One of the most attractive characteristics of this four-year programme is its flexibility.
In Years 1 and 2 your pre-honours years you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines in addition to your core subjects of Scandinavian Studies and Linguistics.
As well as broadening your education and skill set this may enable you to change the focus of your programme in Years 3 and 4 your honours years.
Year 1
Scandinavian Studies
You will take an intensive beginners' language course in either Danish Norwegian or Swedish. Each course also involves studying literature and culture.
Linguistics
You will take two semester-long introductory courses in linguistics.
Linguistics and English Language 1A offers a brief introduction to the study of language in general and of English in particular.
Linguistics and English Language 1B will help you develop the tools and knowledge needed to investigate the different subsystems of language in a systematic way.
Option courses
To broaden the scope of your study you will also choose option courses from a wide range offered by the University of Edinburgh.
These include two courses in Scandinavian Civilisation which provide an overview of important trends in the history society culture and politics of the Scandinavian and wider Nordic world from the earliest times to the present.
We would encourage you to take one or both of these Scandinavian Civilisation options over the course of Years 1 and 2.
Other options include - but are not limited to - courses in:
business economics and informatics
politics social policy and social anthropology
art and architectural history
history classics and archaeology
Celtic and Scottish ethnology
linguistics and language sciences
philosophy divinity and law
You can also opt to study another language. We offer one of the widest ranges of languages of any UK university. The majority are suitable for complete beginners and include cultural study.
Year 2
Scandinavian Studies
You will continue with Danish Language 2 Norwegian Language 2 or Swedish Language 2 building on your linguistic knowledge from Year 1.
You will also take further courses in Scandinavian literature and languages. You can choose for example to develop your skills in understanding all three Scandinavian languages.
Linguistics
You will take a course looking at linguistic theory and choose between a course on:
the variation observed in the languages of the world or
the structure and history of world languages
Option courses
As in Year 1 you will also choose option courses from a wide range offered by the University of Edinburgh.
These include a great selection in European languages and cultures allowing you to study literature film and theatre in themed and comparative contexts.
Year 3
If international travel restrictions allow you will spend your third year in either Denmark Norway or Sweden either studying or completing a work/teaching placement.
Whether studying or working our graduates have told us how much the year abroad has benefited their broader life experience and skills as well as their understanding of Scandinavian culture.
During your year abroad we will aim to ensure your experience is as beneficial as possible to your final year as well as to your wider language learning cultural awareness and skills development.
You will complete prescribed work in both linguistics and Scandinavian Studies. For example you will take an e-learning language course which will count as part of your Year 3 mark and prepare you for your final year courses in either Danish Norwegian or Swedish.
If international travel is not possible you will be offered an alternative means of engaging with your subjects enabling you to meet your learning outcomes and preparing you for your final year.
Year 4
You will develop advanced spoken and written skills in your chosen Scandinavian language.
You will also choose from a wide range of specialist honours-level courses in both Scandinavian Studies and linguistics.
You will complete your dissertation or long essay.
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