The course deals with Icelandic literature of past centuries, which will be read and analyzed with a focus on the concepts of magic and sorcery. Initially, the focus will be on ideas from medieval literature, and the magic considered in the context of literary motifs, narrative studies, and literary references. After that, we will concentrate on fiction from the 14th and 15th centuries and the supernatural worldview that characterizes such late medieval sagas. Finally, we will focus on post-reformational texts, which will be read, analyzed, and compared to the earlier material. An effort will be made to explain the key concepts related to magic and consider the meaning behind them. In all cases, the ideas will be studied from the perspective of literature, focusing on how the texts present ideas about seiður, metamorphosis, enchantment, weather magic, ideas about astral travel, foresight, and the casting of illusions, etc. Furthermore, some discussion will be made of the methods used in magic, such as "andhiti" (strong will), magic chants, and runes, as well as the main talismans and medicines, including clothing, potions, and plants.

The pre-Christian religion of the North, as reflected in medieval Icelandic sources.

Many students, who finish their studies in the School of Humanities, in particular students from the Department of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, are likely to be employed in the future by media-companies, publishing houses and cultural institutions and asked to write criticism or news about books and art-events. The course focuses on the role and characteristics of cultural journalism in Iceland. Students will get acquainted with most of the genres of cultural journalism, such as interviews, criticism, news-releases and blog. They will work on practical assignments that will be related to specific cultural events in Iceland in the spring of 2018.

Romantic literature was one of the main channels for emotional expression in the nineteenth century. The romantic movement made individual feelings the prerequisite for aesthetic experience. Strong emotions like sympathy, awe, wonder and horror were thought to be connected to aesthetic phenomena like the Beautiful and the Sublime. During the course the history of the Self and emotional expression will be followed through romantic texts, based on theories on the subject. The emphasis will be on the discourse of emotions and their staging in poetry, letter writing, diaries, novels and plays. Among the ideas covered are those on the Self and the world, femininity and masculinity, sensibility and sadness, blissfulness and horror, love and hate, turmoil and tranquility. Among the authors and poets involved are Baldvin Einarsson, Benedikt Gröndal, Bjarni Thorarensen, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, Gísli Brynjúlfsson, Guðný Jónsdóttir of Klambrar, Grímur Thomsen, Jón Thoroddsen, Jónas Hallgrímsson, Júlíana Jónsdóttir, Kristján Jónsson Fjallaskáld, Matthías Jochumsson, Ólöf Sigurðardóttir of Hlaðir, Mary Shelley, Steingrímur Thorsteinsson and Þorsteinn Erlingsson.

Training in various aspects of the writing and editing of scientific texts. Various kinds of texts (non-fiction) examined and evaluated. Training in reviewing and commenting on scientific texts and in other aspects of editorial work. The main emphasis will be on the writing of articles, but other kinds of texts will also be considered, both shorter (conference abstracts, reviews) and longer (theses, books), as well as research proposals. Discussion of guidelines for the preparation of manuscripts. Types of plagiarism and how to avoid them and find them. Texts on different subjects will be used as examples, especially writings in linguistics, literature and history. The book Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt will be used as a textbook (Höskuldur Þráinsson 2015).

This course is open to students of many MA programmes in the School of Humanities, cf. the regulations of the individual subjects. Students in the MA programmes in Icelandic literature, Icelandic linguistics, Icelandic studies and Icelandic teaching can take the course as part of the MA course requirements in Icelandic literature or Icelandic linguistics. Students in the MA programme in Icelandic teaching can, however, not have this course as the only linguistics or literature course in their MA.

One of the distinctive features of Old Norse-Icelandic medieval literature is how connected the narratives are to distinct places. This is especially true of Sagas about early Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) and Kings’ sagas (konungasögur). In many cases, it is possible to visit the scenes where many key events of the saga take place. In the last decades there has been a “spatial turn” in Old Norse-Icelandic studies due to theoretical developments in the humanities and the social sciences during the second half of the twentieth century, but also aided by new perceptions of space made possible by geolocalisation and digital maps. Several scholars have engaged with the sagas from this perspective, f.ex. Emily Lethbridge and Eleanor Barraclough. In this course, the theoretical literature associated with the spatial turn will be explores, the sagas will be studied from this point of view and places where key events of the sagas happen will be visited. Even though the course is taught in the Spring semester, students are encouraged to participate in trips organized by the Viking and Medieval Norse Studies and Medieval Icelandic Studies MA programmes.

This course discusses one of the most prominent Sagas of Icelanders, and uses this saga to exemplify the most important research questions regarding medieval literature. Among other things, we will talk about the author of Egils saga, the significance of emotions, both natural and supernatural things and their significance in the saga, the ambiguity of Egill as a poet and warrior, but also his travels in Northern Europe, as well as his relationship to the Norwegian kings. Egils saga will be read in its entirety, but also relevant scholarly publications from the 20th and 21st centuries. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, and to write a term paper.

More on the assesment:

Way 1

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 5000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (80%).

Way 2

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 3000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (50%).
3. Students will write weekly reports (400 words) on the respective teaching subject. They are supposed to demonstrate their understanding of the subject, and to present their own critical assessment of it (30%).

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

This course discusses how texts, especially literary texts, can be analyzed from the perspective of theoretical linguistics.  The course is therefore suitable for students who have an interest in both literary studies and linguistics. The topics include style types, the use of tenses, word order, character designations, gender-neutral language, sound symbolism, the effects of verbs and nouns, focalization and metaphors. Many guest lecturers will participate in this class, both literary scholars and linguists.

Literary modernism and postmodernism are complex concepts that can be seen as genres, trends, aesthetics, or reading methods. They are closely linked to modernity and its transformations. This module delves into the history, meaning, and usage of literary (post)modernism in Iceland and internationally. The module examines various literary works like poetry, short stories, and novels that fall under the modernist genre and discusses their place in Icelandic literary history. It also explores the role of magazines, publications, and criticism in the Icelandic literary field. The key objective of this module is to provide answers to questions related to literary modernism, postmodernism, and modernity in Iceland.

The course will focus on the Icelandic rímur, which will be read and discussed in the context of academic research. First, the rímur will be compared to contemporary poetry among other European nations. We will then turn to on the preservation of the rímur and the Icelandic literary tradition of turning sagas into verse, and then the verse into prose versions again. Therefore, rímur from medieval times will be read in the light of Icelandic Saga literature and in some cases, both in the form of poetry and prose versions from different times. We will also look at the recital of rímur, and finally the processing of the rímur tradition, and how it lives in modern music and art.

The main purpose of the course is twofold. First, to shed light on how Icelandic is taught in upper primary and secondary schools. Second, to explore ways of developing Icelandic as a school subject, with respect to practical and theoretical research. What ability should be emphasized in the use and practice of the language? What skills should students have obtained by the end of each school level and how should they be trained? Which aspects of language and literature are most important for the students to know and understand? What are the most used teaching methods? What kind of teaching material is most commonly used in schools and to what extent does it reflect recent knowledge and developments in the fields of language and literature? In the course assignments the students will be trained in defining and implementing their own teaching ideas, with an emphasis on recent knowledge.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The course deals with Icelandic literature of past centuries, which will be read and analyzed with a focus on the concepts of magic and sorcery. Initially, the focus will be on ideas from medieval literature, and the magic considered in the context of literary motifs, narrative studies, and literary references. After that, we will concentrate on fiction from the 14th and 15th centuries and the supernatural worldview that characterizes such late medieval sagas. Finally, we will focus on post-reformational texts, which will be read, analyzed, and compared to the earlier material. An effort will be made to explain the key concepts related to magic and consider the meaning behind them. In all cases, the ideas will be studied from the perspective of literature, focusing on how the texts present ideas about seiður, metamorphosis, enchantment, weather magic, ideas about astral travel, foresight, and the casting of illusions, etc. Furthermore, some discussion will be made of the methods used in magic, such as "andhiti" (strong will), magic chants, and runes, as well as the main talismans and medicines, including clothing, potions, and plants.

The pre-Christian religion of the North, as reflected in medieval Icelandic sources.

Many students, who finish their studies in the School of Humanities, in particular students from the Department of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, are likely to be employed in the future by media-companies, publishing houses and cultural institutions and asked to write criticism or news about books and art-events. The course focuses on the role and characteristics of cultural journalism in Iceland. Students will get acquainted with most of the genres of cultural journalism, such as interviews, criticism, news-releases and blog. They will work on practical assignments that will be related to specific cultural events in Iceland in the spring of 2018.

Romantic literature was one of the main channels for emotional expression in the nineteenth century. The romantic movement made individual feelings the prerequisite for aesthetic experience. Strong emotions like sympathy, awe, wonder and horror were thought to be connected to aesthetic phenomena like the Beautiful and the Sublime. During the course the history of the Self and emotional expression will be followed through romantic texts, based on theories on the subject. The emphasis will be on the discourse of emotions and their staging in poetry, letter writing, diaries, novels and plays. Among the ideas covered are those on the Self and the world, femininity and masculinity, sensibility and sadness, blissfulness and horror, love and hate, turmoil and tranquility. Among the authors and poets involved are Baldvin Einarsson, Benedikt Gröndal, Bjarni Thorarensen, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, Gísli Brynjúlfsson, Guðný Jónsdóttir of Klambrar, Grímur Thomsen, Jón Thoroddsen, Jónas Hallgrímsson, Júlíana Jónsdóttir, Kristján Jónsson Fjallaskáld, Matthías Jochumsson, Ólöf Sigurðardóttir of Hlaðir, Mary Shelley, Steingrímur Thorsteinsson and Þorsteinn Erlingsson.

Training in various aspects of the writing and editing of scientific texts. Various kinds of texts (non-fiction) examined and evaluated. Training in reviewing and commenting on scientific texts and in other aspects of editorial work. The main emphasis will be on the writing of articles, but other kinds of texts will also be considered, both shorter (conference abstracts, reviews) and longer (theses, books), as well as research proposals. Discussion of guidelines for the preparation of manuscripts. Types of plagiarism and how to avoid them and find them. Texts on different subjects will be used as examples, especially writings in linguistics, literature and history. The book Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt will be used as a textbook (Höskuldur Þráinsson 2015).

This course is open to students of many MA programmes in the School of Humanities, cf. the regulations of the individual subjects. Students in the MA programmes in Icelandic literature, Icelandic linguistics, Icelandic studies and Icelandic teaching can take the course as part of the MA course requirements in Icelandic literature or Icelandic linguistics. Students in the MA programme in Icelandic teaching can, however, not have this course as the only linguistics or literature course in their MA.

Students wishing to write a MA thesis shall contact the head of department regarding the choice of supervisor. Requests for a specific supervisor are honoured where possible, but otherwise a supervisor is selected based on the topic of the thesis and the specialist knowledge of teaching staff in Icelandic.

One of the distinctive features of Old Norse-Icelandic medieval literature is how connected the narratives are to distinct places. This is especially true of Sagas about early Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) and Kings’ sagas (konungasögur). In many cases, it is possible to visit the scenes where many key events of the saga take place. In the last decades there has been a “spatial turn” in Old Norse-Icelandic studies due to theoretical developments in the humanities and the social sciences during the second half of the twentieth century, but also aided by new perceptions of space made possible by geolocalisation and digital maps. Several scholars have engaged with the sagas from this perspective, f.ex. Emily Lethbridge and Eleanor Barraclough. In this course, the theoretical literature associated with the spatial turn will be explores, the sagas will be studied from this point of view and places where key events of the sagas happen will be visited. Even though the course is taught in the Spring semester, students are encouraged to participate in trips organized by the Viking and Medieval Norse Studies and Medieval Icelandic Studies MA programmes.

This course discusses one of the most prominent Sagas of Icelanders, and uses this saga to exemplify the most important research questions regarding medieval literature. Among other things, we will talk about the author of Egils saga, the significance of emotions, both natural and supernatural things and their significance in the saga, the ambiguity of Egill as a poet and warrior, but also his travels in Northern Europe, as well as his relationship to the Norwegian kings. Egils saga will be read in its entirety, but also relevant scholarly publications from the 20th and 21st centuries. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, and to write a term paper.

More on the assesment:

Way 1

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 5000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (80%).

Way 2

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 3000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (50%).
3. Students will write weekly reports (400 words) on the respective teaching subject. They are supposed to demonstrate their understanding of the subject, and to present their own critical assessment of it (30%).

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

This course discusses how texts, especially literary texts, can be analyzed from the perspective of theoretical linguistics.  The course is therefore suitable for students who have an interest in both literary studies and linguistics. The topics include style types, the use of tenses, word order, character designations, gender-neutral language, sound symbolism, the effects of verbs and nouns, focalization and metaphors. Many guest lecturers will participate in this class, both literary scholars and linguists.

Literary modernism and postmodernism are complex concepts that can be seen as genres, trends, aesthetics, or reading methods. They are closely linked to modernity and its transformations. This module delves into the history, meaning, and usage of literary (post)modernism in Iceland and internationally. The module examines various literary works like poetry, short stories, and novels that fall under the modernist genre and discusses their place in Icelandic literary history. It also explores the role of magazines, publications, and criticism in the Icelandic literary field. The key objective of this module is to provide answers to questions related to literary modernism, postmodernism, and modernity in Iceland.

The course will focus on the Icelandic rímur, which will be read and discussed in the context of academic research. First, the rímur will be compared to contemporary poetry among other European nations. We will then turn to on the preservation of the rímur and the Icelandic literary tradition of turning sagas into verse, and then the verse into prose versions again. Therefore, rímur from medieval times will be read in the light of Icelandic Saga literature and in some cases, both in the form of poetry and prose versions from different times. We will also look at the recital of rímur, and finally the processing of the rímur tradition, and how it lives in modern music and art.

The main purpose of the course is twofold. First, to shed light on how Icelandic is taught in upper primary and secondary schools. Second, to explore ways of developing Icelandic as a school subject, with respect to practical and theoretical research. What ability should be emphasized in the use and practice of the language? What skills should students have obtained by the end of each school level and how should they be trained? Which aspects of language and literature are most important for the students to know and understand? What are the most used teaching methods? What kind of teaching material is most commonly used in schools and to what extent does it reflect recent knowledge and developments in the fields of language and literature? In the course assignments the students will be trained in defining and implementing their own teaching ideas, with an emphasis on recent knowledge.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

Students wishing to write a MA thesis shall contact the head of department regarding the choice of supervisor. Requests for a specific supervisor are honoured where possible, but otherwise a supervisor is selected based on the topic of the thesis and the specialist knowledge of teaching staff in Icelandic.

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching format

• The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.

The course deals with Icelandic literature of past centuries, which will be read and analyzed with a focus on the concepts of magic and sorcery. Initially, the focus will be on ideas from medieval literature, and the magic considered in the context of literary motifs, narrative studies, and literary references. After that, we will concentrate on fiction from the 14th and 15th centuries and the supernatural worldview that characterizes such late medieval sagas. Finally, we will focus on post-reformational texts, which will be read, analyzed, and compared to the earlier material. An effort will be made to explain the key concepts related to magic and consider the meaning behind them. In all cases, the ideas will be studied from the perspective of literature, focusing on how the texts present ideas about seiður, metamorphosis, enchantment, weather magic, ideas about astral travel, foresight, and the casting of illusions, etc. Furthermore, some discussion will be made of the methods used in magic, such as "andhiti" (strong will), magic chants, and runes, as well as the main talismans and medicines, including clothing, potions, and plants.

The pre-Christian religion of the North, as reflected in medieval Icelandic sources.

Many students, who finish their studies in the School of Humanities, in particular students from the Department of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, are likely to be employed in the future by media-companies, publishing houses and cultural institutions and asked to write criticism or news about books and art-events. The course focuses on the role and characteristics of cultural journalism in Iceland. Students will get acquainted with most of the genres of cultural journalism, such as interviews, criticism, news-releases and blog. They will work on practical assignments that will be related to specific cultural events in Iceland in the spring of 2018.

Romantic literature was one of the main channels for emotional expression in the nineteenth century. The romantic movement made individual feelings the prerequisite for aesthetic experience. Strong emotions like sympathy, awe, wonder and horror were thought to be connected to aesthetic phenomena like the Beautiful and the Sublime. During the course the history of the Self and emotional expression will be followed through romantic texts, based on theories on the subject. The emphasis will be on the discourse of emotions and their staging in poetry, letter writing, diaries, novels and plays. Among the ideas covered are those on the Self and the world, femininity and masculinity, sensibility and sadness, blissfulness and horror, love and hate, turmoil and tranquility. Among the authors and poets involved are Baldvin Einarsson, Benedikt Gröndal, Bjarni Thorarensen, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, Gísli Brynjúlfsson, Guðný Jónsdóttir of Klambrar, Grímur Thomsen, Jón Thoroddsen, Jónas Hallgrímsson, Júlíana Jónsdóttir, Kristján Jónsson Fjallaskáld, Matthías Jochumsson, Ólöf Sigurðardóttir of Hlaðir, Mary Shelley, Steingrímur Thorsteinsson and Þorsteinn Erlingsson.

Training in various aspects of the writing and editing of scientific texts. Various kinds of texts (non-fiction) examined and evaluated. Training in reviewing and commenting on scientific texts and in other aspects of editorial work. The main emphasis will be on the writing of articles, but other kinds of texts will also be considered, both shorter (conference abstracts, reviews) and longer (theses, books), as well as research proposals. Discussion of guidelines for the preparation of manuscripts. Types of plagiarism and how to avoid them and find them. Texts on different subjects will be used as examples, especially writings in linguistics, literature and history. The book Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt will be used as a textbook (Höskuldur Þráinsson 2015).

This course is open to students of many MA programmes in the School of Humanities, cf. the regulations of the individual subjects. Students in the MA programmes in Icelandic literature, Icelandic linguistics, Icelandic studies and Icelandic teaching can take the course as part of the MA course requirements in Icelandic literature or Icelandic linguistics. Students in the MA programme in Icelandic teaching can, however, not have this course as the only linguistics or literature course in their MA.

One of the distinctive features of Old Norse-Icelandic medieval literature is how connected the narratives are to distinct places. This is especially true of Sagas about early Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) and Kings’ sagas (konungasögur). In many cases, it is possible to visit the scenes where many key events of the saga take place. In the last decades there has been a “spatial turn” in Old Norse-Icelandic studies due to theoretical developments in the humanities and the social sciences during the second half of the twentieth century, but also aided by new perceptions of space made possible by geolocalisation and digital maps. Several scholars have engaged with the sagas from this perspective, f.ex. Emily Lethbridge and Eleanor Barraclough. In this course, the theoretical literature associated with the spatial turn will be explores, the sagas will be studied from this point of view and places where key events of the sagas happen will be visited. Even though the course is taught in the Spring semester, students are encouraged to participate in trips organized by the Viking and Medieval Norse Studies and Medieval Icelandic Studies MA programmes.

This course discusses one of the most prominent Sagas of Icelanders, and uses this saga to exemplify the most important research questions regarding medieval literature. Among other things, we will talk about the author of Egils saga, the significance of emotions, both natural and supernatural things and their significance in the saga, the ambiguity of Egill as a poet and warrior, but also his travels in Northern Europe, as well as his relationship to the Norwegian kings. Egils saga will be read in its entirety, but also relevant scholarly publications from the 20th and 21st centuries. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, and to write a term paper.

More on the assesment:

Way 1

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 5000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (80%).

Way 2

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 3000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (50%).
3. Students will write weekly reports (400 words) on the respective teaching subject. They are supposed to demonstrate their understanding of the subject, and to present their own critical assessment of it (30%).

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

This course discusses how texts, especially literary texts, can be analyzed from the perspective of theoretical linguistics.  The course is therefore suitable for students who have an interest in both literary studies and linguistics. The topics include style types, the use of tenses, word order, character designations, gender-neutral language, sound symbolism, the effects of verbs and nouns, focalization and metaphors. Many guest lecturers will participate in this class, both literary scholars and linguists.

Literary modernism and postmodernism are complex concepts that can be seen as genres, trends, aesthetics, or reading methods. They are closely linked to modernity and its transformations. This module delves into the history, meaning, and usage of literary (post)modernism in Iceland and internationally. The module examines various literary works like poetry, short stories, and novels that fall under the modernist genre and discusses their place in Icelandic literary history. It also explores the role of magazines, publications, and criticism in the Icelandic literary field. The key objective of this module is to provide answers to questions related to literary modernism, postmodernism, and modernity in Iceland.

The course will focus on the Icelandic rímur, which will be read and discussed in the context of academic research. First, the rímur will be compared to contemporary poetry among other European nations. We will then turn to on the preservation of the rímur and the Icelandic literary tradition of turning sagas into verse, and then the verse into prose versions again. Therefore, rímur from medieval times will be read in the light of Icelandic Saga literature and in some cases, both in the form of poetry and prose versions from different times. We will also look at the recital of rímur, and finally the processing of the rímur tradition, and how it lives in modern music and art.

The main purpose of the course is twofold. First, to shed light on how Icelandic is taught in upper primary and secondary schools. Second, to explore ways of developing Icelandic as a school subject, with respect to practical and theoretical research. What ability should be emphasized in the use and practice of the language? What skills should students have obtained by the end of each school level and how should they be trained? Which aspects of language and literature are most important for the students to know and understand? What are the most used teaching methods? What kind of teaching material is most commonly used in schools and to what extent does it reflect recent knowledge and developments in the fields of language and literature? In the course assignments the students will be trained in defining and implementing their own teaching ideas, with an emphasis on recent knowledge.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The course deals with Icelandic literature of past centuries, which will be read and analyzed with a focus on the concepts of magic and sorcery. Initially, the focus will be on ideas from medieval literature, and the magic considered in the context of literary motifs, narrative studies, and literary references. After that, we will concentrate on fiction from the 14th and 15th centuries and the supernatural worldview that characterizes such late medieval sagas. Finally, we will focus on post-reformational texts, which will be read, analyzed, and compared to the earlier material. An effort will be made to explain the key concepts related to magic and consider the meaning behind them. In all cases, the ideas will be studied from the perspective of literature, focusing on how the texts present ideas about seiður, metamorphosis, enchantment, weather magic, ideas about astral travel, foresight, and the casting of illusions, etc. Furthermore, some discussion will be made of the methods used in magic, such as "andhiti" (strong will), magic chants, and runes, as well as the main talismans and medicines, including clothing, potions, and plants.

The pre-Christian religion of the North, as reflected in medieval Icelandic sources.

Many students, who finish their studies in the School of Humanities, in particular students from the Department of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, are likely to be employed in the future by media-companies, publishing houses and cultural institutions and asked to write criticism or news about books and art-events. The course focuses on the role and characteristics of cultural journalism in Iceland. Students will get acquainted with most of the genres of cultural journalism, such as interviews, criticism, news-releases and blog. They will work on practical assignments that will be related to specific cultural events in Iceland in the spring of 2018.

Romantic literature was one of the main channels for emotional expression in the nineteenth century. The romantic movement made individual feelings the prerequisite for aesthetic experience. Strong emotions like sympathy, awe, wonder and horror were thought to be connected to aesthetic phenomena like the Beautiful and the Sublime. During the course the history of the Self and emotional expression will be followed through romantic texts, based on theories on the subject. The emphasis will be on the discourse of emotions and their staging in poetry, letter writing, diaries, novels and plays. Among the ideas covered are those on the Self and the world, femininity and masculinity, sensibility and sadness, blissfulness and horror, love and hate, turmoil and tranquility. Among the authors and poets involved are Baldvin Einarsson, Benedikt Gröndal, Bjarni Thorarensen, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, Gísli Brynjúlfsson, Guðný Jónsdóttir of Klambrar, Grímur Thomsen, Jón Thoroddsen, Jónas Hallgrímsson, Júlíana Jónsdóttir, Kristján Jónsson Fjallaskáld, Matthías Jochumsson, Ólöf Sigurðardóttir of Hlaðir, Mary Shelley, Steingrímur Thorsteinsson and Þorsteinn Erlingsson.

Training in various aspects of the writing and editing of scientific texts. Various kinds of texts (non-fiction) examined and evaluated. Training in reviewing and commenting on scientific texts and in other aspects of editorial work. The main emphasis will be on the writing of articles, but other kinds of texts will also be considered, both shorter (conference abstracts, reviews) and longer (theses, books), as well as research proposals. Discussion of guidelines for the preparation of manuscripts. Types of plagiarism and how to avoid them and find them. Texts on different subjects will be used as examples, especially writings in linguistics, literature and history. The book Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt will be used as a textbook (Höskuldur Þráinsson 2015).

This course is open to students of many MA programmes in the School of Humanities, cf. the regulations of the individual subjects. Students in the MA programmes in Icelandic literature, Icelandic linguistics, Icelandic studies and Icelandic teaching can take the course as part of the MA course requirements in Icelandic literature or Icelandic linguistics. Students in the MA programme in Icelandic teaching can, however, not have this course as the only linguistics or literature course in their MA.

Students wishing to write a MA thesis shall contact the head of department regarding the choice of supervisor. Requests for a specific supervisor are honoured where possible, but otherwise a supervisor is selected based on the topic of the thesis and the specialist knowledge of teaching staff in Icelandic.

One of the distinctive features of Old Norse-Icelandic medieval literature is how connected the narratives are to distinct places. This is especially true of Sagas about early Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) and Kings’ sagas (konungasögur). In many cases, it is possible to visit the scenes where many key events of the saga take place. In the last decades there has been a “spatial turn” in Old Norse-Icelandic studies due to theoretical developments in the humanities and the social sciences during the second half of the twentieth century, but also aided by new perceptions of space made possible by geolocalisation and digital maps. Several scholars have engaged with the sagas from this perspective, f.ex. Emily Lethbridge and Eleanor Barraclough. In this course, the theoretical literature associated with the spatial turn will be explores, the sagas will be studied from this point of view and places where key events of the sagas happen will be visited. Even though the course is taught in the Spring semester, students are encouraged to participate in trips organized by the Viking and Medieval Norse Studies and Medieval Icelandic Studies MA programmes.

This course discusses one of the most prominent Sagas of Icelanders, and uses this saga to exemplify the most important research questions regarding medieval literature. Among other things, we will talk about the author of Egils saga, the significance of emotions, both natural and supernatural things and their significance in the saga, the ambiguity of Egill as a poet and warrior, but also his travels in Northern Europe, as well as his relationship to the Norwegian kings. Egils saga will be read in its entirety, but also relevant scholarly publications from the 20th and 21st centuries. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, and to write a term paper.

More on the assesment:

Way 1

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 5000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (80%).

Way 2

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 3000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (50%).
3. Students will write weekly reports (400 words) on the respective teaching subject. They are supposed to demonstrate their understanding of the subject, and to present their own critical assessment of it (30%).

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

This course discusses how texts, especially literary texts, can be analyzed from the perspective of theoretical linguistics.  The course is therefore suitable for students who have an interest in both literary studies and linguistics. The topics include style types, the use of tenses, word order, character designations, gender-neutral language, sound symbolism, the effects of verbs and nouns, focalization and metaphors. Many guest lecturers will participate in this class, both literary scholars and linguists.

Literary modernism and postmodernism are complex concepts that can be seen as genres, trends, aesthetics, or reading methods. They are closely linked to modernity and its transformations. This module delves into the history, meaning, and usage of literary (post)modernism in Iceland and internationally. The module examines various literary works like poetry, short stories, and novels that fall under the modernist genre and discusses their place in Icelandic literary history. It also explores the role of magazines, publications, and criticism in the Icelandic literary field. The key objective of this module is to provide answers to questions related to literary modernism, postmodernism, and modernity in Iceland.

The course will focus on the Icelandic rímur, which will be read and discussed in the context of academic research. First, the rímur will be compared to contemporary poetry among other European nations. We will then turn to on the preservation of the rímur and the Icelandic literary tradition of turning sagas into verse, and then the verse into prose versions again. Therefore, rímur from medieval times will be read in the light of Icelandic Saga literature and in some cases, both in the form of poetry and prose versions from different times. We will also look at the recital of rímur, and finally the processing of the rímur tradition, and how it lives in modern music and art.

The main purpose of the course is twofold. First, to shed light on how Icelandic is taught in upper primary and secondary schools. Second, to explore ways of developing Icelandic as a school subject, with respect to practical and theoretical research. What ability should be emphasized in the use and practice of the language? What skills should students have obtained by the end of each school level and how should they be trained? Which aspects of language and literature are most important for the students to know and understand? What are the most used teaching methods? What kind of teaching material is most commonly used in schools and to what extent does it reflect recent knowledge and developments in the fields of language and literature? In the course assignments the students will be trained in defining and implementing their own teaching ideas, with an emphasis on recent knowledge.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

Students wishing to write a MA thesis shall contact the head of department regarding the choice of supervisor. Requests for a specific supervisor are honoured where possible, but otherwise a supervisor is selected based on the topic of the thesis and the specialist knowledge of teaching staff in Icelandic.

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching format

• The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.

The course deals with Icelandic literature of past centuries, which will be read and analyzed with a focus on the concepts of magic and sorcery. Initially, the focus will be on ideas from medieval literature, and the magic considered in the context of literary motifs, narrative studies, and literary references. After that, we will concentrate on fiction from the 14th and 15th centuries and the supernatural worldview that characterizes such late medieval sagas. Finally, we will focus on post-reformational texts, which will be read, analyzed, and compared to the earlier material. An effort will be made to explain the key concepts related to magic and consider the meaning behind them. In all cases, the ideas will be studied from the perspective of literature, focusing on how the texts present ideas about seiður, metamorphosis, enchantment, weather magic, ideas about astral travel, foresight, and the casting of illusions, etc. Furthermore, some discussion will be made of the methods used in magic, such as "andhiti" (strong will), magic chants, and runes, as well as the main talismans and medicines, including clothing, potions, and plants.

The pre-Christian religion of the North, as reflected in medieval Icelandic sources.

Many students, who finish their studies in the School of Humanities, in particular students from the Department of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, are likely to be employed in the future by media-companies, publishing houses and cultural institutions and asked to write criticism or news about books and art-events. The course focuses on the role and characteristics of cultural journalism in Iceland. Students will get acquainted with most of the genres of cultural journalism, such as interviews, criticism, news-releases and blog. They will work on practical assignments that will be related to specific cultural events in Iceland in the spring of 2018.

Romantic literature was one of the main channels for emotional expression in the nineteenth century. The romantic movement made individual feelings the prerequisite for aesthetic experience. Strong emotions like sympathy, awe, wonder and horror were thought to be connected to aesthetic phenomena like the Beautiful and the Sublime. During the course the history of the Self and emotional expression will be followed through romantic texts, based on theories on the subject. The emphasis will be on the discourse of emotions and their staging in poetry, letter writing, diaries, novels and plays. Among the ideas covered are those on the Self and the world, femininity and masculinity, sensibility and sadness, blissfulness and horror, love and hate, turmoil and tranquility. Among the authors and poets involved are Baldvin Einarsson, Benedikt Gröndal, Bjarni Thorarensen, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, Gísli Brynjúlfsson, Guðný Jónsdóttir of Klambrar, Grímur Thomsen, Jón Thoroddsen, Jónas Hallgrímsson, Júlíana Jónsdóttir, Kristján Jónsson Fjallaskáld, Matthías Jochumsson, Ólöf Sigurðardóttir of Hlaðir, Mary Shelley, Steingrímur Thorsteinsson and Þorsteinn Erlingsson.

Training in various aspects of the writing and editing of scientific texts. Various kinds of texts (non-fiction) examined and evaluated. Training in reviewing and commenting on scientific texts and in other aspects of editorial work. The main emphasis will be on the writing of articles, but other kinds of texts will also be considered, both shorter (conference abstracts, reviews) and longer (theses, books), as well as research proposals. Discussion of guidelines for the preparation of manuscripts. Types of plagiarism and how to avoid them and find them. Texts on different subjects will be used as examples, especially writings in linguistics, literature and history. The book Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt will be used as a textbook (Höskuldur Þráinsson 2015).

This course is open to students of many MA programmes in the School of Humanities, cf. the regulations of the individual subjects. Students in the MA programmes in Icelandic literature, Icelandic linguistics, Icelandic studies and Icelandic teaching can take the course as part of the MA course requirements in Icelandic literature or Icelandic linguistics. Students in the MA programme in Icelandic teaching can, however, not have this course as the only linguistics or literature course in their MA.

One of the distinctive features of Old Norse-Icelandic medieval literature is how connected the narratives are to distinct places. This is especially true of Sagas about early Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) and Kings’ sagas (konungasögur). In many cases, it is possible to visit the scenes where many key events of the saga take place. In the last decades there has been a “spatial turn” in Old Norse-Icelandic studies due to theoretical developments in the humanities and the social sciences during the second half of the twentieth century, but also aided by new perceptions of space made possible by geolocalisation and digital maps. Several scholars have engaged with the sagas from this perspective, f.ex. Emily Lethbridge and Eleanor Barraclough. In this course, the theoretical literature associated with the spatial turn will be explores, the sagas will be studied from this point of view and places where key events of the sagas happen will be visited. Even though the course is taught in the Spring semester, students are encouraged to participate in trips organized by the Viking and Medieval Norse Studies and Medieval Icelandic Studies MA programmes.

This course discusses one of the most prominent Sagas of Icelanders, and uses this saga to exemplify the most important research questions regarding medieval literature. Among other things, we will talk about the author of Egils saga, the significance of emotions, both natural and supernatural things and their significance in the saga, the ambiguity of Egill as a poet and warrior, but also his travels in Northern Europe, as well as his relationship to the Norwegian kings. Egils saga will be read in its entirety, but also relevant scholarly publications from the 20th and 21st centuries. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, and to write a term paper.

More on the assesment:

Way 1

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 5000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (80%).

Way 2

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 3000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (50%).
3. Students will write weekly reports (400 words) on the respective teaching subject. They are supposed to demonstrate their understanding of the subject, and to present their own critical assessment of it (30%).

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

This course discusses how texts, especially literary texts, can be analyzed from the perspective of theoretical linguistics.  The course is therefore suitable for students who have an interest in both literary studies and linguistics. The topics include style types, the use of tenses, word order, character designations, gender-neutral language, sound symbolism, the effects of verbs and nouns, focalization and metaphors. Many guest lecturers will participate in this class, both literary scholars and linguists.

Literary modernism and postmodernism are complex concepts that can be seen as genres, trends, aesthetics, or reading methods. They are closely linked to modernity and its transformations. This module delves into the history, meaning, and usage of literary (post)modernism in Iceland and internationally. The module examines various literary works like poetry, short stories, and novels that fall under the modernist genre and discusses their place in Icelandic literary history. It also explores the role of magazines, publications, and criticism in the Icelandic literary field. The key objective of this module is to provide answers to questions related to literary modernism, postmodernism, and modernity in Iceland.

The course will focus on the Icelandic rímur, which will be read and discussed in the context of academic research. First, the rímur will be compared to contemporary poetry among other European nations. We will then turn to on the preservation of the rímur and the Icelandic literary tradition of turning sagas into verse, and then the verse into prose versions again. Therefore, rímur from medieval times will be read in the light of Icelandic Saga literature and in some cases, both in the form of poetry and prose versions from different times. We will also look at the recital of rímur, and finally the processing of the rímur tradition, and how it lives in modern music and art.

The main purpose of the course is twofold. First, to shed light on how Icelandic is taught in upper primary and secondary schools. Second, to explore ways of developing Icelandic as a school subject, with respect to practical and theoretical research. What ability should be emphasized in the use and practice of the language? What skills should students have obtained by the end of each school level and how should they be trained? Which aspects of language and literature are most important for the students to know and understand? What are the most used teaching methods? What kind of teaching material is most commonly used in schools and to what extent does it reflect recent knowledge and developments in the fields of language and literature? In the course assignments the students will be trained in defining and implementing their own teaching ideas, with an emphasis on recent knowledge.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The course deals with Icelandic literature of past centuries, which will be read and analyzed with a focus on the concepts of magic and sorcery. Initially, the focus will be on ideas from medieval literature, and the magic considered in the context of literary motifs, narrative studies, and literary references. After that, we will concentrate on fiction from the 14th and 15th centuries and the supernatural worldview that characterizes such late medieval sagas. Finally, we will focus on post-reformational texts, which will be read, analyzed, and compared to the earlier material. An effort will be made to explain the key concepts related to magic and consider the meaning behind them. In all cases, the ideas will be studied from the perspective of literature, focusing on how the texts present ideas about seiður, metamorphosis, enchantment, weather magic, ideas about astral travel, foresight, and the casting of illusions, etc. Furthermore, some discussion will be made of the methods used in magic, such as "andhiti" (strong will), magic chants, and runes, as well as the main talismans and medicines, including clothing, potions, and plants.

The pre-Christian religion of the North, as reflected in medieval Icelandic sources.

Many students, who finish their studies in the School of Humanities, in particular students from the Department of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, are likely to be employed in the future by media-companies, publishing houses and cultural institutions and asked to write criticism or news about books and art-events. The course focuses on the role and characteristics of cultural journalism in Iceland. Students will get acquainted with most of the genres of cultural journalism, such as interviews, criticism, news-releases and blog. They will work on practical assignments that will be related to specific cultural events in Iceland in the spring of 2018.

Romantic literature was one of the main channels for emotional expression in the nineteenth century. The romantic movement made individual feelings the prerequisite for aesthetic experience. Strong emotions like sympathy, awe, wonder and horror were thought to be connected to aesthetic phenomena like the Beautiful and the Sublime. During the course the history of the Self and emotional expression will be followed through romantic texts, based on theories on the subject. The emphasis will be on the discourse of emotions and their staging in poetry, letter writing, diaries, novels and plays. Among the ideas covered are those on the Self and the world, femininity and masculinity, sensibility and sadness, blissfulness and horror, love and hate, turmoil and tranquility. Among the authors and poets involved are Baldvin Einarsson, Benedikt Gröndal, Bjarni Thorarensen, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe, Gísli Brynjúlfsson, Guðný Jónsdóttir of Klambrar, Grímur Thomsen, Jón Thoroddsen, Jónas Hallgrímsson, Júlíana Jónsdóttir, Kristján Jónsson Fjallaskáld, Matthías Jochumsson, Ólöf Sigurðardóttir of Hlaðir, Mary Shelley, Steingrímur Thorsteinsson and Þorsteinn Erlingsson.

Training in various aspects of the writing and editing of scientific texts. Various kinds of texts (non-fiction) examined and evaluated. Training in reviewing and commenting on scientific texts and in other aspects of editorial work. The main emphasis will be on the writing of articles, but other kinds of texts will also be considered, both shorter (conference abstracts, reviews) and longer (theses, books), as well as research proposals. Discussion of guidelines for the preparation of manuscripts. Types of plagiarism and how to avoid them and find them. Texts on different subjects will be used as examples, especially writings in linguistics, literature and history. The book Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt will be used as a textbook (Höskuldur Þráinsson 2015).

This course is open to students of many MA programmes in the School of Humanities, cf. the regulations of the individual subjects. Students in the MA programmes in Icelandic literature, Icelandic linguistics, Icelandic studies and Icelandic teaching can take the course as part of the MA course requirements in Icelandic literature or Icelandic linguistics. Students in the MA programme in Icelandic teaching can, however, not have this course as the only linguistics or literature course in their MA.

Students wishing to write a MA thesis shall contact the head of department regarding the choice of supervisor. Requests for a specific supervisor are honoured where possible, but otherwise a supervisor is selected based on the topic of the thesis and the specialist knowledge of teaching staff in Icelandic.

One of the distinctive features of Old Norse-Icelandic medieval literature is how connected the narratives are to distinct places. This is especially true of Sagas about early Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) and Kings’ sagas (konungasögur). In many cases, it is possible to visit the scenes where many key events of the saga take place. In the last decades there has been a “spatial turn” in Old Norse-Icelandic studies due to theoretical developments in the humanities and the social sciences during the second half of the twentieth century, but also aided by new perceptions of space made possible by geolocalisation and digital maps. Several scholars have engaged with the sagas from this perspective, f.ex. Emily Lethbridge and Eleanor Barraclough. In this course, the theoretical literature associated with the spatial turn will be explores, the sagas will be studied from this point of view and places where key events of the sagas happen will be visited. Even though the course is taught in the Spring semester, students are encouraged to participate in trips organized by the Viking and Medieval Norse Studies and Medieval Icelandic Studies MA programmes.

This course discusses one of the most prominent Sagas of Icelanders, and uses this saga to exemplify the most important research questions regarding medieval literature. Among other things, we will talk about the author of Egils saga, the significance of emotions, both natural and supernatural things and their significance in the saga, the ambiguity of Egill as a poet and warrior, but also his travels in Northern Europe, as well as his relationship to the Norwegian kings. Egils saga will be read in its entirety, but also relevant scholarly publications from the 20th and 21st centuries. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, and to write a term paper.

More on the assesment:

Way 1

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 5000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (80%).

Way 2

1. Students will give a presentation on a topic connected to the topic of the class. They can make suggestions about the topic and time of the presentation. The presentation is supposed to be 20 minutes, and is to be followed by a discussion with other students (20%).
2. Students will prepare a 3000-word research paper about a topic connected to the topic of the class. They are supposed to demonstrate a scholarly approach in accordance with academic standards regarding, e.g., source criticism, critical thinking, and accuracy (50%).
3. Students will write weekly reports (400 words) on the respective teaching subject. They are supposed to demonstrate their understanding of the subject, and to present their own critical assessment of it (30%).

By focusing on folk tales, literature and other relevant sources, the course discusses the manifestations of nature and the supernatural in Icelandic narrative culture throughout the centuries. Students will learn about the significance, interface, and unclear boundaries of these phenomena and how they have shaped society and the environment as well. Students will thus get to know different ideas about the position of people and (other) animals within, above or "outside" of nature. Through diverse lectures and assignments, topics such as humanity vs. animality, the known world vs. other worlds, and materiality vs. the supernatural, will be discussed from critical points of view. The roles and forms of landscape, organisms, bodies, weather, and natural phenomena in the narrative culture will be explored. The latest research in this broad field will be presented, such as on the representation of earthquakes and celestial bodies, bears, whales, seals, and domestic animals, and on the supernatural creatures of nature and other mythological creatures such as fairies, ghosts, trolls, and berserks. Students will learn how story worlds and folklore have left their mark on the perception of nature, folk traditions, folk customs, and social spaces such as enchanted spots, sacred places and hunted places. We also ask how these narratives appear in folk art and visual art, from previous centuries to the present. Finally, we will explore the significance of nature narratives and the supernatural in the context of the Anthropocene, human perspectives, climate change, and the different statuses of social groups and species

This course discusses how texts, especially literary texts, can be analyzed from the perspective of theoretical linguistics.  The course is therefore suitable for students who have an interest in both literary studies and linguistics. The topics include style types, the use of tenses, word order, character designations, gender-neutral language, sound symbolism, the effects of verbs and nouns, focalization and metaphors. Many guest lecturers will participate in this class, both literary scholars and linguists.

Literary modernism and postmodernism are complex concepts that can be seen as genres, trends, aesthetics, or reading methods. They are closely linked to modernity and its transformations. This module delves into the history, meaning, and usage of literary (post)modernism in Iceland and internationally. The module examines various literary works like poetry, short stories, and novels that fall under the modernist genre and discusses their place in Icelandic literary history. It also explores the role of magazines, publications, and criticism in the Icelandic literary field. The key objective of this module is to provide answers to questions related to literary modernism, postmodernism, and modernity in Iceland.

The course will focus on the Icelandic rímur, which will be read and discussed in the context of academic research. First, the rímur will be compared to contemporary poetry among other European nations. We will then turn to on the preservation of the rímur and the Icelandic literary tradition of turning sagas into verse, and then the verse into prose versions again. Therefore, rímur from medieval times will be read in the light of Icelandic Saga literature and in some cases, both in the form of poetry and prose versions from different times. We will also look at the recital of rímur, and finally the processing of the rímur tradition, and how it lives in modern music and art.

The main purpose of the course is twofold. First, to shed light on how Icelandic is taught in upper primary and secondary schools. Second, to explore ways of developing Icelandic as a school subject, with respect to practical and theoretical research. What ability should be emphasized in the use and practice of the language? What skills should students have obtained by the end of each school level and how should they be trained? Which aspects of language and literature are most important for the students to know and understand? What are the most used teaching methods? What kind of teaching material is most commonly used in schools and to what extent does it reflect recent knowledge and developments in the fields of language and literature? In the course assignments the students will be trained in defining and implementing their own teaching ideas, with an emphasis on recent knowledge.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

The student chooses a subject in consultation with a teacher, who takes on the role of a supervisor. Together they draw up a reading list and define the project output.

Students wishing to write a MA thesis shall contact the head of department regarding the choice of supervisor. Requests for a specific supervisor are honoured where possible, but otherwise a supervisor is selected based on the topic of the thesis and the specialist knowledge of teaching staff in Icelandic.

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching format

• The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.