Scandinavian Studies

Unless things have changed, I'd be surprised if they got a different teacher in 2nd year in Swedish. But then again, maybe Annika is a lot busier these days.

Yes Norwegian! So you do Danish? I got the impression Danish was the most unpopular of the three, is there much banter in the department between different language students? As for the age thing... the trouble is I don't have any life experience, I will be older but I won't have any nuggets of wisdom to compensate for it. All it will do is make me really boring in comparison. I like quiet nights in watching Holby City, I can't imagine that going down too well with UCL students

Yes I do Danish just about to start 2nd year. There's plenty of banter between the 3 groups and we all get on really well! You're right about Danish being the least popular, there were only 3 of us from SELCS doing it this year.

I think because SELCS is so small its much easier to fit in and make closer friendships. Because there's only 10-15 in the group you all kinda stick together. And besides you can always lie and say you have life experience :P

Aw that sounds really nice!!! I was wondering how do you find studying full time with a baby? Are the people in the dept supportive?

I just had a horrible conversation with the Edinburgh admissions lady. Apparently a CertHE isn't good enough for them (drat, I just started doing one!) and an access course will only be acceptable if I have an A2 in a language, a mere AS isn't good enough apparently. She also said there are only three places per year for Scandinavian Studies - that just can't be true! Thank god UCL are more open to people with non-traditional qualifications.

When I went for the open day at Edinburgh they said didn't accept Film Studies at A Level which I did and I was so pissed! But they back tracked on this and I did get an offer from them but chose UCL. Do you think you'll go to Edinburgh if you get an offer?

Studying with a kid is hard. But he is at a child minder during lectures and I don't do any uni work until he is in bed so I get to spend as much time as I can with him. The hardest bit is the social side because I can't go out when I want and I can't live with other students so it's pretty lonely. But I'm doing all of this so he can have a better future, so it's worth it.

Awh that's sad, I hope it changes. How they just justify not having an Ibsen expert in a Scandinavian department is beyond me.

Annika didn't teach 1st year Swedish this year but she does teach 2nd year (I think). I'm not sure if that's always the norm.

As far as I'm aware John Mitchinson is taking the first year Swedish classes and Annika is taking second and final year. Not quite sure why they changed that though

Yes, definitely worth it! I'm sure he will be grateful you did it in the future. Are you taking him on your year abroad? Awh I bet it can be quite lonely, maybe a friend can take him for an evening now and then and you could go out?

I was scared to live in London too, I'm originally from the north and it's so different from London. But you get used to it and I feel totally at home in London now. What is it that makes you not want to live there?

And just like that, I'm once again not a student. I wonder what the future holds.

PhD time, me thinks. How did the Masters go?

Hi everyone - I do not want to study SS at uni but am still hughely interested in the Nordic region. I am thinking about a possible Gap Year in Sweden, and I was wondering if you could give your opinions about a possible programme? I am thinking about doing the Academic year folkuniversitetet course in Lund - it says it goes from A1 to C1 in that year. Does anyone have any experience with these courses and do you actually learn that much Swedish whilst living there for a year?

It costs quite a bit though - 48000 SEK. Thats roughly 4.5k I think. That seems reasonable, but I hear living costs are very high in Sweden- roughly 800 euros a month in Lund. Do you think it would a good idea to simply try and get a job over there and pay the rent each month from that?

Thanks for any information guys

Does the year abroad have to be spent at a university? Other language students can do work placements if they arrange it themselves, is that option also open to students of Scandinavian Studies?

All of the Scandinavian languages require you to do an Erasmus year. Erasmus was amazing though, well recommended

So you can't be a British Council teaching assistant in Scandinavia?

No, you have to attend university. You even have a minimum amount of credits you need to get whilst there.

Oh... right. Do you find you can mix with natives well? I got the impression that Scandinavia was where all the Erasmus non-language students end up going because a lot of the courses are in English, so there are a lot of Anglophones around. I don't fancy the idea of living in international halls and only hanging out with other exchange students.