Scandinavian Studies and English
Scandinavian studies and English is a combination that brings together the study of the Nordic languages and cultures with the richness of English literature and linguistics. The Scandinavian world, encompassing Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, and their related cultures, has produced an extraordinary range of literary, artistic, and cultural achievement, from the Norse sagas and medieval poetry to contemporary crime fiction and Scandinavian design. English, as the world's most studied literary language, brings with it a tradition of equal breadth and depth.
Studied together, they develop both linguistic versatility and a comparative cultural perspective that few other combinations offer.
This four-year full-time programme at University College London is taught within one of the UK's leading modern languages departments, which has particular strength in Scandinavian languages. You will develop reading and communication skills in at least one Scandinavian language alongside your study of English literature, and you will engage with the literary, cultural, and historical traditions of both the Nordic world and the Anglophone world. UCL's London location provides access to Scandinavian cultural institutions and to the networks, commercial and academic, that connect the UK to the Nordic countries.
Graduates from this programme pursue careers in translation and interpretation, journalism, publishing, education, diplomacy, international business, and cultural organisations. Scandinavian languages are spoken by relatively few people outside the Nordic countries, which means graduate-level proficiency is genuinely rare and valued by organisations with Nordic connections. The English literature component adds critical and analytical depth that is valued across the creative industries and beyond.
Postgraduate options include Scandinavian studies, comparative literature, linguistics, translation studies, and publishing, and UCL's resources support advanced study and research in all of these areas.