatial analysis of data. Emphasis is on developing student ability to select map contents, operations and analysis tools, design maps and interpret maps in written text. 

Teaching: The course is taught in Icelandic. Students learn and receive practice in fundamental use of geographical information systems by completing hands-on projects in a computer lab, homework, and a final project, all based on real-world data. The projects are designed to develop student ability in selecting maps, map contents and analysis tools, along with interpreting maps.

The course is taught in a classroom with live streaming, the recordings are then made available a few days later. The course can be taken on-site, distance learning or mixed. The course is not designed to be taken without real-time participation during class.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use Jamovi to analyze data.

Introduction to the discipline of spatial planning, key terms and issues.

The course's main focus is on the planning system and governance of spatial planning and on data and practical methods in spatial planning, especially in the context of plan-making for larger geographical areas, such as cities, municipalities or regions.

Students get to know and train in applying different methods used in spatial planning for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of information on the built environment, local community and nature, to assess conditions, challenges and opportunities in the planning area. Also, methods for developing and presenting planning policies and planning documents.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

The course is taught in cooperation with the planning programme at the Agricultural University of Iceland.

The course involves training in methods used in the studies in physical geography which require collection of samples or other information from the field. The course consists of a four day trip in the week prior to the start of the autumn semester. During the trip students will be introduced to various equipment used to collect samples and other information, to study land surface changes over different spatial and temporal scales.
Students keep and hand in a diary from the trip within a week from coming back from the trip. After the trip students will be given an assignment which involves processing of materials gathered during the field excursions and/or the organisation and methologically planned execution of a pre-arranged research project. The oucome of the assignment is to be presented in the form of lecture and written report. Grading is based on participation and activity during the field trip, and evaluation of the diary, report and presentation.

Major theories and policy regarding the development of localities and regions are reviewed, together with a consideration of Icelandic conditions in this regard. Population developments, industries and work opportunities, as well as non-economic factors which influence local development, are examined for different  types of localities in Iceland, with emphasis on the 21 century. Goals, methods and conflicting opinions on regional policy are also looked into. At the end of this course the student should be familiar with the specific conditions of the various regions and localities of Iceland, and able to understand their position in a wider context of global development.

The course involves drivers for long term changes in the Earth‘s climate and how this appears in the geological epochs, terminating in the last epoch, the Holocene. For study are key factors in meteorology (e.g. energy balance, air pressure, winds, atmospheric stability, air moisture, through (lows) and highs, cloud formation, precipitation) for understanding of local and regional climate variations (e.g. formations of air masses, highs and lows) that lead to different ecosystem formations. Circulations in the atmosphere are studied alongside ocean currents and how these act as distributors for energy (heat) around the globe. Climate models for small and large climate processes in the Troposphere are discusses. Weather and climate in Iceland will be studied specifically and what dictates local and regional differences in weather and climate within Iceland.
The course is taught through lectures, discussions, biweekly short exams involving specific themes/chapters, and written reports and oral presentations. Institutions where weather and climate are studied or are of significance in research will be visited.
There is no final exam, but all parts of the course are evaluated for grading: biweekly exams (60%), reports and oral presentations (30%), short reports about information gathered in visits to institutions (10%).

The aim of the course is to provide students with theoretical foundations and training in social science methodologies commonly used in geography and tourism. Themes covered include the epistemological premises of social science research; research ethics; and common methods, both qualitative and quantitative. Special emphasis is laid on: a) how to carry out research interviews, including preparation and framing of interviews, selection of interviewees, interviewing, transcription, coding and analysis; b) survey research methodology, including organization of question surveys, sampling methods, the making of questionnaires, validity and reliability, wording of questions, dataset creation and analysis; and d) the coordination of methods. Lectures and discussion sessions aim to prepare students for a research project carried out during the semester.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

The course is intended for students who plan to write a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The aim of the course is to guide students in the preparation and formatting of a research proposal.

The course will cover the structure and content of research proposals, including:

1. a) objectives and research questions,
2. b) the state of knowledge in the field,
3. c) the scientific and practical value of the research,
4. d) methodology, and
5. e) work and time plans.

Students will develop a research proposal on a topic of their own choosing under the supervision of the course instructor and academic advisors.

The research proposal is expected to be suitable for use in a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The course aims at providing students with an overview of research topics in geography and philosophical positions which influence the work of geographers. The history of geography and its position among academic disciplines is discussed. Major ontological, epistemological and methodological points of departure are compared. Writings of selected scholars are analyzed and critiqued. New developments in physical and human geography are discussed. Students are also trained in designing their own research project.

In the final phase of the undergraduate programme, students work in pairs on an independent research project, involving a geographical topic that matches their own interests. The aim is to provide students with experience in organising and carrying out their own research. The course starts with common sessions at the beginning of the spring semester, followed by students working independently. They define their topics, formulate research questions and research design, investigate sources, define a theoretical framework and decide upon a methodological approach. Each project is allocated a teacher who acts as a supervisor. The research project as a whole is written up in a thesis, in the format stipulated by Faculty regulations.    

BS-thesis

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

The course deals with tourism planning and policy in the context of environment, society and economy. Broadly speaking planning issues touch on every aspect of tourism. Students will learn about the ideological premises of tourism planning and policy, historical development of policy making in Iceland and internationally with a special emphasis put on sustainable development and UN Sustainable Development Goals. The course will give students tools to describe, analyse and evaluate the premises, development and deployment of planning and policy work in tourism. The aim is to bridge between conceputal discussion and practical application.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

This course is designed for students in leisure studies, tourism, and teachers’ education (including sport, kindergarten and primary school educators). Also ideal for outdoor educators and field researchers. Emphasis is placed on knowledge and essential skills in risk management and safety planning for outdoor environments. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, equipping students to manage risks effectively in diverse outdoor settings.

Learning Activities:

Lectures/classes: Weekly from Mid-August to end of October. Field trip (3 days): Last week of September or beginning of October.

• Virtual and in house classes focusing on theoretical knowledge and group discussions.
• Independent group work: Collaborative projects where students develop risk management plans and solutions for outdoor education scenarios. Emphases on students tackling real-world outdoor education challenges and applying knowledge to practical scenarios.
• Guest lectures: insights from experts in outdoor education, safety management, and risk assessment.
• Fieldwork (3 days): hands-on learning in outdoor settings to practice risk management and safety skills. Part of the field work is a first aid course focusing on comprehensive training in outdoor-specific first aid.

A significant portion of the course is conducted outdoors and includes hands-on exercises to build practical experience.

Direct costs related to field-trips and travel will be approximately ISK 16.000.

The course covers the various events and processes that can create natural hazards. The concept of natural hazard is defined and the history of this important field in the various natural sciences is examined. The physical causes and processes of various natural hazards are discussed. Ongoing climate change is discussed as a form of hazard, as well as the links between climate change and various weather- and climate-related events. The role of Icelandic Meteorological Office in research and monitoring of natural hazard is discussed.

One-day fieldtrip to the Southern part of Iceland will be done in beginning of September.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

Taught in even-numbered years.

Taught in even-numbered years.The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape. Special attention will be paid to the landscape impacts of renewable energy. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a fieldtrip in the vicinity of Reykjavík on a Saturday in September.

Soil is the foundation of ecosystems, the basis of food production and life, and plays a key role in the cycling of nutrients, carbon, and water. Also, soils store important information on environmental change and the long-term interactions between humans and the environment.

In this course, students explore soil as an ecosystem, a natural resource, and a source of environmental information. The course provides a solid theoretical foundation in soil science while placing strong emphasis on practical skills, fieldwork, and data analysis.

The course covers the following main topics:

• Soil-forming factors and processes leading to the development of different soil types worldwide.
• Physical and chemical properties of soils, with particular emphasis on the role of clay minerals and organic matter.
• Icelandic soils, their formation, and distinctive characteristics.
• Soil biota: soil as an ecosystem and the role of soils in ecosystems.
• Soil as a resource: the role of soils in nutrient, carbon, and water cycles.
• Soil condition: methods for assessing soil health both in the field and through laboratory analyses.
• Influence of land use on soils: soil degradation and land degradation (erosion, contamination, salinization, etc.).
• Interactions between soils and climate.

• Soil as a research archive in relation to human settlement and environmental history.

Teaching takes place through lectures, field excursions, and laboratory work, during which students gain experience with real-world soil research and learn to link theoretical knowledge with their own research data.

The course is suitable for undergraduate students in their second and third year, as well as for graduate students.

The module looks at meanings and definitons of the concept of culture in cultural tourism especially regarding presentation and mediation of cultural heritage in museums as well as in other types of surroundings. Questions concerning political and ethical issues of collections and presentation of artefacts will be discussed and thoughts will be given to different ways in which people read and perceive of history and heritage, their own as well as others. The relations between cultural tourism and creative tourism will also be explored. Questions regarding appropriation of cultural heritage will be explored as well as who have the power to define cultural heritage Emphasis will be put on Icelandic heritage and museums and a visit will be made to at least one museum.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

In the 1980s that scholars in social sciences started considering tourism as an important topic of study. Questions such as "who is the tourist?", "what are the reasons behind travelling?" and "how can tourism be defined?" became dominant at first and influenced the original theorisation. These questions are still being asked, although with an ever changing emphasis in a constantly changing social, political and economic circumstances.

This module will look at the core theories in tourism and provide insight into different approaches to the topic by different scholars. Students will have to consider the theme of the course in order to think about the relevance of different approaches and theories if they were to set upp their own project in the field of tourism.

kemur

Introduction to theories and methods of urban geography and urban design, for the analysis of city life and the urban environment, with emphasis on urban spaces and the street and neighbourhood scale.

The historical development of cities from the beginning of urbanization to the present day. Main subjects dealt with in urban geography and urban design for analysis and policy-making, such as different social groups and residence, employment and transport, sense of place and quality of urban spaces, art and culture in urban spaces, nature in the city, and city branding. Challenges that cities face in our time, such as those related to climate change, sustainability, and emerging technologies.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

Introduction to the main topics, concepts and theories of tourism studies. Social, cultural and economic reasons for tourism and the effects of tourism on environment, society and economy. History and development of travels and tourism and main tourist destinations today. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

Volcanic eruptions are one of the principal forces that affect and modify the Earth’s surface. The resulting volatile emissions not only replenish and maintain our atmosphere, but are also known to have significant impact atmospheric properties and its circulation. Volcanism has also played a critical role in forming a significant fraction of mineral resources currently exploited by man. As such, volcanic phenomena influence directly or indirectly many (if not all) sub-disciplines of Earth Sciences. Consequently, a basic understanding of how volcanoes work and how they contribute to the earth system cycles is a valuable knowledge to any student in geosciences.

The basic principles of volcanology are covered in this course including the journey of magma from source to surface plus the general processes that control eruptions and dispersal of erupted products. We also cover the principles of eruption monitoring as well as volcano-climate.

Practical sessions will be held weekly and are aimed at solving problems via calculations, data analysis and arguments. One field trip to Reykjanes.

Molar volume of gases, thermochemistry, reaction enthalpies and Hesse's law, Rate of chemical reactions, decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, reaction reversibility and Le Chatelier's principle, determination of acid ionization constant with potentiometric titration, determination of equilibrium constant with absorbtion measurements.

General introduction to chemical foundations, atoms, molecules and ions. Stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Properties of gases, solids and liquides, and properties af solutions. Atomic structure and the periodic table. Atomic bonding (ionic, covalent and metal) using VB theory. Chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Acids and bases and the properties and application of aqueous solutions (buffers and solubility products). Thermochemistry (enhalpy, entropy, sponaneity and the Gibbs free energy). Electrochemistry (galvanic and electrolyic sells) and application of electrochemistry. Nuclear chemistry.

Subject Matter: Newtonian Mechanics for particles and rigid bodies. Dynamical variables and conservation laws. Elements of Fluid Mechanics. Thermodynamics. Elements of Electromagnetism. Laboratory exercises in which students are trained in handling physical instruments, performing measurements and interpreting the data.

The course is thaught in English or Icelandic according to the needs of the students.

Plants as organisms. Structure and function of the plant cell. Photosynthesis. The anatomy and morphology of plants. Alternation of generations, the evolution, life cycles and characteristics of mosses and vascular plant groups with emphasis on the flowering plants. The evolution of seeds, flowers and fruits. Vegetation of the earth, the biomes. The vegetation and vegetation history of Iceland. Laboratory work: Cells and tissue types. Examples of the anatomy and morphology of major groups, seeds, flowers and fruits. The diversity of plant form and environment.

Lectures: Introduction. Evolution. Behaviour. Historical and ecological biogeography. Populations: Dispersal, natality and mortality rates, life tables, age composition, population growth, regulation of population size, cyclic fluctuations, migration. Species interactions: Competition, predation, other forms of interactions. Communities: Community description, species composition, species diversity, food webs, stability, succession. Ecosystems: Biogeochemical cycles, energy flow, productivity, trophic efficiency. Marine ecology, fresh-water ecology, terrestrial ecology; introduction to Icelandic ecosystems. Practical work: Exercises are in the lab and in the field. The emphasis is on application of scientific method in ecology, variation and data analysis. The exercises include experimental studies of population growth and competition between Paramecium species, studies of terrestrial communities (plants and animals), zonation of tidal zones and life in streams. Obligatory: all practical exercises. Course evaluation: ractical exercises and seminars 50% including a more extensive written report to be orally presented. Ten written exercises 50%. Minimum grade of 5 required for all parts.

Land use. Types and utilization of mineral, fuel and water resources, origins and effects of major pollutants. Biodiversity, habitat, fragmentation, species extinctions and effects of introduced species. The application of ecological knowledge to environmental problems. Environmental impact assessment, restoration. The philosophy of nature conservation. International conventions. Major environmental issues in Iceland: fisheries, soil erosion, wetland drainage, impact studies, legislation, organization and administration of environmental affairs. Various excursions, student seminars.

Taught in even-numbered years.

The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape are discussed. Special attention will be paid to the production, transmission and use of renewable energy, and associated landscape impacts. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed in the context of renewable energy. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a field trip to existing and proposed energy production sites.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

The environmental and social impacts of tourism continue to increase worldwide as the number of tourists grows. It is therefore essential that students in the field of tourism and related disciplines are familiar with and understand these impacts and able to apply methods to counteract them. Students must also be able to understand the role of these impacts in a
wider context with future trends and global threats. This course aims to increase student’s knowledge and understanding of environmental and social responsibility and its importance in implementing sustainable tourism. The course focuses on identifying the environmental and social impacts of tourism and introduces the student to the theory and practice of environmental management and corporate social responsibility. Different approaches and various tools and methodologies used in the field of environmental management and corporate social responsibility will be explored.

The course is aimed at post graduate students, but students who have completed at least two years of their undergraduate study can also register to the course. The course is taught in English.

Aim: To give an overview of the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of anthropogenic activities and to introduce the procedures and methods used in the environmental assessment process. At the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of the main principles of EIA and the methods used for its application.  After having completed the course, students should be able to actively participate in the making of EIA. Subject: Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects is the main subject of the course.  EIA is a systematic process meant to streamline development projects by minimizing environmental effects. The first part of the course is an introduction to the global context and history of EIA, the subject of EIA, and an introduction to the EIA methodology.  The second part of the course focuses on processes. The aim, subject, and process of EIA will be explained, including a discussion on the various stages and aspects of the EIA procedure (such as screening, scoping, participants, stakeholders and consultation, impact prediction and assessment, reporting and monitoring).  Although the examples of processes, definitions and methods introduced in the course will be based on the Icelandic legislation, the learning outcome will be of practical use for all students, without regard to their nationality. Through individual assignments, each student will be able to explore the EIA process in context with an area of their choice.  

The aim of the course is provide knowledge about tourism in Iceland and main tourist destinations and routes. Students also undergo practical training in organising trips, for example through the use of relevant mapping tools and methods. Travel routes are examined with regard to recreational services, and characteristics and attractions (f. ex. nature, history, culture). 

Emphasis is placed on training in:

• Collecting data to organise trips within Iceland for different tourist groups.
• Communication of information to tourists and writing brief information columns.
• Spatial thinking and use of geographical data in organisation of travel routes.

Students go on visual tours around the country. 

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

This module will focus on nature and landscape as resources for tourism. Emphasis will be on the interaction between man and nature. Introduction to the history, planning and management of national parks and protected areas will be given and discussed in an international context. Impact of tourism on the environment will be discussed with emphasis on tourism pressure and tourism carrying capacity. The ideology and practices of sustainable tourism and ecotourism will be given special attention. Students will further gain insight into the ethics of nature as well as some methods of estimating the value of nature. The course will include both theoretical lectures as well as practical exercises. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

This course deals with different types of tourism and manifestations of the tourism industry in various regions of the world. The course looks at particular currnets of tourism, such as masstourism, pro-poor tourism and backpacking tourism as well as introducing theories about the driving forces of travelling. The discussion is put in societal context of specific areas. Emphasis is put on providing insight into geographical context of tourism in the world today and the challenges and solutions that the tourism industry is dealing with in different places.

An excursion to Western Cape Region in South Africa  for 10 days, only open to full time students in Gegography and Tourism Studies. Students pay all cost of participation in the excursion. Some preparation time during the spring term and excursion after exams in May. 

The course is project orientated; students work independently on projects under the guidance of the teacher. Guidance is primarily on technical and theoretical solutions from the geographical information system (GIS) point of view. Major part of the semester is focused on the students own projects, often in connection with their final thesis (BS). Student projects can come from any discipline but need to have a GIS perspective that needs to be solved.

Topics: Projections, geographical objects, attributes databases, topology, geographical fields, presentation of GIS data, 3D, Meta data, open source programmes.

There is no exam but evaluation of students is through final report and smaller projects during the semester. In the beginning of the semester students are required to have a description of their project along with an estimation of the geographical information (data) they need to solve it

This module’s aim is to provide an understanding of the basic principles of nature conservation and the role of management and planning for nature conservation in Iceland. Emphasis will be on the interaction between conservation and the recreational use of protected areas. The module also provides students with increased knowledge of the complex relationships between tourism practices and the preservation of biodiversity and geodiversity. Tourism planning within protected area will be discussed. Also conflicts as regard different interest groups in land use and conservation, as well as regulations and laws in nature conservation. Basics in nature interpretation and guidance of protected areas will further be covered. In addition, students will gain practical experience of day-to-day management. The module will develop awareness and understanding of factors and influences that need to be taken into account in management for conservation. This will be achieved through a series of lectures, specified readings, and practical training in field. 

The subject of the course relates to the management and development of services and internal quality work at tourism companies and institutions. It will be discussed how these issues have a direct and/or indirect effect on the success of companies and institutions, which can be assessed in a variety of ways. Students work on a real project with a company of their choice, where the internal working aspects and structure of a company are analyzed. Part of the course is devoted to professional development, where an insight into jobs in the tourism market is given and students take the first steps in building a CV and portfolio.

The following topics are addressed:

Terrestrial food webs and biological communities above and below ground. The role of organisms and other factors in shaping terrestrial habitats. Relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem processes such as primary production and nutrient dynamics. Effects of individual organism groups and traits, of plants and herbivores in particular, on ecosystem processes, stability and resilience. Effects of climate change and land use on ecosystems with emphasis on northern regions (sub-Arctic and Arctic). The unique characteristics of Icelandic ecosystems. Restoration of degraded and collapsed ecosystems. Main methods in community and ecosystem research.

During this course, students will be introduced to organisms and acellular entities too small to be seen by the unaided eye.  They can acquire knowledge on the characteristics of bacteria, archaea, viruses and eukaryotic microorganisms.  The course will explain the importance of microorganisms, how they live in diverse and dynamic ecosystems and how some affect humans, for example by being valuable for the food industry or by causing disease.  The students will gain laboratory experience and practice aseptic techniques. 

The vascular flora of Iceland and the arctic flora: origins, composition, ecology. The biogeography of the flora of the North Atlantic. The Pleistocene environment of Iceland and the Holocene vegetation history of Iceland and Europe. Hypotheses on the age and origin of the Icelandic flora and the arctic flora. The soils of Iceland: characteristics and development, desertification. Post-settlement vegetation changes in Iceland. Biodiversity and distribution patterns of the Icelandic vascular flora. Protected and red-list species. after the biogeography of the circumpolar north. Origins and characteristics of the vascular flora of Iceland. Methods for the description and classification of vegetation. Icelandic vegetation: classification, distribution, environment and utilization. 4 day summer field course.

This is an introduction to palaeoecology aimed at students in archaeology. The main emphasis is on how past environmental conditions can be read from sedimentary archives (soil and freshwater sediments). The use of different indices (or proxies) will be introduced, including diatoms, Foraminifera, Cladocera, insects, pollen, seeds and pigments. Other topics include: basic limnology, sediment sampling, dating techniques and the history of the biota of Iceland. Problems encountered when extracting environmental information from ancient documents will also be discussed. One field trip to take sediment cores from a lake.

This course is an introduction to the study of the material culture of everyday life. Students will be get a good glimpse of this multidisciplinary field, with examples drawn from the past as well as the present, and with equal emphasis on the material culture of Iceland and that of other countries. The topics of study will range from clothes and fashion to foodways, from the objects in our daily surroundings to trash and hygiene, from crafts and consumer goods to houses, gardens and the home, and from urban landscapes to museums and exhibits. Along the way, students will gain familiarity with various theoretical concepts and approaches emphasizing for example the human body, gender, consumption, place and space.

This course deals with processes of glacial erosion, glacial sedimentation and glacial morphology. It is aimed at undergraduate students interested in physical geography, glacial geology and glaciology. Lectures will concern glacial systems, glacier movements, hydrology, erosion, sediment transport and deposition, glaciotectonic deformations, glacial landforms. The course ends with a 5-day field trip to present glaciers in southern Iceland and formerly glaciated areas in western Iceland, where students get to observe glacial processes and products. Participation in fieldtrip is required for getting course credits.

Glaciers in the world are responding fast to climate change, they are therefore important indicators for assessing changes, but have also impact on the climate system through for example albedo feedback and sea level rise. In this course glaciers will be studied, their distribution in the world, how glacier ice is formed from snow, how they move and respond to climate change.  Focus will be on Icelandic glaciers, their energy and mass balance, interaction of geothermal activity and glaciers in Iceland and reoccurring floods, jökulhlaups, from the main ice cap. During the course students will learn terminology and concepts that will equip them to understand and contribute to discussions of climate change and the role of glaciers in the climate system.  Background in high school physics and math is useful, as numerical  problems concerning temperature, energy budget, mass balance and flow of glaciers will be solved in groups. Glacier measurement techniques will be introduced and at the end of the course ablation stakes will be installed in Sólheimajökull on the south coast of Iceland in a two day fielld excursion. Participation in the field trip is mandatory.

The aim of the course is that students obtain understanding of principles and concepts relevant to biogeography and soil, and will be able to apply this knowledge for interpretation of the Icelandic environment. Soil formation and soil properties are discussed, as well as the distribution of soil types and problems of soil erosion and soil pollution. Chemical (e.g. nutrient) cycles, biomes, biological diversity and its protection are discussed. The influence of land use on the state of soils and vegetation, causes and consequences of soil erosion and degradation of vegetation is given special attention. Environmental history is introduced as a tool to examine the impact of people on nature.

Teaching arrangements: Three lectures per week, where the primary subjects of the course are discussed and two slots per week for practical work and projects in classrooms, laboratories and in the field. Introduction to measurements and descriptions of vegetation and collection of soil samples takes place during a half-day fieldwork outside of Reykjavík.

“visualization is the process of making the invisible visible[...] the process of making the cognitive imagination visual using available and culturally dominant technologies is one of the most consistent behaviors of mankind.” - Cox, D. (2006). "Metaphoric Mappings: The Art of Visualization." MIT Press.
Cartography is one of the central elements of spatial data visualisation.
This course introduces students to cartographic theory and mapmaking via using digital technology. It aims to give students a broad conceptual as well as practical understanding of cartographic visualisation and geographic communication, encompassing a range of topics relevant in spatial sciences. Through a series of lectures and discussions, students will come to understand the history of cartography, key cartographic theories and concepts, and the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in today’s map making process. The lectures will be complemented by practical exercises that help to gain an understanding of cartographic conceptualisation as well as a series of tutorial-based computer lab exercises where students will learn how to use GIS for basic spatial analysis and cartographic illustration. They will be able to critically evaluate their own work and of others and explain and justify their decision-making process in a cartographic project.

Introduction to concepts and theoretical approaches in social science, emphasizing their use in contemporary Human Geography and Tourism Studies. The aim of the course is to make students familiar with concepts in scientific discourse and train them in using concepts in argumentation. Among concepts dealt with in the course are: place, space, global, local, globalisation, sustainable development, nature, landscape, culture, identity, image and society. Teaching is in the form of lectures and discussion in smaller groups about themes in student assignments. To qualify for the written exam students need to participate in discussion sessions and assignments. For a successful course outcome a minimum requirement is needed in both exam and assignments.

The course deals with different aspects of working methods in university education and is intended to provide students with applied preparation for university studies. The course is split up in few themes that particular projects and exercises are connected to. The course deals with the preconditions and aims with research, system of references and citations, oral presentations and issues of writing, style and representation of data. Furthermore, the support system for students at the UI will be introduced (library and student counselling).The active participation of students is emphasized with the aim that they endorse effective working methods in their studies.

Other study skill courses may be considered equivalent 

Tutor classes for geography and turism students

The main topics covered in the course are:

• Fundamentals of sedimentology, with emphasis on changes in grain size, grain-size distribution, texture, and grain shape during transport by water, glaciers, and wind.
• The Earth’s hydrological cycle and its role in weathering, sediment transport, and sediment accumulation.
• Running water as the most important agent shaping terrestrial landscapes, both in terms of erosion and sediment transport.
• Earth’s coastlines: interactions at the boundary between land and sea, continuous coastal change, and the factors controlling coastal development.
• Groundwater: its role in landscape formation, its importance for drinking water supply, and methods for protecting this resource.
• Atmospheric circulation and its influence on the distribution of precipitation and the extent of arid regions.
• Major erosion and sedimentary processes and the landforms they create in Iceland.
• Glaciers: formation, variability in size, and the glacial history of the last glacial period.
• Inorganic and organic natural resources: formation, distribution, extraction, use, disposal, renewal, and recycling.
• Linking theoretical concepts to Iceland, through discussion of comparable geological phenomena found in Iceland.

 Teaching arrangement

The course is worth 7.5 ECTS credits and runs for 14 weeks. Course material is presented through lectures, discussion sessions, selected readings, and a field excursion.

• Lectures are held twice a week.
• The field excursion is a five-day trip to South Iceland and the Vestmannaeyjar islands. The excursion takes place immediately after the final spring examination day and participation is mandatory. The University of Iceland covers accommodation and transportation costs, while students are responsible for their own meals.
• Students complete weekly multiple-choice quizzes based on textbook chapters and scientific articles.

The main characteristics of the world economy are examined, in the light of the globalisation of economy, politics and culture taking place over the last decades. Shifts in the centre of gravity of the global economic system are outlined, as well as how various regions and countries relate to that system in different ways. Main actors and institutions that influence globalisation are identified and analysed, including multinational corporations, international institutions and states. Examples from different economic sectors are studied, including how chains of production and consumption have changed and what the impacts have been for places and regions.

Environmental issues are among the most urgent challenges of our time. The very concept ‘environment’ points to the entanglement of nature and society, which is a central topic for geographers. The integration of natural and social science is necessary for finding solutions for sustainability.

In this module, various geographical approaches to environmental dilemmas are outlined, and some globally important environmental issues are dissected. Students learn about their complex causes and consequences, and contemplate possible solutions. Population and food security receive special attention. What is the relation between population development, food production, increasing resource use and environmental stress? How do world regions differ in terms of their current state and prospects for the future? How can food security and sustainable food production be achieved during the next decades? The impact of changed land use and ever-increasing consumption on species and ecosystems will also be analysed. How does the Earth’s biosphere react to habitat change and pollution? What solutions are needed for achieving a more balanced resource use by society than now is the case, and for solving the problems that have emerged with the advent of mass consumption societies? Finally, the social aspects of climate change will be looked into. How does this drastic change of nature’s own basic systems manifest itself in various parts of the world, in different social groups?

The module focuses on global patterns and processes, but students are encouraged to make connections with their own lived reality. Short study trips together with assignments are part of the programme.

Students taking UMV401G as a mandatory course have priority for registration. 

Objectives: To enable students from broad backgrounds to apply geographical information systems for map development and geographic analysis in technical reports, project presentations, work, and research. To provide training and enhance student maturity to: 1) manage projects using geographical information, 2) evaluate and select the most appropriate geographic analysis and maps for diverse projects, 3) write text that interprets maps and describes a geographic analysis, and 4) write a professional report to describe a project applying geographic information systems, maps, and geographic analysis. 

Topics: Students get introduced to geographic information systems and geographic data. Learn the development of reference and thematic maps. Use vector and raster data. Learn selection by attributes and location, and creation of map layers from selections. Learn how to join tables and spatial join. Practice in various operations on map layers, e.g. clip, dissolve, transfer data between layers, drawing and developing new map layers. Link aerial photos to maps. Display GPS coordinate data on maps. Perform spatial analysis of data. Emphasis is on developing student ability to select map contents, operations and analysis tools, design maps and interpret maps in written text. 

Teaching: The course is taught in Icelandic. Students learn and receive practice in fundamental use of geographical information systems by completing hands-on projects in a computer lab, homework, and a final project, all based on real-world data. The projects are designed to develop student ability in selecting maps, map contents and analysis tools, along with interpreting maps.

The course is taught in a classroom with live streaming, the recordings are then made available a few days later. The course can be taken on-site, distance learning or mixed. The course is not designed to be taken without real-time participation during class.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use Jamovi to analyze data.

Introduction to the discipline of spatial planning, key terms and issues.

The course's main focus is on the planning system and governance of spatial planning and on data and practical methods in spatial planning, especially in the context of plan-making for larger geographical areas, such as cities, municipalities or regions.

Students get to know and train in applying different methods used in spatial planning for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of information on the built environment, local community and nature, to assess conditions, challenges and opportunities in the planning area. Also, methods for developing and presenting planning policies and planning documents.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

The course is taught in cooperation with the planning programme at the Agricultural University of Iceland.

The course involves training in methods used in the studies in physical geography which require collection of samples or other information from the field. The course consists of a four day trip in the week prior to the start of the autumn semester. During the trip students will be introduced to various equipment used to collect samples and other information, to study land surface changes over different spatial and temporal scales.
Students keep and hand in a diary from the trip within a week from coming back from the trip. After the trip students will be given an assignment which involves processing of materials gathered during the field excursions and/or the organisation and methologically planned execution of a pre-arranged research project. The oucome of the assignment is to be presented in the form of lecture and written report. Grading is based on participation and activity during the field trip, and evaluation of the diary, report and presentation.

Major theories and policy regarding the development of localities and regions are reviewed, together with a consideration of Icelandic conditions in this regard. Population developments, industries and work opportunities, as well as non-economic factors which influence local development, are examined for different  types of localities in Iceland, with emphasis on the 21 century. Goals, methods and conflicting opinions on regional policy are also looked into. At the end of this course the student should be familiar with the specific conditions of the various regions and localities of Iceland, and able to understand their position in a wider context of global development.

The course involves drivers for long term changes in the Earth‘s climate and how this appears in the geological epochs, terminating in the last epoch, the Holocene. For study are key factors in meteorology (e.g. energy balance, air pressure, winds, atmospheric stability, air moisture, through (lows) and highs, cloud formation, precipitation) for understanding of local and regional climate variations (e.g. formations of air masses, highs and lows) that lead to different ecosystem formations. Circulations in the atmosphere are studied alongside ocean currents and how these act as distributors for energy (heat) around the globe. Climate models for small and large climate processes in the Troposphere are discusses. Weather and climate in Iceland will be studied specifically and what dictates local and regional differences in weather and climate within Iceland.
The course is taught through lectures, discussions, biweekly short exams involving specific themes/chapters, and written reports and oral presentations. Institutions where weather and climate are studied or are of significance in research will be visited.
There is no final exam, but all parts of the course are evaluated for grading: biweekly exams (60%), reports and oral presentations (30%), short reports about information gathered in visits to institutions (10%).

The aim of the course is to provide students with theoretical foundations and training in social science methodologies commonly used in geography and tourism. Themes covered include the epistemological premises of social science research; research ethics; and common methods, both qualitative and quantitative. Special emphasis is laid on: a) how to carry out research interviews, including preparation and framing of interviews, selection of interviewees, interviewing, transcription, coding and analysis; b) survey research methodology, including organization of question surveys, sampling methods, the making of questionnaires, validity and reliability, wording of questions, dataset creation and analysis; and d) the coordination of methods. Lectures and discussion sessions aim to prepare students for a research project carried out during the semester.

Theory and fundamental law of remote sensing. Electromagnetic radiation, interaction with atmosphere and surface of the Earth. Reflection and emission. Properties of optical, thermal, passive and active microwave images. Overview over other fields of remote sensing: LIDAR, INSAR, multibeam images, GPR and planetary RS.

Data collection, remote sensing systems and platforms: aircraft and spacecraft. Geometric resolution, spectral resolution, signal strength, time resolution. History of remote sensing in the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Image processing and interpretation. Rectification, enhancement, supervised and unsupervised classification, data merging, change detection, GPS, modelling.

Environmental monitoring and application of remote sensing data in geography, geology and biology. Environmental monitoring systems due to rapid and long time changes, natural hazards, events and cartography. Real time data acquisition and processing.

Lectures, discussion sessions and weekly projects on obtaining, analysing and interpreting remote sensing data. Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS, Quantum GIS) and Images processing software.

The course is intended for students who plan to write a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The aim of the course is to guide students in the preparation and formatting of a research proposal.

The course will cover the structure and content of research proposals, including:

1. a) objectives and research questions,
2. b) the state of knowledge in the field,
3. c) the scientific and practical value of the research,
4. d) methodology, and
5. e) work and time plans.

Students will develop a research proposal on a topic of their own choosing under the supervision of the course instructor and academic advisors.

The research proposal is expected to be suitable for use in a BS thesis in geography and tourism studies.

The course aims at providing students with an overview of research topics in geography and philosophical positions which influence the work of geographers. The history of geography and its position among academic disciplines is discussed. Major ontological, epistemological and methodological points of departure are compared. Writings of selected scholars are analyzed and critiqued. New developments in physical and human geography are discussed. Students are also trained in designing their own research project.

In the final phase of the undergraduate programme, students work in pairs on an independent research project, involving a geographical topic that matches their own interests. The aim is to provide students with experience in organising and carrying out their own research. The course starts with common sessions at the beginning of the spring semester, followed by students working independently. They define their topics, formulate research questions and research design, investigate sources, define a theoretical framework and decide upon a methodological approach. Each project is allocated a teacher who acts as a supervisor. The research project as a whole is written up in a thesis, in the format stipulated by Faculty regulations.    

BS-thesis

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

The course deals with tourism planning and policy in the context of environment, society and economy. Broadly speaking planning issues touch on every aspect of tourism. Students will learn about the ideological premises of tourism planning and policy, historical development of policy making in Iceland and internationally with a special emphasis put on sustainable development and UN Sustainable Development Goals. The course will give students tools to describe, analyse and evaluate the premises, development and deployment of planning and policy work in tourism. The aim is to bridge between conceputal discussion and practical application.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

This course is designed for students in leisure studies, tourism, and teachers’ education (including sport, kindergarten and primary school educators). Also ideal for outdoor educators and field researchers. Emphasis is placed on knowledge and essential skills in risk management and safety planning for outdoor environments. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, equipping students to manage risks effectively in diverse outdoor settings.

Learning Activities:

Lectures/classes: Weekly from Mid-August to end of October. Field trip (3 days): Last week of September or beginning of October.

• Virtual and in house classes focusing on theoretical knowledge and group discussions.
• Independent group work: Collaborative projects where students develop risk management plans and solutions for outdoor education scenarios. Emphases on students tackling real-world outdoor education challenges and applying knowledge to practical scenarios.
• Guest lectures: insights from experts in outdoor education, safety management, and risk assessment.
• Fieldwork (3 days): hands-on learning in outdoor settings to practice risk management and safety skills. Part of the field work is a first aid course focusing on comprehensive training in outdoor-specific first aid.

A significant portion of the course is conducted outdoors and includes hands-on exercises to build practical experience.

Direct costs related to field-trips and travel will be approximately ISK 16.000.

The course covers the various events and processes that can create natural hazards. The concept of natural hazard is defined and the history of this important field in the various natural sciences is examined. The physical causes and processes of various natural hazards are discussed. Ongoing climate change is discussed as a form of hazard, as well as the links between climate change and various weather- and climate-related events. The role of Icelandic Meteorological Office in research and monitoring of natural hazard is discussed.

One-day fieldtrip to the Southern part of Iceland will be done in beginning of September.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

Taught in even-numbered years.

Taught in even-numbered years.The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape. Special attention will be paid to the landscape impacts of renewable energy. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a fieldtrip in the vicinity of Reykjavík on a Saturday in September.

Soil is the foundation of ecosystems, the basis of food production and life, and plays a key role in the cycling of nutrients, carbon, and water. Also, soils store important information on environmental change and the long-term interactions between humans and the environment.

In this course, students explore soil as an ecosystem, a natural resource, and a source of environmental information. The course provides a solid theoretical foundation in soil science while placing strong emphasis on practical skills, fieldwork, and data analysis.

The course covers the following main topics:

• Soil-forming factors and processes leading to the development of different soil types worldwide.
• Physical and chemical properties of soils, with particular emphasis on the role of clay minerals and organic matter.
• Icelandic soils, their formation, and distinctive characteristics.
• Soil biota: soil as an ecosystem and the role of soils in ecosystems.
• Soil as a resource: the role of soils in nutrient, carbon, and water cycles.
• Soil condition: methods for assessing soil health both in the field and through laboratory analyses.
• Influence of land use on soils: soil degradation and land degradation (erosion, contamination, salinization, etc.).
• Interactions between soils and climate.

• Soil as a research archive in relation to human settlement and environmental history.

Teaching takes place through lectures, field excursions, and laboratory work, during which students gain experience with real-world soil research and learn to link theoretical knowledge with their own research data.

The course is suitable for undergraduate students in their second and third year, as well as for graduate students.

The module looks at meanings and definitons of the concept of culture in cultural tourism especially regarding presentation and mediation of cultural heritage in museums as well as in other types of surroundings. Questions concerning political and ethical issues of collections and presentation of artefacts will be discussed and thoughts will be given to different ways in which people read and perceive of history and heritage, their own as well as others. The relations between cultural tourism and creative tourism will also be explored. Questions regarding appropriation of cultural heritage will be explored as well as who have the power to define cultural heritage Emphasis will be put on Icelandic heritage and museums and a visit will be made to at least one museum.

Fieldwork is within the capital area

In the 1980s that scholars in social sciences started considering tourism as an important topic of study. Questions such as "who is the tourist?", "what are the reasons behind travelling?" and "how can tourism be defined?" became dominant at first and influenced the original theorisation. These questions are still being asked, although with an ever changing emphasis in a constantly changing social, political and economic circumstances.

This module will look at the core theories in tourism and provide insight into different approaches to the topic by different scholars. Students will have to consider the theme of the course in order to think about the relevance of different approaches and theories if they were to set upp their own project in the field of tourism.

kemur

Introduction to theories and methods of urban geography and urban design, for the analysis of city life and the urban environment, with emphasis on urban spaces and the street and neighbourhood scale.

The historical development of cities from the beginning of urbanization to the present day. Main subjects dealt with in urban geography and urban design for analysis and policy-making, such as different social groups and residence, employment and transport, sense of place and quality of urban spaces, art and culture in urban spaces, nature in the city, and city branding. Challenges that cities face in our time, such as those related to climate change, sustainability, and emerging technologies.

Lectures, seminars, and project work. Individual and group projects.

Introduction to the main topics, concepts and theories of tourism studies. Social, cultural and economic reasons for tourism and the effects of tourism on environment, society and economy. History and development of travels and tourism and main tourist destinations today. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

Volcanic eruptions are one of the principal forces that affect and modify the Earth’s surface. The resulting volatile emissions not only replenish and maintain our atmosphere, but are also known to have significant impact atmospheric properties and its circulation. Volcanism has also played a critical role in forming a significant fraction of mineral resources currently exploited by man. As such, volcanic phenomena influence directly or indirectly many (if not all) sub-disciplines of Earth Sciences. Consequently, a basic understanding of how volcanoes work and how they contribute to the earth system cycles is a valuable knowledge to any student in geosciences.

The basic principles of volcanology are covered in this course including the journey of magma from source to surface plus the general processes that control eruptions and dispersal of erupted products. We also cover the principles of eruption monitoring as well as volcano-climate.

Practical sessions will be held weekly and are aimed at solving problems via calculations, data analysis and arguments. One field trip to Reykjanes.

Molar volume of gases, thermochemistry, reaction enthalpies and Hesse's law, Rate of chemical reactions, decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, reaction reversibility and Le Chatelier's principle, determination of acid ionization constant with potentiometric titration, determination of equilibrium constant with absorbtion measurements.

General introduction to chemical foundations, atoms, molecules and ions. Stoichiometry and chemical reactions. Properties of gases, solids and liquides, and properties af solutions. Atomic structure and the periodic table. Atomic bonding (ionic, covalent and metal) using VB theory. Chemical kinetics and chemical equilibrium. Acids and bases and the properties and application of aqueous solutions (buffers and solubility products). Thermochemistry (enhalpy, entropy, sponaneity and the Gibbs free energy). Electrochemistry (galvanic and electrolyic sells) and application of electrochemistry. Nuclear chemistry.

Subject Matter: Newtonian Mechanics for particles and rigid bodies. Dynamical variables and conservation laws. Elements of Fluid Mechanics. Thermodynamics. Elements of Electromagnetism. Laboratory exercises in which students are trained in handling physical instruments, performing measurements and interpreting the data.

The course is thaught in English or Icelandic according to the needs of the students.

Plants as organisms. Structure and function of the plant cell. Photosynthesis. The anatomy and morphology of plants. Alternation of generations, the evolution, life cycles and characteristics of mosses and vascular plant groups with emphasis on the flowering plants. The evolution of seeds, flowers and fruits. Vegetation of the earth, the biomes. The vegetation and vegetation history of Iceland. Laboratory work: Cells and tissue types. Examples of the anatomy and morphology of major groups, seeds, flowers and fruits. The diversity of plant form and environment.

Lectures: Introduction. Evolution. Behaviour. Historical and ecological biogeography. Populations: Dispersal, natality and mortality rates, life tables, age composition, population growth, regulation of population size, cyclic fluctuations, migration. Species interactions: Competition, predation, other forms of interactions. Communities: Community description, species composition, species diversity, food webs, stability, succession. Ecosystems: Biogeochemical cycles, energy flow, productivity, trophic efficiency. Marine ecology, fresh-water ecology, terrestrial ecology; introduction to Icelandic ecosystems. Practical work: Exercises are in the lab and in the field. The emphasis is on application of scientific method in ecology, variation and data analysis. The exercises include experimental studies of population growth and competition between Paramecium species, studies of terrestrial communities (plants and animals), zonation of tidal zones and life in streams. Obligatory: all practical exercises. Course evaluation: ractical exercises and seminars 50% including a more extensive written report to be orally presented. Ten written exercises 50%. Minimum grade of 5 required for all parts.

Land use. Types and utilization of mineral, fuel and water resources, origins and effects of major pollutants. Biodiversity, habitat, fragmentation, species extinctions and effects of introduced species. The application of ecological knowledge to environmental problems. Environmental impact assessment, restoration. The philosophy of nature conservation. International conventions. Major environmental issues in Iceland: fisheries, soil erosion, wetland drainage, impact studies, legislation, organization and administration of environmental affairs. Various excursions, student seminars.

Taught in even-numbered years.

The concept of landscape is critically examined from the viewpoint of human geography. Changes in land use, their causes and consequences for landscape are discussed. Special attention will be paid to the production, transmission and use of renewable energy, and associated landscape impacts. Conflicts due to different interests and/or diverse visions of nature are analysed in the context of renewable energy. The relations between energy projects, tourism and protected areas in Iceland are examined with reference to landscape. How decisions about energy development are made, and to what extent public views are taken into account, is also discussed.

The course includes a field trip to existing and proposed energy production sites.

Students contribute to the cost of field trips in this elective course. 

The environmental and social impacts of tourism continue to increase worldwide as the number of tourists grows. It is therefore essential that students in the field of tourism and related disciplines are familiar with and understand these impacts and able to apply methods to counteract them. Students must also be able to understand the role of these impacts in a
wider context with future trends and global threats. This course aims to increase student’s knowledge and understanding of environmental and social responsibility and its importance in implementing sustainable tourism. The course focuses on identifying the environmental and social impacts of tourism and introduces the student to the theory and practice of environmental management and corporate social responsibility. Different approaches and various tools and methodologies used in the field of environmental management and corporate social responsibility will be explored.

The course is aimed at post graduate students, but students who have completed at least two years of their undergraduate study can also register to the course. The course is taught in English.

Aim: To give an overview of the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of anthropogenic activities and to introduce the procedures and methods used in the environmental assessment process. At the end of the course, students should have gained an understanding of the main principles of EIA and the methods used for its application.  After having completed the course, students should be able to actively participate in the making of EIA. Subject: Environmental Impact Assessment of Projects is the main subject of the course.  EIA is a systematic process meant to streamline development projects by minimizing environmental effects. The first part of the course is an introduction to the global context and history of EIA, the subject of EIA, and an introduction to the EIA methodology.  The second part of the course focuses on processes. The aim, subject, and process of EIA will be explained, including a discussion on the various stages and aspects of the EIA procedure (such as screening, scoping, participants, stakeholders and consultation, impact prediction and assessment, reporting and monitoring).  Although the examples of processes, definitions and methods introduced in the course will be based on the Icelandic legislation, the learning outcome will be of practical use for all students, without regard to their nationality. Through individual assignments, each student will be able to explore the EIA process in context with an area of their choice.  

The aim of the course is provide knowledge about tourism in Iceland and main tourist destinations and routes. Students also undergo practical training in organising trips, for example through the use of relevant mapping tools and methods. Travel routes are examined with regard to recreational services, and characteristics and attractions (f. ex. nature, history, culture). 

Emphasis is placed on training in:

• Collecting data to organise trips within Iceland for different tourist groups.
• Communication of information to tourists and writing brief information columns.
• Spatial thinking and use of geographical data in organisation of travel routes.

Students go on visual tours around the country. 

Internship for undergraduate students in within Icelandic firms/institutions. Available for students at their third year.

This module will focus on nature and landscape as resources for tourism. Emphasis will be on the interaction between man and nature. Introduction to the history, planning and management of national parks and protected areas will be given and discussed in an international context. Impact of tourism on the environment will be discussed with emphasis on tourism pressure and tourism carrying capacity. The ideology and practices of sustainable tourism and ecotourism will be given special attention. Students will further gain insight into the ethics of nature as well as some methods of estimating the value of nature. The course will include both theoretical lectures as well as practical exercises. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

This course deals with different types of tourism and manifestations of the tourism industry in various regions of the world. The course looks at particular currnets of tourism, such as masstourism, pro-poor tourism and backpacking tourism as well as introducing theories about the driving forces of travelling. The discussion is put in societal context of specific areas. Emphasis is put on providing insight into geographical context of tourism in the world today and the challenges and solutions that the tourism industry is dealing with in different places.

An excursion to Western Cape Region in South Africa  for 10 days, only open to full time students in Gegography and Tourism Studies. Students pay all cost of participation in the excursion. Some preparation time during the spring term and excursion after exams in May. 

The course is project orientated; students work independently on projects under the guidance of the teacher. Guidance is primarily on technical and theoretical solutions from the geographical information system (GIS) point of view. Major part of the semester is focused on the students own projects, often in connection with their final thesis (BS). Student projects can come from any discipline but need to have a GIS perspective that needs to be solved.

Topics: Projections, geographical objects, attributes databases, topology, geographical fields, presentation of GIS data, 3D, Meta data, open source programmes.

There is no exam but evaluation of students is through final report and smaller projects during the semester. In the beginning of the semester students are required to have a description of their project along with an estimation of the geographical information (data) they need to solve it

This module’s aim is to provide an understanding of the basic principles of nature conservation and the role of management and planning for nature conservation in Iceland. Emphasis will be on the interaction between conservation and the recreational use of protected areas. The module also provides students with increased knowledge of the complex relationships between tourism practices and the preservation of biodiversity and geodiversity. Tourism planning within protected area will be discussed. Also conflicts as regard different interest groups in land use and conservation, as well as regulations and laws in nature conservation. Basics in nature interpretation and guidance of protected areas will further be covered. In addition, students will gain practical experience of day-to-day management. The module will develop awareness and understanding of factors and influences that need to be taken into account in management for conservation. This will be achieved through a series of lectures, specified readings, and practical training in field. 

The subject of the course relates to the management and development of services and internal quality work at tourism companies and institutions. It will be discussed how these issues have a direct and/or indirect effect on the success of companies and institutions, which can be assessed in a variety of ways. Students work on a real project with a company of their choice, where the internal working aspects and structure of a company are analyzed. Part of the course is devoted to professional development, where an insight into jobs in the tourism market is given and students take the first steps in building a CV and portfolio.

The following topics are addressed:

Terrestrial food webs and biological communities above and below ground. The role of organisms and other factors in shaping terrestrial habitats. Relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem processes such as primary production and nutrient dynamics. Effects of individual organism groups and traits, of plants and herbivores in particular, on ecosystem processes, stability and resilience. Effects of climate change and land use on ecosystems with emphasis on northern regions (sub-Arctic and Arctic). The unique characteristics of Icelandic ecosystems. Restoration of degraded and collapsed ecosystems. Main methods in community and ecosystem research.

During this course, students will be introduced to organisms and acellular entities too small to be seen by the unaided eye.  They can acquire knowledge on the characteristics of bacteria, archaea, viruses and eukaryotic microorganisms.  The course will explain the importance of microorganisms, how they live in diverse and dynamic ecosystems and how some affect humans, for example by being valuable for the food industry or by causing disease.  The students will gain laboratory experience and practice aseptic techniques. 

The vascular flora of Iceland and the arctic flora: origins, composition, ecology. The biogeography of the flora of the North Atlantic. The Pleistocene environment of Iceland and the Holocene vegetation history of Iceland and Europe. Hypotheses on the age and origin of the Icelandic flora and the arctic flora. The soils of Iceland: characteristics and development, desertification. Post-settlement vegetation changes in Iceland. Biodiversity and distribution patterns of the Icelandic vascular flora. Protected and red-list species. after the biogeography of the circumpolar north. Origins and characteristics of the vascular flora of Iceland. Methods for the description and classification of vegetation. Icelandic vegetation: classification, distribution, environment and utilization. 4 day summer field course.

This is an introduction to palaeoecology aimed at students in archaeology. The main emphasis is on how past environmental conditions can be read from sedimentary archives (soil and freshwater sediments). The use of different indices (or proxies) will be introduced, including diatoms, Foraminifera, Cladocera, insects, pollen, seeds and pigments. Other topics include: basic limnology, sediment sampling, dating techniques and the history of the biota of Iceland. Problems encountered when extracting environmental information from ancient documents will also be discussed. One field trip to take sediment cores from a lake.

This course is an introduction to the study of the material culture of everyday life. Students will be get a good glimpse of this multidisciplinary field, with examples drawn from the past as well as the present, and with equal emphasis on the material culture of Iceland and that of other countries. The topics of study will range from clothes and fashion to foodways, from the objects in our daily surroundings to trash and hygiene, from crafts and consumer goods to houses, gardens and the home, and from urban landscapes to museums and exhibits. Along the way, students will gain familiarity with various theoretical concepts and approaches emphasizing for example the human body, gender, consumption, place and space.

This course deals with processes of glacial erosion, glacial sedimentation and glacial morphology. It is aimed at undergraduate students interested in physical geography, glacial geology and glaciology. Lectures will concern glacial systems, glacier movements, hydrology, erosion, sediment transport and deposition, glaciotectonic deformations, glacial landforms. The course ends with a 5-day field trip to present glaciers in southern Iceland and formerly glaciated areas in western Iceland, where students get to observe glacial processes and products. Participation in fieldtrip is required for getting course credits.

Glaciers in the world are responding fast to climate change, they are therefore important indicators for assessing changes, but have also impact on the climate system through for example albedo feedback and sea level rise. In this course glaciers will be studied, their distribution in the world, how glacier ice is formed from snow, how they move and respond to climate change.  Focus will be on Icelandic glaciers, their energy and mass balance, interaction of geothermal activity and glaciers in Iceland and reoccurring floods, jökulhlaups, from the main ice cap. During the course students will learn terminology and concepts that will equip them to understand and contribute to discussions of climate change and the role of glaciers in the climate system.  Background in high school physics and math is useful, as numerical  problems concerning temperature, energy budget, mass balance and flow of glaciers will be solved in groups. Glacier measurement techniques will be introduced and at the end of the course ablation stakes will be installed in Sólheimajökull on the south coast of Iceland in a two day fielld excursion. Participation in the field trip is mandatory.