TEK4450 – Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainability: A Toolkit for the Energy Transition

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The energy system is undergoing a fundamental change from being carbon intensive to zero carbon, so as to achieve the goals according to the Paris Agreement of limiting global mean surface temperature rise to well below 2 °C. Typically, energy-related questions are answered by a single discipline and lead to decisions and solutions that are not optimal when assessed in an integrative, interdisciplinary approach. This course provides early career researchers the opportunity to acquire a toolkit for interdisciplinary research.

The course is conducted by academics in the EMPOWER project at UiO and from CircleU. EV batteries will be discussed from different lenses, including user behaviour, market, regulation, material, and technologies. Achieving sustainable EV batteries is related to far-reaching socio-technical transitions in many sectors of the economy. Thus, this course will adopt an interdisciplinary and systemic approach to examining the role of EV batteries in sustainable development, energy transitions, and zero-emission e-mobility in the socio-spatial context of Norway and Europe and providing students with a broad understanding of both the challenges and opportunities of a path to sustainability.

This course will draw on a synthesis of different approaches and disciplines for sociotechnical transitions in e-mobility. Students have opportunities to try out or deepen their competencies by taking an interdisciplinary approach to the complex phenomenon of EV batteries in the socio-spatial context of e-mobility in Norway by combining insights from different strands of literature, e.g., Regulatory Ecology, Sustainability Transitions, Hotspot Analysis, Institutional Analysis, Modelling, etc. It will bring together students from different disciplines and provide them with deeper insights?into the work of other disciplines. The course will apply a research-led teaching philosophy based on the ongoing outcome of relevant research projects.

Learning outcome

After completing this course, you will be able to

  • demonstrate knowledge of sustainability concepts from natural science (e.g. material sciences, mathematical modelling) and social sciences (e.g. law, psychology, political sciences and anthropology)
  • provide examples of how disciplines may complement each other in the course of formulating and answering research questions
  • identify and demonstrate different forms of collaboration and analyse why and when forms are appropriate
  • read and analyse state-of-the-art academic literature in the field of sustainability
  • compare and contrast the perspectives of different actors, for instance, governments and industry, in sustainable energy transitions
  • map and explore the complexity of the energy transition
  • communicate and present complex sustainability issues to an interdisciplinary audience

Admission to the course

Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?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.?The course is also open for exchange students at UiO.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.

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

For Circle U Applicants:

Admission to TEK4450 at the University of Oslo requires enrolment in a programme at a Circle U. university at master's level.

You need to apply by this web form by 1 August 2025.

Please attach a certificate that confirms that you are currently enrolled as a student at a program on master's level at one of the Circle U. universities. The confirmation must include

  • that you have admission to a study program
  • level of study
  • that you are currently enrolled as a student at the program

You must also upload a copy of passport or ID-card (please also upload certified documentation of your name change if your name appears different in any of your documentation).

Overlapping courses

Teaching

This course applies a mix of teaching and learning methods, and the teaching will be hybrid (both physically and digitally). Traditional methods (lectures and interactive seminars) will be combined with peer collaborative methods (action learning groups, discussion groups, final paper) to support learning.

The course requires regular online class attendance, active learning, and participation in reading-based discussions throughout the semester. There will be a strong emphasis on increasing the research skills of students who are required to read and discuss literature critically, reflecting on the topics discussed in the class. The aim is to provide an environment that enables students to increase their analytical skills both through their own personal performance and by interacting with other students. Multiple assessment methods will be used to explore learning and performance.

Attendance is mandatory, and active participation is both expected and encouraged. You must have an attendance of 80% to be eligible to take the exam.?

Circle U students will have a fully digital offer, but will be encouraged to form local study groups for physical meetings where possible.

Examination

A portfolio assessment, including a final oral presentation/exam, counts 100% towards the final grade.?The exam will require physical attendance (Circle U students will be offered a digital oral exam).

Attendance is mandatory, and active participation is both expected and encouraged. You must have an attendance of 80% to be eligible to take the exam.

When writing your exercises make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules for use of sources and citations. Breach of these rules may lead to suspicion of attempted cheating.

It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about?the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are?offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.

Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) May 22, 2025 3:41:37 AM

Facts about this course

Level
Master
Credits
5
Teaching
Autumn
Examination
Autumn
Teaching language
English

Contact

Department of Technology Systems