Tel: +47 79 02 33 00 | post@unis.no

Arctic Biology (AB)
Photo: Bjørn Erik Sandbakk

Despite the apparent harshness of the High Arctic, many organisms are well adapted to this environment. The fauna and flora of Svalbard includes more than 1,800 marine invertebrate species, 1,200 terrestrial or freshwater invertebrate species and over 170 higher plant species in addition to the 21 mammal and 28 bird species.

UNIS emphasizes the biological studies (taxonomy, diversity, ecology, physiology) of the fauna and flora of Svalbard related to the physical and chemical environment. Easy access to key habitats gives students and staff at UNIS a unique opportunity to identify and quantify environmental threats in addition to basic knowledge of the Arctic.

Field activities are undertaken year-round in combination with regular classroom lectures and laboratory exercises. This integrated approach provides students with a first hand experience of the biological processes and the natural history of the terrestrial, limnic and marine flora and fauna in an Arctic environment.

 

Undergraduate Programme/Courses

Please note: These undergraduate courses can not be combined with graduate courses

Prerequisites: 45 ECTS in biology (¾ of a year of university level biology)

Course overview:
  AB-201 Terrestrial Arctic Biology, 15 ECTS, autumn 2011  
  AB-202 Marine Arctic Biology, 15 ECTS, autumn 2011  
  AB-203 Arctic Environmental Management, 15 ECTS, spring 2011  
  AB-204 Arctic Ecology and Population Biology, 15 ECTS, spring 2011  

Recommended combinations:

Autumn
Spring
AB-201
*AB-203
AB-202
AB-204
*AT-207
*AT-209
 
* = Interdisciplinary courses

Recommended workload is 30 ECTS per semester.

 


Graduate Courses (Ph.D. courses – also suitable for M.Sc.)

Please note: These courses run every second year

Prerequisites: Enrolment in a master- or Ph.D. program (exceptionally undergraduate students may be considered).

Course overview:
  AB-320 Marine Zooplankton & Sympagic Fauna of Svalbard Waters, 10 ECTS,
autumn 2012
 
  AB-321 Marine Benthic Fauna of Svalbard, 10 ECTS, autumn 2011  
  AB-322 Flux of Matter and Energy from Sea to Land, 10 ECTS, To be announced  
  AB-323 Light Climate and Primary Production in the Arctic, 10 ECTS, spring 2012  
  AB-325 Biotelemetric Methods, 10 ECTS, spring 2011  
  AB-326 Arctic Plant Ecology, 10 ECTS, summer 2011  
  AB-327 Arctic Microbiology, 10 ECTS, summer 2012  
  AB-329 Arctic Winter Ecology, 10 ECTS, autumn 2010  
  AB-330 Ecosystems in Ice Covered Waters , 10 ECTS, spring 2011  

Photo: Bjørn Gulliksen

 

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Things of interest
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Find information here about how to become a student at UNIS.

SIOS
Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS).

LONGYEARBYEN CO2 LAB

INT'L POLAR YEAR
IPY is a special international research program on the Arctic and Antarctic and takes place in 2007-2009

IPY Field School 2010

Field School blog 2010

Field School blog 2009

WEATHER
Realtime weather data and downloadable historical data.

EUCOP 2010

VACANT POSITIONS

ANNUAL REPORT 2009

WEBCAMERA
Picture of UNIS right now.

The University Centre in Svalbard | Pb. 156 | 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway | Tel: +47 79 02 33 00 - Fax: +47 79 02 33 01| Org. 985 204 454 | post@unis.no