Scandinavian Studies

This course introduces the history of concepts of gender and sexuality, and covers topics such as heterosexuality, homosexuality, sex education, women’s emancipation, masculinity, prostitution, pornography, sexual nationalism, and transgenderism. It uses a diverse range of teaching methods including group work, movie screenings, and lectures. The course focuses on Denmark, but also studies how Denmark relates and compares to the rest of the world. The course does not require previous knowledge of theories of gender and sexuality and provides the opportunity to share knowledge of students' respective home countries in an academic setting.

The course explores different aspects of Danish culture such as literature, mythology, history, film, music, architecture, painting, the welfare state, and national identity. This course is a unique combination of lectures and excursions, which includes trips to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and Frederiksborg Castle. NOTE: This version of the course (50 A) represents the evaluation based on attendance only. It is worth 6 quarter units and is graded on a P/NP basis only.

This is a beginner`s Norwegian language course for international students. Students develop basic communicative skills in Norwegian. Students learn to make themselves understood both orally and in writing using basic vocabulary and basic grammatical structures. Examples of topics covered are talking about oneself and one’s family, studies, hobbies, and work life. After completing the course, the students are able to communicate about topics covered in the course. Students are able to express themselves coherently both orally and in writing. They are able to express thoughts and opinions about everyday topics. Their pronunciation is good enough to not disrupt communication. They are able to use and understand basic grammar covered in the course.

The course explores different aspects of Danish culture such as literature, mythology, history, film, music, architecture, painting, the welfare state, and national identity. The course is a unique combination of lectures and excursions, which includes trips to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art and Frederiksborg Castle. This version of the course (50 Q) is worth 12 quarter units and requires a 15-20 page individual research paper.

Through lectures and excursions, this course offers a portrait of Denmark through its output of popular entertainment and high art within film, television, and streaming. It places internationally famous auteurs such as Carl Theodor Dreyer, Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, and Susanne Bier in their cultural context and presents important genres such as youth film, realism, drama, comedy, pornography, and documentary. The course interrogates the role of screen sexuality, gender and racial representations, and cultural identity, and it explores the role of film, television, and streaming policy. 

Students analyze and discuss works and texts that reflect different trends in Norwegian literature in the period from approximately 1850 to about 1980. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between literature and the social and cultural context. Students orientate themselves in literary history and literary debate. The teaching is adapted for students with a foreign language background. That is, emphasis is placed on clarifying the linguistic and cultural aspects of the syllabus literature. The student also receives written and oral feedback on their Norwegian language skills. Students give presentations in the seminar group on literary works or texts and write a compulsory assignment on a literary topic.

This is a higher intermediate level language course for international students. The course builds on skills and knowledge acquired in NORINT0120 or the equivalent. A passing mark in NORINT0130 meets the Norwegian language requirements for Faculty admission at Norwegian universities and university colleges. For some professional authorizations (eg. dentists, medical doctors) other requirements may be in place. In class, oral activities are focused on as well as a further development of the students' writing skills. The students work with a selection of freestanding oral and/or written literature and articles on subjects like the multicultural society, environment, and climate. This to develop a higher degree of language proficiency as well as to prepare the students for further studies or a professional career where Norwegian is the working language. After completing the course, students are at the CEFR B2 or C1 level.

This is a Norwegian language course on the intermediate level for international students. The subject builds on skills and knowledge acquired in NORINT0110 or the equivalent. The classes strongly emphasize the students’ oral activity, both when understanding and speaking are concerned. The students build on basic grammar and, in addition, acquire knowledge about language variations, idiomatic expressions, and logical relations. Students demonstrate they are able to use this knowledge when writing. Topics and vocabulary are from texts related to Norwegian culture, topics of current interest in Norwegian society, and from students' study situation. After having completed the course, students are able to understand oral and written presentations on topics covered in the course. The students are able to talk about these topics and take the initiative and express their own opinions in conversations. Students are able to write coherent texts about topics covered in the course, and they are able to explain and justify opinions tied to these topics.

This is a practical course in Norwegian pronunciation. It focuses on improving pronunciation both on the segmental level (vowels and consonants) and on the prosodic level (quantity, stress, accent, and tone), as well as some other phonetic areas. The course also distinguishes between phonetic differences that are relevant to Norwegian phonology, thereby improving comprehension of spoken Norwegian. To some degree, Norwegian is compared to other languages that the students speak.