About this programme
Master in Ecology is a Master's Degree programme at Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Ås, taught in English. It runs for 2 years and carries 120 ECTS credits. The register gives Ås as the campus town. It lists the degree as Master. Norwegian University of Life Sciences is a state university in Akershus.
How it compares
Master in Ecology is one of 5 English-taught Ecology programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 5 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.
What you will study
What you study
This is a two-year master's in ecology at NMBU in Ås, worth 120 ECTS. The programme is built around the big ecological problems: biodiversity loss, climate change, habitat loss and pollution. You look at how these pressures strain ecosystems and what can be done about them, including restoration ecology and sustainable ecosystem management.
All students take the same compulsory courses: Ecological Research, Conservation Biology, Global Change Ecology, Restoration Ecology, Interdisciplinarity and Expert Disagreement on Sustainability, and Methods in Natural Sciences. On top of that you specialise by choosing at least one 300-level course from a long list. The options include Plant Ecology, Ecological Entomology, Behavioural and Population Ecology, Landscape Ecology, Ecology and Management of Rivers and Lakes, Environmental Pollutants and Ecotoxicology, Environmental DNA, Human Wildlife Interactions, Forest Ecology, and Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Conservation.
The degree ends with an independent research project, a master's thesis of 60 ECTS. You have plenty of freedom to pick your topic. Previous students have written on carnivore biology and management, forest biology and ecology, freshwater ecology, freshwater fish management, insect ecology, plant ecology, tropical flora and fauna, and wildlife conservation and management.
How the programme is organised
Teaching mixes lectures, seminars, project reports, term papers, excursions and field work. Assessment is varied too: written and oral exams, semester assignments, restoration plans, student presentations, participation in debates, and reporting from compulsory activities. The master's thesis is defended with an external examiner present.
Fieldwork can take you abroad. NMBU ecology students do fieldwork in many different countries, and you can also carry out your thesis fieldwork outside Norway. The programme allows for study abroad as long as you take the compulsory courses, either at NMBU or at another institution with approval. The faculty has close collaborations with universities abroad, and students on the programme have come from partner institutions in Asia and Africa.
Who it suits
You need a bachelor's degree in natural sciences with solid knowledge of ecology, ecological processes and statistics. The minimum grade point average is C on the Norwegian scale, or equivalent. You must also meet NMBU's English language requirements for programmes taught in English. Students who already hold a master's degree from Norway are not prioritised.
The programme suits someone who wants to understand how humans impact the environment and who is ready to work across disciplines. The learning outcomes stress communicating science to managers and the public, working in multidisciplinary teams, and applying ecological principles to conservation and natural resource management. If you are aiming at a PhD, the strong research emphasis gives you a base for that.
Admission, language and next steps
Everything is taught in English. The application deadline is 15 April for Norwegian, Nordic, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, and 1 December for students outside the EU/EEA/EFTA. The programme starts in autumn. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland are normally exempt from tuition fees at state institutions; other degree students normally pay a fee set by the institution. Check the programme page for the exact application steps and document requirements before you apply.
Job opportunities after graduating
- Biological researcher or PhD candidate
- Consultant in impact assessments, habitat restoration and nature mapping
- Urban natural resource manager
- Fish and wildlife manager in government
- National park manager
- Environmental monitoring and biological conservation
- Research assistant in carnivore management, entomology, forest biology or fish biology
Before you apply
Master’s applications go straight to Norwegian University of Life Sciences, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. The institution lists its deadline as: Nordic applicants: April 15 EU applicants: April 15 Non EU-applicants: December 1. The register shows 1 December 2026 as a deadline date for this programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.
Facts on this page come from the Study in Norway register, the official English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. "Not listed" means the register has no figure, not that the programme is free. Always confirm requirements, fees and deadlines with the institution.
Quick answers
Is Master in Ecology taught in English?
Yes. The Study in Norway register, run by HK-dir, lists it as an English-taught programme at Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Only English-taught degree programmes are included here.
How long does it take?
The register records 2 years of study and 120 ECTS credits. Sixty ECTS credits are one academic year of full-time study.
Where is it taught?
The register lists Ås as the campus town for this programme at Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
How do I apply?
Master’s applications go straight to the institution, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme, and some programmes require a minimum grade average. Norwegian University of Life Sciences publishes its requirements on the programme page.
When is the application deadline?
Each institution sets and publishes its own deadline for each programme, and the dates can differ between applicants from outside the EU/EEA, EU/EEA applicants and Nordic applicants. As Norwegian University of Life Sciences lists it: Nordic applicants: April 15 EU applicants: April 15 Non EU-applicants: December 1. The register shows 1 December 2026 as a deadline date for this programme. Confirm the date for your own situation on the programme page at Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
What does it cost?
No annual fee is listed for this programme. Degree students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary by institution and programme, so ask Norwegian University of Life Sciences what applies to you. For students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland the record shows no tuition fee. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. Every student also pays a semester fee of about NOK 1,000 to the student welfare organisation linked to the institution.
Do I need a permit to study there?
Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a study permit from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). UDI asks for proof of admission, housing and funds of NOK 15,488 a month or NOK 170,368 a year (2026/27), on top of any tuition fee. A study permit allows work of up to 20 hours a week during term and full time in the holidays. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland register with the police within three months of arrival instead.
Is this programme officially listed?
It comes from the Study in Norway register at studyinnorway.no, the English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. The programme page at Norwegian University of Life Sciences is linked from this page so you can compare.
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