Department of Scandinavian Studies and Comparative Literature

Comparative literature is a comparative study: no literary work stands alone, but always enters into dialogue with other works and should be understood in relation to these.

However, this comparative aspect is not solely limited to literature. Comparative literature puts emphasis on a consideration of the literary texts in reference to other forms of art, such as visual art, film and music.

Job possibilities
The study provides a thorough, broad, general cultural competence which is favorable in many professions.

A degree in comparative literature qualifies for jobs in publishing houses (as consultants or editors), public or private administration, book stores, libraries, advertising or as journalists.

There are also job opportunities as researchers, information advisors, editors of periodicals, teachers – or executives of cultural institutions, - projects or events.

Courses in Scandinavian studies will focus on the following issues:

• How do we relate scientifically to linguistic and literary phenomena?

• What is language and how is a language constituted?

• How does language change in time and space?

• In what ways are Norwegian language, culture and literature influenced by international changes?

• How do media and other art forms influence the literature of Norway?

A degree in Scandinavian studies will enable you to:

• Obtain knowledge of language, culture and literature

• Express your understanding of language, culture and literature both orally and in writing

• Interpret literature in an independent, analytical and critical manner

• Perceive the coherence between Norwegian culture and cultural changes in an international perspective

• Learn to read with psychological insight and with scholarly stance

• Appreciate language and literature from a variety of periods, genre, styles and contexts

• Analyse linguistic utterances in historical, syntactical, dialectical, sociolinguistic and textual-linguistic perspectives

• Reflect upon the role of literature in theoretical, linguistic and historical contexts

• Use the written languages from various periods of Norwegian history as source material

Reflect upon your own learning process

• Write at a highly academic level with a wide range of relevant terminology and express insight into the central ideas of the discipline

Career possibilities
A degree in Scandinavian studies enables you to:

• Teach Norwegian in primary schools and upper secondary schools

• Work in media and journalism

• Continue research on an international level

• Work with communication and exchange of culture in national and international contexts