Major & Double Major

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.

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

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 get in touch with 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.

Double Major in Scandinavian

Freshmen entering with Advanced Placement enrichment courses taken in high school are in a perfect position to pursue a double major while attending UC Berkeley. These credited units used to satisfy University requirements do not have to be counted towards the 120-130 unit maximum for the Bachelor’s Degree, allowing students to remain at Berkeley for a full eight semesters while acquiring two majors.

An early start to language study during one’s freshman or sophomore year is key to allowing sufficient time to acquire the four semesters of language courses required for each of the five concentrations within the Scandinavian major. Elementary language sequences in Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish begin each fall and can be applied to the chosen major concentration in the language and culture of one Nordic country. A concentration in Old Norse Studies has more flexibility in the second year of language study, including options for using first-year instruction of Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish or two semesters of elementary Icelandic or two semesters of elementary Latin (Latin 1 and 2) when combined with a year of coursework in beginning Old Norse.

In general, up to two courses can be double-counted towards requirements in two different major programs at Berkeley depending how closely related the major requirements are. Essentially, two courses can count as four, making it easier to double major. In addition, there are several majors at UC Berkeley (such as Political Economy or Peace and Conflict Studies) that require four semesters of lower-division language, which may also be applied (with permission of the other major program) to lower-division language requirements within the Scandinavian major. With four courses overlapping between two majors, the double major becomes a clear possibility. Students in Classics, Medieval Studies, or other major programs that emphasize the study of Latin will also find it easier to fit in a double major in Old Norse Studies by utilizing Latin 1 and 2 coursework for this concentration.

Why Double Major? 

Berkeley is a unique learning environment with a diversity of majors, curricula, research, and study-abroad opportunities. Students double-majoring in Scandinavian also study in fields as far-ranging as the environmental sciences, biological sciences, history of art, mathematics, business, history, comparative literature, and architecture, among many others. Many of our double majors pursue a balance between fulfilling career goals and feeding their intellectual and personal interests in the study of the language and culture of the Nordic world, a region that has brought significant contributions in areas such as environmental studies, international studies, peace and diplomacy, public policy, political science, architecture, design, economics, medieval literature, folklore, history, drama, film and linguistics.

Need Advising Help? Contact Us!

Kate Heslop

Associate Professor, Department Chair, Undergraduate Faculty Advisor
Old Norse

Professor Heslop’s research centres on Old Norse textual culture, especially skaldic and eddic poetry, the sagas and the heroic tradition. She approaches this material from a medial perspective, and asks what ‘media theory’ we can detect– in an epoch before the mass media—in...Read more about Kate Heslop

Amanda Minafo

Undergraduate Advisor

Undergraduate student guidance and orientation; major, double major, and minor planning and declaration; study abroad course and requirements planning. Instructor support including enrollment management, course scheduling, room reservations. Course Catalog and Academic Guide updates....Read more about Amanda Minafo

Kansanperinne, vanha ja uusi, on osa ihmisenӓ oloamme, niin kuin ilma, jota henditӓmme tai luonto, johon osana kuulumme. (Finnish) / Folklore, both ancient and new, forms an intrinsic part of our human existence, like the air we breathe or the nature to which we belong.
Folklorist Matti Kuusi, Finland