WELCOME TO THE COURSE
Welcome to the course Terrestrial biogeochemistry held by the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science at Umeå University. If you have any questions regarding the course, please just send an e-mail to the course coordinator , ryan.sponseller@umu.se. Below you will find important information about the course and Umeå university, so please read it carefully.
You have been admitted for studies at Umeå University and you do not have to confirm your offer to keep your place.
If you do not want to keep your place you should decline your offer by logging in to 'My pages' on universityadmissions.se, and follow the instructions. You should click "I wish to decline this offer" next to the course you want to decline.
If you see "Reserve" next to your course in the Notification of selection results, this means that you've been placed on a waiting list for that course.
If you are in need of special support due to disability, you should apply for that in good time before you start your studies. Find more information about support for studying with disabilities.
As a new student, you need to activate your user account (your Umu-id) approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
With your user account you can:
If you are a new student, you will automatically receive a user account when you are admitted, but you will need to activate it for it to function properly. You will not be able to activate it until approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
Install MFA for a more secure login
To increase security and reduce the risk of unauthorised access to your information or account, students must enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to log in to various systems, such as Canvas and the Student Web.
I want to activate my user account and install MFA
If you are an exchange student or tuition fee paying student, you will receive an email with instructions on how to activate your account.
If you are having problems activating your account or logging in, please contact our Servicedesk. You will find answers to common questions, and can submit enquiries.
You need to be registered for the course in the study documentation system, Ladok, in order to keep your place and to have your results recorded during the course. Online registration is open between 18 March and 1 April. If you do not register by 1 April at the latest, you risk losing your place.
Introduction to Ladok for students
To be able to sign in to register online, you need to have activated your Umu-id account.
If you are unable to attend the course we would be most grateful if you could notify universityadmissions.se.
If you cannot attend at the introduction you must inform the course organizer in advance, otherwise your course registration may expire..
Tuesday 25 March
Time: 10:30
Location: NAT.C2.436
The introduction day we meet and discuss the aims and expectations of the course and introduce you to the themes you will be working with over the following weeks.
The course addresses the major biogeochemical cycles in the terrestrial biosphere. This includes focus on the interactions between the atmosphere and plant -soil systems, on how natural processes influence the distribution and cycling of key elements, and on how these cycles are altered by a range of natural and human-induced perturbations, including land use and climate change. Finally, the course will provide an overview of these biogeochemical cycles from local to global scales.
The form of instruction includes lectures, student-led discussions of the primary literature, analysis of existing datasets, and in some case field excursions. This is an advanced-level (master’s) course and thus comes with the expectation that students can at times work independently and within small groups. The overall format of the course combines short lectures complemented by assigned readings that are focused on a series of key biogeochemical elements or topics. Some topics may also include work with data analysis and interpretation, and may even involve sample preparation and analysis. Individual project work may vary, but could include short individual experiments or deep literature searches to summarize and synthesis our understanding of different biogeochemical elements.
Read more in the course syllabus.
The course literature is based och scientific journal papers that you will receive during the course. Additional material might also be given from the course teachers.
Information and course materials aimed directly at course participants are available in the Canvas learning platform. Students registered on a course have access to the course's Canvas page.
Checklist for admitted students
Follow this simple list of things to complete your enrolment at Umeå University. It includes: how to secure housing, getting a residence permit (for citizens from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland), tuition payment (if applicable), travel directions and more.
The Student web
The website for current students has all sorts of information about services, support, legal and practical matters at Umeå University. You can sign in to the learning platforms, see your schedule and course overview, get a study certificate, apply for a degree or sign up for an examination.
Recommended arrival times
International students are recommended to arrive at least a few days before the start of the regular semester, preferably prior to the Orientation. If you fail to arrive on time, you have to contact the study counselor as soon as possible, but no later than one week ahead of the course start, or you may not be able to register for the programme or course.
If you will have student housing through the Housing Office at Umeå University you will receive information about your arrival in your offer of housing.
Don't forget - Umeå has cold winters, so pack accordingly with a warm jacket, warm shoes, gloves and hat.
Orientation
Moving to a new country with an unfamiliar language, culture and customs can be a challenge. We would like to help you and ease that challenge so that you can focus on your studies. Therefore, we would like to offer you the possibility to take part in our Orientation, which begins a few days before the start of the semester (Autumn) or the same day as the semester starts (Spring).
Welcome Fair
Are you a new student at Umeå University? Visit the Welcome Fair – a perfect opportunity to learn what our university and Umeå can offer. The fair normally takes place in the beginning of each semester.
Get your UmU card
When you are on Campus Umeå, Umeå Arts Campus or Campus Örnsköldsvik, you will need a UmU card. The card has the following functions:
To get the card, you need to apply for it. Here’s how to apply for the UmU card.
Join a student union
There are three student unions at Umeå University:
They are actively involved so that fellow students have a high quality of education, good working environment, and fun leisure time.
Access to Microsoft Office 365
Students at Umeå University have free access to the programmes of Microsoft Office 365. This means that you have access to Teams, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Whiteboard Forms, your student email and other services which can facilitate your studies and your collaboration with other students. To access Office 365 you need to activate your UmU-id.
Learn more about Office 365 and how to install it on your computer