University of Iceland

The course introduces foreign students to Icelandic folk culture past and present: from the folk beliefs implied by the Icelandic sagas to the famous collection of folk tales concerning "hidden people", elves, magicians, seal-folk, ghosts and more which was published by Jón Árnason in 1862-64; the ballads and music enjoyed by the people in the countryside; and the beliefs, behavior, and lifestyles encountered by the somewhat dumbfounded and awe-inspired early foreign travelers to Iceland during the last century. Students are introduced to modern Icelandic traditions and beliefs, from the Christmas men to the "elf stones" that road builders avoid, to the eating of sheep heads, and the continual interest in the supernatural. 

The course covers the various events and processes that can create natural hazards. The concept of natural hazard is defined and the history of this important field in the various natural sciences is examined. The physical causes and processes of various natural hazards are discussed. Ongoing climate change is discussed as a form of hazard, as well as the links between climate change and various weather- and climate-related events. The role of Icelandic Meteorological Office in research and monitoring of natural hazard is discussed.

The course familiarizes students with the Devanagari script and sounds. Students learn the structured but user-friendly content for basic communication in the Hindi language. For this course, extensive use of audio-visuals is made and the approach is primarily interactive. 

The course provides an introduction to the study of lake sediments, commonly used methods, and inferences derived from lake-sediment analyses. Characteristics of lake sediments, abiotic and biotic components of lake sediments, and the response of lake systems to environmental and climate change are discussed. Practical analyses include initial lake-sediment description, smear-slide analysis, common sample-treatment methods, and the separation, documentation, and identification of macro- and microscopic organic remains. Paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on lake sediments are demonstrated. 

During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.

The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.

The course familiarizes students with India’s topographical, linguistic, and cultural heritage. Given the diversity of the subject, this course will only be giving an overview. Topics include an overview of India’s physical profile, tangible sites and intangible elements inscribed on UNESCO’s world heritage list, Indian music, major dance forms, and yoga.

This course covers the topic of climate change from several angles. Starting with the basic evidence and science behind climate change and modeling of future scenarios, then through impacts and vulnerability to efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Issues such as climate refugees, gender aspects, and negotiations are addressed. Students taking this course generally have very different backgrounds and students have a chance to learn about climate change from different viewpoints.

This course deals with processes of glacial erosion, glacial sedimentation, and glacial morphology. Lectures concern glacial systems, glacier movements, hydrology, erosion, sediment transport and deposition, glaciotectonic deformations and glacial landforms. The course ends with a 5-day field trip to present glaciers in southern Iceland and formerly glaciated areas in western Iceland, where students get to observe glacial processes and products. Participation in fieldtrip is required for getting course credits.

This course provides an overview of general and specific concepts concerning popular perceptions of Viking Age and medieval Nordic history and culture from a multidisciplinary perspective. By reviewing of a wide variety of primary sources, medieval and modern - including sagas, chronicles, myths, folklore, video games, TV, and film - the course provides students with a basic knowledge of both practical aspects and mental attitudes related to the spread of Nordic cultural ideals to a worldwide audience: in particular, the medieval origins of ideas of Nordic culture and how they were transplanted into mainstream popular entertainment. Students explore misconceptions and stereotypes about Viking Age lifestyle and culture, including daily life, food, identity, Romanticism, Nationalism, and ethnic and spatial borders, with particular focus on medieval Iceland and Scandinavia.

In this course the principles of geochemistry are introduced, including the distribution of the elements on Earth, various phase diagrams, thermodynamics and water solutions. Also covered is nuclear fusion, the origin of the solar system, distribution of trace elements, stable and radiogenic isotopes, and how these are used in geoscience research.