Nordic Master's Programme in Cold Climate Engineering
Curriculum 2022–2024
Study Tracks
The Nordic Master in Cold Climate Engineering consists of three specialised study tracks:
- Land Track: Arctic Geoengineering
- Sea Track: Arctic Ships and Offshore Structures (Aalto)
- Space Track: Mapping and Observing the Arctic (Aalto)
Sea Track: Arctic Ships and Offshore Structures
The Sea Track focuses on Arctic ships and offshore structures and the courses are offered by NTNU and Aalto.
The track gives the graduates a comprehensive overview of the different aspects related to the design and analysis of Arctic ships and offshore structures as well as operations on ice-covered waters.
All students will participate in Arctic field work.
The Sea Track covers both the basic knowledge as well as application of Arctic marine technology. During the studies, the students have the possibility to participate on Arctic field work (Svalbard/UNIS), laboratory work at Aalto Ice Tank and numerical modelling of ice related problems.
Special Knowledge on Arctic Ships and Offshore Structures and Operations
Graduates from the Sea Track will have acquired special knowledge related to Arctic ships and offshore structures and Arctic operations and will be able to:
- Understand the complicated and specific natures of Arctic design and operation environment.
- Describe the challenging environment and use this knowledge for modelling purposes.
- Design and carry out Arctic field work measurement campaigns.
- Understand the basic characteristics of ice model scale testing.
- Use analytical and numerical models to predict ice-structure interaction and other ice related problems.
The Sea Track offers two main options:
- Start at Aalto or
- Start at NTNU.
There are several options for electives within the two main options.
Aalto’s main focus is on Arctic ships while NTNU’s main focus is Arctic offshore structures.
See the detailed course plans for the different options of the Sea Track below.
You can view your degree structure and information on courses and study modules in Sisu (sisu.aalto.fi) once you’ve made a HOPS study plan (Sisu Help).
Your study plan automatically shows the courses and study modules that are compulsory, i.e. those you are required to complete in order to graduate. For your elective (optional) studies module, you can find courses by using the search function either in Sisu’s ‘selection assistant’ or on the Search page (click Search on the upper banner).
Year 1: Aalto
| Semester 1 |
Courses MEC-E4003 Ice mechanics (5 ECTS) MEC-E1010 Dynamics of Rigid Body (5 ECTS) MEC-E1020 Fluid Dynamics (5 ECTS) MEC-E1050 Finite element method in solids (5 ECTS) MEC-E1040 Dynamics of Structures (5 ECTS) MEC-E4004 Model scale testing in ice (5 ECTS) |
| Semester 2 |
Courses: MEC-E4006 Ship Operations on Ice (5 ECTS) MEC-E4002 Ice loads on Structures (5 ECTS) AAE-E2001Computational Fluid Dynamics (5 ECTS) MEC-E8001 Finite Element Analysis (5 ECTS) Plus 2 elective courses from below: MEC-E2007 Ship Structures and Construction (5 ECTS) |
| Students who have received their pre-university education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or received their education abroad, are required to complete only 3 ECTS in one foreign language, including both oral and written proficiency. | |
| Relevant courses (marked with ‘o’ and ‘w’) are offered by the Aalto University Language Center. There students who have received their education abroad and who already have excellent command of English (e.g. English as their first language) may choose 3 credits of Finnish or Swedish courses instead |
Year 2: NTNU/UNIS, including Master's Thesis
Select one of the options below
Option 1 UNIS – Collection and analysis of data
| Semester 1 | Mandatory |
AT-334 Arctic Measurements Technique, operations and transport (4 weeks August – early Sept) (10 ECTS) TBA451 Marine Civil Engineering SP (carried out at UNIS) (10 ECTS) |
| Elective |
AT-332 - Physical Environmental Loads on Arctic Coastal and Offshore Structures (10 ECTS) AS-303 - Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Arctic (10 ECTS) AS-304 - The Risk, Technology and Human Performance in Arctic Operations (10 ECTS) |
|
| Semester 2 | Thesis | TBA4920 – Marine Civil Engineering, Master's Thesis (30 ECTS),at UNIS |
Please note that it will only be possible to do your master's thesis at UNIS if this option is chosen.
Option 2 NTNU (UNIS) – Fixed and floating structures
| Semester 1 | Mandatory |
AT-334 Arctic Measurements Technique, operations and transport - at UNIS (4 weeks August – early Sept) (10 ECTS) TBA4260 Ice actions on Arctic structures(7,5 ECTS) TBA450 Marine Civil Engineering SP (7.5 ECTS) |
|
| Elective |
One elective course for example: TBA4145 Port and Coastal facilities (7,5 ECTS) TKT4108 Dynamics – advanced course (7,5 ECTS) TKT4197Non-linear finite element analysis (7,5 ECTS) |
||
| Semester 2 | Thesis | TBA4920 – Marine Civil Engineering, Master's Thesis (30 ECTS) |
Option 3 NTNU (UNIS) – Arctic marine systems
| Semester 1 | Mandatory |
AT-334 Arctic Measurements Technique, operations and transport - at UNIS (4 weeks August – early Sept) (10 ECTS) TMR4560 Marine systems design SP (7,5 ECTS) TMR4565 Marine systems design SC (7,5 ECTS) |
| Elective |
One elective course for example: TMR4130 Risk Analysis and Safety Management of Maritime Transport (7,5 ECTS) TMR4260 Safe Operation and Maintenance (7,5 ECTS) TMR4215 Sea Loads (7,5 ECTS) TBA5100 Theoretical soil mechanics (7,5 ECTS) TBA4145 Port and Coastal facilities (7,5 ECTS) |
|
| Semester 2 | Thesis | TMR4930 – Marine Technology, Master's Thesis (30 ECTS) |
Year 1: NTNU/UNIS
Option 1 UNIS – Collection and analysis of data
| Semester 1 | Mandatory |
TBA4265 Arctic and Marine Civil Engineering (7,5 ECTS) TBA4260 Ice actions on Arctic structures (7,5 ECTS) |
| Elective* |
TBA4275 Dynamic response of irregular loading(7,5 ECTS) TBA4145 Port and Coastal facilities(7,5 ECTS) TBA5100 Theoretical soil mechanics(7,5 ECTS) TKT Mechanics (7,5 ECTS) / TKT4145 Finite Element methods in Engineering science |
|
|
Semester 2 UNIS |
Mandatory |
AT-211 Ice mechanics, loads on structures and instrumentation, UNIS (15 ETCS) AT-205 Frozen ground engineering for Arctic Infrastructures (15 ETCS) |
*At least one Finite Element course needs to be taken either at NTNU or at Aalto.
Year 2: Aalto, including Master's Thesis
Note: 25 ECTS in the autumn and 35 ECTS in the spring
| Semester 1 |
Courses: MEC-E4004 Model Scale Testing in Ice (5 ECTS) MEC-E2009 Marine Risks and Safety (5 ECTS) MEC-E1020 Fluid Dynamics (5 ECTS) Plus 2 elective courses from below: MEC-E1030 Random loads & processes (5 ECTS) - cannot be chosen if the student has taken TBA4275 at NTNU MEC-E4003 Ice mechanics (5 ECTS) - cannot be chosen if the student has taken AT-211 at UNIS MEC-E1010 Dynamics of Rigid Body (5 ECTS) MEC-E2001 Ship Hydrodynamics (5 ECTS) |
| Semester 2 |
Course: MEC-E4006 Ship operations in Ice (5 ECTS) Master's Thesis: Master's Thesis |
| Students who have received their pre-university education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or received their education abroad, are required to complete only 3 ECTS in one foreign language, including both oral and written proficiency. | |
| Relevant courses (marked with ‘o’ and ‘w’) are offered by the Aalto University Language Center. There students who have received their education abroad and who already have excellent command of English (e.g. English as their first language) may choose 3 credits of Finnish or Swedish courses instead |
The Space Track
The Space Track focuses on Earth observation techniques, mapping and navigation in the Arctic and the courses are offered by Aalto and DTU.
The track gives the graduates a profound understanding of how to use space as an environment for developing instruments to benefit people and society.
The students on the Space Track must choose between two specialisations:
- Earth Observations Techniques with a focus on sensing and mapping solutions for the Arctic.
- Mapping and Navigation with a focus on high-latitude and Arctic/Antarctic areas.
Special Knowledge on Exploration Techniques Used in the Polar Regions
Graduates from the Space Track will have acquired a thorough overview of technologies used for climate monitoring, mapping and navigation and will be able to:
- Design, build and operate functional space and Earth observation systems.
- Set up Earth observation research projects.
- Conduct science and applied Earth monitoring with the research results.
Earth Observation Techniques
The specialisation Earth Observation Techniques offers two main options:
- Start at Aalto or
- Start at DTU.
There are electives within the two main options.
See the detailed course plans for the different options of the Earth Observation Techniques specialisation below.
You can view your degree structure and information on courses and study modules in Sisu (sisu.aalto.fi) once you’ve made a HOPS study plan (Sisu Help).
Your study plan automatically shows the courses and study modules that are compulsory, i.e. those you are required to complete in order to graduate. For your elective (optional) studies module, you can find courses by using the search function either in Sisu’s ‘selection assistant’ or on the Search page (click Search on the upper banner).
Year 1: Aalto
| Semester 1 |
Mandatory courses: GIS-E1040 - Photogrammetry, Laser Scanning and Remote Sensing (5 ECTS) ELEC-E4230 - Microwave Earth observation instrumentation (5 ECTS) Plus elective courses (20 ECTS) suggestions: |
| Semester 2 |
Mandatory courses: GIS-E3050 - Advanced Remote Sensing (5 ECTS) ELEC-E4240 - Satellite systems (5 ECTS) TU-E1120 - Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation (5 ECTS) Plus elective courses (15 ECTS) suggestions: |
Year 2: DTU, including Master's Thesis and possible course in Greenland
Note: 25 ECTS in the autumn and 35 ECTS in the spring
| Semester 1 |
Mandatory courses: 30202 Measurement technologies in Earth and Space Physics (5 ECTS) 30230 Data analysis and modeling in Geoscience and Astrophysics (5 ECTS) 30220 Synthesis in Earth and Space Physics (10 ECTS) - if not ELEC-4930 was chosen at Aalto Plus elective courses (5 ECTS) |
| Semester 2 |
Mandatory courses: 30752 Cryosphere physics and observation or 11857 Extreme Climate and Physical Nature (5 ECTS) Master thesis (30 ECTS) |
More information about DTU courses can be found here.
Additionally, there is a 3 ECTS language requirement for achieving the Aalto degree.
Year 1: DTU
| Semester 1 |
Mandatory courses: 30202 Measurement technologies in Earth and Space Physics (5 ECTS) 30230 Data analysis and modeling in Geoscience and Astrophysics (5 ECTS) 30350 Remote Sensing (10 ECTS) Plus elective courses (10 ECTS) |
| Semester 2 |
Mandatory courses: 30755 Climate Change – physics and observation (5 ECTS) 30752 Cryosphere physics and observation (5 ECTS) or 11857 in 4th semester 42500 Innovation in Engineering (5 ECTS) Plus elective courses (15 ECTS) suggestions: 30220 Synthesis in Earth and Space Physics (10 ECTS) |
Year 2: Aalto, including Master's Thesis and possible course in Greenland
| Semester 1 |
Mandatory courses: GIS-E1040 - Photogrammetry, Laser Scanning and Remote Sensing (5 ECTS) -not if 30540 Mapping from Aerial and Satellite Images was chosen at DTU ELEC-E4930 Project in Space Science and Technology (10 ECTS) - if not 30220 was chosen at DTU Geodesy and positioning GIS 1010 (5ECTS) Plus elective courses, suggestions: |
| Semester 2 |
Mandatory courses: Master thesis (30 ECTS) – can be made with for instance FMI – Arctic Space Center https://fmiarc.fmi.fi/ If not 30752 at DTU was chosen, 11857 in Greenland (5 ECTS) Plus elective courses, suggestions: |
Additionally, there is a 3 ECTS language requirement for achieving the Aalto degree.
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