Welcome class of 2012!
Dear Future Sustainability Colleagues,
A very warm welcome to you from Karlskrona! We will update this page over the coming months to assist you as you plan to come to Karlskrona. You should check back here from time to time for new information. We look forward to meeting you in August!
Previous classes of MSLS students have put together a Student Arrival Guide for you. See links below. The guide contains useful information on things you should know before you leave home, getting here, student recommendations on housing options and getting set up. Once you arrive, more information about life in Karlskrona will be available.
If you have not already signed up for our newsletters, please click the 'sign up for e-news' link/button on the homepage.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us: sustainabilitymasters@bth.se
Med vänliga hälsningar
The Programme Team
Orientation week schedule
(Updated July 21, 2011)
Hi guys. Here is the best version of the Welcome Week schedule that I can get to you right now. If anything changes, I will let you know. Click here to view.
The schedule for the first week of classes:
Monday Aug 29th: 08:30-17:30
Tuesday Aug 30th: 09:15-17:00
Wednesday Aug 31st: morning is to be confirmed, afternoon 13:15-17:00
Thursday Sept 1st: 09:15-15:00
Friday Sept 2nd: 09:15-15:00
(I'll post more information later in August)
When will you hear from us this summer?
(Updated June 20, 2011)
During the summer months (now through to mid-August), most BTH staff are away on holidays. Thus, it is unlikely that you will receive any emails from us during this time. Don't worry about things such as registering for your courses, or ordering textbooks - that all happens when you arrive. Just focus on enjoying your last few months where you are, and arranging your travel plans. If possible, arrange accomodation before you arrive - although this is not entirely necessary.
In early August, we'll post up the schedule of activities for Welcome Week. Welcome week is optional, but recommended for you to settle into Karlskrona before we hit the ground running with classes and assignments on August 29th.
In mid August, we'll post up and email out a short pre-assignment for you to submit prior to start of class.
Do not expect to get your study visas sooner than 6 weeks from application date. If you are nearing 2-3 before your planned departure date, call Migrationsverket and ask for the person working on your file. A nice, polite request will typically get your application completed so that can you travel as planned. Note that we (the MSLS staff, or even the BTH staff) cannot help with this process.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Tamara (on behalf of the MSLS programme team)
Things to bring
(Updated June 20, 2011)
One important item for you to bring with you is a photocopy of your degree certificate. This will be needed at the end of the year, when you apply for your MSLS degree. Simple Black and White copy is ok, as long as it's readable.
Further info on key dates
(Updated June 7, 2011)
If you are booking your travel tickets, here are some key dates during the semester that you might find handy:
Winter holiday for the MSLS programme will be from December 22, 2011 to Jan. 3, 2012. Please do not book yourself to be away outside these times, as final presentations and exams will be immediately before and after your break.
Graduation dates for 2012 are still not solidified, but we suggest booking your tickets home around mid June. This allows you to enjoy a few days of Swedish summer after all the official work is wrapped up.
Deferral/Deferment Questions
(Updated June 6, 2011)
Many students have inquired about deferral options. You can read more about BTH's policy on this on this webpage. (FAQ section for prospective students at BTH)
MSLS2012 Facebook group created
(Updated April 27, 2011)
If you are intersted to start conversing online with your colleagues, please apply to join the group MSLS2012.
MSLS ARRIVAL GUIDE
(Updated April 27, 2011)
The current student have now updated the MSLS arrival guide. Download it here. (1.3 MB, Opens in a new window.)
Please note that this document is unofficial and only represents the thoughts/opinions of other MSLS students. Where discrepancies arise with this information and other BTH/Embassy/MSLS Programme Team/other authority information, please default to those authorities' rules.
New Insurance Help from BTH
(Updated April 1, 2011)
Great news from BTH! If you are coming to Sweden as a non EU/EEA member and are staying less than 12 months, you previously had to find medical/health insurance before applying for your study permit. However, as of this week, BTH has arranged insurance for all admitted students who study the 1-year programmes, like MSLS. There is no additional fee for this insurance.
What do you need to do? This week you should be receiving an email from BTH with an insurance certificate. You should bring this certificate with you when applying for your study permit.
Note: If you have a spouse or child/children coming with you, they will not be covered by the BTH insurance, and so you must arrange insurance for them separately.
More information can be found here:
http://www.bth.se/eng/prospectivestudents.nsf/pages/health-and-insurance
Kind regards,
MSLS programme team.
Selections for the MSLS class of 2012 are finalized for Intake #1
Applications update (March 24, 2011):
We have completed our assessment of all International MSLS applications and have forwarded the results to University Studies (Studera.nu). Studera has indicated that they will notify all applicants of the decision on their application(s) on Weds. March 24, 2011. BTH will follow with more welcome information immediately thereafter. Please do not contact the MSLS programme until you have received notice from both Studera and BTH, as many of your questions will be answered in their emails.
If you are late International applicant, you should receive notice a few weeks after all your documents have arrived. We will keep application open only until all spaces in the MSLS programme are filled.
If you are a Swedish applicant, you will receive notice in July 2011.
Useful information
Visas (Residency Permits)
Once you receive your official acceptance letter in the mail, please apply for your residency permit as soon as possible. The approval process takes a minimum of four weeks. Summer is also the time when Swedish immigration staff go on holidays while many international students are applying for permits, so the process has been known to take considerably longer.
One tip for applying: some previous students have been able to receive 12-month permits simply by requesting extra time for travel in Sweden. If your permit is valid for more than 365 days, you can apply for a Swedish personal number on arrival which provides many benefits, including basic health coverage.
Questions for current/past students?
A small number of volunteers from the outgoing class of 2010 have agreed to help answer queries you might have about getting to Karlskrona, finding accommodation and living and studying in Sweden. They represent a number of nationalities and may be able to help you with specific questions. Before contacting them, please read the Arrival Guide and check this page to see if you find answers to your questions here. Their contact information can be found in the Arrival Guide.
Scholarships and Funding
If you nominated on your application form that you would like to be considered for a scholarship you will only be notified if you are successful, and notification will come from the Swedish Institute or SIDA, not BTH. Therefore, please contact those agencies if you have queries since we are unable to answer on their behalf. You may wish to visit our new Scholarships and funding options page for more information about ways to secure funding.
Within a few days of your admission letters, you will be notified about the BTH scholarships, if you have applied for those.
Key dates
As noted in your offer letter you should aim to arrive for the orientation week commencing 22nd August, 2011. Official semester dates can be found by clicking here. Please note that in the MSLS programme there will be a 2 week break from mid- to late December, though this is officially part of the semester and exams/presentations follow immediately afterwards.
Please note that the last possible day of arrival for the MSLS programme 2010/2011 is Friday, September 9th 2011. Students will not be able to commence the programme after this date.
Orientation week
Orientation week will start the 22nd of August, 2011. During this week there will be a number of pre-arranged activities and meeting times for question and answers about administrative matters, connecting with your colleagues and the programme team, and getting to know the campus, Karlskrona and the archipelago. Those present will be given the first class challenge and will need to make decisions about it on behalf of the whole class. The class will also be given access to the programme 'Learning Lab' and to a number of household items and bikes which have been left from the previous year's class. A schedule and short reflective pre-assignment will be posted in early to mid August. The schedule will also be availabe when you arrive at the international office to check-in (refer to arrival guide).
Course Expenses
You will need to purchase the course materials (including the programme textbook, at a price of 600 SEK). Note that the MSLS textbook is currently only sold from us directly and we will ensure you get a copy during the first week of studies. There will also likely be a class field trip, partially subsidised by the MSLS programme, for which you should budget around 1500-2500 SEK.
Suggested Reading and Resources
In recognition of the diverse backgrounds represented in the class, past years' students have indicated that it would be beneficial to have some recommendations for prior reading. This is not required but for those who are interested and / or do not have a background in aspects of sustainability you may wish to review the resources section on the website. A suggested starting point is the book "The Natural Step Story: Seeding a Quiet Revolution" by Karl-Henrik Robert. You might also be interested in the casual reading list put together by a past class (click here), though these books are not all course related.
Thesis Projects
You may want to give thought to areas of interest or questions for consideration in an eventual thesis project. Thesis projects are listed on the website and may assist you. While it is good to have this in mind, if you don't have ideas now don't worry as ideas will inevitably come to you (and evolve) throughout the learning process. Please note, thesis projects are undertaken as collaborative ventures (i.e. in groups of three people). Past students have indicated this to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the programme.
How else to stay in touch?
Our students and staff are quite active on various social media sites including the MSLS2010 Facebook group, the BTH Sustainability Masters fanpage, SustainBTH on Twitter, LinkedIn, WiserEarth, etc. Don't forget to sign up for our e-news, and feel encouraged to poke around the website or build your own Facebook group.
