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Field trips and excursions

As a student at the Department of Geosciences, you get the opportunity to participate in excursions and field trips. The field trips can last for one day or up to two weeks. Most of the field trips and excursions are mandatory as they are a part of the teaching activities. On this webpage you will find general information about field trips and excursions.

Students on excursion to Finse in the course GEO1010 – Physical geography, in the autumn 2014.Photo: Gunn Kristin Tjoflot, UIO

A study group on field work in the high mountains of Finse, Vestland, here ahead of Finsevann with the glaciers on the horizon, including Hardangerjøkulen. Photo: Gunn Kristin Tjoflot, UIO

Before the trip!

All students who are going on an excursion or fieldtrip must have taken the HSE-course:

HMS0504 – Field Safety.

This is an online e-learning course with a subsequent test, remember to enroll for the exam in StudentWeb the day before you take it. You only take this course once.

Other things to remember:

1. Payment of participant's fees

All single day excursions/field trips are free. It is expected that you bring your food and drink for the trip.

Excursions/field trips that last more than one day have a fixed per day course fee set by the Department to pay for the expences for food. At the time of writing this fee is:

  • within Norway and for excursions abroad: NOK 150/day

The fee must be paid in advance via E-pay. The fee is only refunded on valid absence.

2. Bring proper clothing and necessary equipment

All students participating in excursions/field trips are expected to have the necessary field equipment and clothing/footwear suitable for the location and weather conditions.

The climate in Norway can be harsh; cold winters, rainy autumns/springs and chilly summer evenings. In the mountains it is not unusual with snowfall even in the midsummer. So take a look at the weather forecast before you go. 

Proper equipment for excursions/field courses may include:

  • Clothes: Water- and windproof clothing, thermal/woollen underwear, an extra pullover, mittens, woolly hat, scarf, spare socks.
  • Footwear: Hiking shoes, boots or other waterproof shoes suitable for terrain walking.
  • Equipment:  Camera for documentation, field notebook / pen (paper/electronic), first aid items (for cuts and blisters), sunglasses, compass, magnifying glass, hammer and also skies if the season and place of destination requires this.

3. Complete and sign the field card

Students must fill in and sign a field card BEFORE going on an excursion/field trip. This includes single day field trips as well as longer excursions, and also field work  undertaken by M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. The field card gives us some basic information about you, the trip and project, and also serves as your contract with the Department. The field card is filled in and saved electronically (Nettskjema).

See HSE web pages:

Field work, procedure and field card

  • The electronical form Field card for participants which are available from this page is to be completed and sendt in.
  • Copy the form and hand it in to the mail shelf for the responsible for the excursion (1. floor. Geology building or MetOs or GEO-PGP).

4. Accommodation

The accommodation on the excursions/field trips varies from hostel/camping cabin standard, to hotel standard. You will share a room with at least one other person, usually of the same gender. You may be asked to bring your own sleeping bag/bed linen and towel.

5. Special dietary needs

Students with special dietary needs (allergies, vegetarian, religious conditions) must inform the field responsible well in advance.

6. Insurance

When your teaching involves field work or the equivalent, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance.

Read about your insurance cover as a student at University of Oslo

Students on an excursion, here walking on a clacier. Photo: Rie H. Malm, UiO
Students on an excursion, here walking on a clacier. Photo: Rie H. Malm, UiO
Published Oct. 22, 2012 10:49 AM - Last modified Aug. 27, 2021 1:01 PM