Reindeer - Animal, Livelihood and Culture (5cr)

Evaluation scale

Approved/Rejected

Content scheduling

100% online course in which all lectures and assignments are completed independently, according to your own schedule, within the timeframe of the course.

Objective

You become familiar with reindeer as an animal, reindeer husbandry, owners and cooperatives. You learn about the reindeer herding year, nutrition, breeding and economics in reindeer husbandry. You identify reindeer products and reindeer as a source of culture. You understand the relationship of reindeer husbandry and other livelihoods (e.g. tourism, forestry, agriculture) in the north. You identify the reindeer husbandry adaptions in changing environment.

Accomplishment methods

The study module will be implemented online on Moodle Learning Environment and Adobe Connect. The course consists of lectures (recorded lessons and Adobe Connect contact lessons), independent studies and group work online.

Content

The course has nine modules.
1. Reindeer as an animal
2. Reindeer husbandry, owners and cooperatives
3. Reindeer herding year
4. Work in reindeer herding
5. Reindeer nutrition and breeding
6. Reindeer products and economics in reindeer husbandry
7. Reindeer in changing environment
8. Reindeer husbandry and other livelihoods
9. Reindeer as a source of culture

Location and time

Autumn 2025, online.

Materials

In Moodle

Teaching methods

This is a 100% online course in which all lectures and assignments are completed independently, according to your own schedule, within the timeframe of the course. The course content is approached from an international viewpoint, offering insights that are especially tailored to those new to the Finnish environment.

Exam schedules

No exam, but written assignments in Moodle.

International connections

The course content is approached from an international viewpoint, offering insights that are especially tailored to those new to the Finnish environment."

Completion alternatives

Choose either this or the other reindeer course, named Nature and economic life in Lapland: reindeer husbandry case.

Student workload

133 hours student's work

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Pass/Fail
The assessment of the course: the groups hand in a portfolio based on the instructions available in Moodle.

Further information

In addition to this online course, a parallel study module featuring in-person teaching and a field trip is also available. Please note that you may choose only one of the two, as they contain partially overlapping content. For students studying on campus, the parallel course called "Nature and economic life in Lapland - reindeer husbandry case" is strongly recommended, as it provides hands-on and collaborative learning experiences.