Opportunities

Jobs and Internships

Work opportunities for U.S. nationals in the Nordic region vary by country, so the best source of specific information is the website of the embassy in question. The list of local Consuls General for the Nordic region can be found here.

Translating as a Career

Students interested in Nordic-language translating as a career are generally advised to start with getting an advanced degree in that language or literature field, as most translator credentialing programs are only available for commonly taught languages. The best preparation would combine that advanced work in the relevant Nordic language with workshops, professional memberships, business knowledge, and some kind of specialized experience or training in another field.

Examples of mainstream credentialing programs can be found here, at the website for the Northern California Translators Association, the local chapter of the American Translators Association. Joining the regional chapter of this organization is a good place to start, as networking is essential to building a client base. The national ATA website also gathers information about workshops, webinars, books, blogs, associations, and the like.

There are also related opportunities in localization and project management— i.e. working for a company and dealing more generally with converting their business materials/websites for an international market. The organization GALA  is a good source of information about translation work for this market.

Preparing for Graduate and Professional Schools

An undergraduate major in Scandinavian can serve as preparation for graduate degrees in Scandinavian from UC-Berkeley or similar programs at UCLA, the University of Washington, and the University of Wisconsin, the main locations of the other Ph.D.-granting programs in Scandinavian Studies in the U.S.. In addition, students sometimes go on to do advanced work in Comparative Literature, Medieval Studies, English, or other related humanities fields. Since the B.A. in Scandinavian is a liberal-arts degree that trains students in critical thought, writing, and oral expression, it is sometimes also used as preparation for other professional degree programs such as law or business, especially when completed as a second major paired with a complementary field of study. For advising on how best to prepare for graduate applications, please contact the current Undergraduate Faculty Adviser.

Employment Opportunities at Berkeley

  • Fall 2022: The Department of Scandinavian at the University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for an Assistant Professor in the area of Arctic Studies with an emphasis in indigenous studies, with an expected start date of July 1, 2023. For more information about the position, including required qualifications and application materials, please visit https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF03553. The deadline to apply is October 17, 2022. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. With questions, please contact issahr@berkeley.edu.
  • Please search for Scandinavian on APRecruit to apply to our current lecturer pool. It will be reviewed for qualified applicants if an instructor vacancy arises.