The MA in medieval studies is offered as an interdisciplinary collaboration between all four faculties at the School of Humanities. It aims to coordinate and enhance research and scholarship in the different fields of medieval studies. The programme is suitable for students who want to gain an insight into the different fields of medieval studies. The thesis, however, should focus on a specific area of specialisation.
The programme is designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree at the School of Humanities or a comparable university degree and is suitable for anyone who want to gain an insight into the different fields of medieval studies.
The programme is 120 ECTS and is organised as two years of full-time study.
The programme is made up of:
Normal academic progress is as follows:
Teaching is mainly in Icelandic, but some courses on international topics are taught in English. This programme is designed for students with strong proficiency in Icelandic.
International students can apply for the programme in Medieval Icelandic studies, which is taught in English.
The programme aims to provide students with the skills required to conduct systematic research in their chosen specialisation under the guidance of recognised academics and also create a framework that allows them to develop the knowledge and skills
Students who complete the programme with a first class grade may apply for doctoral studies
See the UI Medieval Seminar website for lectures and recordings of various events.
Completing a BA programme with a first class grade, or an equivalent qualification and have written a final project also awarded a first class grade, is a prerequisite for access to the Master's programme in Medieval Studies.
The MA in Medieval Studies is a two-year course of study (120 ECTS). Students take 90 ECTS in the form of modules and write an MA-thesis of 30 ECTS. The course modules may be common to all or subject to special requirements by the different programmes or specialities. Students choose the subject of their thesis in consultation with the coordinator of the programme. A full course of studies of one semester should be the equivalent of 30 ECTS. The structure of the programme is normally as follows: a) First semester: A core module in humanities, a speciality module, and one or two elective modules. (30 ECTS) b) Second semester: A module involving recent research, a speciality module, and one or two elective modules. (30 ECTS) c) Third semester: The writing of a literature review relevant to the subject of the intended MA-thesis, a speciality module, and one or two elective modules. (30 ECTS) d) Fourth semester: MA-thesis. (30 ECTS)
Further information on supporting documents can be found here
Check below to see how the programme is structured.
This programme does not offer specialisations.
The aim of the course is to provide students with a more comprehensive and deeper insight into the different theoretical approaches within the humanities. In the course, the main theories that have influenced theoretical discussion in the humanities over the last decades will be presented and discussed, and the students are taught how to apply them in their own research.
This course is a beginner’s course in Latin. No prior knowledge of Latin is assumed at the outset. It introduces the basics of Latin grammar and syntax. Chosen passages will be read in Latin, translated and thoroughly analysed. Teaching consists of 24 lectures on particular aspects of the Latin language and assigned readings.
This course is taught in Icelandic but students can get permission of the instructor to complete assignments and exams in English.
This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.
The first two or three weeks of the course are focused on the study of the Arabic alphabet and its sounds. After this, the focus shifts onto key grammar points, simple sentences and vocabulary, along with the practice of listening and oral skills. Attendance and homework are of great importance in this course. The course is taught in English.
This course is a prerequisite for MAF204G Arabic II.
During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.
The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.
Historical and historiographical survey of major topics in the history of the medieval North, with special emphasis on Iceland and Norway from the Viking Age into the fourteenth century. Topics include: power, kingship and state; law and feud; kinship, gender and social ties; religious and mental outlook(s); conversion, Christianity and church; economic conditions. Prior knowledge of the “factual” narrative is helpful but not necessary. Reading ability in German and/or the modern Scandinavian languages is also helpful but, again, not necessary (all mandatory readings are in English). Students produce a paper and lead discussion; no final exam.
This course provides an overview of Icelandic manuscript culture. Students will get practical training in reading Icelandic manuscripts from different periods, from the earliest extant Icelandic vellums dating to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries down to the paper manuscripts of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The origins of the Icelandic script will be discussed as well as its development over time, and students will get practical training in reading different types of script from different periods. The orthography of medieval manuscripts differs considerably from the modern orthography. It includes a system of abbreviations that is partly inherited from a much earlier Latin tradition. Students will get practical training in interpreting these abbreviations. The Icelandic language has also changed over time, and different manifestations of these language changes appear when reading and examining Icelandic texts from different periods. A selection of these changes will be discussed. Changes in script, orthography, and language provide valuable indications of the date of the manuscript, and students will get practical training in dating medieval Icelandic manuscripts based on script, orthography, and language.
Various aspects of medieval book production will be discussed, including the making of parchment and ink, and book binding. Scribes and scribal schools will be discussed as well as probable centres of book production in medieval Iceland. The works of some prolific scribes in the fourteenth century will be examined. What did they write? How did they write? Did they change their practice over a long scribal career? The texts contained by the manuscripts will also be examined and the basics of textual criticism introduced. Njáls saga, for instance, has survived in over sixty manuscripts with considerable textual variation. Which manuscript should then constitute the basis for a printed edition of Njáls saga? Different types of printed editions will be discussed, and students try their hand at editing a medieval text. The electronic editing of pre-modern texts will be introduced, and students will get practical training in mark-up with XML according to the guidelines of the Medieval Nordic Text Archive (MENOTA) and the Medieval Unicode Font Initiative (MUFI).
The course is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops with considerable student engagement. Many of the lectures will be pre-recorded allowing more time in the classroom for discussion and student contributions.
The course is run in cooperation with the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies which has the custody of the largest single collection of Icelandic medieval manuscripts. Students will visit the institute to learn about its collections and facilities and to examine manuscripts.
Course synopsis
Week 1
(1) Introduction
The course: format, readings, requirements and assessment.
The subject matter: Medieval Icelandic manuscripts.
(2) The earliest Icelandic manuscripts
A sketch of the history of the Latin script and the earliest writings in Icelandic. Where did Icelanders learn to use the Latin alphabet? Which orthography did they employ? Some main characteristics of medieval orthography and the use of abbreviations.
Week 2
(3) Electronic editing of medieval texts
How can medieval texts be presented electronically? The XML mark-up language, TEI, MENOTA, MUFI, and related matters. We will try our hand at electronic editing.
(4) The earliest Icelandic orthography and the First Grammatical Treatise
The use of the Latin alphabet for writing Icelandic: challenges — and the solutions proposed by the author of the First Grammatical Treatise in the middle of the twelfth century.
Week 3
(5) Icelandic script and orthography in the thirteenth century
The difference between Icelandic and Norwegian orthography in the twelfth century. What changed in the course of the thirteenth century?
(6) Different types of print editions: scholarly editions
How accurate should printed editions be? Should every little detail in the manuscript be reproduced? What is “Classical Old Icelandic Normalized Orthography”? What are the needs of the readers? What is the role of the editor?
Week 4
(7) Norwegian influence on script, orthography, and language in Icelandic manuscripts
What is the manifestation of this Norwegian influence? How deep-rooted was it? How long did it last?
(8) The dating of manuscripts: script, orthography, and language
How can medieval Icelandic manuscripts be dated? Features of script, orthography, and language that can be helpful for dating.
Week 5
(9) Icelandic script and orthography in the fourteenth century
Main characteristics and their development.
(10) One scribal hand or many?
Distinguishing different scribal hands: some criteria. The Icelandic Homily Book from around 1200: One scribe or fourteen?
Week 6
(11) Book production: parchment, ink, binding — and conservation
From animal skin to parchment. How was the ink produced? Book design and book binding. The care and conservation of medieval manuscripts.
(12) Book production: parchment, ink, binding — and conservation
A visit to the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies.
— STUDY WEEK —
Week 7
(13) Scribes, scribal milieus, the export of books
On prolific scribes, scribal collaboration, and extensive production of books. Were books produced in Iceland for export in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries?
(14) Icelandic script and orthography in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
Main characteristics and their development.
Week 8
(15) Textual criticism
On the transmission of texts through copying. Textual variation, manuscript classification, and stemmatology.
(16) Textual criticism
Comparing manuscripts and collecting variants.
Week 9
(17) Manuscript illumination
On illuminated manuscripts, historiated initials, artists and their models.
(18) Manuscript catalogues and cataloguing
We will familiarize ourselves with the most important manuscript catalogues and learn about the principles of manuscript cataloguing.
Week 10
(19) Icelandic script and orthography in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
Main characteristics and their development.
(20) The transmission of the text: a relic or a living text?
How did the language change when a scribe copied from an old exemplar? Njáls saga is believed to have been written towards the end of the thirteenth century. What is the language of Njáls saga in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century manuscripts?
Week 11
(21) Antiquarianism, manuscript collectors, and copyists
The sixteenth century saw the rise of interest in antiquities, old manuscripts were collected and copied.
(22) Different types of print editions: popular editions
How is a pre-modern text best presented to the modern reader? Should archaic features of language and orthography be retained or should they be updated? On the allegiance to the manuscript and allegiance to the reader.
Week 12
(23) Manuscript collections and manuscript collectors
The life and work of Árni Magnússon.
(24) The manuscript dispute and the return of the manuscripts to Iceland
The search for Codex Scardensis and a nerve-racking auction in London. The custody dispute with Denmark and the return of the manuscripts to Iceland 1971–1997.
— This synopsis may be subject to change. —
Readings
The reading list is on the course website on Canvas. It consists of readings in several languages, including English, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, German, and French. The reading list is (often) divided into three main sections:
(a) Required readings: Texts that everyone is required to read. These are all in English.
(b) Optional supplementary readings: These are optional readings for those who want a more in-depth discussion. Most of these readings are in English, but not all.
(c) For those who still want more: A variety of optional readings in several languages, not least in Icelandic, for those who still want more. This section is mostly for reference purposes and as a tool for further research.
Many of the required readings (and some of the optional readings) are found on the Canvas course website. Other reading materials are available in the institute library in the Árni Magnússon Institute in Edda and the University Library (Háskólabókasafn) in the Þjóðarbókhlaða.
Prerequisites
Some skills in Icelandic are essential to fully benefit from the course, as emphasis will be placed on practical training in reading and transcribing text from medieval Icelandic manuscripts. MIS105F Old Icelandic 1 or equivalent study of Old Icelandic is sufficient or some skills in Modern Icelandic. Please, consult the instructor if in doubt.
Course format
The course is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops with considerable student engagement. Many of the lectures will be prerecorded allowing more time in the classroom for discussion and student contributions (flipped classroom).
Working language: This course is open to students with different linguistic backgrounds, and there are two working languages, English and Icelandic. Pre-recorded lectures are in both English and Icelandic (except for guest lecturers who will present in English), written assignments are in both English and Icelandic, and reading materials are in English, Icelandic and the Scandinavian languages, but for those who cannot read Icelandic or the Scan-dinavian languages, all required readings are in English. English is the main working language in the classroom, but questions and contributions to class discussion may also be in Icelandic. — See a separate note on the working languages and the classroom arrangement.
Course requirements and assessment
The final grade for the course will be based on:
(1) Transcription assignments: 30%
(2) Manuscript catalogue assignment: 10%
(3) Manuscript dating assignment: 10%
(4) Presentation: manuscript of the day: 10%
(5) Research paper: 30%
(6) Class participation: 10%
All written assignments will be submitted through Canvas. More detailed instructions and information on deadlines is found on Canvas.
In this course we will read selections from medieval literature broadly conceived (from the end og the 4th century to the beginning of the 16th century): poetry and historiography, philosophy and theology. Texts will be analysed grammatically and discussed materially as needed.
The course will be taught in Icelandic, but students whose native language is not Icelandic may complete assignments and exams in English.
Individual project under the supervision of a teacher.
A week-long intensive seminar in medieval studies held annually in mid May (usually sometime during the period May 10–30, taught by visiting faculty and covers a different subject every year.
The course is intended for postgraduate students only. It is adapted to the needs of students from different fields of study. The course is taught over a six-week period.
The course is taught over the first six weeks of spring semester on Fridays from 1:20 pm - 3:40 pm.
Description:
The topics of the course include: Professionalism and the scientist’s responsibilities. Demands for scientific objectivity and the ethics of research. Issues of equality and standards of good practice. Power and science. Conflicts of interest and misconduct in research. Science, academia and industry. Research ethics and ethical decision making.
Objectives:
In this course, the student gains knowledge about ethical issues in science and research and is trained in reasoning about ethical controversies relating to science and research in contemporary society.
The instruction takes the form of lectures and discussion. The course is viewed as an academic community where students are actively engaged in a focused dialogue about the topics. Each student (working as a member of a two-person team) gives a presentation according to a plan designed at the beginning of the course, and other students acquaint themselves with the topic as well for the purpose of participating in a teacher-led discussion.
In this seminar some Eddic poems will be read and their language examined. Features which cast light on the age of the poems will be given particular attention. The evidence of the Eddic poems will be compared with that from other linguistic sources. Various methods of dating the Eddic poems will be discussed.
"Echoes of a Global Medieval Ages in Contemporary History" is a course that explores the intersection of medieval and contemporary eras, considering how memories, symbols, and narratives from the medieval world continue to shape current ideologies, identities, and global perspectives. Through a thematic, regional examination, the course analyzes how different societies today reinterpret and reconstruct their medieval pasts, addressing legacies of imperialism, nationalism, and cultural exchange. Key topics include the influence of medieval governance, cultural symbols, trade networks, and ideological conflicts on contemporary issues.
This course is an introduction to Icelandic manuscript studies with a strong focus on the medieval period. Icelandic manuscript culture is remarkable in many respects, not least because of the great quantity of medieval parchment manuscripts and documents still extant today. These contain secular texts (prose and poetry), mythological texts, legal texts, ecclesiastical texts, as well as administrative material, for example. Unusual, too, was the continuity in Iceland with regard to the practice of hand-copying books over many centuries, from the medieval period to the early 20th century. The making and writing of manuscript books was a central part of Icelandic culture, and did not stop once the printing press arrived in Iceland in the mid-16th century.
The course will provide a general overview of paleographical terminology; the types of letter forms and abbreviations used in medieval Icelandic manuscripts (as well as how to expand abbreviations); and the development of script in Iceland, alongside the development of Icelandic orthography. It is on the basis of script-types, orthographical features, and identifiable scribal hands that Icelandic manuscripts are most often dated; equally, the history of the Icelandic language is also, to a significant degree, based on the extant manuscript evidence for language use and morphological forms. Types of errors made by scribes when they copied (and how to recognise them) will also be covered – this is necessary for understanding how modern printed editions of manuscript texts are put together.
Topics furthermore include the technology of book-making and writing, and the historical context for producing manuscripts in the medieval period in Iceland; the circumstances surrounding the collection and the significance of the manuscripts as cultural objects, together with the circumstances of their return to Iceland in the 1970s.
Overview of the history of the Viking age and history of Viking research. Emphasis is placed on the archaeological evidence, the sites and the objects, and discussing how archaeological data has contributed to our understanding of this period. Particular attention is given to economic patterns, issues of ethnicity and state formation.
During the last decades, medieval archaeology has experienced significant growth as a discipline concerned with material culture. Initially, the use of material culture was marginalized to the role of confirming or refuting historical knowledge about this period but today it is understood as having equal historical importance to the archived material. The course is thus intended to improve student’s understanding of Medieval Europe during the period 800–1600 AD through the study of material culture. It deals with general themes in medieval archaeology, such as identity, social status, rural and urban landscapes, religion, life and death, rather than the historical development of the Middle Ages in chronological order. The aim is to give students insight into the different fields of theory and method of medieval archaeology through both material and documentary evidences in accordance with the current state of research. A special emphasis will be put on medieval Iceland, as a part of European culture and society, but even on how medieval archaeologists gather their sources, analyse them and reach conclusions of historical importance.
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
This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.
The first two or three weeks of the course are focused on the study of the Arabic alphabet and its sounds. After this, the focus shifts onto key grammar points, simple sentences and vocabulary, along with the practice of listening and oral skills. Attendance and homework are of great importance in this course. The course is taught in English.
This course is a prerequisite for MAF204G Arabic II.
During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.
The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.
Historical and historiographical survey of major topics in the history of the medieval North, with special emphasis on Iceland and Norway from the Viking Age into the fourteenth century. Topics include: power, kingship and state; law and feud; kinship, gender and social ties; religious and mental outlook(s); conversion, Christianity and church; economic conditions. Prior knowledge of the “factual” narrative is helpful but not necessary. Reading ability in German and/or the modern Scandinavian languages is also helpful but, again, not necessary (all mandatory readings are in English). Students produce a paper and lead discussion; no final exam.
Students explore the state of knowledge in the field in which they intend to write their MA-thesis (read and analyse what amounts to 20-30 articles in their field), give a brief account of their project and write a litterature review (ca 5000 words).
.
The aim of the course is to provide students with a more comprehensive and deeper insight into the different theoretical approaches within the humanities. In the course, the main theories that have influenced theoretical discussion in the humanities over the last decades will be presented and discussed, and the students are taught how to apply them in their own research.
This course is a beginner’s course in Latin. No prior knowledge of Latin is assumed at the outset. It introduces the basics of Latin grammar and syntax. Chosen passages will be read in Latin, translated and thoroughly analysed. Teaching consists of 24 lectures on particular aspects of the Latin language and assigned readings.
This course is taught in Icelandic but students can get permission of the instructor to complete assignments and exams in English.
This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.
The first two or three weeks of the course are focused on the study of the Arabic alphabet and its sounds. After this, the focus shifts onto key grammar points, simple sentences and vocabulary, along with the practice of listening and oral skills. Attendance and homework are of great importance in this course. The course is taught in English.
This course is a prerequisite for MAF204G Arabic II.
During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.
The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.
Historical and historiographical survey of major topics in the history of the medieval North, with special emphasis on Iceland and Norway from the Viking Age into the fourteenth century. Topics include: power, kingship and state; law and feud; kinship, gender and social ties; religious and mental outlook(s); conversion, Christianity and church; economic conditions. Prior knowledge of the “factual” narrative is helpful but not necessary. Reading ability in German and/or the modern Scandinavian languages is also helpful but, again, not necessary (all mandatory readings are in English). Students produce a paper and lead discussion; no final exam.
This course provides an overview of Icelandic manuscript culture. Students will get practical training in reading Icelandic manuscripts from different periods, from the earliest extant Icelandic vellums dating to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries down to the paper manuscripts of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The origins of the Icelandic script will be discussed as well as its development over time, and students will get practical training in reading different types of script from different periods. The orthography of medieval manuscripts differs considerably from the modern orthography. It includes a system of abbreviations that is partly inherited from a much earlier Latin tradition. Students will get practical training in interpreting these abbreviations. The Icelandic language has also changed over time, and different manifestations of these language changes appear when reading and examining Icelandic texts from different periods. A selection of these changes will be discussed. Changes in script, orthography, and language provide valuable indications of the date of the manuscript, and students will get practical training in dating medieval Icelandic manuscripts based on script, orthography, and language.
Various aspects of medieval book production will be discussed, including the making of parchment and ink, and book binding. Scribes and scribal schools will be discussed as well as probable centres of book production in medieval Iceland. The works of some prolific scribes in the fourteenth century will be examined. What did they write? How did they write? Did they change their practice over a long scribal career? The texts contained by the manuscripts will also be examined and the basics of textual criticism introduced. Njáls saga, for instance, has survived in over sixty manuscripts with considerable textual variation. Which manuscript should then constitute the basis for a printed edition of Njáls saga? Different types of printed editions will be discussed, and students try their hand at editing a medieval text. The electronic editing of pre-modern texts will be introduced, and students will get practical training in mark-up with XML according to the guidelines of the Medieval Nordic Text Archive (MENOTA) and the Medieval Unicode Font Initiative (MUFI).
The course is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops with considerable student engagement. Many of the lectures will be pre-recorded allowing more time in the classroom for discussion and student contributions.
The course is run in cooperation with the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies which has the custody of the largest single collection of Icelandic medieval manuscripts. Students will visit the institute to learn about its collections and facilities and to examine manuscripts.
Course synopsis
Week 1
(1) Introduction
The course: format, readings, requirements and assessment.
The subject matter: Medieval Icelandic manuscripts.
(2) The earliest Icelandic manuscripts
A sketch of the history of the Latin script and the earliest writings in Icelandic. Where did Icelanders learn to use the Latin alphabet? Which orthography did they employ? Some main characteristics of medieval orthography and the use of abbreviations.
Week 2
(3) Electronic editing of medieval texts
How can medieval texts be presented electronically? The XML mark-up language, TEI, MENOTA, MUFI, and related matters. We will try our hand at electronic editing.
(4) The earliest Icelandic orthography and the First Grammatical Treatise
The use of the Latin alphabet for writing Icelandic: challenges — and the solutions proposed by the author of the First Grammatical Treatise in the middle of the twelfth century.
Week 3
(5) Icelandic script and orthography in the thirteenth century
The difference between Icelandic and Norwegian orthography in the twelfth century. What changed in the course of the thirteenth century?
(6) Different types of print editions: scholarly editions
How accurate should printed editions be? Should every little detail in the manuscript be reproduced? What is “Classical Old Icelandic Normalized Orthography”? What are the needs of the readers? What is the role of the editor?
Week 4
(7) Norwegian influence on script, orthography, and language in Icelandic manuscripts
What is the manifestation of this Norwegian influence? How deep-rooted was it? How long did it last?
(8) The dating of manuscripts: script, orthography, and language
How can medieval Icelandic manuscripts be dated? Features of script, orthography, and language that can be helpful for dating.
Week 5
(9) Icelandic script and orthography in the fourteenth century
Main characteristics and their development.
(10) One scribal hand or many?
Distinguishing different scribal hands: some criteria. The Icelandic Homily Book from around 1200: One scribe or fourteen?
Week 6
(11) Book production: parchment, ink, binding — and conservation
From animal skin to parchment. How was the ink produced? Book design and book binding. The care and conservation of medieval manuscripts.
(12) Book production: parchment, ink, binding — and conservation
A visit to the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies.
— STUDY WEEK —
Week 7
(13) Scribes, scribal milieus, the export of books
On prolific scribes, scribal collaboration, and extensive production of books. Were books produced in Iceland for export in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries?
(14) Icelandic script and orthography in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
Main characteristics and their development.
Week 8
(15) Textual criticism
On the transmission of texts through copying. Textual variation, manuscript classification, and stemmatology.
(16) Textual criticism
Comparing manuscripts and collecting variants.
Week 9
(17) Manuscript illumination
On illuminated manuscripts, historiated initials, artists and their models.
(18) Manuscript catalogues and cataloguing
We will familiarize ourselves with the most important manuscript catalogues and learn about the principles of manuscript cataloguing.
Week 10
(19) Icelandic script and orthography in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
Main characteristics and their development.
(20) The transmission of the text: a relic or a living text?
How did the language change when a scribe copied from an old exemplar? Njáls saga is believed to have been written towards the end of the thirteenth century. What is the language of Njáls saga in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century manuscripts?
Week 11
(21) Antiquarianism, manuscript collectors, and copyists
The sixteenth century saw the rise of interest in antiquities, old manuscripts were collected and copied.
(22) Different types of print editions: popular editions
How is a pre-modern text best presented to the modern reader? Should archaic features of language and orthography be retained or should they be updated? On the allegiance to the manuscript and allegiance to the reader.
Week 12
(23) Manuscript collections and manuscript collectors
The life and work of Árni Magnússon.
(24) The manuscript dispute and the return of the manuscripts to Iceland
The search for Codex Scardensis and a nerve-racking auction in London. The custody dispute with Denmark and the return of the manuscripts to Iceland 1971–1997.
— This synopsis may be subject to change. —
Readings
The reading list is on the course website on Canvas. It consists of readings in several languages, including English, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, German, and French. The reading list is (often) divided into three main sections:
(a) Required readings: Texts that everyone is required to read. These are all in English.
(b) Optional supplementary readings: These are optional readings for those who want a more in-depth discussion. Most of these readings are in English, but not all.
(c) For those who still want more: A variety of optional readings in several languages, not least in Icelandic, for those who still want more. This section is mostly for reference purposes and as a tool for further research.
Many of the required readings (and some of the optional readings) are found on the Canvas course website. Other reading materials are available in the institute library in the Árni Magnússon Institute in Edda and the University Library (Háskólabókasafn) in the Þjóðarbókhlaða.
Prerequisites
Some skills in Icelandic are essential to fully benefit from the course, as emphasis will be placed on practical training in reading and transcribing text from medieval Icelandic manuscripts. MIS105F Old Icelandic 1 or equivalent study of Old Icelandic is sufficient or some skills in Modern Icelandic. Please, consult the instructor if in doubt.
Course format
The course is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops with considerable student engagement. Many of the lectures will be prerecorded allowing more time in the classroom for discussion and student contributions (flipped classroom).
Working language: This course is open to students with different linguistic backgrounds, and there are two working languages, English and Icelandic. Pre-recorded lectures are in both English and Icelandic (except for guest lecturers who will present in English), written assignments are in both English and Icelandic, and reading materials are in English, Icelandic and the Scandinavian languages, but for those who cannot read Icelandic or the Scan-dinavian languages, all required readings are in English. English is the main working language in the classroom, but questions and contributions to class discussion may also be in Icelandic. — See a separate note on the working languages and the classroom arrangement.
Course requirements and assessment
The final grade for the course will be based on:
(1) Transcription assignments: 30%
(2) Manuscript catalogue assignment: 10%
(3) Manuscript dating assignment: 10%
(4) Presentation: manuscript of the day: 10%
(5) Research paper: 30%
(6) Class participation: 10%
All written assignments will be submitted through Canvas. More detailed instructions and information on deadlines is found on Canvas.
In this course we will read selections from medieval literature broadly conceived (from the end og the 4th century to the beginning of the 16th century): poetry and historiography, philosophy and theology. Texts will be analysed grammatically and discussed materially as needed.
The course will be taught in Icelandic, but students whose native language is not Icelandic may complete assignments and exams in English.
Individual project under the supervision of a teacher.
A week-long intensive seminar in medieval studies held annually in mid May (usually sometime during the period May 10–30, taught by visiting faculty and covers a different subject every year.
The course is intended for postgraduate students only. It is adapted to the needs of students from different fields of study. The course is taught over a six-week period.
The course is taught over the first six weeks of spring semester on Fridays from 1:20 pm - 3:40 pm.
Description:
The topics of the course include: Professionalism and the scientist’s responsibilities. Demands for scientific objectivity and the ethics of research. Issues of equality and standards of good practice. Power and science. Conflicts of interest and misconduct in research. Science, academia and industry. Research ethics and ethical decision making.
Objectives:
In this course, the student gains knowledge about ethical issues in science and research and is trained in reasoning about ethical controversies relating to science and research in contemporary society.
The instruction takes the form of lectures and discussion. The course is viewed as an academic community where students are actively engaged in a focused dialogue about the topics. Each student (working as a member of a two-person team) gives a presentation according to a plan designed at the beginning of the course, and other students acquaint themselves with the topic as well for the purpose of participating in a teacher-led discussion.
In this seminar some Eddic poems will be read and their language examined. Features which cast light on the age of the poems will be given particular attention. The evidence of the Eddic poems will be compared with that from other linguistic sources. Various methods of dating the Eddic poems will be discussed.
"Echoes of a Global Medieval Ages in Contemporary History" is a course that explores the intersection of medieval and contemporary eras, considering how memories, symbols, and narratives from the medieval world continue to shape current ideologies, identities, and global perspectives. Through a thematic, regional examination, the course analyzes how different societies today reinterpret and reconstruct their medieval pasts, addressing legacies of imperialism, nationalism, and cultural exchange. Key topics include the influence of medieval governance, cultural symbols, trade networks, and ideological conflicts on contemporary issues.
This course is an introduction to Icelandic manuscript studies with a strong focus on the medieval period. Icelandic manuscript culture is remarkable in many respects, not least because of the great quantity of medieval parchment manuscripts and documents still extant today. These contain secular texts (prose and poetry), mythological texts, legal texts, ecclesiastical texts, as well as administrative material, for example. Unusual, too, was the continuity in Iceland with regard to the practice of hand-copying books over many centuries, from the medieval period to the early 20th century. The making and writing of manuscript books was a central part of Icelandic culture, and did not stop once the printing press arrived in Iceland in the mid-16th century.
The course will provide a general overview of paleographical terminology; the types of letter forms and abbreviations used in medieval Icelandic manuscripts (as well as how to expand abbreviations); and the development of script in Iceland, alongside the development of Icelandic orthography. It is on the basis of script-types, orthographical features, and identifiable scribal hands that Icelandic manuscripts are most often dated; equally, the history of the Icelandic language is also, to a significant degree, based on the extant manuscript evidence for language use and morphological forms. Types of errors made by scribes when they copied (and how to recognise them) will also be covered – this is necessary for understanding how modern printed editions of manuscript texts are put together.
Topics furthermore include the technology of book-making and writing, and the historical context for producing manuscripts in the medieval period in Iceland; the circumstances surrounding the collection and the significance of the manuscripts as cultural objects, together with the circumstances of their return to Iceland in the 1970s.
Overview of the history of the Viking age and history of Viking research. Emphasis is placed on the archaeological evidence, the sites and the objects, and discussing how archaeological data has contributed to our understanding of this period. Particular attention is given to economic patterns, issues of ethnicity and state formation.
During the last decades, medieval archaeology has experienced significant growth as a discipline concerned with material culture. Initially, the use of material culture was marginalized to the role of confirming or refuting historical knowledge about this period but today it is understood as having equal historical importance to the archived material. The course is thus intended to improve student’s understanding of Medieval Europe during the period 800–1600 AD through the study of material culture. It deals with general themes in medieval archaeology, such as identity, social status, rural and urban landscapes, religion, life and death, rather than the historical development of the Middle Ages in chronological order. The aim is to give students insight into the different fields of theory and method of medieval archaeology through both material and documentary evidences in accordance with the current state of research. A special emphasis will be put on medieval Iceland, as a part of European culture and society, but even on how medieval archaeologists gather their sources, analyse them and reach conclusions of historical importance.
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
This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.
The first two or three weeks of the course are focused on the study of the Arabic alphabet and its sounds. After this, the focus shifts onto key grammar points, simple sentences and vocabulary, along with the practice of listening and oral skills. Attendance and homework are of great importance in this course. The course is taught in English.
This course is a prerequisite for MAF204G Arabic II.
During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.
The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.
Historical and historiographical survey of major topics in the history of the medieval North, with special emphasis on Iceland and Norway from the Viking Age into the fourteenth century. Topics include: power, kingship and state; law and feud; kinship, gender and social ties; religious and mental outlook(s); conversion, Christianity and church; economic conditions. Prior knowledge of the “factual” narrative is helpful but not necessary. Reading ability in German and/or the modern Scandinavian languages is also helpful but, again, not necessary (all mandatory readings are in English). Students produce a paper and lead discussion; no final exam.
Students explore the state of knowledge in the field in which they intend to write their MA-thesis (read and analyse what amounts to 20-30 articles in their field), give a brief account of their project and write a litterature review (ca 5000 words).
.
The aim of the course is to provide students with a more comprehensive and deeper insight into the different theoretical approaches within the humanities. In the course, the main theories that have influenced theoretical discussion in the humanities over the last decades will be presented and discussed, and the students are taught how to apply them in their own research.
This course is a beginner’s course in Latin. No prior knowledge of Latin is assumed at the outset. It introduces the basics of Latin grammar and syntax. Chosen passages will be read in Latin, translated and thoroughly analysed. Teaching consists of 24 lectures on particular aspects of the Latin language and assigned readings.
This course is taught in Icelandic but students can get permission of the instructor to complete assignments and exams in English.
This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.
The first two or three weeks of the course are focused on the study of the Arabic alphabet and its sounds. After this, the focus shifts onto key grammar points, simple sentences and vocabulary, along with the practice of listening and oral skills. Attendance and homework are of great importance in this course. The course is taught in English.
This course is a prerequisite for MAF204G Arabic II.
During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.
The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.
Historical and historiographical survey of major topics in the history of the medieval North, with special emphasis on Iceland and Norway from the Viking Age into the fourteenth century. Topics include: power, kingship and state; law and feud; kinship, gender and social ties; religious and mental outlook(s); conversion, Christianity and church; economic conditions. Prior knowledge of the “factual” narrative is helpful but not necessary. Reading ability in German and/or the modern Scandinavian languages is also helpful but, again, not necessary (all mandatory readings are in English). Students produce a paper and lead discussion; no final exam.
This course provides an overview of Icelandic manuscript culture. Students will get practical training in reading Icelandic manuscripts from different periods, from the earliest extant Icelandic vellums dating to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries down to the paper manuscripts of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The origins of the Icelandic script will be discussed as well as its development over time, and students will get practical training in reading different types of script from different periods. The orthography of medieval manuscripts differs considerably from the modern orthography. It includes a system of abbreviations that is partly inherited from a much earlier Latin tradition. Students will get practical training in interpreting these abbreviations. The Icelandic language has also changed over time, and different manifestations of these language changes appear when reading and examining Icelandic texts from different periods. A selection of these changes will be discussed. Changes in script, orthography, and language provide valuable indications of the date of the manuscript, and students will get practical training in dating medieval Icelandic manuscripts based on script, orthography, and language.
Various aspects of medieval book production will be discussed, including the making of parchment and ink, and book binding. Scribes and scribal schools will be discussed as well as probable centres of book production in medieval Iceland. The works of some prolific scribes in the fourteenth century will be examined. What did they write? How did they write? Did they change their practice over a long scribal career? The texts contained by the manuscripts will also be examined and the basics of textual criticism introduced. Njáls saga, for instance, has survived in over sixty manuscripts with considerable textual variation. Which manuscript should then constitute the basis for a printed edition of Njáls saga? Different types of printed editions will be discussed, and students try their hand at editing a medieval text. The electronic editing of pre-modern texts will be introduced, and students will get practical training in mark-up with XML according to the guidelines of the Medieval Nordic Text Archive (MENOTA) and the Medieval Unicode Font Initiative (MUFI).
The course is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops with considerable student engagement. Many of the lectures will be pre-recorded allowing more time in the classroom for discussion and student contributions.
The course is run in cooperation with the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies which has the custody of the largest single collection of Icelandic medieval manuscripts. Students will visit the institute to learn about its collections and facilities and to examine manuscripts.
Course synopsis
Week 1
(1) Introduction
The course: format, readings, requirements and assessment.
The subject matter: Medieval Icelandic manuscripts.
(2) The earliest Icelandic manuscripts
A sketch of the history of the Latin script and the earliest writings in Icelandic. Where did Icelanders learn to use the Latin alphabet? Which orthography did they employ? Some main characteristics of medieval orthography and the use of abbreviations.
Week 2
(3) Electronic editing of medieval texts
How can medieval texts be presented electronically? The XML mark-up language, TEI, MENOTA, MUFI, and related matters. We will try our hand at electronic editing.
(4) The earliest Icelandic orthography and the First Grammatical Treatise
The use of the Latin alphabet for writing Icelandic: challenges — and the solutions proposed by the author of the First Grammatical Treatise in the middle of the twelfth century.
Week 3
(5) Icelandic script and orthography in the thirteenth century
The difference between Icelandic and Norwegian orthography in the twelfth century. What changed in the course of the thirteenth century?
(6) Different types of print editions: scholarly editions
How accurate should printed editions be? Should every little detail in the manuscript be reproduced? What is “Classical Old Icelandic Normalized Orthography”? What are the needs of the readers? What is the role of the editor?
Week 4
(7) Norwegian influence on script, orthography, and language in Icelandic manuscripts
What is the manifestation of this Norwegian influence? How deep-rooted was it? How long did it last?
(8) The dating of manuscripts: script, orthography, and language
How can medieval Icelandic manuscripts be dated? Features of script, orthography, and language that can be helpful for dating.
Week 5
(9) Icelandic script and orthography in the fourteenth century
Main characteristics and their development.
(10) One scribal hand or many?
Distinguishing different scribal hands: some criteria. The Icelandic Homily Book from around 1200: One scribe or fourteen?
Week 6
(11) Book production: parchment, ink, binding — and conservation
From animal skin to parchment. How was the ink produced? Book design and book binding. The care and conservation of medieval manuscripts.
(12) Book production: parchment, ink, binding — and conservation
A visit to the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies.
— STUDY WEEK —
Week 7
(13) Scribes, scribal milieus, the export of books
On prolific scribes, scribal collaboration, and extensive production of books. Were books produced in Iceland for export in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries?
(14) Icelandic script and orthography in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
Main characteristics and their development.
Week 8
(15) Textual criticism
On the transmission of texts through copying. Textual variation, manuscript classification, and stemmatology.
(16) Textual criticism
Comparing manuscripts and collecting variants.
Week 9
(17) Manuscript illumination
On illuminated manuscripts, historiated initials, artists and their models.
(18) Manuscript catalogues and cataloguing
We will familiarize ourselves with the most important manuscript catalogues and learn about the principles of manuscript cataloguing.
Week 10
(19) Icelandic script and orthography in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
Main characteristics and their development.
(20) The transmission of the text: a relic or a living text?
How did the language change when a scribe copied from an old exemplar? Njáls saga is believed to have been written towards the end of the thirteenth century. What is the language of Njáls saga in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century manuscripts?
Week 11
(21) Antiquarianism, manuscript collectors, and copyists
The sixteenth century saw the rise of interest in antiquities, old manuscripts were collected and copied.
(22) Different types of print editions: popular editions
How is a pre-modern text best presented to the modern reader? Should archaic features of language and orthography be retained or should they be updated? On the allegiance to the manuscript and allegiance to the reader.
Week 12
(23) Manuscript collections and manuscript collectors
The life and work of Árni Magnússon.
(24) The manuscript dispute and the return of the manuscripts to Iceland
The search for Codex Scardensis and a nerve-racking auction in London. The custody dispute with Denmark and the return of the manuscripts to Iceland 1971–1997.
— This synopsis may be subject to change. —
Readings
The reading list is on the course website on Canvas. It consists of readings in several languages, including English, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, German, and French. The reading list is (often) divided into three main sections:
(a) Required readings: Texts that everyone is required to read. These are all in English.
(b) Optional supplementary readings: These are optional readings for those who want a more in-depth discussion. Most of these readings are in English, but not all.
(c) For those who still want more: A variety of optional readings in several languages, not least in Icelandic, for those who still want more. This section is mostly for reference purposes and as a tool for further research.
Many of the required readings (and some of the optional readings) are found on the Canvas course website. Other reading materials are available in the institute library in the Árni Magnússon Institute in Edda and the University Library (Háskólabókasafn) in the Þjóðarbókhlaða.
Prerequisites
Some skills in Icelandic are essential to fully benefit from the course, as emphasis will be placed on practical training in reading and transcribing text from medieval Icelandic manuscripts. MIS105F Old Icelandic 1 or equivalent study of Old Icelandic is sufficient or some skills in Modern Icelandic. Please, consult the instructor if in doubt.
Course format
The course is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops with considerable student engagement. Many of the lectures will be prerecorded allowing more time in the classroom for discussion and student contributions (flipped classroom).
Working language: This course is open to students with different linguistic backgrounds, and there are two working languages, English and Icelandic. Pre-recorded lectures are in both English and Icelandic (except for guest lecturers who will present in English), written assignments are in both English and Icelandic, and reading materials are in English, Icelandic and the Scandinavian languages, but for those who cannot read Icelandic or the Scan-dinavian languages, all required readings are in English. English is the main working language in the classroom, but questions and contributions to class discussion may also be in Icelandic. — See a separate note on the working languages and the classroom arrangement.
Course requirements and assessment
The final grade for the course will be based on:
(1) Transcription assignments: 30%
(2) Manuscript catalogue assignment: 10%
(3) Manuscript dating assignment: 10%
(4) Presentation: manuscript of the day: 10%
(5) Research paper: 30%
(6) Class participation: 10%
All written assignments will be submitted through Canvas. More detailed instructions and information on deadlines is found on Canvas.
In this course we will read selections from medieval literature broadly conceived (from the end og the 4th century to the beginning of the 16th century): poetry and historiography, philosophy and theology. Texts will be analysed grammatically and discussed materially as needed.
The course will be taught in Icelandic, but students whose native language is not Icelandic may complete assignments and exams in English.
Individual project under the supervision of a teacher.
A week-long intensive seminar in medieval studies held annually in mid May (usually sometime during the period May 10–30, taught by visiting faculty and covers a different subject every year.
The course is intended for postgraduate students only. It is adapted to the needs of students from different fields of study. The course is taught over a six-week period.
The course is taught over the first six weeks of spring semester on Fridays from 1:20 pm - 3:40 pm.
Description:
The topics of the course include: Professionalism and the scientist’s responsibilities. Demands for scientific objectivity and the ethics of research. Issues of equality and standards of good practice. Power and science. Conflicts of interest and misconduct in research. Science, academia and industry. Research ethics and ethical decision making.
Objectives:
In this course, the student gains knowledge about ethical issues in science and research and is trained in reasoning about ethical controversies relating to science and research in contemporary society.
The instruction takes the form of lectures and discussion. The course is viewed as an academic community where students are actively engaged in a focused dialogue about the topics. Each student (working as a member of a two-person team) gives a presentation according to a plan designed at the beginning of the course, and other students acquaint themselves with the topic as well for the purpose of participating in a teacher-led discussion.
In this seminar some Eddic poems will be read and their language examined. Features which cast light on the age of the poems will be given particular attention. The evidence of the Eddic poems will be compared with that from other linguistic sources. Various methods of dating the Eddic poems will be discussed.
"Echoes of a Global Medieval Ages in Contemporary History" is a course that explores the intersection of medieval and contemporary eras, considering how memories, symbols, and narratives from the medieval world continue to shape current ideologies, identities, and global perspectives. Through a thematic, regional examination, the course analyzes how different societies today reinterpret and reconstruct their medieval pasts, addressing legacies of imperialism, nationalism, and cultural exchange. Key topics include the influence of medieval governance, cultural symbols, trade networks, and ideological conflicts on contemporary issues.
This course is an introduction to Icelandic manuscript studies with a strong focus on the medieval period. Icelandic manuscript culture is remarkable in many respects, not least because of the great quantity of medieval parchment manuscripts and documents still extant today. These contain secular texts (prose and poetry), mythological texts, legal texts, ecclesiastical texts, as well as administrative material, for example. Unusual, too, was the continuity in Iceland with regard to the practice of hand-copying books over many centuries, from the medieval period to the early 20th century. The making and writing of manuscript books was a central part of Icelandic culture, and did not stop once the printing press arrived in Iceland in the mid-16th century.
The course will provide a general overview of paleographical terminology; the types of letter forms and abbreviations used in medieval Icelandic manuscripts (as well as how to expand abbreviations); and the development of script in Iceland, alongside the development of Icelandic orthography. It is on the basis of script-types, orthographical features, and identifiable scribal hands that Icelandic manuscripts are most often dated; equally, the history of the Icelandic language is also, to a significant degree, based on the extant manuscript evidence for language use and morphological forms. Types of errors made by scribes when they copied (and how to recognise them) will also be covered – this is necessary for understanding how modern printed editions of manuscript texts are put together.
Topics furthermore include the technology of book-making and writing, and the historical context for producing manuscripts in the medieval period in Iceland; the circumstances surrounding the collection and the significance of the manuscripts as cultural objects, together with the circumstances of their return to Iceland in the 1970s.
Overview of the history of the Viking age and history of Viking research. Emphasis is placed on the archaeological evidence, the sites and the objects, and discussing how archaeological data has contributed to our understanding of this period. Particular attention is given to economic patterns, issues of ethnicity and state formation.
During the last decades, medieval archaeology has experienced significant growth as a discipline concerned with material culture. Initially, the use of material culture was marginalized to the role of confirming or refuting historical knowledge about this period but today it is understood as having equal historical importance to the archived material. The course is thus intended to improve student’s understanding of Medieval Europe during the period 800–1600 AD through the study of material culture. It deals with general themes in medieval archaeology, such as identity, social status, rural and urban landscapes, religion, life and death, rather than the historical development of the Middle Ages in chronological order. The aim is to give students insight into the different fields of theory and method of medieval archaeology through both material and documentary evidences in accordance with the current state of research. A special emphasis will be put on medieval Iceland, as a part of European culture and society, but even on how medieval archaeologists gather their sources, analyse them and reach conclusions of historical importance.
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
This seminar engages with theories on culture, narrative, and mediation. Active class participation is required.
The first two or three weeks of the course are focused on the study of the Arabic alphabet and its sounds. After this, the focus shifts onto key grammar points, simple sentences and vocabulary, along with the practice of listening and oral skills. Attendance and homework are of great importance in this course. The course is taught in English.
This course is a prerequisite for MAF204G Arabic II.
During the Viking Age, Northmen streamed out of Scandinavia, travelling far and wide across and around Europe, and to Constantinople and the Caspian Sea in the east. A vast amount of diverse source material, written and archaeological, bears witness to the Scandinavian expansion and conveys a multitude of roles in which they engaged, e.g. terrifying raiders, peaceful traders, or mercenaries.
The objective of this course is to examine the geographical expansion of vikings, and their interrelations with different cultures, and how this comes across in the source material. At the end of the course students are expected to have a thorough overview of the main events of the period, and a good idea on the relevant geographies and cultures, as well as a grasp on comparing different viking communities in different regions.
Historical and historiographical survey of major topics in the history of the medieval North, with special emphasis on Iceland and Norway from the Viking Age into the fourteenth century. Topics include: power, kingship and state; law and feud; kinship, gender and social ties; religious and mental outlook(s); conversion, Christianity and church; economic conditions. Prior knowledge of the “factual” narrative is helpful but not necessary. Reading ability in German and/or the modern Scandinavian languages is also helpful but, again, not necessary (all mandatory readings are in English). Students produce a paper and lead discussion; no final exam.
Students explore the state of knowledge in the field in which they intend to write their MA-thesis (read and analyse what amounts to 20-30 articles in their field), give a brief account of their project and write a litterature review (ca 5000 words).
.
The timetable shown below is for the current academic year and is FOR REFERENCE ONLY.
Changes may occur for the autumn semester in August and September and for the spring semester in December and January. You will find your final timetable in Ugla when the studies start. Note! This timetable is not suitable for planning your work schedule if you are a part-time employee.
The University of Iceland collaborates with over 400 universities worldwide. This provides a unique opportunity to pursue part of your studies at an international university thus gaining added experience and fresh insight into your field of study.
Students generally have the opportunity to join an exchange programme, internship, or summer courses. However, exchanges are always subject to faculty approval.
Students have the opportunity to have courses evaluated as part of their studies at the University of Iceland, so their stay does not have to affect the duration of their studies.
Medieval studies provides a good foundation for various careers in the public and private sectors, including teaching, publishing and the media.
An education in this area can open up opportunities in:
This list is not exhaustive
The organisation for history students is called Fróði.
Fróði is a long-established organisation that runs the journal Sagnir as well as organising social events for history students.
What interests you?
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