- Would you like to become a qualified teacher?
- Do you want to learn more about general pedagogy and the specific pedagogy of teaching second languages?
- Would you like to teach French in Icelandic compulsory or upper secondary schools?
- Are you considering graduate studies?
This is a vocational programme for current and prospective French teachers in Icelandic upper secondary schools. It also prepares students to work in positions involving oversight of French teaching in schools or education districts.
The programme is organised and taught in cooperation with the School of Education.
Programme structure
The programme is 120 ECTS and is organised as two years of full-time study.
The programme is made up of:
- Mandatory courses, 55 ECTS
- Student placements, 10 ECTS
- Elective courses, 25 ECTS
- Final project, 30 ECTS
Students may take courses in French alongside courses from the School of Education.
Organisation of teaching
The programme is taught in French and Icelandic. Most textbooks are in French and English.
The programme includes student placements. Training takes place in upper secondary schools during normal school hours. During a placement, students are required to be present in the host school for significant periods.
Main objectives
The programme aims to provide students with:
- knowledge of general pedagogy, significant knowledge of the pedagogy of second language teaching, and the ability to consider different policies and trends and the development of the subject.
- knowledge of materials used in language teaching, teaching guidelines and other aids, their functions, attributes and the research into their use.
- the ability to plan language lessons for compulsory and upper secondary schools, find teaching material, select teaching methods, prepare assignments and determine assessment methods.
Other
Those who complete the MA degree in teaching a foreign language meet all the requirements for a licence to teach the language in question in upper secondary schools.
Applicants for this programme be aware:
In the application Portal you must choose Upper Secondary School Teaching, MA, 120 ECTS, and the specialisation >French Teaching.
A BA degree in French Studies, or a B.Ed. degree with specialisation in French, with a grade average of at least 7.25 (first class) gives access to the MA programme. A BA-/B.Ed-essay in the undergraduate programme is a requirement for entering the MA.
Applicants must have a B2 proficiency in Icelandic to apply to the programme.
Applicants with qualifications from a school abroad who plan to enrol in a programme taught in Icelandic, and which leads to a teacher certificate, must also pass a special entrance exam in Icelandic at level B2 in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Those with a B.Ed. degree with specialisation in French must however complete selected BA courses before commencing on to the MA level.
MA in French Teaching is a 120 credit programme and upon completion students get an MA degree plus a licence to teach French in Upper-Secondary Schools. The programme is a organised and taught in collaboration with the School of Education. Students take 60 credits in teaching and 60 credits in French: 30 credit final thesis and 30 credits in courses and individual projects in French. Students can link the individual projects to French courses in consultation with teachers.
- Statement of purpose
- Reference 1, Name and email
- Reference 2, Name and email
- Certified copies of diplomas and transcripts
Further information on supporting documents can be found here
Programme structure
Check below to see how the programme is structured.
This programme does not offer specialisations.
- First year
- Fall
- Foreign language teaching and practical training 1
- Introduction to Secondary School Teaching
- Spring 1
- Foreign language teaching and practical training 2
- Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools
Foreign language teaching and practical training 1 (ÍET105F)
Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms. The training is connected to the course Introduction to Teaching and Learning so these courses should be taken simultaneously.
Introduction to Secondary School Teaching (KEN104F)
The aim of the course is to give students an insight into main theories and research of learning and teaching (Icelandic and international). Main topics of the course are theories and research on learning and teaching, teachers' professionalism, teaching methods, and assessment.
The main field of work for graduates will be in upper secondary school, and this fact will determine the selection of learning tasks.
Foreign language teaching and practical training 2 (ÍET211F)
Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms.
The training is connected to the course Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools and these two courses should be taken simultaneously.
Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools (KEN213F)
This course is about curriculum theory and educational policy with emphasis on the curriculum, student body and school development in Icelandic upper secondary schools.
Assignments are designed to enable students to work as professionals on the development of school practice, curricula, and policies.
- Second year
- Fall
- MA-thesis in French Teaching
- Teaching and Learning French as a Foreign Language
- Contemporary French Literature and the Women‘s Rights Movement
- Individual Project: French Translations
- Individual Project. Political System, History and Culture
- Individual Project:
- Vocabulary Acquisition: Research and Theory
- Languages and Culture I
- Spring 1
- MA-thesis in French Teaching
- Individual Project. Usage and Presentation: French
- Individual Project: Alternative Teaching Methods
- Goncourt Literary Prize: Choice of the Nordic countries
- French theatre and dramaturgy
- Individual Project: French Translations
- Individual Project: French Translations
- Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition
MA-thesis in French Teaching (FRA331L)
MA-thesis in French teaching.
Teaching and Learning French as a Foreign Language (FRA705F)
Major theories of second language acquisition and pedagogy. The seminar will cover current methods of teaching spoken and written French with special reference to teaching at the secondary and adult levels.
Contemporary French Literature and the Women‘s Rights Movement (FRA433M)
The objective of this course is to introduce trends and developments in the French novel from the late 20th century to the beginning of the 21st. The emphasis will be on auto(bio)graphical female writing where the status of women or gender discrimination is the core focus. The syllabus includes works that have been influenced by feminist discourse and have been at the forefront of new understandings of sexual differences, both in France and in other French speaking countries, such as Morocco and Algeria. Some of the works that will be discussed have been influenced by the #MeToo movement or have been read as an important contribution to it.
Individual Project: French Translations (FRA102F)
The student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
Individual Project. Political System, History and Culture (FRA103F)
A thorough overview of the political system, history and culture of France. Taught in French.
Individual Project: (FRA104F)
The student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
Vocabulary Acquisition: Research and Theory (ENS344M)
This course covers the nature of vocabulary acquisition: how vocabulary develops, is learned and taught. Various factors will be analyzed in detail, including, the role of pronunciation, word frequency, various learning strategies for vocabulary growth and considerable attention will be drawn to current research methodology in Vocabulary Acquisition. Students will review research as well as conduct a mini study.
Taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am (2. and 3. year students only)
Languages and Culture I (MOM301F)
This course concerns the diverse connections between culture and language, as seen from the perspective of cultural history, social sciences and linguistics. Ancient and modern world languages will be introduced and their origins, influence and effects investigated. Written and spoken language will be discussed: what sorts of things are written, why and how? Rules and alternate perspectives on the nature of language will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.
MA-thesis in French Teaching (FRA331L)
MA-thesis in French teaching.
Individual Project. Usage and Presentation: French (FRA218F)
The objective of the course is to help students establish their grammar and writing in French. Students will work with complex sentence structure and texts. The course is taught in French.
Individual Project: Alternative Teaching Methods (FRA902F)
Individual project.
Goncourt Literary Prize: Choice of the Nordic countries (FRA607M)
The course gives students the opportunity to participate in the selection of the Goncourt Prize for French Literature of the Nordic Countries – Le Choix Goncourt des Pays nordiques. Four novels published in 2025 and shortlisted by the Goncourt Academy, which annually awards France’s most prestigious literary prize, will be read and analyzed. The Goncourt Prize for French Literature in the Nordic Countries will be awarded for the second time in the spring of 2026, in cooperation with the Institut français in Denmark, Finland and Sweden, as well as the Alliance française in Reykjavik, the French Embassy in Iceland and the University of Iceland. Meetings with all four authors will be organized online. At the end of the course, students will choose the book they nominate on behalf of Iceland and explain their choice in a teleconference. All participants will be given free access to the four novels as e-books.
French theatre and dramaturgy (FRA604M)
In this course, students will become acquainted with some of the masterpieces of French dramatic literature from the Renaissance to the present day. The return of tragedy in relation to war and civil conflict will be examined, as will the social relevance of comedy over time. Trends and movements in theatre will be examined, from the experimental theatre of the Renaissance, neoclassicism, revolutionary ideas in eighteenth and nineteenth-century theatre, and the avant-garde theatre of the twentieth century to the devised and/or research-based dramaturgy of today. Emphasis will be placed on the aesthetics and dramaturgy of plays, including the specificity of drama in verse. Entire plays or excerpts from works will be read in Icelandic or English translations by Garnier, Corneille, Molière, Racine, Marivaux, Musset, Beaumarchais, Hugo, Dumas, Feydeau, Anouilh, Sartre, Genet, Cixous, Koltès, Mouawad.
The course will be taught in Icelandic, but some of the course material will be in English. For students of French, an additional weekly class (40 min.) will be offered in French.
Individual Project: French Translations (FRA217F)
The student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
Individual Project: French Translations (FRA219F)
The student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition (MOM402M)
The European intellectual tradition is characterized by the strong links between academia and society. Many of the most important European thinkers of the 19th and 20th Centuries worked outside of the universities – and many of those who did pursue an ordinary academic career also were public commentators frequently intervening in political discussion of the day and in some cases gaining considerable influence. In this course we present a selection of European thinkers who have been important both as scholars and as public intellectuals. We read and discuss samples of their work and look at critical discussion of their ideas. We also reflect on the time and place of the "European" – to what extent their work is quinessentially Eurocentric and to what extent awareness of cultural contingency emerges.
- Fall
- ÍET105FForeign language teaching and practical training 1Mandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, credits5 fieldwork creditsCourse Description
Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms. The training is connected to the course Introduction to Teaching and Learning so these courses should be taken simultaneously.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in classKEN104FIntroduction to Secondary School TeachingMandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe aim of the course is to give students an insight into main theories and research of learning and teaching (Icelandic and international). Main topics of the course are theories and research on learning and teaching, teachers' professionalism, teaching methods, and assessment.
The main field of work for graduates will be in upper secondary school, and this fact will determine the selection of learning tasks.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in class- Spring 2
ÍET211FForeign language teaching and practical training 2Mandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, credits5 fieldwork creditsCourse DescriptionStudents become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms.
The training is connected to the course Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools and these two courses should be taken simultaneously.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in classKEN213FCurriculum and School Development in Secondary SchoolsMandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThis course is about curriculum theory and educational policy with emphasis on the curriculum, student body and school development in Icelandic upper secondary schools.
Assignments are designed to enable students to work as professionals on the development of school practice, curricula, and policies.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in class- Fall
- FRA331LMA-thesis in French TeachingMandatory (required) course0A mandatory (required) course for the programme0 ECTS, creditsCourse Description
MA-thesis in French teaching.
Self-studyPrerequisitesPart of the total project/thesis creditsFRA705FTeaching and Learning French as a Foreign LanguageMandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionMajor theories of second language acquisition and pedagogy. The seminar will cover current methods of teaching spoken and written French with special reference to teaching at the secondary and adult levels.
PrerequisitesFRA433MContemporary French Literature and the Women‘s Rights MovementElective course6Free elective course within the programme6 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe objective of this course is to introduce trends and developments in the French novel from the late 20th century to the beginning of the 21st. The emphasis will be on auto(bio)graphical female writing where the status of women or gender discrimination is the core focus. The syllabus includes works that have been influenced by feminist discourse and have been at the forefront of new understandings of sexual differences, both in France and in other French speaking countries, such as Morocco and Algeria. Some of the works that will be discussed have been influenced by the #MeToo movement or have been read as an important contribution to it.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesFRA102FIndividual Project: French TranslationsElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesFRA103FIndividual Project. Political System, History and CultureElective course5Free elective course within the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionA thorough overview of the political system, history and culture of France. Taught in French.
PrerequisitesCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesENS344MVocabulary Acquisition: Research and TheoryElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThis course covers the nature of vocabulary acquisition: how vocabulary develops, is learned and taught. Various factors will be analyzed in detail, including, the role of pronunciation, word frequency, various learning strategies for vocabulary growth and considerable attention will be drawn to current research methodology in Vocabulary Acquisition. Students will review research as well as conduct a mini study.
Taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am (2. and 3. year students only)Face-to-face learningDistance learningOnline learningPrerequisitesMOM301FLanguages and Culture IElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThis course concerns the diverse connections between culture and language, as seen from the perspective of cultural history, social sciences and linguistics. Ancient and modern world languages will be introduced and their origins, influence and effects investigated. Written and spoken language will be discussed: what sorts of things are written, why and how? Rules and alternate perspectives on the nature of language will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.
Prerequisites- Spring 2
FRA331LMA-thesis in French TeachingMandatory (required) course0A mandatory (required) course for the programme0 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionMA-thesis in French teaching.
Self-studyPrerequisitesPart of the total project/thesis creditsFRA218FIndividual Project. Usage and Presentation: FrenchMandatory (required) course5A mandatory (required) course for the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe objective of the course is to help students establish their grammar and writing in French. Students will work with complex sentence structure and texts. The course is taught in French.
PrerequisitesFRA902FIndividual Project: Alternative Teaching MethodsMandatory (required) course5A mandatory (required) course for the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionIndividual project.
PrerequisitesFRA607MGoncourt Literary Prize: Choice of the Nordic countriesElective course6Free elective course within the programme6 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe course gives students the opportunity to participate in the selection of the Goncourt Prize for French Literature of the Nordic Countries – Le Choix Goncourt des Pays nordiques. Four novels published in 2025 and shortlisted by the Goncourt Academy, which annually awards France’s most prestigious literary prize, will be read and analyzed. The Goncourt Prize for French Literature in the Nordic Countries will be awarded for the second time in the spring of 2026, in cooperation with the Institut français in Denmark, Finland and Sweden, as well as the Alliance française in Reykjavik, the French Embassy in Iceland and the University of Iceland. Meetings with all four authors will be organized online. At the end of the course, students will choose the book they nominate on behalf of Iceland and explain their choice in a teleconference. All participants will be given free access to the four novels as e-books.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesFRA604MFrench theatre and dramaturgyElective course6Free elective course within the programme6 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionIn this course, students will become acquainted with some of the masterpieces of French dramatic literature from the Renaissance to the present day. The return of tragedy in relation to war and civil conflict will be examined, as will the social relevance of comedy over time. Trends and movements in theatre will be examined, from the experimental theatre of the Renaissance, neoclassicism, revolutionary ideas in eighteenth and nineteenth-century theatre, and the avant-garde theatre of the twentieth century to the devised and/or research-based dramaturgy of today. Emphasis will be placed on the aesthetics and dramaturgy of plays, including the specificity of drama in verse. Entire plays or excerpts from works will be read in Icelandic or English translations by Garnier, Corneille, Molière, Racine, Marivaux, Musset, Beaumarchais, Hugo, Dumas, Feydeau, Anouilh, Sartre, Genet, Cixous, Koltès, Mouawad.
The course will be taught in Icelandic, but some of the course material will be in English. For students of French, an additional weekly class (40 min.) will be offered in French.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesFRA217FIndividual Project: French TranslationsElective course5Free elective course within the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesFRA219FIndividual Project: French TranslationsElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesMOM402MLanguages and Culture II: The European Intellectual TraditionElective course5Free elective course within the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe European intellectual tradition is characterized by the strong links between academia and society. Many of the most important European thinkers of the 19th and 20th Centuries worked outside of the universities – and many of those who did pursue an ordinary academic career also were public commentators frequently intervening in political discussion of the day and in some cases gaining considerable influence. In this course we present a selection of European thinkers who have been important both as scholars and as public intellectuals. We read and discuss samples of their work and look at critical discussion of their ideas. We also reflect on the time and place of the "European" – to what extent their work is quinessentially Eurocentric and to what extent awareness of cultural contingency emerges.
Face-to-face learningDistance learningPrerequisitesSecond year- Fall
- ÍET105FForeign language teaching and practical training 1Mandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, credits5 fieldwork creditsCourse Description
Students become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms. The training is connected to the course Introduction to Teaching and Learning so these courses should be taken simultaneously.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in classKEN104FIntroduction to Secondary School TeachingMandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe aim of the course is to give students an insight into main theories and research of learning and teaching (Icelandic and international). Main topics of the course are theories and research on learning and teaching, teachers' professionalism, teaching methods, and assessment.
The main field of work for graduates will be in upper secondary school, and this fact will determine the selection of learning tasks.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in class- Spring 2
ÍET211FForeign language teaching and practical training 2Mandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, credits5 fieldwork creditsCourse DescriptionStudents become acquainted with the structure of study programs and the goal setting of studies in their field. The aim is for the student teacher to be able to plan and prepare a course with a course description and learning outcomes with a connection to the learning level of learning, key skills and the basic elements of the education. Emphasis is placed on the growing demand in learning outcomes of Compulsory and Upper Secondary school level towards specialization with further studies in mind or participation in the business life of subjects that fall under arts and design. Assignments in the course are integrated with the practical training. Within the course students receive training in teaching and interacting with students and an introduction to school culture and working procedures. Each student is allotted a secondary school where they spend an allocated time under supervision during both autumn and spring terms.
The training is connected to the course Curriculum and School Development in Secondary Schools and these two courses should be taken simultaneously.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in classKEN213FCurriculum and School Development in Secondary SchoolsMandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThis course is about curriculum theory and educational policy with emphasis on the curriculum, student body and school development in Icelandic upper secondary schools.
Assignments are designed to enable students to work as professionals on the development of school practice, curricula, and policies.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesAttendance required in class- Fall
- FRA331LMA-thesis in French TeachingMandatory (required) course0A mandatory (required) course for the programme0 ECTS, creditsCourse Description
MA-thesis in French teaching.
Self-studyPrerequisitesPart of the total project/thesis creditsFRA705FTeaching and Learning French as a Foreign LanguageMandatory (required) course10A mandatory (required) course for the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionMajor theories of second language acquisition and pedagogy. The seminar will cover current methods of teaching spoken and written French with special reference to teaching at the secondary and adult levels.
PrerequisitesFRA433MContemporary French Literature and the Women‘s Rights MovementElective course6Free elective course within the programme6 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe objective of this course is to introduce trends and developments in the French novel from the late 20th century to the beginning of the 21st. The emphasis will be on auto(bio)graphical female writing where the status of women or gender discrimination is the core focus. The syllabus includes works that have been influenced by feminist discourse and have been at the forefront of new understandings of sexual differences, both in France and in other French speaking countries, such as Morocco and Algeria. Some of the works that will be discussed have been influenced by the #MeToo movement or have been read as an important contribution to it.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesFRA102FIndividual Project: French TranslationsElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesFRA103FIndividual Project. Political System, History and CultureElective course5Free elective course within the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionA thorough overview of the political system, history and culture of France. Taught in French.
PrerequisitesCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesENS344MVocabulary Acquisition: Research and TheoryElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThis course covers the nature of vocabulary acquisition: how vocabulary develops, is learned and taught. Various factors will be analyzed in detail, including, the role of pronunciation, word frequency, various learning strategies for vocabulary growth and considerable attention will be drawn to current research methodology in Vocabulary Acquisition. Students will review research as well as conduct a mini study.
Taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am (2. and 3. year students only)Face-to-face learningDistance learningOnline learningPrerequisitesMOM301FLanguages and Culture IElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThis course concerns the diverse connections between culture and language, as seen from the perspective of cultural history, social sciences and linguistics. Ancient and modern world languages will be introduced and their origins, influence and effects investigated. Written and spoken language will be discussed: what sorts of things are written, why and how? Rules and alternate perspectives on the nature of language will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.
Prerequisites- Spring 2
FRA331LMA-thesis in French TeachingMandatory (required) course0A mandatory (required) course for the programme0 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionMA-thesis in French teaching.
Self-studyPrerequisitesPart of the total project/thesis creditsFRA218FIndividual Project. Usage and Presentation: FrenchMandatory (required) course5A mandatory (required) course for the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe objective of the course is to help students establish their grammar and writing in French. Students will work with complex sentence structure and texts. The course is taught in French.
PrerequisitesFRA902FIndividual Project: Alternative Teaching MethodsMandatory (required) course5A mandatory (required) course for the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionIndividual project.
PrerequisitesFRA607MGoncourt Literary Prize: Choice of the Nordic countriesElective course6Free elective course within the programme6 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe course gives students the opportunity to participate in the selection of the Goncourt Prize for French Literature of the Nordic Countries – Le Choix Goncourt des Pays nordiques. Four novels published in 2025 and shortlisted by the Goncourt Academy, which annually awards France’s most prestigious literary prize, will be read and analyzed. The Goncourt Prize for French Literature in the Nordic Countries will be awarded for the second time in the spring of 2026, in cooperation with the Institut français in Denmark, Finland and Sweden, as well as the Alliance française in Reykjavik, the French Embassy in Iceland and the University of Iceland. Meetings with all four authors will be organized online. At the end of the course, students will choose the book they nominate on behalf of Iceland and explain their choice in a teleconference. All participants will be given free access to the four novels as e-books.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesFRA604MFrench theatre and dramaturgyElective course6Free elective course within the programme6 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionIn this course, students will become acquainted with some of the masterpieces of French dramatic literature from the Renaissance to the present day. The return of tragedy in relation to war and civil conflict will be examined, as will the social relevance of comedy over time. Trends and movements in theatre will be examined, from the experimental theatre of the Renaissance, neoclassicism, revolutionary ideas in eighteenth and nineteenth-century theatre, and the avant-garde theatre of the twentieth century to the devised and/or research-based dramaturgy of today. Emphasis will be placed on the aesthetics and dramaturgy of plays, including the specificity of drama in verse. Entire plays or excerpts from works will be read in Icelandic or English translations by Garnier, Corneille, Molière, Racine, Marivaux, Musset, Beaumarchais, Hugo, Dumas, Feydeau, Anouilh, Sartre, Genet, Cixous, Koltès, Mouawad.
The course will be taught in Icelandic, but some of the course material will be in English. For students of French, an additional weekly class (40 min.) will be offered in French.
Face-to-face learningPrerequisitesFRA217FIndividual Project: French TranslationsElective course5Free elective course within the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesFRA219FIndividual Project: French TranslationsElective course10Free elective course within the programme10 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe student translates a text in collaboration with a supervisor from the Department of French Studies. He also writes a report in French on the translation work.
PrerequisitesMOM402MLanguages and Culture II: The European Intellectual TraditionElective course5Free elective course within the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe European intellectual tradition is characterized by the strong links between academia and society. Many of the most important European thinkers of the 19th and 20th Centuries worked outside of the universities – and many of those who did pursue an ordinary academic career also were public commentators frequently intervening in political discussion of the day and in some cases gaining considerable influence. In this course we present a selection of European thinkers who have been important both as scholars and as public intellectuals. We read and discuss samples of their work and look at critical discussion of their ideas. We also reflect on the time and place of the "European" – to what extent their work is quinessentially Eurocentric and to what extent awareness of cultural contingency emerges.
Face-to-face learningDistance learningPrerequisitesAdditional information 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.
This qualification can open up opportunities in:
- teaching in compulsory and upper secondary schools
- oversight of teaching in schools or education districts
- department and subject leadership
- continuing education
This list is not exhaustive.
- Linguae is the organisation for language students at the University of Iceland
- Linguae organises social events for students at the Faculty of Languages and Cultures
- Members currently include students of Italian, French, German, Spanish, Danish, Chinese and Russian
- Linguae runs a Facebook group and a Facebook page
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School of HumanitiesWeekdays: 10-12 am and 1-3 pmGeneral Service and Social MediaThe Service Desk is a point of access for all services. You can drop in at the University Centre or use the WebChat at the bottom right of this page.
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