Scandinavian Program
Overview
Welcome to the Scandinavian Program at the University of Illinois: this is the place to get to know languages and cultures of the Nordic Region in Europe.
The program offers a friendly and supportive environment with courses taught by award-winning instructors. Students involved in the program go on to pursue a range of careers, including journalism, law, film school, international diplomacy, and non-profits. Learning about Scandinavia means gaining a different perspective on the world. Our perspectives include the seafaring adventures of medieval Vikings, policies of the modern welfare state, sustainability and environmental protection, and the indigenous population of Sámi and Inuit.
With a wide array of courses about Scandinavia’s past and present, topics covered range from Old Norse culture and mythology to contemporary film, literature, design and multi-ethnic culture. The program emphasizes Scandinavian’s position in a global multi-ethnic world and in the European Union. Interdisciplinary and comparative approaches guide the teaching, research, and outreach of the program.
We offer two Scandinavian languages (Swedish and Old Norse) as well as a number of General Education and upper-division and graduate courses. These can be combined for an undergraduate Minor in Scandinavian Studies or a Concentration in Scandinavian Studies for the Major in German.
The Scandinavian Program works with graduate students in German, Comparative and World Literature, Linguistics, Theatre, Music, English, Library and Information Science, and other programs. Several graduate students are pursuing research on Scandinavian-related topics, ranging from medieval culture to contemporary Danish crime fiction.
Many students take advantage of several excellent Study Abroad programs in Scandinavia: Uppsala University in Sweden, Oslo University in Norway, and study in Copenhagen, Denmark, are among the most popular.
The Scandinavian Program has recently received grants from the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation and the Swedish Institute, as well as from the University of Illinois European Union Center, CIBER, and the School of Literatures, Cultures, and Linguistics.
Let your journey toward the lesser explored begin here. Rewards and adventures await.