The Department of Scandinavian offers an undergraduate major with concentrations in five areas: Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Old Norse Studies, and Swedish. Each of these concentrations allows students to explore the major while developing expertise within the language and literature of one of the Nordic languages. While the electives built into each of the five concentrations allow room to explore all phases of Scandinavian literature and cultural history from the medieval to the modern, the core courses for each will emphasize the specific language of choice. Students receive further training in their major language skills by pursuing reading in original Scandinavian languages when coursework allows, and through special add-on major units (Scandinavian 149). These units allow students the opportunity to work closely with a professor in their major language area. The Old Norse Studies concentration also allows students with strong interests in comparative medieval studies to choose elective courses offered in that field in other departments to complete their course list for the Scandinavian major.

A new major structure, effective Fall 2015, includes the choice of one of five concentrations. Each concentration requires two new lower-division gateway courses:

SCANDIN 60: Heroic Legends of the North (4 units) [Spring only]

SCANDIN 75: Literature and Culture of the Nordic World (4 units) [Fall only]

In addition, the following lower-division language and upper-division courses are required for each of the concentrations. The total unit requirement for each concentration is 46 units.

Update: December 9, 2022: Scandinavian will allow a Pass grade for major/minor requirements for Fall 2022 only, per L&S’s Fall ’22 P/NP late grade option modification due to the strike.

Danish Concentration

Lower-division Requirements:
Danish 1A and 1B:  Beginning Danish, Fall and Spring. 8 units

Scandinavian 60: Heroic Legends of the North. 4 units
Scandinavian 75: Literature and Culture of the Nordic World. 4 units

Upper-division Requirements
Note: Choose Section 101 for Danish language emphasis for Scandinavian 100A-B.
Scandinavian 100A and 100B: Scandinavian Languages and Linguistics, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Choose at least one Danish culture course from the following:
Scandinavian 106: The Works of Hans Christian Andersen. 4 units
Scandinavian 115: Studies in Drama and Film. Choose from Danish directors and the topics of Lars von Trier and Carl Dreyer. 4 units
Four upper-division electives taken in the Department of Scandinavian. See department course listings for selection. 16 units.
Two Scandinavian 149 reading courses focused on Danish. Taken in conjunction with an upper-division culture or elective course. 1 unit each

Finnish Concentration

Lower-division Requirements:
Finnish 1A and 1B: Beginning Finnish, Fall and Spring. 8 units

Scandinavian 60: Heroic Legends of the North. 4 units
Scandinavian 75: Literature and Culture of the Nordic World. 4 units

Upper-division Requirements:
Finnish 102A and 102B: Intermediate Finnish, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Scandinavian 132: Introduction to Finnish Culture and History. 4 units
Four upper-division electives taken in the Department of Scandinavian. See department course listings for selection. 16 units.
Two Scandinavian 149 reading courses focused on Finnish. Taken in conjunction with an upper-division culture or elective course. 1 unit each

Norwegian Concentration

Lower-division Requirements:
Norwegian 1A and 1B: Beginning Norwegian, Fall and Spring. 8 units

Scandinavian 60: Heroic Legends of the North. 4 units
Scandinavian 75: Literature and Culture of the Nordic World. 4 units

Upper-division Requirements:
Note: Choose Section 102 for Norwegian language emphasis in Scandinavian 100A-B
Scandinavian 100A and 100B: Scandinavian Languages and Linguistics, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Choose at least one Norwegian culture course from the following:
Scandinavian C107: Plays of Ibsen. 4 units
Scandinavian 120: The Novel in Scandinavian. Note: Choose Norwegian author Knut Hamsun. 4 units
Four upper-division electives taken in the Department of Scandinavian. See department course listings for selection. 16 units.
Two Scandinavian 149 reading courses focused on Norwegian. Taken in conjunction with an upper-division culture or elective course. 1 unit each

Old Norse Studies Concentration

Lower-division Requirements:
Select one of the following languages: Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, or Latin:
Danish 1A and 1B: Beginning Danish, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Icelandic 1A and 1B: Beginning Modern Icelandic, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Finnish 1A and 1B: Beginning Finnish, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Norwegian 1A and 1B: Beginning Norwegian, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Swedish 1A and 1B: Beginning Swedish, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Latin 1 and 2: Elementary Latin, Fall and Spring. Offered by the Department of Classics. 8 units

Scandinavian 60: Heroic Legends of the North. 4 units
Scandinavian 75: Literature and Culture of the Nordic World. 4 units

Upper-division Requirements:
Select either series: Scandinavian 101A-B (Old Norse) or Scandinavian 201A-B (Old Norse Literature):
Scandinavian 101A and 101B: Introduction to Old Norse I and II, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Scandinavian 201A and 201B: Old Norse and Norse Literature. Scandinavian 201A and 201B are graduate-level courses. Majors are expected in enroll in 101A-101B, and with advance approval by the major advisor and instructor, 201A may be substituted for 101A and 201B for 101B. 8 units
Choose at least 2 Medieval culture courses from the following:
Scandinavian 123: Viking and Medieval Scandinavia. 4 units
Scandinavian 125: Old Norse Literature. 4 units
Scandinavian C160: Scandinavian Myth and Religion. 4 units
Three upper-division electives taken in the Department of Scandinavian or from Medieval Studies (with permission of the Scandinavian major adviser). See department course listings for selection. 12 units
Two Scandinavian 149 reading courses focused on the target language. Taken in conjunction with an upper-division culture or elective course. 1 unit each

Swedish Concentration

Lower-division requirements:
Swedish 1A and 1B: Beginning Swedish, Fall and Spring. 8 units

Scandinavian 60: Heroic Legends of the North. 4 units
Scandinavian 75: Literature and Culture of the Nordic World. 4 units

Upper-division requirements:
Note: Choose Section 103 for Swedish language emphasis for Scandinavian 100A-B.
Scandinavian 100A and 100B: Scandinavian Languages and Linguistics, Fall and Spring. 8 units
Choose at least one Swedish culture course from the following:
Scandinavian C108: Strindberg. 4 units
Scandinavian 115: Studies in Drama and Film. Choose film topic on Ingmar Bergman. 4 units
Four upper-division electives taken in the Department of Scandinavian. See department course listings for selection. 16 units
Two Scandinavian 149 reading courses focused on Swedish. Taken in conjunction with an upper-division culture or elective course. 1 unit each

The department encourages all students interested in the undergraduate major in Scandinavian to declare the major as early as possible in their academic careers (even as early as the freshman and sophomore years) in order to make planning easier. Please contact the current Faculty Undergraduate Adviser, who can provide general information, a program brochure and scheduling worksheet, necessary paperwork, and curricular advice.

Current majors will also want to consult the link on this website detailing upcoming courses when planning their schedules. Students with credit from EAP courses should also consult with the Faculty Undergraduate Adviser for help in determining requirement equivalencies.