The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

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. The primary statistical information providers on tourism, along with local and international databases will be introduced and students shall thoroughly analyze their context. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation

This course provides an introduction at a master's level to the theory and practice of bussines. The aim is to prepare students for a variety of management tasks, both in the private and public sectors.

The course consists of five introductory modules:
Finance
Business law
Accounting
Macro economics
Micro economics 

Organisation

The course is offered twice a year, in August and in January and students should complete the coure in the first year of their master studies. Students that start the programme in the autumn should sit the course in August, but can postpone doing so until January. Those beginning in January should preferably take the course in January, but may postpone doing so until August.

The course opens on the 1st of each month and closes on the 31st. All course material will be available on the course website on Canvas on the 1st.

The course cannot be used for credits in the master's programmes.

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

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.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

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. The primary statistical information providers on tourism, along with local and international databases will be introduced and students shall thoroughly analyze their context. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation

This course provides an introduction at a master's level to the theory and practice of bussines. The aim is to prepare students for a variety of management tasks, both in the private and public sectors.

The course consists of five introductory modules:
Finance
Business law
Accounting
Macro economics
Micro economics 

Organisation

The course is offered twice a year, in August and in January and students should complete the coure in the first year of their master studies. Students that start the programme in the autumn should sit the course in August, but can postpone doing so until January. Those beginning in January should preferably take the course in January, but may postpone doing so until August.

The course opens on the 1st of each month and closes on the 31st. All course material will be available on the course website on Canvas on the 1st.

The course cannot be used for credits in the master's programmes.

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

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.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

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. The primary statistical information providers on tourism, along with local and international databases will be introduced and students shall thoroughly analyze their context. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation

This course provides an introduction at a master's level to the theory and practice of bussines. The aim is to prepare students for a variety of management tasks, both in the private and public sectors.

The course consists of five introductory modules:
Finance
Business law
Accounting
Macro economics
Micro economics 

Organisation

The course is offered twice a year, in August and in January and students should complete the coure in the first year of their master studies. Students that start the programme in the autumn should sit the course in August, but can postpone doing so until January. Those beginning in January should preferably take the course in January, but may postpone doing so until August.

The course opens on the 1st of each month and closes on the 31st. All course material will be available on the course website on Canvas on the 1st.

The course cannot be used for credits in the master's programmes.

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

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.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

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.

This course focuses on wilderness as a social construction as well as their objective existence. The historical and cultural processes that construct the wilderness idea will be discussed. The purpose of protecting the wilderness as well as major conflicts regarding their preservation is considered. Primary planning frameworks and management of wilderness for tourism and outdoor recreation are introduced. The relationship between visitors, resource base and management policies will be analysed. The course starts with a five-day field trip into an Icelandic wilderness area.

“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 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. The primary statistical information providers on tourism, along with local and international databases will be introduced and students shall thoroughly analyze their context. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation

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 theoretical lectures and practical exercises. Students taking this course as a part of their post-gratuate study will as well as obtain substantial reading material and dissertation. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

The course deals with the connection between Man and Nature from the viewpoint of Moral Philosophy. It discusses the main proponents of and theories within Environmental Ethics and describes the roots of differing views of Nature, as well as different ethical orientations, i.e. anthropocentric, ecocentric, and biocentric positions. The course also deals with the integration of environmental and developmental issues, and with the connection between environmentalism and democracy. Amongst central issues discussed are the following: Can Ethics provide guidance in the solution of environmental problems?, What type of beings are worthy of moral considerability?, Can natural phenomena possess intrinsic value?, Do animals have rights?, Is there any fundanmental difference in men's and women's relations to Nature?, and, What is the ethical basis of sustainable development?

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.

The supervising committee and the MS-student meet for one semester on a weekly basis to discuss research articles, review articles, and parts of books selected by the committee for that purpose. The reading material shall be related to the student's field of research, but without overlapping with it, so as to broaden the horizons of the student. The course is completed with a short thesis on the subject and an oral examination.

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.

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.

Relations between humans and animals are the focus of this course, which will be approached from both an academic and an artistic standpoint. Students will complete independent projects on an animal of their choice and attend field trips in nature and museums. The lectures will focus on diverse animals, such as polar bears, whales, great auks and puffins and recent scholarship on them. We will dig into visual and material representations of these, and other, animals in varied cultural contexts, including medieval literature, folktales, oral tradition, film, news reports, material culture and tourism. Consideration will be given to the idea of an “afterlife” of animals in the form of artworks, museum artefacts and souvenirs. We will examine artefacts in both private and public collections and pose the questions of what happens when a living animal is turned into a museum object, and how the meaning that we bestow upon an animal can be subject to development and change under different circumstances. The role of animals in the creation of knowledge and formation of discourse surrounding climate change and issues of the Arctic regions will also be addressed, in addition to animals’ connections to specific places and cultural groups and their role in identity formations of past and present. An attempt will be made to step outside of “traditional” dualism in which an emphasis is placed on distinctions between humans and animals as we acquaint ourselves with the ways in which human/animal (ecological, social and cultural) habitats are intertwined.

Aim

The aim is to explore urgent questions and topical issues regarding human/animal co-existence, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability. We will consider how artists, researchers, activists and museums have been engaging with these questions and how they can further contribute to the discussion. We will examine how diverse museums convey their ideas and information on human/animal relations through their collections. Students will be encouraged to critically engage with visual material, objects and texts, both online and through visits to museums and exhibitions. 

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

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.

Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world and there is a lot of competition for the tourist. Emphasis on innovation and service development is therefore important for companies and areas in and related to tourism in order to create a unique position and deal with changes that are not subject to fierce competition. This course will cover the main trends and currents in the theoretical and practical context of innovation. Students receive training in innovation work, development and design of services and preparation of business plans.

Teaching period: March - May

This course addresses tourism in the circumpolar north, with an emphasis on tourist experiences and relational entanglements of tourism to northern communities and landscapes. Its objective is to familiarize students with theory and knowledge related to performance, experience and enactment of tourism in a northern context. Questions related to host-guest relationship, development of tourism experiences and the social and environmental repercussions of tourism will be explored. The teaching is based on original research, which applies diverse theoretical perspectives and introduces a range of case studies.

Announcement about access to the course is sent in the beginning of each year. Please note that the number of students enrolled is limited. Students from Geography and Tourism have priority. Registration for the course is through MS-SENS (mssens@hi.is)

In the course, the challenges that different societies face as a result of various natural hazards are discussed in detail. The contribution of geography and social sciences to knowledge about the natural hazard–society nexus is examined. Major scholarly concepts and theories about people‘s response and adaptation to hazards are reviewed. The concept of risk is examined in detail, and research into risk perception by individuals and groups is discussed. Also the objective assessment of risk is looked into, as well as how impacts of hazard events, both locally and over larger areas, can be minimized. The hazard management cycle is introduced and roles and responsibilities of different response actors are clarified. Examples from both wealthier and poorer parts of the world are discussed. Students look into some specific events in detail, obtain data about them, analyse those data and discuss responses and consequences. Natural hazard research in Iceland, by geographers and others, is introduced. Also students visit Icelandic agencies that work in the field of emergency management and response.

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.

Everybody need to eat; food connects nature to culture, culture to industry, the public to the private, the local to the global, the home to the workplace, the past to the present and one person to another in relationships that organize and transcend the axes of class, gender, ethnicity, race and age. The study of food demonstrates that food is always laden with meaning that exceeds its nutritional value and that this meaning is central to understanding the relationship between food and people, one of the more important relationships we have with the world. Food habits thus reveal our views, values and aestethics, and food shapes our existence, bodies, memories, society, economy and ethics.

In the course we will explore what people eat, how, when, with whom and why. Doing so provides us with valuable insights regarding gender and generations, food safety and health, sustainability and human rights, class and cultural diversity, sense and sensibility, technology and food production, food and diet trends, food traditions and cultural heritage, emotions and microbes, friendship and family dynamics.

In the course we explore the relationship between food production and consumption in the 21st century with specific emphasis on public health, ethical consumption and sustainability.

Food and culture is an interdisciplinary course taught in cooperation between the Department of Folkloristics/Ethnology and Museum Studies and the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition.

The course Sustainable Tourism Development in Northern Environment is offered as an online course from University of OULU in Finland. This course is an offering from the UArctic Thematic Network on Northern Tourism.

Announcement about access to the course is sent out at the end of each year. Students need to apply for access and registration through SENS' student service, MS-SENS (mssesns@hi.is)

The number of students able to register is limited.

The course will address tourism in the circumpolar north from a societal perspective. It will present different views on the phenomenon and its dimensions, resources and implications for nature, places and cultures involved. The place of northern tourism in times of globalization and emergent global issues like climate changes will be explored, together with the relevant governance aspects.

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

The supervising committee and the MS-student meet for one semester on a weekly basis to discuss research articles, review articles, and parts of books selected by the committee for that purpose. The reading material shall be related to the student's field of research, but without overlapping with it, so as to broaden the horizons of the student. The course is completed with a short thesis on the subject and an oral examination.

Theory and fundamentals 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. Independent research project on remote sensing and environmental monitoring.

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 (MS or PhD). 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.

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 field trip in the vicinity of Reykjavík.

Introduction to the discipline of spatial planning, key terms and issues, historical development, and governance in spatial planning.

Main focus of the course is on 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 a range of different methods used in spatial planning for collection, analysis, and interpretation of information on the built environment, local community, nature and different interests regarding urban development and land use. Also, methods for developing and presenting planning policies and planning documents.

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

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching format

• The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

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.

This course focuses on wilderness as a social construction as well as their objective existence. The historical and cultural processes that construct the wilderness idea will be discussed. The purpose of protecting the wilderness as well as major conflicts regarding their preservation is considered. Primary planning frameworks and management of wilderness for tourism and outdoor recreation are introduced. The relationship between visitors, resource base and management policies will be analysed. The course starts with a five-day field trip into an Icelandic wilderness area.

“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 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. The primary statistical information providers on tourism, along with local and international databases will be introduced and students shall thoroughly analyze their context. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation

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 theoretical lectures and practical exercises. Students taking this course as a part of their post-gratuate study will as well as obtain substantial reading material and dissertation. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

The course deals with the connection between Man and Nature from the viewpoint of Moral Philosophy. It discusses the main proponents of and theories within Environmental Ethics and describes the roots of differing views of Nature, as well as different ethical orientations, i.e. anthropocentric, ecocentric, and biocentric positions. The course also deals with the integration of environmental and developmental issues, and with the connection between environmentalism and democracy. Amongst central issues discussed are the following: Can Ethics provide guidance in the solution of environmental problems?, What type of beings are worthy of moral considerability?, Can natural phenomena possess intrinsic value?, Do animals have rights?, Is there any fundanmental difference in men's and women's relations to Nature?, and, What is the ethical basis of sustainable development?

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.

The supervising committee and the MS-student meet for one semester on a weekly basis to discuss research articles, review articles, and parts of books selected by the committee for that purpose. The reading material shall be related to the student's field of research, but without overlapping with it, so as to broaden the horizons of the student. The course is completed with a short thesis on the subject and an oral examination.

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.

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.

Relations between humans and animals are the focus of this course, which will be approached from both an academic and an artistic standpoint. Students will complete independent projects on an animal of their choice and attend field trips in nature and museums. The lectures will focus on diverse animals, such as polar bears, whales, great auks and puffins and recent scholarship on them. We will dig into visual and material representations of these, and other, animals in varied cultural contexts, including medieval literature, folktales, oral tradition, film, news reports, material culture and tourism. Consideration will be given to the idea of an “afterlife” of animals in the form of artworks, museum artefacts and souvenirs. We will examine artefacts in both private and public collections and pose the questions of what happens when a living animal is turned into a museum object, and how the meaning that we bestow upon an animal can be subject to development and change under different circumstances. The role of animals in the creation of knowledge and formation of discourse surrounding climate change and issues of the Arctic regions will also be addressed, in addition to animals’ connections to specific places and cultural groups and their role in identity formations of past and present. An attempt will be made to step outside of “traditional” dualism in which an emphasis is placed on distinctions between humans and animals as we acquaint ourselves with the ways in which human/animal (ecological, social and cultural) habitats are intertwined.

Aim

The aim is to explore urgent questions and topical issues regarding human/animal co-existence, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability. We will consider how artists, researchers, activists and museums have been engaging with these questions and how they can further contribute to the discussion. We will examine how diverse museums convey their ideas and information on human/animal relations through their collections. Students will be encouraged to critically engage with visual material, objects and texts, both online and through visits to museums and exhibitions. 

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

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.

Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world and there is a lot of competition for the tourist. Emphasis on innovation and service development is therefore important for companies and areas in and related to tourism in order to create a unique position and deal with changes that are not subject to fierce competition. This course will cover the main trends and currents in the theoretical and practical context of innovation. Students receive training in innovation work, development and design of services and preparation of business plans.

Teaching period: March - May

This course addresses tourism in the circumpolar north, with an emphasis on tourist experiences and relational entanglements of tourism to northern communities and landscapes. Its objective is to familiarize students with theory and knowledge related to performance, experience and enactment of tourism in a northern context. Questions related to host-guest relationship, development of tourism experiences and the social and environmental repercussions of tourism will be explored. The teaching is based on original research, which applies diverse theoretical perspectives and introduces a range of case studies.

Announcement about access to the course is sent in the beginning of each year. Please note that the number of students enrolled is limited. Students from Geography and Tourism have priority. Registration for the course is through MS-SENS (mssens@hi.is)

In the course, the challenges that different societies face as a result of various natural hazards are discussed in detail. The contribution of geography and social sciences to knowledge about the natural hazard–society nexus is examined. Major scholarly concepts and theories about people‘s response and adaptation to hazards are reviewed. The concept of risk is examined in detail, and research into risk perception by individuals and groups is discussed. Also the objective assessment of risk is looked into, as well as how impacts of hazard events, both locally and over larger areas, can be minimized. The hazard management cycle is introduced and roles and responsibilities of different response actors are clarified. Examples from both wealthier and poorer parts of the world are discussed. Students look into some specific events in detail, obtain data about them, analyse those data and discuss responses and consequences. Natural hazard research in Iceland, by geographers and others, is introduced. Also students visit Icelandic agencies that work in the field of emergency management and response.

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.

Everybody need to eat; food connects nature to culture, culture to industry, the public to the private, the local to the global, the home to the workplace, the past to the present and one person to another in relationships that organize and transcend the axes of class, gender, ethnicity, race and age. The study of food demonstrates that food is always laden with meaning that exceeds its nutritional value and that this meaning is central to understanding the relationship between food and people, one of the more important relationships we have with the world. Food habits thus reveal our views, values and aestethics, and food shapes our existence, bodies, memories, society, economy and ethics.

In the course we will explore what people eat, how, when, with whom and why. Doing so provides us with valuable insights regarding gender and generations, food safety and health, sustainability and human rights, class and cultural diversity, sense and sensibility, technology and food production, food and diet trends, food traditions and cultural heritage, emotions and microbes, friendship and family dynamics.

In the course we explore the relationship between food production and consumption in the 21st century with specific emphasis on public health, ethical consumption and sustainability.

Food and culture is an interdisciplinary course taught in cooperation between the Department of Folkloristics/Ethnology and Museum Studies and the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition.

The course Sustainable Tourism Development in Northern Environment is offered as an online course from University of OULU in Finland. This course is an offering from the UArctic Thematic Network on Northern Tourism.

Announcement about access to the course is sent out at the end of each year. Students need to apply for access and registration through SENS' student service, MS-SENS (mssesns@hi.is)

The number of students able to register is limited.

The course will address tourism in the circumpolar north from a societal perspective. It will present different views on the phenomenon and its dimensions, resources and implications for nature, places and cultures involved. The place of northern tourism in times of globalization and emergent global issues like climate changes will be explored, together with the relevant governance aspects.

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

The supervising committee and the MS-student meet for one semester on a weekly basis to discuss research articles, review articles, and parts of books selected by the committee for that purpose. The reading material shall be related to the student's field of research, but without overlapping with it, so as to broaden the horizons of the student. The course is completed with a short thesis on the subject and an oral examination.

Theory and fundamentals 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. Independent research project on remote sensing and environmental monitoring.

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 (MS or PhD). 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.

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 field trip in the vicinity of Reykjavík.

Introduction to the discipline of spatial planning, key terms and issues, historical development, and governance in spatial planning.

Main focus of the course is on 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 a range of different methods used in spatial planning for collection, analysis, and interpretation of information on the built environment, local community, nature and different interests regarding urban development and land use. Also, methods for developing and presenting planning policies and planning documents.

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

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching format

• The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

• The topic of the master's thesis must be chosen under the guidance of a supervisor among the academic staff at the Faculty. The thesis is 60 credits. Master's student has been assigned to a Faculty Coordinator from the beginning of the study , who advises the student regarding the organization of the program. If a student does not have a supervisor for the final project, the student must turn to the faculty coordinator for assistance.
• The choice of topic is primarily the responsibility of the student in collaboration with the project supervisor. The topic of the project should fall within the student's area of study, i.e. course of study and chosen specialisation.
• Final project exam is divided into two parts: oral examination and open  lecture
• Present at the oral exam are the student, supervisor, external examiner and members of the Master's committee. The student provides a brief introduction to the project. It is important that the objectives and research question(s) are clearly stated, the main findings and conclusions drawn from the project.
• According to the rules of the Master's program, all students who intend to graduate from the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences need to give a public lecture about their final project. There are 3 Master's Days at the School per year (for each graduation) where the students present their projects with an open lecture.
• All students graduating from the University of Iceland shall submit an electronic copy of their final masters thesis to Skemman.is. Skemman is a digital repository for all Icelandic universities and is maintained by the National and University Library. 
• According to regulations of University of Iceland all MS thesis should be made available via open access after they have been submitted to Skemman.

The course is a venue for Master‘s students in geography and tourism to collectively discuss about scientific subjects and approaches in their fields. Students present their own research ideas and proposals, and scrutinize those of their peers. Selected theoretical or methodological approaches presently prominent in the disciplines are discussed and critically evaluated.

The students and course organisers meet in the second teaching week of the semester. The organisation of the Master‘s programmes is thoroughly explained, and checked whether that all new students have been allocated a supervisor and other formal requirements have been met. Ideas of new students about their own topics are briefly discussed. Also students and course organisers decide jointly which topics should be taken up for discussion later during the semester. Teachers select some key readings for those topics and make them available to students. The main part of the course consists of a two-day workshop held during the department‘s project week. The attendance of enrolled Master‘s students is mandatory. Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral fellows and academic staff are encouraged to attend also. At the workshop, the topics selected at the start of the semester are discussed in detail. Master‘s students present their research proposals, which are reviewed thoroughly by fellow students and teachers. Students who are getting close to completing the Master‘s programme reflect on their own experiences to those who have started more recently.           

The course is mandatory for all Master‘s students in geography and tourism studies. It is held both in autumn and spring semesters. Each student should enrol and fully participate during three semesters, with 2 credits awarded for each time, and a total of 6 credits over the three semesters. Exemption from the rule of three semester participation can only be made if a student spends part of the study period on exchange abroad, or if a study period is shorter than four semesters.

Course evaluation is based on participation and activity in class.

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.

This course focuses on wilderness as a social construction as well as their objective existence. The historical and cultural processes that construct the wilderness idea will be discussed. The purpose of protecting the wilderness as well as major conflicts regarding their preservation is considered. Primary planning frameworks and management of wilderness for tourism and outdoor recreation are introduced. The relationship between visitors, resource base and management policies will be analysed. The course starts with a five-day field trip into an Icelandic wilderness area.

“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 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. The primary statistical information providers on tourism, along with local and international databases will be introduced and students shall thoroughly analyze their context. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation

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 theoretical lectures and practical exercises. Students taking this course as a part of their post-gratuate study will as well as obtain substantial reading material and dissertation. Students must pass all sections of the evaluation.

The course deals with the connection between Man and Nature from the viewpoint of Moral Philosophy. It discusses the main proponents of and theories within Environmental Ethics and describes the roots of differing views of Nature, as well as different ethical orientations, i.e. anthropocentric, ecocentric, and biocentric positions. The course also deals with the integration of environmental and developmental issues, and with the connection between environmentalism and democracy. Amongst central issues discussed are the following: Can Ethics provide guidance in the solution of environmental problems?, What type of beings are worthy of moral considerability?, Can natural phenomena possess intrinsic value?, Do animals have rights?, Is there any fundanmental difference in men's and women's relations to Nature?, and, What is the ethical basis of sustainable development?

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.

The supervising committee and the MS-student meet for one semester on a weekly basis to discuss research articles, review articles, and parts of books selected by the committee for that purpose. The reading material shall be related to the student's field of research, but without overlapping with it, so as to broaden the horizons of the student. The course is completed with a short thesis on the subject and an oral examination.

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.

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.

Relations between humans and animals are the focus of this course, which will be approached from both an academic and an artistic standpoint. Students will complete independent projects on an animal of their choice and attend field trips in nature and museums. The lectures will focus on diverse animals, such as polar bears, whales, great auks and puffins and recent scholarship on them. We will dig into visual and material representations of these, and other, animals in varied cultural contexts, including medieval literature, folktales, oral tradition, film, news reports, material culture and tourism. Consideration will be given to the idea of an “afterlife” of animals in the form of artworks, museum artefacts and souvenirs. We will examine artefacts in both private and public collections and pose the questions of what happens when a living animal is turned into a museum object, and how the meaning that we bestow upon an animal can be subject to development and change under different circumstances. The role of animals in the creation of knowledge and formation of discourse surrounding climate change and issues of the Arctic regions will also be addressed, in addition to animals’ connections to specific places and cultural groups and their role in identity formations of past and present. An attempt will be made to step outside of “traditional” dualism in which an emphasis is placed on distinctions between humans and animals as we acquaint ourselves with the ways in which human/animal (ecological, social and cultural) habitats are intertwined.

Aim

The aim is to explore urgent questions and topical issues regarding human/animal co-existence, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability. We will consider how artists, researchers, activists and museums have been engaging with these questions and how they can further contribute to the discussion. We will examine how diverse museums convey their ideas and information on human/animal relations through their collections. Students will be encouraged to critically engage with visual material, objects and texts, both online and through visits to museums and exhibitions. 

Introduction to the scientific method. Ethics of science and within the university community.
The role of the student, advisors and external examiner. Effective and honest communications.
Conducting a literature review, using bibliographic databases and reference handling. Thesis structure, formulating research questions, writing and argumentation. How scientific writing differs from general purpose writing. Writing a MS study plan and proposal. Practical skills for presenting tables and figures, layout, fonts and colors. Presentation skills. Project management for a thesis, how to divide a large project into smaller tasks, setting a work plan and following a timeline. Life after graduate school and being employable.

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.

Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world and there is a lot of competition for the tourist. Emphasis on innovation and service development is therefore important for companies and areas in and related to tourism in order to create a unique position and deal with changes that are not subject to fierce competition. This course will cover the main trends and currents in the theoretical and practical context of innovation. Students receive training in innovation work, development and design of services and preparation of business plans.

Teaching period: March - May

This course addresses tourism in the circumpolar north, with an emphasis on tourist experiences and relational entanglements of tourism to northern communities and landscapes. Its objective is to familiarize students with theory and knowledge related to performance, experience and enactment of tourism in a northern context. Questions related to host-guest relationship, development of tourism experiences and the social and environmental repercussions of tourism will be explored. The teaching is based on original research, which applies diverse theoretical perspectives and introduces a range of case studies.

Announcement about access to the course is sent in the beginning of each year. Please note that the number of students enrolled is limited. Students from Geography and Tourism have priority. Registration for the course is through MS-SENS (mssens@hi.is)

In the course, the challenges that different societies face as a result of various natural hazards are discussed in detail. The contribution of geography and social sciences to knowledge about the natural hazard–society nexus is examined. Major scholarly concepts and theories about people‘s response and adaptation to hazards are reviewed. The concept of risk is examined in detail, and research into risk perception by individuals and groups is discussed. Also the objective assessment of risk is looked into, as well as how impacts of hazard events, both locally and over larger areas, can be minimized. The hazard management cycle is introduced and roles and responsibilities of different response actors are clarified. Examples from both wealthier and poorer parts of the world are discussed. Students look into some specific events in detail, obtain data about them, analyse those data and discuss responses and consequences. Natural hazard research in Iceland, by geographers and others, is introduced. Also students visit Icelandic agencies that work in the field of emergency management and response.

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.

Everybody need to eat; food connects nature to culture, culture to industry, the public to the private, the local to the global, the home to the workplace, the past to the present and one person to another in relationships that organize and transcend the axes of class, gender, ethnicity, race and age. The study of food demonstrates that food is always laden with meaning that exceeds its nutritional value and that this meaning is central to understanding the relationship between food and people, one of the more important relationships we have with the world. Food habits thus reveal our views, values and aestethics, and food shapes our existence, bodies, memories, society, economy and ethics.

In the course we will explore what people eat, how, when, with whom and why. Doing so provides us with valuable insights regarding gender and generations, food safety and health, sustainability and human rights, class and cultural diversity, sense and sensibility, technology and food production, food and diet trends, food traditions and cultural heritage, emotions and microbes, friendship and family dynamics.

In the course we explore the relationship between food production and consumption in the 21st century with specific emphasis on public health, ethical consumption and sustainability.

Food and culture is an interdisciplinary course taught in cooperation between the Department of Folkloristics/Ethnology and Museum Studies and the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition.

The course Sustainable Tourism Development in Northern Environment is offered as an online course from University of OULU in Finland. This course is an offering from the UArctic Thematic Network on Northern Tourism.

Announcement about access to the course is sent out at the end of each year. Students need to apply for access and registration through SENS' student service, MS-SENS (mssesns@hi.is)

The number of students able to register is limited.

The course will address tourism in the circumpolar north from a societal perspective. It will present different views on the phenomenon and its dimensions, resources and implications for nature, places and cultures involved. The place of northern tourism in times of globalization and emergent global issues like climate changes will be explored, together with the relevant governance aspects.

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

The supervising committee and the MS-student meet for one semester on a weekly basis to discuss research articles, review articles, and parts of books selected by the committee for that purpose. The reading material shall be related to the student's field of research, but without overlapping with it, so as to broaden the horizons of the student. The course is completed with a short thesis on the subject and an oral examination.

Theory and fundamentals 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. Independent research project on remote sensing and environmental monitoring.

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 (MS or PhD). 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.

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 field trip in the vicinity of Reykjavík.

Introduction to the discipline of spatial planning, key terms and issues, historical development, and governance in spatial planning.

Main focus of the course is on 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 a range of different methods used in spatial planning for collection, analysis, and interpretation of information on the built environment, local community, nature and different interests regarding urban development and land use. Also, methods for developing and presenting planning policies and planning documents.

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

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching format

• The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.