Course description

• Course content
• Learning outcome
• Admission
• Prerequisites

• Teaching
• Examination
• Evaluation

Course content

This course provides a thorough overview of the theory and practice of global governance, emphasizing  issue areas central to sustainable development. We critically discuss how norms, rules, institutions, and practices that structure relations between states and non-state actors contribute to solve pressing global problems in specific issue areas in the absence of global government. We further learn about the main obstacles to reaching such solutions, and how progress may occur. The course gives insight into to the main theoretical perspectives on global governance and their foundation in theories of world order. It seeks to contextualize the emergence of the concept of global governance in the post-Cold War era, and discuss recent developments in the light of a new global distribution of power, resources and struggles for domination. The course moreover provides in depth insight into the main actors of global governance (including states, inter-governmental organizations, private companies, and non-governmental organizations) and the relationship between them. It also provides in-depth empirical knowledge of current processes of global governance in the areas of health, natural resource management, energy, climate change, finance, nutrition and food production, poverty reduction and economic redistribution.

Learning outcome

At the end of this course, students:

• have advanced knowledge about different theories of global governance and how they are embedded in different historical moments and political projects.

• thoroughly understand the main actors and institutions of importance to global governance for sustainable development. Understand the obstacles to and premises for the reaching of solutions to pressing global problems of climate change, energy, health, natural resource management, economic redistribution and poverty reduction and democratization.

 

Admission

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

The minimum requirement for admission to this course is a bachelors degree (or equivalent) within social sciences, the humanities, or natural sciences.If you have a natural science background, you should have at least half a year's studies (30 ECTS) within the humanities or social sciences to prepare you for the interdisciplinary challenges this course offers. Please contact Centre for Development and the Environment for more information regarding admission.

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

The minimum requirement for admission is:

• a bachelors degree within social sciences, the humanities, or natural sciences. Students with a natural science background should have at least half a year's studies within the humantities or social sciences to prepare them for the interdisciplinary challenges this course offers.
• Passed examination in English foundation course (140 hours/5 periods per week) in Norwegian upper secondary school with a minimum grade of 4 (or an equivalent grade from a Nordic upper secondary school) or alternatively passed examination in English from second and/or third school year, or an internationally recognised English language proficiency test.

Teaching

This is how you apply for a valid absence from compulsory activities/compulsory attendance:https://www.uio.no/english/studies/examinations/compulsory-activities/hf-oblig.html

Access to teaching

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Examination

4-hour written exam

Digital examination

The written examination is conducted in the digital examination system Inspera. You will need to familiarize yourself with the digital examination arrangements in Inspera.

Read more about written examinations using Inspera.

Examination support material

Students may use a language translation dictionary at this exam.

• Language translation dictionaries may be used in examinations. A language translation dictionary is defined as a dictionary that simply gives equivalent words or phrases in two languages, without further explanatory text or description (including bokmål-nynorsk).
• You may bring a maximum of two dictionaries.
• Electronic dictionaries are not to be used in examinations.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Explanations and appeals

• Explanation of grades and appeals

Resit an examination

• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Resitting an examination

Withdrawal from an examination

It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.

Special examination arrangements

Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.

Evaluation

The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.