Study Plan for Master of Science in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility (2024–2026)

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

The MSc programme in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility is open for both Norwegian and international applicants who fulfil the admission requirements.

Academic requirements:

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of a bachelor’s and master’s degree, equivalent to a minimum of 180 ECTS credits within relevant academic areas:

• Transport, Logistics, Engineering (Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or other relevant engineering degree), Urban and/or Regional Planning, Economics and Business Administration. 

• Academic areas like Optimisation, Operations Management/Research, Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling, Information Technology, Architecture and Computer Science are also relevant.

• In addition, we will consider applicants with a background in relevant social sciences if they have minimum 7,5 ECTS or equivalent in Statistics and/or Mathematics. Some knowledge of basic microeconomics is helpful though not essential.

Applicants should have an average grade equivalent to a Norwegian grade C in the ECTS grading system. Preferably First Class/First Division, Second Class Upper Division or equivalent grades like a CGPA of 3.0 of 4.0.

Applicants who have completed only a HND (Higher National Diploma) or similar Diploma/Advanced Diploma Educations do not qualify for admission.

Financial requirements:

Admitted students from countries outside EU/EEA and Switzerland will be required to transfer a minimum of NOK 137 907 to our Deposit Account for International Students, and NOK 197 000 in tuition fee for the first academic year of the degree programme (unless they are found to qualify for an exemption), within a deadline first stated in the letter of admission.

All admitted students must pay a minor semester fee of NOK 745 per semester.

English language requirements:

International applicants from some countries will be required to complete a recognised English test with a sufficient score result:

• TOEFL iBT: minimum total score of 79

• IELTS Academic: minimum overall band score of 6.0

• PTE Academic - Pearson Test of English Academic: minimum score of 53.

For full information about the English language requirements for different countries, please see the information under application procedures and the the country list.

Application deadlines:

• 15 January 2024
  Applicants who are citizens of a country outside EU/EEA and Switzerland or have a temporary residence permit in Norway.

• 15 April 2024
  Applicants who are citizens of a country within EU/EEA and Switzerland or have a permanent residence permit in Norway.
  

Administrative contact person:

Advisor Odd Arne Eidem

E-mail: 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.