Semesters
IPA213 The European Union and Regional development: Theories and Practice
60 ECTS in social science courses (in the case of IPAS-students IPA111 and IPA112) or equivalent.
At the start of the course basic information, which is crucial for the understanding of European Union policies, is presented. This includes the motivation for the creation of the European Union, the organizational structure and institutions, and the distribution of competencies between the European Union and member states, among others. The understanding is deepened through discussions about up-do-date topics (e.g. the effects of the war in the Ukraine and the impact of Brexit) and exercises.
After that, the course focuses on regional development. Indicators on how to measure regional disparities and major theories on regional development serve as a theoretical basis. The focus of the course then moves on to the regional development policies of the European Union, as well as to facts about regional disparities in the EU – both in general and in a number of selected regions, which serve as case studies. The regional policies of the EU are then compared to regional policies in Norway. This part of the course includes also a day trip to the Maritime Cluster in Sunnmøre, to illustrate the practical side of regional policies in Norway, as well as challenges for the public sector in fostering development.
An excursion to a member country of the European Union towards the end of the course will help illustrate the practice of EU policies and their impact on a member country.
In accordance with the National Qualifications Framework the student will achieve the following learning outcomes after completing the course:
The student will have knowledge and understanding of
- The motivation behind the creation of the European Union
- How the most important institutions of the European Union work
- Important EU policies, especially in the field of regional development, as well as regional development issues and policies in Norway
- Theories on regional development
The student will have developed and improved skills in writing university college papers and holding oral presentations.
The student should be able to
- Reflect on important theories and tools in the field of regional development, and their application to reduce regional disparities in the EU and in Norway
- Critically reflect on both the advantages and the challenges of the cooperation of countries within the European Union, and on the implications of Norway's position outside the European Union.
The course is held in Volda from August to November. The course in Volda will be a mix of lectures, discussions, group exercises and presentations of papers by students. All classes will be in English, and all assignments (work requirements, list of topics of papers) as well as the written exam questions will be given in English only.
The requirements for the course are:
- Written paper (can be written in English or in Norwegian). The paper must be handed in and accepted before the exam.
- Assignments: preparation for 2 or 3 discussions in class; students are to submit notes about their preparation for discussions, at least half a page per assignment
- Oral presentation of the paper in class (in English)
- Written exam (can be written in English or in Norwegian, the exam questions will be in English only)
Participation in the excursion is obligatory. If a student is unable to participate, he or she will have to contribute to writing a second paper (2000-3000 words) instead. This will be a group work for groups of 2-3 students.
Attendance in class is not obligatory, but for those students who are present less than 80% of the time, there will be a multiple choice test to ensure that these students have followed the progress of the class.
Grading will be done in accordance with the Regulations governing admission, studies and examinations at Volda University College.
- History - bachelor
- Planning and administration - bachelor
| Assessment Form | Grouping | Duration | Grading scale | Proportion | Comment | Support Materials | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Written Exam | Individual | 4 Hours | A-F, A is the best grade and E is the lowest passing grade | 50 | Dictionary only. | ||
Oppgave | Individual | 1 Semester | A-F, A is the best grade and E is the lowest passing grade | 50 | 4000 - 5000 words. |