[Samual]

Arne Kruse just told me that you can go to a folkehøgskole for your year abroad at Edinburgh!!

[placebo24]

Went to Edinburgh open day yesterday. The staff I talked to were so friendly and seemed really passionate about the programme - had like an half hour conversation with them The admissions staff who decide if you get in though sucked. Some women said she wanted to see that I had visited the country which when I replied I hadn't been abroad for many years because we're too poor was met with a shrug of the shoulders...

Taking wealth into account like that really isn't fair.

[Samual]

(Original post by placebo24)
Went to Edinburgh open day yesterday. The staff I talked to were so friendly and seemed really passionate about the programme - had like an half hour conversation with them The admissions staff who decide if you get in though sucked. Some women said she wanted to see that I had visited the country which when I replied I hadn't been abroad for many years because we're too poor was met with a shrug of the shoulders...

Taking wealth into account like that really isn't fair.

I'm jealous! I only had a 15 min phone call with Dr Kruse, but he seemed very nice indeed. Did they mention the course structure at all? That's the one thing I don't like about Edinburgh... but apparently the first two years don't count towards your degree, so that's one advantage I suppose.

I hope that lady isn't in charge of admissions - I've never been to Scandinavia!

[placebo24]

(Original post by Samual)
I'm jealous! I only had a 15 min phone call with Dr Kruse, but he seemed very nice indeed. Did they mention the course structure at all? That's the one thing I don't like about Edinburgh... but apparently the first two years don't count towards your degree, so that's one advantage I suppose.

I hope that lady isn't in charge of admissions - I've never been to Scandinavia!

She is. She was having a go at me for doing an A-level early and for not having a language. May have to do intensive French next year. *sigh* If it means I can learn Norwegian though then it's worth it.

And yeah, that's who I chatted to (and a Danish professor). He gave me an in depth talk on the structure, aha, but this was joint honours with History. First two years don't seem too awesome there as it's all about "hammering in the language". Like it literally seems all language, minus some literature in year two. Year three seems to be whatever your year abroad university offers along with language classes then in year two you finally get to pick some interesting courses (but only two, apparently). He said I can take Old Norse as one and Viking Studies as another

It does seem a lot more restrictive and lacking all the awesome non knowledge modules that UCL offers though, at least on the with History programme.

The city and History department were awesome too, so sounds quite good for me!

[nearlyheadlessian]

(Original post by placebo24)
Went to Edinburgh open day yesterday. The staff I talked to were so friendly and seemed really passionate about the programme - had like an half hour conversation with them The admissions staff who decide if you get in though sucked. Some women said she wanted to see that I had visited the country which when I replied I hadn't been abroad for many years because we're too poor was met with a shrug of the shoulders...

Taking wealth into account like that really isn't fair.

I'm glad you found my colleagues to be helpful, they really do try their best to sell the degree and department as a whole. Admissions have a bit of a rep for being idiots, so I would ignore a lot of what they say. They're not really taking wealth into consideration - and it's a genuine question to ask. You can fly to Oslo cheap with Norwegian and Ryanair from Manchester at the moment - you might want to consider a short trip. Not because of admissions (although it won't do you any harm to say you've been in the eyes of UCL or Edinburgh), but because I genuinely think it's worth checking that you think Norway's ok.

(Original post by Samual)
I'm jealous! I only had a 15 min phone call with Dr Kruse, but he seemed very nice indeed. Did they mention the course structure at all? That's the one thing I don't like about Edinburgh... but apparently the first two years don't count towards your degree, so that's one advantage I suppose.

I hope that lady isn't in charge of admissions - I've never been to Scandinavia!

The first two years at UCL won't count towards your degree either. If you genuinely think you're incapable of studying a variety of courses then you shouldn't apply to Edinburgh. That said, it offers a far stronger path of interdisciplinary development than you might get with courses offered in one department.

Again, I guess there's no necessity to go, but Scandinavia's not far away. Go for a trip.

(Original post by placebo24)
She is. She was having a go at me for doing an A-level early and for not having a language. May have to do intensive French next year. *sigh* If it means I can learn Norwegian though then it's worth it.

In fairness, without an A Level in a language (or equivalent), it's going to be very difficult for any university to feel confident that you have a track record in language learning.

(Original post by placebo24)
And yeah, that's who I chatted to (and a Danish professor). He gave me an in depth talk on the structure, aha, but this was joint honours with History. First two years don't seem too awesome there as it's all about "hammering in the language". Like it literally seems all language, minus some literature in year two. Year three seems to be whatever your year abroad university offers along with language classes then in year two you finally get to pick some interesting courses (but only two, apparently). He said I can take Old Norse as one and Viking Studies as another

It does seem a lot more restrictive and lacking all the awesome non knowledge modules that UCL offers though, at least on the with History programme.

There are two (possibly a third to be introduced) optional courses on offer in second year through Scandinavian Studies, as well as a literature course in second year and full language tuition. Given your interest in joint honours with History, there's not time for much else! The same goes for your honours year in Edinburgh - taking "only two" courses in Scandinavian Studies (which is actually 4 when you take into account compulsory courses - and don't forget the long essay) will keep you plenty busy, given you have to take the equivalent in History too. If you want to do more Scandinavian Studies then unfortunately you'll have to do single honours.

[Samual]

(Original post by nearlyheadlessian)
If you genuinely think you're incapable of studying a variety of courses then you shouldn't apply to Edinburgh. That said, it offers a far stronger path of interdisciplinary development than you might get with courses offered in one department.

Again, I guess there's no necessity to go, but Scandinavia's not far away. Go for a trip.

Incapable isn't really the right word. I would love to be able to combine SS with History and Celtic at Edinburgh. The problem is I don't think I would be comfortable in multiple classes, or in huge history lectures. I have a real problem with large groups of people. That probably sounds like a silly reason to discount Edinburgh. I duno. Maybe I will feel differently about it closer to the time.

[placebo24]

(Original post by nearlyheadlessian)
I'm glad you found my colleagues to be helpful, they really do try their best to sell the degree and department as a whole. Admissions have a bit of a rep for being idiots, so I would ignore a lot of what they say. They're not really taking wealth into consideration - and it's a genuine question to ask. You can fly to Oslo cheap with Norwegian and Ryanair from Manchester at the moment - you might want to consider a short trip. Not because of admissions (although it won't do you any harm to say you've been in the eyes of UCL or Edinburgh), but because I genuinely think it's worth checking that you think Norway's ok.

I did look at that actually but, although I can just about afford a £40 flight, with accommodation it looks a little harder.

In fairness, without an A Level in a language (or equivalent), it's going to be very difficult for any university to feel confident that you have a track record in language learning.

Looks like an intensive A-level in French then

Thanks for the help :')

[Mumintroll]

I should point out that the first two years at UCL do count towards your degree (or at least they did in my degree which has just ended, maybe things have changed). However, the amount that each year counts in the final classification is weighted. The final year is much more important.

[PJ991]

I think in SELCS at least it's 1 : 3: 5 : 5 or 1 : 3 : 3 : 5

[Samual]

(Original post by Mumintroll)
I should point out that the first two years at UCL do count towards your degree (or at least they did in my degree which has just ended, maybe things have changed). However, the amount that each year counts in the final classification is weighted. The final year is much more important.

Ah, thought so.

I duno if you missed my question two weeks ago? I wanted to know how you felt about being an older graduate? Do employers treat you differently? That's probably not the politest of things to ask but it worries me a lot.

[Mumintroll]

(Original post by Samual)
Ah, thought so.

I duno if you missed my question two weeks ago? I wanted to know how you felt about being an older graduate? Do employers treat you differently? That's probably not the politest of things to ask but it worries me a lot.

I have really never had a problem or really even thought about it to be honest. If anything, it's possibly positive as I have pre-existing contacts from before studying. In reality, as I am not significantly older, it's probably of neutral effect.

[klika89]

(Original post by PJ991)
I think in SELCS at least it's 1 : 3: 5 : 5 or 1 : 3 : 3 : 5

15:5

[nearlyheadlessian]

(Original post by Meg_Lili)
However I'm deferring for a year because of an internship placement

Glad to be done with degree #1? What is the internship? Any further thoughts on what/where you might study in a year?

[placebo24]

UCL peeps, out of curiosity, do you know what's the rough split between the three languages?

[Hylean]

(Original post by placebo24)
UCL peeps, out of curiosity, do you know what's the rough split between the three languages?

In regards to what? Students?

Unless things have changed, then Swedish is usually most popular, with Danish least popular of the three. There have been years where this has been reversed, however.

[nearlyheadlessian]

(Original post by Hylean)
In regards to what? Students?

Unless things have changed, then Swedish is usually most popular, with Danish least popular of the three. There have been years where this has been reversed, however.

The average split in Edinburgh (for first year at least, then it's often all change) is normally Norwegians+Danes=Swedes. That is to say 50% swedes, 25% each for the other two.

[Hylean]

(Original post by nearlyheadlessian)
The average split in Edinburgh (for first year at least, then it's often all change) is normally Norwegians+Danes=Swedes. That is to say 50% swedes, 25% each for the other two.

Yea, I wouldn't even say that. There have been years where no one has wanted to do Danish at UCL, for instance. By the time I was in my final year, there were about 5-8 Swedish, 2-3 Norwegian, 2 Icelandic, 0 Danish at Degree-level language classes.

Unless things have changed, which they might have, as there was a little push to get people into Danish by forcing them into it pretty much, then Swedish usually out-gunned both Norwegian and Danish together. I reckon it's a little different now, though, but all my contacts in the department are long gone.

[Samual]

So apparently Christopher Abram and Margrethe Alexandroni are leaving the department? Eeeep I can't stop wondering whether any of the courses which I've been reading about for so long are even going to be available by the time I get there. Ugh.

[EMC1989]

(Original post by Samual)
So apparently Christopher Abram and Margrethe Alexandroni are leaving the department? Eeeep I can't stop wondering whether any of the courses which I've been reading about for so long are even going to be available by the time I get there. Ugh.

Where did you hear Margrethe was leaving?

[Samual]

(Original post by EMC1989)
Where did you hear Margrethe was leaving?

Well it's a bit of an assumption on my part. It says here that a tutor has yet to be confirmed. And also I'm pretty sure I remember seeing a Norwegian tutor post being advertised some months ago. I could be wrong... I hope I am.