Introduction to the Baltic Sea  (4 cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

The learning goals of this course:
The student knows the basic characteristics of the Baltic sea including geography, livelihoods and ecosystems.
The student gains an understanding of the environmental problems the Baltic Sea is facing.
The student acquires basic understanding of Baltic Sea management and understands the plethora of available solutions.
The topics of the course are: Geography, Blue bioeconomy, Oceanography, Ecosystems, Alien species, Eutrophication, Marine litter, Marine traffic, Chemicalisation, Organisations for Baltic Sea protection.
The course will run throughout the autumn, but different topics have different dead-lines, which will be announced in Optima.

Objective

The student knows the basic characteristics of the Baltic sea and has a basic understanding of the environmental problems and their solutions.

Content

•Baltic Sea demographics and livelihoods
•Baltic Sea oceanography
•Baltic Sea catchment area
•Baltic Sea flora and fauna
•Baltic Sea environmental problems
•Baltic Sea solutions – cases

Materials

Web course material in Optima.

Teaching methods

Independent learning through online course and one online debate.

Exam schedules

-

Pedagogic approaches and sustainable development

The course is an international online course. The course materials have been compiled and developed by a team of biologists, engineers and humanists, all specialized in different aspects of the Baltic Sea.

Completion alternatives

-

Student workload

Web course material in Optima.

Evaluation methods and criteria

The assessment is based on points the student obtains from the quizes included in different sections of the course and the online debate.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Basic level of knowledge obtained.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Good level of knowledge obtained.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent level of knowledge obtained.

Further information

Course is offered also through Campus online
Student places are divided between Turku University of Applied Sciences and other Universities of Applied Sciences, so that 50% of the students are accepted from Turku University of Applied Sciences and 50% of the students are accepted from other Universities of Applied Sciences (e.g. a total of 80 places in the course; 40 students from TUAS, 40 from other UAS). For Open Studies students there are 10 places. If any course places become available after the enrolment period, the students may also be accepted from the waiting list.