Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being - Master's Programme

Published: 28 March 2023
Sunflowers, petals, and person exploring. Black and white three-dimensional picture.

This webpage is for students on the Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being - Master's Programme.

Here you will find information about the programme, your course schedule, contact information, and the documents that regulate the education. Navigate by clicking on the headings below.

You can choose to study the programme at full time or part time.

Each course contains 2 to 4 mandatory online meetings, which each consists of 2 to 3 days of lessons and examinations.

New applicant to the programme in 2023?

There are two admission rounds for this Master's programme. The first admission round is open to all international applicants at www.universityadmissions.se. The last date to apply is 17 January 2023. SLU strongly encourage all international students to apply in this first admission round.

This programme consists of blended/distance learning courses, meaning admittance to this program will not make you eligible for a residence permit in Sweden. As of now and until further notice, there will be no compulsory campus meetings.

Welcome letter OHW 2023

Welcome to the master's program Outdoor Environment for Health and Well-being!

Congratulations on your place at SLU and on the Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being - Master’s programme! 

The autumn semester 2023 will begin with a roll call and study information.

Date: Monday August 28th

Time: 10.00 am

Place: Time and place: On the pages for new students, you will find information about the study start and when the roll call for your programme begins. On these pages, you will also find all the information you need as a new student at SLU.

It is mandatory to attend the roll call. Exceptions can be made if you have extenuating circumstances. If you cannot attend, you must notify antagning@slu.se no later than 08:00 the day of the roll call.

The roll call will be via the Zoom video link. Before the meeting, please make sure that your Zoom is working so we can run the meeting as smoothly as possible. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact IT-support as soon as possible.

After the role call there will be a short introduction to the programme.

Teaching will take place at a distance in the OHW program, but exceptions can be made. Special study visits and other events that can take place outdoors may occur. See more information for each course and more general information via the program's Canvas page.

If you plan to study half-time (50%), your first course on the program is Environmental Perception and Experience (MP0005). If you plan to study full-time (100%), it is recommended that you also register for the course Place, Activity and Human development (MP0001).

You will also be added to the Canvas pages for the courses, where you will get access to all the course related material you need. Remember to check your student email in order to receive information about the courses and the programme: https://student.slu.se/en/

We who teach on the Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being program look forward to meeting you as a student here this fall! Our hope is that you will enjoy being a student at SLU Alnarp and that you will find the courses on the programme interesting.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Once again, welcome to SLU!

Elisabeth von Essen, Director of Studies

E-mail address: Elisabeth.von.essen@slu.se

Admission to latter part

Here you will find information about admission to latter parts of SLU programmes and how you apply.

In autumn semester 2023 there are available places on the programme:

  • Year 1: 0 places (100%), 0 places (50%)
  • Year 2: 3 places (100%), 2 places (50%)

Selection

If there are more qualified applicants than available places when the application period has ended, than the applicants are ranked according to how many credits they can transfer to the degree. When the applicants have equal credentials, lottery is applied.

Syllabus

Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being - Master's Programme

Programcode:
LM007

Requirements

To be eligible for the Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being – Master’s Programme, the requirements are:

  • General entry requirements: a Bachelor’s degree (undergraduate cycle) corresponding to a minimum of 180 credits

In addition, knowledge corresponding to English 6 (Swedish secondary school) is required. This is according to a local SLU decision fulfilled by those who have a degree comprising at least 180 credits at first cycle level from a Swedish higher educational institute or 120 credits completed studies at SLU. English 6 can also be achieved in other ways, which are specified at universityadmissions.se.

The requirements for special eligibility as stated above can also be fulfilled by those who have equivalent knowledge through a foreign degree or if equivalent knowledge has been obtained in another way.

For admission to the courses included in the program, the requirements for special qualifications are stated in the syllabus for each individual course.

It is further recommended that at least 15 credits have been taken within any of the behavioral disciplines, health care, education, design, environmental science, landscape architecture, gardening or forestry.

Goals

Objectives for a Degree

In accordance with the annex to the Ordinance for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, for a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall have:

Knowledge and understanding

  • demonstrated knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and

  • demonstrated specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study.

Competence and skills

  • demonstrated the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information,

  • demonstrated the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake specialised tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work,

  • demonstrated the ability in speech and writing both nationally and internationally to report clearly and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences, and

  • demonstrated the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity.

Judgement and approach

  • demonstrated the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical considerations and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work,

  • demonstrated insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and

  • demonstrated the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

Exam

Degree awarded on completion of the programme

Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being – Master’s Programme aims at a Degree of Master of Science with a major in Environmental Psychology, a general qualification. See SLU:s internal directives for grading systems and examination rights.

Students who fulfill the qualification requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) will be provided with a degree certificate upon request. The degree certificate will specify the qualification as Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with a major in Environmental Psychology.

Degree requirements

A Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with a major in Environmental Psychology will be awarded on completion of the course examinations (Pass grades) to the value of 120 credits, with the following requirements:

  • a minimum of 30 credits courses shall concern in-depth study within Environmental Psychology (A1N, A1F),
  • a minimum of 30 credits shall concern independent work (degree project) within Environmental Psychology (A2E).

First-cycle courses can constitute a maximum of 30 credits, provided these credits were not included in a qualifying Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

There is additional requirement of a completed Degree of Bachelor, Professional Degree of a minimum of 180 credits or a corresponding overseas qualification.

Content and Structure

Programme description

The program is for students interested in the sustainable development of outdoor environments and outdoor activities contributing to peoples’ development, well-being and health. Environmental psychology is the primary source of knowledge on the interaction between people and the physical environment. A broader field of landscape studies provides perspective on our relationship with nature and the particular role of animals and natural elements for the function of place. In focus are people´s need for outdoor recreation in terms of rest as well as activities, and the different physiological, psychological and social processes associated with these.

Training is given in methods for investigating place and to study people’s relationships to particular places and landscapes surrounding them in everyday life. The focus is on proficiency to carry out documentation, analysis and evaluation and the ability to develop research-based applications adapted to local circumstances and particular user groups. Relevant fields for application include outdoor environments in healthcare, residential areas, schools and workplaces, as well as parks, playgrounds and other public places and outdoor recreational settings.

Through specific course choices and choice of subject for the independent project it is possible to specialize in a specific area. More or less focus can be placed on knowledge about the design of the physical environment or about the activities engaging people in different types of outdoor environments. A third option is focusing on issues related to the role of strategic planning in promoting outdoor stay and people’s contact with nature.

The independent project will provide additional skills on how to investigate the relationship between people and their physical environment and provides opportunities to delve further into the subject area while addressing an important problem. Links to previous studies at bachelor level can benefit the independent project. Vital during the education is the development of sensible judgement regarding ethical considerations, methodologies and applications, with the ability to critically and constructively evaluate projects and proposals.

The program prepares students for strategic tasks in planning and development work, evaluation and research.

The program is taught in English, with the possibility of written submissions in Swedish in some assignments.

Courses in the programme

Main subject area:

Environmental psychology (MP)

Landscape Architecture (LK)

HP=credits

The program consists of eight courses as well as an independent project. Upon admission to the program, students are admitted to the course "Environmental Perception and Experience". Fulltime students are also admitted to the course "Place, Activity, and Human Development". An independent project of 30 credits (Environmental Psychology, A2E) is mandatory for the Degree of Master (120 credits).

**Year 1 **

Environmental Perception and Experience, 15 hp (MP, A1N)
Place, Activity, and Human Development, 15 hp (MP, A1N)
Landscape Analysis for People and Environment Studies, 15 hp (MP/LK, A1N)
Research Methods for People and Environment Studies, 15 hp (MP/LK, A1N)

Year 2 (mandatory courses in bold)

Outdoor Environments for Children and Youth, 15 hp (MP/LK, A1N)
Nature Based Interventions, 15 hp (MP/LK, A1N)
Health Promoting Outdoor Environments, 15 hp (MP/LK, A1F)
*Nature and Animal Assisted Interventions, 15 hp (MP, A1N) *

Independent project in Environmental Psychology, 30 hp (MP, A2E) or,

Independent project in Landscape Architecture, 30 hp (LK, A2E)

The courses offered may change during the course of the programme. Decisions on the courses offered are taken well in advance of the next academic year.

Each course combine tasks carried out independently and/or in groups with mandatory online meetings.

Course syllabus – detailed information is available on the SLU student web.

Transition regulations and other regulations

Transitional regulations

Up to and including the 2019 autumn semester, the Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being Master´s programme aimed at a Master´s degree with landscape architecture as the main field of study.

For students admitted to this programme up to and including the 2019 autumn semester, it will still be possible to be awarded a Master´s degree with landscape architecture as the main field of study. For these students, courses classified as environmental psychology only can be credited towards the main field of study landscape architecture. Students will be offered the possibility of doing an independent project in landscape architecture up to and including the academic year 2024/25.

For students admitted to the Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being Master´s programme up to and including the 2019 autumn semester, courses previously classified as landscape architecture only can be credited towards the new main field of study environmental psychology.

Subject area: MP = Environmental Psychology, LK = Landscape Architecture

Course New Subject Area Can be credited by students admitted up until HT 2019

Environmental Perception and Experience 15 hp MP LK

Place, Activity, and Human Development 15 hp MP LK

Nature Based Interventions 15 hp MP LK

Nature and Animal Assisted Interventions 15 hp MP LK

Course Previous Subject Area Can be credited by students admitted up until HT 2019

Environmental Perception and Experience 15 hp LK MP

Place, Activity, and Human Development 15 hp LK MP

Nature Based Interventions 15 hp LK MP

Nature and Animal Assisted Interventions 15 hp LK MP

Dates for online meetings autumn 2023 and Spring 2023

Autumn semester 2023

MP0001 Place activity and human development

August 30 aug - September 1
October 4 - 6 
November 13 - 15
2024 January 8 - 9 

MP0005 Environmental Perception and Experience

August 28 - 30
September 27 - 29
November 15 - 17 
December 18 - 20

MP0006 Outdoor Environments for children and Youth

September 6 - 8 
October 25 - 27
Novemeber 22 - 24
2024 January 10 - 11

MP0007 Nature Based Interventions

September 4 (introduction)
September 18 - 20 
October 11 - 13 (Umeå)
December 4 - 6 

EX858 and EX1000 Independent project

September 5 - Startseminar
November 20 - Midseminar 
October 13 - Final seminar
November 17 - Final seminar

___________________________________________________

Spring semester 2023

MP0002 Landscape Analysis for People and Environment Studies

January 25 - 27
March 13 - 15
April 19 - 21
May 29 - 31

MP0003 Research Methods for People and Environment Studies

January 23 - 25
March 15 - 17
April 12 - 14
May 22 - 24

MP0008 Health Promoting Outdoor Environments

January 18 - 20
March 6 - 8
March 20 - 22
May 10 - 12

MP0009 Nature and Animal Assisted Interventions

January 16 jan (introduction)
January 30 jan – February 1
March 1 - 3 (Skara)
May 17 - 19

EX0858 Independent Project in Landscape Architecture, A2E - Outdoor Environments for Health and Well-being - Master´s Programme, 30.0 credits

EX1000 Independent project in Environmental Psychology, A2E, 30 credits

January 17, 2023 (start seminar) 
March 17, 2023 (mid seminar) 

Updated 2023-04-25 DM

 

 

NOTE! Even if you are an accepted program student or study within the OHW program, you need to apply/register via antagning.se for next semester's courses. It is important that you apply in time. For more information visit this webpage.

Facts

  • This programme consists of blended/distance learning courses and is taught in English. Each course contains 2 to 4 mandatory online meetings, which each consists of 2 to 3 days of lessons and examinations.
  • The name of the programme in Swedish is masterprogrammet Utemiljö för hälsa och välbefinnande.

Contact

Programme director of studies - Outdoor Environments for health and well-being

Elisabeth von Essen, Researcher at the Department of People and Society
Telephone:+46 (0)40-415529
E-mail: elisabeth.von.essen@slu.se

Contact the education officer if you have any questions about study programme  regulations. Nicklas Karlsson, phone +46 (0)40-41 5069, nicklas.r.karlsson@slu.se

Contact the education administrator if you have any questions about LADOK registration, certificates or courses. Desirée Mattsson, phone +46 (0)40-41 5304, desiree.mattsson@slu.se

For information about credit transfer, please mail to: credittransfer@slu.se