Study Plan for Master of Science in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility (2022–2024)

What do you learn?

Learning outcomes

After completing the programme, the successful candidate is expected to have the following knowledge, skills and comptenences:

Knowledge

• have good knowledge about sustainable transport and urban mobility, and to discuss it in relation to the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals. (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/).
• have specialized knowledge about the relationship between urban or longer transport modes and the transition toward a more sustainable transport system (urban or long distance - depending on the student’s choice of specialization).
• have specialized knowledge about different types of policy, regulatory and economic factors affecting an efficient transport system
• have advanced knowledge of scientific theories and methods relevant to sustainable transport and urban mobility, including a broad knowledge about models and methods in general, and their use in transport in particular.

Skills
• be able to use advanced theory and methods to identify inefficiencies in the transport system.
• be able to propose improvements to organizational structures and governance to facilitate effective policy making and suggest ways of implementing such changes in the transport sector.
• be able to understand the specific challenges connected to sustainable transport and urban mobility.
• be able to critically assess evidence, including quantitative evidence and model outputs, in the sustainable transport field, in order to inform decision making.
• be capable of performing a supervised research project within the transport field, in line with ruling academic standards.

General Competence
• be able to present and communicate professional issues relevant to sustainable transport and urban mobility.
• be able to take part in innovation activities within the field
• be able to work on a project-basis in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• be able to work with a wide range of actors, including politicians, NGOs and interested citizens, as well as those professionally involved in sustainable transport.
• be able to apply acquired knowledge and skills within new areas of research and education.
• be able to read scientific papers and other scientific work from a critical standpoint.

Admission

Admission takes place during the spring semester every year, and the MSc program in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility starts in the middle of August. The program is open for both Norwegian and international applicants who fulfil all the admission requirements, and where applicants from countries outside EU/EEA must document a minimum of NOK 123 519 per academic year to cover their own living expenses for their planned MSc studies. As a recognized state-run specialized university, HiMolde is not charging any tuition fees from Norwegian or international students, but all admitted students have to pay a minor semester fee of NOK 745 per semester. Admitted international students from countries outside EU/EEA will be requested to transfer a minimum of NOK 123 519 to our Deposit Account for International Students within a deadline first stated in the letter of admission. Applicants from these countries must also document the same amount when they forward their online application for admission.

Applicants should have completed a recognized bachelor’s degree equivalent to a minimum of 180 ECTS credits within relevant academic areas: Logistics, Economics, Business Administration, Civil Engineering, Urban Planning, or Social Sciences such as Psychology and Geography. Academic areas like Optimization, Operations Management/ Research, Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling, Information Technology/ Computer Science are also relevant.  If you are in doubt about the relevance of your first degree, feel free to contact us.

Admission to the international MSc programs at HiMolde is highly competitive when it comes to grades. Applicants should preferably have an average grade of First Class/First Division or Second Class Upper Division or equivalent grades from their recognized bachelor’s degree/ or from a combination of their bachelor’s and master’s degrees to be considered for admission. Applicants who have completed only a HND (Higher National Diploma) or similar Diploma/Advanced Diploma Educations do not qualify to apply for admission.

International applicants from some countries will be required to fulfil the formal English language requirements by completing a recognized English test with a sufficient score result: (TOEFL (ITB): minimum score of 79, TOEFL (Computer based test): minimum score of 213 or TOEFL (Paper based test):minimum score of 550, IELTS: Minimum score of 6.0 or Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) with a minimum score of 53. For further information about the admission requirements for different countries, please see the information under application procedures and the country list.

Application deadlines:

15 December 2021: International applicants from countries outside of EU/EEA applying directly from abroad, and applicants who have a temporary residence permit in Norway.
15 April 2022: Applicants who are either Norwegian or Nordic citizens, Nordic citizens (can also apply within 15 December 2020), or applicants who already have a permanent residence permit in Norway; and applicants who are citizens of a country within EU/EEA.

Administrative Contact International applicants: Advisor Odd Arne Eidem; odd.a.eidem@himolde.no

Structure and content

Content and structure of the programme

Sustainable urban mobility deals with the ways in which the functioning of transport and mobility in our towns and cities affects our lives and serves our needs, whilst doing so in as sustainable a manner as possible.  Whilst transport planning in cities has traditionally been part of the field of engineering, sustainable urban mobility builds on a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, from engineering and operations research through to psychology and urban design. For an increasing number of cities, the relationship between transport, economic and social development, and the quality of the urban environment, is critical to their growth as well as to their ability to meet targets on energy use, carbon emissions reductions and air pollution.  The programme will examine how to manage this relationship from both a theoretical and practical perspective, qualifying its graduates for a wide range of jobs in the field of transport planning and operations.

The program is run in full-time mode (120 ECTS credits) over two years in Molde, and consists of 90 ECTS credits built up from 7,5 ECTS semester-long courses, and 2,5 credit short, specialised, seminar courses.  Finally, there is a MSc thesis of 30 ECTS credits in the fourth and final semester.

The Master’s degree will qualify you for positions in a broad range of employment areas in Norway as well as abroad, in transport and management consultancy, local and national government and its agencies, and with major transport operators. It will also make you eligible to apply to study for a PhD.

Organisation and learning

A wide range of lecturing and study methods are used within the modules. They are usually run over one semester with lectures once or twice per week. In some cases, courses consist of intensive lecturing in one or two weeks during a semester, and more regular lectures once a week in other parts of the semester. Students have homework in terms of exercises, computer lab work, problem-based research tasks, and case studies and assignments, both individually and in groups. The seminars in the third semester are intensive courses lasting for one week consisting of lectures, homework, discussions and student presentations. Students enrolled in the programme are expected to have at least a workload of 40 hours per week. The programme is not currently offered for distance learning.

The study programme includes three compulsory courses and one elective in each of the first two semesters. The majority of lectures and all exams (except home exams) will take place in Molde.  The third semester consists of short intensive seminars, all lasting for one week. The seminar in Research Design is mandatory, while others are elective. During this semester, the students should also find a topic for their master's thesis, and write a proposal for the thesis. Here the students should indicate the topic, research methods and methodologies that can be relevant, some preliminary overview of previous research, and literature within the chosen topic. The proposal will be presented orally and approved by the supervisor and an independent grader. In the fourth semester the students are working on their master's thesis. Presentation and examination/ defense of the thesis will take place in June.

Required study progression

An achievement of at least 75% of nominal study progression during an academic year is required in order to maintain the place in the study programme.

Evaluation of the study

Student assessment is made on basis of monitored exams, essays, written case study reports and oral presentations.

Studies abroad

The programme offers students the possibility to go on exchange in the second semester. They can also write the master thesis at a university abroad. This gives international students the opportunity to work on master projects related to their home country. Students interested in doing so should contact the program coordinator early in their studies.