Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy BA

London, Bloomsbury
Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy BA (2024)

Our Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy degree offers huge scope for developing in-depth, comparative and intercultural approaches to the humanities with a focus on Philosophy, as well as near-native language skills. You will also be able to choose from a wide range of modules including literature, linguistic traditions, history, sociology, philosophy, art, film or other aspects of the cultures associated with Scandinavia.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
4 academic years
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£9,250
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£28,100
Programme starts
September 2025
Application deadline
29 Jan 2025
UCAS course code
R6V5

Entry requirements

Grades
AAB
Subjects
Please refer to UCL’s list of preferred A level subjects.
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4.

Contextual offer information

Contextual offers are typically one to two grades lower than the standard offer. Grade and subject requirements for contextual offers for this programme will be published in Summer 2024.

Points
36
Subjects
A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.

Contextual offer

Contextual offers are typically one to two grade boundaries (equivalent to A levels) lower than the standard offer. IB Diploma grade and subject requirements for contextual offers for this programme will be published in Summer 2024.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. Foreign Language preferred.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,D3,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Foreign language preferred.

A,A,B at Advanced Highers (or A,A at Advanced Higher and B,B,B at Higher). Foreign Language preferred.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAB. Foreign language preferred.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview

Your degree will be studied on a 50/50 ratio between Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy.

In your first, second and final years you will take modules in your chosen Scandinavian language and the literature, culture, history and linguistics related to it, as well as modules in Philosophy (visit the UCL Philosophy website for further details).

You may also take modules offered by the School of European Languages, Culture & Society (SELCS), which offer an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing on the full range of specialisms within the School.

Your third year is spent abroad in a country where a Scandinavian language is spoken, studying at a university or doing a work placement. We expect graduates to achieve the same linguistic competence whether or not they started from beginner level.

What this course will give you

We provide an ideal environment for language study. UCL offers an unparalleled range of languages and state-of-the-art facilities, including a well-equipped language learning suite. Scandinavian Studies offers Danish, Norwegian and Swedish languages from beginner level.

UCL Philosophy is a prestigious department and you will be learning from some of the pre-eminent thinkers in the field. The department has a strong research culture in areas including Ethics, Metaphysics and the Philosophy of Mind.

UCL has a large international population, and you will have countless opportunities to practise and speak your chosen language(s) with native speakers and learn about the associated culture and society.

Our location in London provides access to frequent and varied cultural events, a huge range of museums, galleries, specialist libraries and bookshops, theatres, cinemas, cuisines and cultural societies. As a UCL Philosophy student, you will also be able to attend the meetings of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, the Aristotelian Society and the Institute of Philosophy, all located nearby. Undergraduate students also run active departmental societies housed by the Students' Union.

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits each, adding up to a total of 120 credits each year. The range of modules available to students varies from programme to programme and year to year.

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

You will spend the first two years at UCL gaining expertise in the productive and receptive skills of Scandinavian languages, as well as gaining a more developed understanding of the literature, cinema, politics, history, culture and society of the countries where Scandinavian languages are spoken.

You will nominate your chosen language as Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, and select between Scandinavian cultural studies modules, language-based modules, as well as Philosophy modules.

There is a compulsory year abroad in Year 3, during which you will spend your time in a country where a Scandinavian language is spoken. You may study at a partner university or undertake an approved work placement.

The final year is based at UCL where you will continue to study a range of advanced level modules on language, applied language (such as translation), literature, history, film and linguistics. A final-year dissertation module is available, should you wish to undertake a self-initiated project building on the independent research skills developed over the course of your programme of study.

Compulsory modules (full-time)

Your degree will be studied on a 50/50 ratio between Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy.

In each year of study at UCL, you will take compulsory Scandinavian Studies language modules, normally up to the value of 30 credits. You will nominate your chosen language as Danish, Norwegian or Swedish. Accompanied by credits in literature, culture, history and linguistics related to your chosen language.

You will also take compulsory modules in Philosophy in each year of study at UCL – for further details please see: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/philosophy/current-students/ba-programmes/ba-modules

Degrees that are 'and' another subject will usually comprise of 60 credits in SELCS modules and 60 credits from Philosophy.

Optional modules

Optional modules include culture, literature, film, history and linguistics and may be language specific or interdisciplinary in focus.

Further details on modules are available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-languages-culture/programmes-courses/modules-and-timetable/undergraduate-modules

Compulsory modules (full-time)

In each year of study at UCL, you will take compulsory Scandinavian Studies language modules, normally up to the value of 30 credits. You will nominate your chosen language as Danish, Norwegian or Swedish. Accompanied by credits in literature, culture, history and linguistics related to your chosen language.

You will also take compulsory modules in Philosophy in each year of study at UCL – for further details please see: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/philosophy/current-students/ba-programmes/ba-modules

 

Optional modules

Optional modules include culture, literature, film, history and linguistics and may be language specific or interdisciplinary in focus.

Further details on modules are available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-languages-culture/programmes-courses/modules-and-timetable/undergraduate-modules

Year abroad

Your third year is spent abroad. This will not only bring the language and culture you are studying to life, but also strengthen your resourcefulness and self-reliance. You will normally spend this year studying at a university in a country where your chosen language is spoken. Alternatives, such as work placements, may be possible.

For further details on the SELCS Year Abroad please consult: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-languages-culture/programmes-courses/undergraduate/year-abroad

Compulsory modules (full-time)

In your final year of study at UCL, you will take compulsory Scandinavian Studies language modules, normally up to the value of 30 credits. You will nominate your chosen language as Danish, Norwegian or Swedish. Accompanied by credits in literature, culture, history and linguistics related to your chosen language.

You will also take compulsory modules in Philosophy in each year of study at UCL – for further details please see: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/philosophy/current-students/ba-programmes/ba-modules

Optional modules

Optional modules include culture, literature, film, history and linguistics and may be language specific or interdisciplinary in focus.

Further details on modules are available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-languages-culture/programmes-courses/modules-and-timetable/undergraduate-modules

Your learning

Your language classes focus on developing the active skills of speaking, listening, writing and reading through a variety of methods and media. You will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars, as well as undertaking web-based study and group work.

During Terms 1 and 2, approximately 35% of a student's time is spent in lectures, seminars or tutorials and the remainder in independent study. There is minimal teaching during Term 3, which focuses on examinations and assessment.

Assessment

Modules are assessed by a mixture of written and oral examinations, essays and other forms of coursework.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

The foundation of your career

Popular career paths for modern language graduates include teaching and education (12.3%), publishing, journalism or translation (11.8%), accountancy and financial services (11.2%), media (4.8%), law (2.7%), PR, advertising, marketing (2.1%) and the civil service (1.6%)*. Employers of our graduates include KPMG, Bloomberg, BBC, Business Insider, Deutsche Bank, Houses of Parliament, Ipsos MORI, L'Oreal, London Theatre Company, Lonely Planet, Teach First, PwC and UK Government.*

Some graduates pursue careers that make special use of their language skills, including translating, interpreting and teaching, while others continue with graduate training, further study or academic research (4.8%).*

The discipline of philosophical training, and in particular its emphasis on rigorous argumentation, logic, and clarity of thought and expression, makes philosophy graduates highly suitable for a wide variety of careers.

Many recent UCL graduates have excelled in the legal profession, training as both solicitors and barristers. Others have entered sectors such as publishing (Oriel Square), journalism (TLDR News), finance (Bank of England, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank), the civil service and UK Government (Cabinet Office, Department for Education). Philosophy graduates are also sought after as programmers and systems analysts (Godija), while a good proportion of students go on to further study in philosophy.*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-2021 cohorts.

Employability

There are many career opportunities for UCL's modern language graduates, and we embed within our teaching the acquisition of transferable skills as well as linguistic and cultural knowledge.

Beyond becoming an expert in your chosen field, you will gain employable attributes including leadership, communication, teamwork, language and business skills, refined in a dynamic cross-disciplinary research environment.

78% of graduates from the School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS) and 80% of graduates from UCL Philosophy were in work, further study or due to start work or study, 15 months after graduation.* 

*Graduate Outcomes survey

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £9,250
Tuition fees (2024/25) £28,100

The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2024/25 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2024/25 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL Library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

In addition, please note that if you study abroad during your programme at UCL, this is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200–£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website.

A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We seek to select candidates who, in addition to academic achievement, have the motivation and passion for language learning, for inter-cultural inquiry, and who have a deep commitment to developing and finessing their language proficiency to an advanced level.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Our admissions process aims to assess your linguistic abilities and attainments, as well as cultural awareness and intellectual potential. We may interview candidates by telephone in order to establish a level of language ability.

If your application demonstrates that your academic ability and motivation make you well-suited to our degree and you receive an offer, then we shall invite you to a Post-Offer Open Day, where you can meet academics who will be teaching on your degree.

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.