Prospective Students
UCL is one of only two departments in the
UK to offer degree-level study of the Nordic region. A degree in Scandinavian
Studies will introduce you to the languages, history and culture of this unique
region, while offering rigorous academic training in the heart of London.
Study with us
A BA in Scandinavian Studies, Icelandic, or Viking and Old Norse Studies makes you stand out from the crowd!
Each of our undergraduate degrees combines
intensive language learning with modules on the history and culture of this
fascinating region. As a student at the UCL Department of Scandinavian Studies,
you will spend the first two years of the degree in London before travelling
abroad to study at a Scandinavian university.
Spending your third year abroad
is the perfect opportunity to get to know the region first-hand, practice the
language, and make friends with other, like-minded students.
After a final, fourth
year of study back in London, you will have mastered at least one Nordic
language and you will graduate with a sophisticated understanding of the Nordic
region and its relationship with the rest of the world. You’ll also have honed
your written and oral communication abilities, and you’ll have learned how to
develop and carry out independent, academic research.
“I love studying in the Scandinavian Department at UCL because it is so tight-knit, and we can help and support each other in seminars. It means support is always just round the corner.”
— BA Scandinavian Studies student
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- Range of Specialisms and Courses
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A truly Nordic department, we teach Danish,
Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, as well as their medieval precursor, Old Norse.
Our cultural, historical and political courses also cover Finland.
We have
strong medieval expertise, both historical and literary, and we offer a variety
of modules in modern cultural studies, including literature, film, historical
topics and politics. Our language courses are intense and engaging, taught in
small groups by experienced language pedagogues using a wide range of materials
and topics, and our cultural and historical courses are designed to give both
broad coverage of disciplines and topics as well as in-depth critical exposure
and analysis.
We have dedicated degree programmes in
Scandinavian Studies, Viking and Old Norse Studies, and Icelandic (all of which
includes study of a main land Scandinavian language), or you can combine study
of one of our languages with another language or another subject in SELCS and
beyond.
- Innovative Teaching
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Research-based learning. The Department’s
teaching and research staff specialise in a wide range of fields and
disciplines. Our strengths include medieval history and literature; modern literature,
history and politics; film and media studies; and musicology and cultural
studies. We enjoy sharing our research with our students, and we are passionate
about helping students develop their own research skills, both at undergraduate
and postgraduate level. The Department runs regular research seminars,
conferences and workshops in order to showcase research by staff and students.
Learn three Scandinavian
languages for the price of one! Our language tutors work together to teach students of the
three mainland Scandinavian languages how to speak to each other in their
respective languages. Joint classes in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish ensure
that students learn how to communicate across the Scandinavian region.
Learning outside the classroom. We try to take
advantage of all the opportunities offered by our London location. As part of
our ‘Vikings and Material Cultures’ module, we take students on study trips to
the British Museum, the Museum of London and Senate House Library. We hold language classes in the UCL Art
Museum and participate in events at the various Nordic Embassies, including
book launches and author visits. We also organise study trips to Norway and
Denmark so that students can experience the region first-hand and practice
their languages will in advance of the Year Abroad.
- Research Excellence
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Research at the Department encompasses a
broad range of fields, including literary, linguistic, historical and cultural
studies. See our ‘Meet the Staff’ page for a full list of specialisations.
In the
2016-17 Times Higher Education rankings, University College London came 4th
in the world for teaching and research in the Arts and Humanities.
- Connections and Collaborations
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Located in the heart of London, UCL is a
five-minute walk from the British Museum and ten minutes from the British
Library. We are surrounded by world-famous cultural institutions and historic
landmarks, as well as a diverse, multicultural population. At UCL, you will
meet people from across the UK and around the world.
The Department of Scandinavian Studies has
close ties with the Nordic Embassies in London, allowing our students unique
access to Embassy events such as author visits, academic conferences and social
gatherings.
The Department is also home to Norvik Press, the UK's only press specialising in Nordic literature and culture, and
to the Viking Society for Northern Research, the world’s foremost learned society in the
field of medieval Scandinavian studies.