Scandinavian Studies and History
Scandinavian studies and history is a combination that gives you linguistic access to the Nordic world alongside the analytical tools to understand its history and its place within the broader sweep of European and global development. The Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and related cultures in Iceland and Finland, have played roles in European history quite disproportionate to their size: from the Viking expansion across Europe, the North Atlantic, and beyond, through the Reformation and the Swedish great-power period, to the development of social democratic welfare states in the twentieth century. Engaging with that history in the original languages transforms the depth at which you can understand it.
This four-year full-time programme at the University of Edinburgh develops proficiency in one or more Scandinavian languages alongside a rigorous engagement with history. With a typical tariff of 168 points, the programme is selective and attracts students with strong academic ability and genuine intellectual curiosity about the Nordic world. Edinburgh has an outstanding Scandinavian studies tradition and a strong history faculty, and the four-year Scottish degree structure allows for the breadth and depth this combination requires.
You will develop language skills and cultural and literary understanding in your Scandinavian language alongside historical study covering the Nordic region and its connections with the wider European and global history it has both shaped and been shaped by. The ability to work in Scandinavian sources changes the quality of your historical understanding, and the historical formation gives depth and context to your language study.
Graduates from Scandinavian studies and history programmes move into careers in the diplomatic and civil service, journalism, Scandinavian-connected business, academia, translation, education, and research. The Nordic countries also offer attractive professional environments for graduates with genuine language capability, and the combination of historical understanding and linguistic skill is valued across many internationally oriented organisations. Postgraduate study in history, Scandinavian studies, or related fields is a well-established next step.