The Arctic has attracted a great deal of international attention and concern in recent years, largely triggered by a dramatically changing climate in a region that is warming four times as fast as the rest of the planet. Retreating glaciers, thawing permafrost and drastic reductions in sea ice have led to serious challenges for Arctic countries, local communities and indigenous people living in northern latitudes, while rising sea levels and altered long-range weather patterns caused by changes in Arctic ice cover have consequences around the world; “What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic,” is an often-repeated mantra that encapsulates the Arctic’s growing global importance. These environmental changes in the Arctic have also stimulated perceptions of economic opportunity, as disappearing ice on land and sea offer new possibilities for accessing oil, natural gas and strategic mineral reserves, as well as opening up new shipping routes between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. For these and a range of other reasons, the Arctic is emerging as a region of rising international interest where the United States, Russia, China and other state actors vie for influence and advantage. Arctic geopolitics, governance and sustainable development have therefore become high-level issues on the political and scientific agendas of many countries both inside and outside the region.
The aim of this two-week summer course is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the contemporary and long- term processes of environmental, political, economic and social change that are transforming the Arctic. The course consists of two main components: classroom instruction at KTH in Stockholm and field-based learning in Svalbard, an archipelago belonging to Norway at 78° North in the High Arctic.There is also an online component consisting of an introduction to the course with the course leaders from CSUF and KTH.
Information per course offering
Choose semester and course offering to see current information and more about the course, such as course syllabus, study period, and application information.
Information for Spring 2025 Start 1 Jun 2025 programme students
Course location
KTH Campus
Duration
1 Jun 2025 - 30 Jun 2025
Periods
Pace of study
100%
Application code
45000
Form of study
Normal Daytime
Language of instruction
English
Course memo
Course memo is not published
Number of places
10 - 34
Target group
Open and possible to apply only for students at KTH programs.
8 study places for students in exchange program from California State University, Fullerton
8 study places for programme students at KTH. Selection based on letter of motivation and academic credits.
Good knowledge of English is essential in order tofollow the course.
Planned modular schedule
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Schedule
Schedule is not published
Part of programme
No information inserted
Contact
Examiner
No information inserted
Course coordinator
No information inserted
Teachers
No information inserted
Course syllabus as PDF
Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.
Headings with content from the Course syllabus AK1214 (Spring 2013–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )
Content and learning outcomes
Course disposition
Drawing upon the diverse areas of expertise of the course leaders, “Environment and Society in a Changing Arctic” is a collaboration between KTH Royal Institute of Technology and California State University, Fullerton. The undergraduate course will take place 16-28 June 2025.
Each student is expected to pay their own cost for Svalbard part of the course, including flight tickets, hotel and field excursions.
We estimate the cost to be approx 12.000 SEK Once admitted for the course, you are eligible to apply for a scholarship via Erasmus. The scholarship will cover approximately half of the cost of the course.
Contact:
Eric Paglia, course responsible, for content and prerequisites: paglia@kth.se
Course administration for admittance and registration: kursexp@abe.kth.se
After the completing the course, students will be able to:
1) understand environmental change in the Arctic over time, and how these changes are creating new challenges and opportunities today
2) explain the main processes of societal, economic and political change in the region
3) discern the impacts and legacies of human activities for Arctic communities and environments
4) carry out basic field research through documentation of Svalbard’s physical geography and cultural remains, and conduct interviews with local stakeholders, and 5) critically analyze current events in the Arctic.
Course contents
AK1214 is a two-week summer course for students from KTH and California State University, Fullerton. The course consists of two main components: classroom lectures at KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm; and field-based learning in Svalbard, Norway.
The aim of this course is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the contemporary and long- term processes of environmental, political, economic and social change that are transforming the Arctic.
Through a combination of theoretical instruction and practical field studies, participants will have the opportunity to analyze and discuss the challenges and opportunities in the region.
Intended learning outcomes
After the course, the student will be able to:
1. Recount major climatic and environmental changes in the Arctic, with a focus on the last 15.000 years
2. Interpret climate change within the specific cultural and historical context of the Nordic region
3. Describe and explain the main processes of societal change in the Nordic / European Arctic: Settlements and colonization, Development of scientific research, and Development of natural resource utilization industry and tourism.
4. Discuss the main changes in international politics and economics in the Arctic and its relation to scientific research, military strategies and indigenous peoples
5. Conduct basic field research through documentation of natural phenomena, cultural remains or by interviews
6. Perform simple research tasks by using and combining different types of sources (i.e. those mentioned under point 5) and present it in written and oral form
7. Critically analyze current events in the Arctic, in relation to the course contents.
Literature and preparations
Specific prerequisites
Basic eligibility and 120 credits or the equivalent in one or more of the following disciplines:engineering, science, architecture,history,environmental history, history of ideas, economic history, political science, anthropology, sociology, ethnology, literature, archeology and cultural geography. Exceptions can be made for Swedish if the course is taught entirely in English.
If there are more eligible applicants than places a selection is carried out based on a merit rating. Calculation of merits is based on the following criteria: 1) Education Background, where the breadth of the subjects studied is particularly meritorious, 2)grades, 3)motivation letter and 4)academic credits.
Literature
You can find information about course literature either in the course memo for the course offering or in the course room in Canvas.
Examination and completion
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Grading scale
A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
Examination
INL1 -
Essay,
10.0 credits,
grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
Examination: 1) active participation in discussions on the course literature and essays during the seminars and 2) writing and presenting the above mentioned essay.
Other requirements for final grade
Examination: 1) active participation in discussions on the course literature, field work results and essays during the seminars and 2) writing and presenting a final essay.
All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.
Further information
Course room in Canvas
Registered students find further information about the implementation of the course in the course room in Canvas. A link to the course room can be found under the tab Studies in the Personal menu at the start of the course.
