""
Language skills
required, minimum level of B2
Programme length
2 years.
Study mode
Face-to-face learning
Application status
International students:
Students with Icelandic or Nordic citizenship:
Overview

  • Would you like to work in translation?
  • Do you want to learn the primary methods of discourse analysis and how they relate to translation?
  • Would you like a thorough knowledge and clear understanding of the concepts, methods and theories of translation studies?
  • Are you interested in practical, document or literary translation?

This is a theoretical graduate programme.

The Master’s level certificate in translation studies may count as the first part of the MA programme in translation studies. Generally, however, students take part of the programme in other subjects at the School of Humanities or at a university abroad.

Programme structure 

The programme is 120 ECTS and is organised as two years of full-time study.

The programme is made up of:

  • Translation studies, 30 ECTS
  • Icelandic, 20 ECTS
  • A foreign language, 30 ECTS
  • Final thesis, 30 ECTS

Specialisations

Students choose between the following specialisations: 

  • Translation studies - German
  • Translation studies - Spanish 
  • Translation studies - Danish
  • Translation studies - French 
  • Translation studies - English
  • Translation studies - other languages

Organisation of teaching 

This programme is taught in Icelandic and English but most textbooks are in English or other foreign languages.

Main objectives

The main aim of the Master's programme in translation studies is to train students to work as academics and literary/academic translators.

Other

Completing an MA at the Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies allows you to apply for doctoral studies.

BA degree (cycle 1, level 2) with a first class grade, or an equivalent qualification in another subject. Applicants must have completed a final project for at least 10 ECTS.

An MA degree shall require at least 120 ECTS. The final thesis shall account for 30 ECTS at the MA level, or in special cases 60 ECTS, if the student has been granted permission. A third of courses are in translation studies, another third are in translation-related subjects in Icelandic, and the final third are in translation-related subjects in a foreign language. If the student's second language is not taught at UI, it is recommended that they take part of the programme abroad. Students may also complete individual projects. Students select courses in consultation with the programme coordinator.

The following documents must accompany an application for this programme:
  • Statement of purpose
  • 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.

First year | Fall
New Voices in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ029F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ027F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation and Translation Technology (ÞÝÐ028F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Spring 1
History of Translation (ÞÝÐ030F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Online learning
Second year | Fall
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Second year | Fall
Research Project for MA-thesis (ÞÝÐ904F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Research Project for MA-thesis

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Second year | Spring 1
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Year unspecified | Fall
Literature Translations (DAN702F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course deals with literary translation between Icelandic and Danish. Students get a summary of the history of the Danish-Icelandic literary translation tradition and practice translation critic by analysing different translations from different periods. Students will face the challenges in translation as well as which strategies and methods they have to consider while finding solutions.

Language of instruction: Danish
Year unspecified | Fall
Language Usage and Expression: Danish (DAN703F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course is theoretical as well as practical. Students refresh important rules in Danish language, language use and stylistics. They analyse how different types of texts have different purpose of communication. Emphasis will be on the students' writing skills in Danish language and their training in use of theoretical as well as practical aids.

Language of instruction: Danish
Distance learning
Online learning
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Translating novels (ÞÝÐ704F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Languages and Culture I (MOM301F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Fall
Writing and Editing (ÍSL101F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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

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

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Cultural Studies and Social Critique (MFR701F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Certified translation and interpretation (ÞÝÐ102F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Applied Translations II/business (ÞÝÐ903F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Danish System of Governance, History and Culture (DAN802F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The aim of this course is to give students a good overview of the historical, political and cultural development in Danish governance through the 20. century till now – from absolutism to representative democracy. The course will among other things be devoted to the Danish welfare model and the democratic safety net in light of the state finances, geography, demography and religion, the Danish labour market, the political system, the healthcare and educational system, Denmark’s international relations and general tendencies in Danish society. Students will make presentations during the semester and the course is closed with a written home assignment.

Language of instruction: Danish
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition (MOM402M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Culture and Cultural Communication (HMM240F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture (HSP620M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Language and Society (ÍSL004M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
The Language of the Eddic Poems (ÍSM025F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Terminology (ÞÝÐ001F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Applied Translations (ÞÝÐ803F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Distance learning
First year | Fall
New Voices in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ029F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ027F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation and Translation Technology (ÞÝÐ028F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Spring 1
History of Translation (ÞÝÐ030F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Online learning
Second year | Fall
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Second year | Fall
Research Project for MA-thesis (ÞÝÐ904F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Research Project for MA-thesis

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Second year | Spring 1
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Year unspecified | Fall
Second Language Theories and Pedagogy (ENS034F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is an overview course that introduces major theories of second language acquisition and how they influence language instruction. We will examine research on the cognitive, linguistic, individual, social and educational factors that affect the language learning process and language attainment. The role of input on language learning will be examined as well as the development of reading and writing skills in a second language. 

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Online learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Language, Mind and Meaning (ENS216F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

What does it mean for a word to have meaning? We use words to talk about the world around us and one tradition in linguistics, growing out of philosophy, anchors meaning in the real-world phenomena that we talk about. But words often represent a perspective or way of thinking about the world. Another tradition, allied with cognitive psychology, therefore characterises meaning in terms of our concepts and ideas about the world around us. It turns out however that one of the most important inputs into forming concepts is in fact our linguistic system itself. A third tradition therefore emphasises the dynamic potential of language for creating meanings. This tradition is rooted in the linguistic tradition of structuralism but also lies behind the success of current large language models of generative AI. In this course, we explore different approaches to the analysis of meaning and what they tell us about the relation between mind and language.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Vocabulary Acquisition: Research and Theory (ENS344M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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)

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Online learning
Prerequisites
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Translating novels (ÞÝÐ704F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Languages and Culture I (MOM301F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Fall
Writing and Editing (ÍSL101F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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

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

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Cultural Studies and Social Critique (MFR701F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Certified translation and interpretation (ÞÝÐ102F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Applied Translations II/business (ÞÝÐ903F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Adaptations (ENS217F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This class will focus on film and television adaptations, with scripts derived from short stories, canonical works, popular and pulp fiction, as well as graphic novels and comics.

In this course we will focus on various literary works and corresponding adaptation theories relating to film adaptations and current television series. Key issues and concepts in this course  will be taught in relation to Modernism/Postmodernism and Origin/Intertextual play in Adaptation Theory and Cinema semiotics.

Course requirement:
Apart from the obligatory course text Adaptations and Appropriation by Julie Sanders, we will read significant articles on adaptation as well as selected short stories (provided by the tutor) that have undergone the transition process and been adapted to into films. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions in class.

Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition (MOM402M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Culture and Cultural Communication (HMM240F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture (HSP620M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Language and Society (ÍSL004M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
The Language of the Eddic Poems (ÍSM025F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Terminology (ÞÝÐ001F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Applied Translations (ÞÝÐ803F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Distance learning
First year | Fall
New Voices in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ029F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ027F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation and Translation Technology (ÞÝÐ028F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Spring 1
History of Translation (ÞÝÐ030F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Online learning
Second year | Fall
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Second year | Fall
Research Project for MA-thesis (ÞÝÐ904F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Research Project for MA-thesis

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Second year | Spring 1
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Year unspecified | Fall
Individual Project. Political System, History and Culture (FRA103F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

A thorough overview of the political system, history and culture of France. Taught in French.

Language of instruction: French
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Translating novels (ÞÝÐ704F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Languages and Culture I (MOM301F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Fall
Writing and Editing (ÍSL101F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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

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

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Cultural Studies and Social Critique (MFR701F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Certified translation and interpretation (ÞÝÐ102F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Applied Translations II/business (ÞÝÐ903F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Individual Project. Usage and Presentation: French (FRA218F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: French
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition (MOM402M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Culture and Cultural Communication (HMM240F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture (HSP620M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Language and Society (ÍSL004M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
The Language of the Eddic Poems (ÍSM025F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Terminology (ÞÝÐ001F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Applied Translations (ÞÝÐ803F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Distance learning
First year | Fall
New Voices in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ029F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ027F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation and Translation Technology (ÞÝÐ028F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Spring 1
History of Translation (ÞÝÐ030F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Online learning
Second year | Fall
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Second year | Fall
Research Project for MA-thesis (ÞÝÐ904F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Research Project for MA-thesis

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Second year | Spring 1
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Year unspecified | Fall
German Cultural History A (ÞÝS104F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

Those students who have already finished the course ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication do not need to take this course, but students in the programme MA in German and MA in German Tourism and Communitation can take it as an elective course.

Language of instruction: German
Face-to-face learning
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
German Cultural History B (ÞÝS702F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

However, those students in the programme German Teaching, MA who have completed either ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication or ÞÝS104F German Cultural History from Bach to Present Age do not take this course, whereas students in the programmes German, MA and Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication, MA can take this course as an elective course even if they have completed the above-mentioned courses.

Language of instruction: German
Year unspecified | Fall
Language Usage and Expression: German (ÞÝS703F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Practical exercises in grammar, text analysis, writing and oral presentation for master students.

Language of instruction: German
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
On the trail of Literature and Culture in Austria, Germany and Switzerland (ÞÝS701M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course there will be discussions about culture and literature in German speaking countries, focusing on tourism and media.

Language of instruction: German
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Prerequisites
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Translating novels (ÞÝÐ704F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Languages and Culture I (MOM301F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Fall
Writing and Editing (ÍSL101F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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

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

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Cultural Studies and Social Critique (MFR701F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Certified translation and interpretation (ÞÝÐ102F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Applied Translations II/business (ÞÝÐ903F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Political System, History and Culture: German (ÞÝS804F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The political system, history and culture of the German-speaking countries. It is assumed that students already have some basic knowledge of these fields.

Language of instruction: German
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Blitz aus heiterem Himmel: Practical Contrastive Analysis of Icelandic and German (ÞÝS808M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course deals with selected aspects of Icelandic and German on the basis of contrastive analysis and with a practical orientation.

Language of instruction: German
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
German as a Foreign Language in Iceland (ÞÝS003F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course will focus on deepening the knowledge about and the practical application of basic learning and teaching methods in German as a Foreign Language. The class will also look at how German teaching methodology in the new teaching approaches has changed and developed until now. These changes include new types of assignments, new approaches for testing and evaluation as well as a stronger emphasis on learners' articulation skills and, also, new approaches in intercultural and self-guided learning. To be discussed is also the question of which contents and methods most appeal to Icelandic students. The work in the course is based on group discussions, presentations and class discussion.

Language of instruction: German
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition (MOM402M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Culture and Cultural Communication (HMM240F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture (HSP620M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Language and Society (ÍSL004M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
The Language of the Eddic Poems (ÍSM025F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Terminology (ÞÝÐ001F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Applied Translations (ÞÝÐ803F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Distance learning
First year | Fall
New Voices in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ029F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ027F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Fall
Translation and Translation Technology (ÞÝÐ028F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
First year | Spring 1
History of Translation (ÞÝÐ030F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Online learning
Second year | Fall
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Second year | Fall
Research Project for MA-thesis (ÞÝÐ904F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Research Project for MA-thesis

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Second year | Spring 1
MA-thesis in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ444L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description

MA-thesis in Translation Studies

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Spanish Film Studies (SPÆ101M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will explore the history of Spanish cinema in twentieth century Spain, with particular emphasis on the post-Franco period. (The Cine-Club Hispano will be operated during the semester).

Language of instruction: Spanish
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Translating novels (ÞÝÐ704F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Languages and Culture I (MOM301F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Fall
Writing and Editing (ÍSL101F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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

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

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Cultural Studies and Social Critique (MFR701F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Certified translation and interpretation (ÞÝÐ102F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Fall
Applied Translations II/business (ÞÝÐ903F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
History of the Spanish Language (SPÆ202M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

An overview of the history and developments of the Spanish language.

Language of instruction: Spanish
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Translation (Spanish) (SPÆ401M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will focus on the history of translation and methods available in the field of translation. Students will try their hand at the different methods of translation working with technical- periodical- as well as literary texts.

Language of instruction: Spanish
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Literature and Culture of the Mexico-US Border Region (SPÆ402M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

A survey of literature and history of the Mexico-USA boarder regions. Works by Mexican and Mexico-American (Chicano) authors read.

Language of instruction: Spanish
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Latin American Literature: The 20th Century Novel (SPÆ405M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

Language of instruction: Spanish
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
The Latin American Literature: Short stories (SPÆ412M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

Language of instruction: Spanish
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Not taught this semester
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Colonial Literature (SPÆ501M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course will explore literature from the colonial period, with particular emphasis on the role of the conquest gaze as a promoting factor in the image making for the new world. Geographic, literary, and ethnic issues will be examined.

Language of instruction: Spanish
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition (MOM402M)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: English
Face-to-face learning
Distance learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Culture and Cultural Communication (HMM240F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture (HSP620M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Language and Society (ÍSL004M)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Prerequisites
Year unspecified | Spring 1
The Language of the Eddic Poems (ÍSM025F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

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.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Terminology (ÞÝÐ001F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation Studies (ÞÝÐ601F)
Free elective course within the programme
10 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independent study.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Independent project in Translation studies (ÞÝÐ602F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Independant study

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Applied Translations (ÞÝÐ803F)
Free elective course within the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description

Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

Language of instruction: Icelandic
Distance learning
First year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • DAN702F
    Literature Translations
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course deals with literary translation between Icelandic and Danish. Students get a summary of the history of the Danish-Icelandic literary translation tradition and practice translation critic by analysing different translations from different periods. Students will face the challenges in translation as well as which strategies and methods they have to consider while finding solutions.

    Prerequisites
  • DAN703F
    Language Usage and Expression: Danish
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is theoretical as well as practical. Students refresh important rules in Danish language, language use and stylistics. They analyse how different types of texts have different purpose of communication. Emphasis will be on the students' writing skills in Danish language and their training in use of theoretical as well as practical aids.

    Distance learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • DAN802F
    Danish System of Governance, History and Culture
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to give students a good overview of the historical, political and cultural development in Danish governance through the 20. century till now – from absolutism to representative democracy. The course will among other things be devoted to the Danish welfare model and the democratic safety net in light of the state finances, geography, demography and religion, the Danish labour market, the political system, the healthcare and educational system, Denmark’s international relations and general tendencies in Danish society. Students will make presentations during the semester and the course is closed with a written home assignment.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Second year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • DAN702F
    Literature Translations
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course deals with literary translation between Icelandic and Danish. Students get a summary of the history of the Danish-Icelandic literary translation tradition and practice translation critic by analysing different translations from different periods. Students will face the challenges in translation as well as which strategies and methods they have to consider while finding solutions.

    Prerequisites
  • DAN703F
    Language Usage and Expression: Danish
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is theoretical as well as practical. Students refresh important rules in Danish language, language use and stylistics. They analyse how different types of texts have different purpose of communication. Emphasis will be on the students' writing skills in Danish language and their training in use of theoretical as well as practical aids.

    Distance learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • DAN802F
    Danish System of Governance, History and Culture
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to give students a good overview of the historical, political and cultural development in Danish governance through the 20. century till now – from absolutism to representative democracy. The course will among other things be devoted to the Danish welfare model and the democratic safety net in light of the state finances, geography, demography and religion, the Danish labour market, the political system, the healthcare and educational system, Denmark’s international relations and general tendencies in Danish society. Students will make presentations during the semester and the course is closed with a written home assignment.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Year unspecified
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • DAN702F
    Literature Translations
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course deals with literary translation between Icelandic and Danish. Students get a summary of the history of the Danish-Icelandic literary translation tradition and practice translation critic by analysing different translations from different periods. Students will face the challenges in translation as well as which strategies and methods they have to consider while finding solutions.

    Prerequisites
  • DAN703F
    Language Usage and Expression: Danish
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is theoretical as well as practical. Students refresh important rules in Danish language, language use and stylistics. They analyse how different types of texts have different purpose of communication. Emphasis will be on the students' writing skills in Danish language and their training in use of theoretical as well as practical aids.

    Distance learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • DAN802F
    Danish System of Governance, History and Culture
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to give students a good overview of the historical, political and cultural development in Danish governance through the 20. century till now – from absolutism to representative democracy. The course will among other things be devoted to the Danish welfare model and the democratic safety net in light of the state finances, geography, demography and religion, the Danish labour market, the political system, the healthcare and educational system, Denmark’s international relations and general tendencies in Danish society. Students will make presentations during the semester and the course is closed with a written home assignment.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
First year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • ENS034F
    Second Language Theories and Pedagogy hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is an overview course that introduces major theories of second language acquisition and how they influence language instruction. We will examine research on the cognitive, linguistic, individual, social and educational factors that affect the language learning process and language attainment. The role of input on language learning will be examined as well as the development of reading and writing skills in a second language. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • ENS216F
    Language, Mind and Meaning hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    What does it mean for a word to have meaning? We use words to talk about the world around us and one tradition in linguistics, growing out of philosophy, anchors meaning in the real-world phenomena that we talk about. But words often represent a perspective or way of thinking about the world. Another tradition, allied with cognitive psychology, therefore characterises meaning in terms of our concepts and ideas about the world around us. It turns out however that one of the most important inputs into forming concepts is in fact our linguistic system itself. A third tradition therefore emphasises the dynamic potential of language for creating meanings. This tradition is rooted in the linguistic tradition of structuralism but also lies behind the success of current large language models of generative AI. In this course, we explore different approaches to the analysis of meaning and what they tell us about the relation between mind and language.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ENS344M
    Vocabulary Acquisition: Research and Theory hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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)

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ENS217F
    Adaptations hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This class will focus on film and television adaptations, with scripts derived from short stories, canonical works, popular and pulp fiction, as well as graphic novels and comics.

    In this course we will focus on various literary works and corresponding adaptation theories relating to film adaptations and current television series. Key issues and concepts in this course  will be taught in relation to Modernism/Postmodernism and Origin/Intertextual play in Adaptation Theory and Cinema semiotics.

    Course requirement:
    Apart from the obligatory course text Adaptations and Appropriation by Julie Sanders, we will read significant articles on adaptation as well as selected short stories (provided by the tutor) that have undergone the transition process and been adapted to into films. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions in class.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Second year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • ENS034F
    Second Language Theories and Pedagogy hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is an overview course that introduces major theories of second language acquisition and how they influence language instruction. We will examine research on the cognitive, linguistic, individual, social and educational factors that affect the language learning process and language attainment. The role of input on language learning will be examined as well as the development of reading and writing skills in a second language. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • ENS216F
    Language, Mind and Meaning hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    What does it mean for a word to have meaning? We use words to talk about the world around us and one tradition in linguistics, growing out of philosophy, anchors meaning in the real-world phenomena that we talk about. But words often represent a perspective or way of thinking about the world. Another tradition, allied with cognitive psychology, therefore characterises meaning in terms of our concepts and ideas about the world around us. It turns out however that one of the most important inputs into forming concepts is in fact our linguistic system itself. A third tradition therefore emphasises the dynamic potential of language for creating meanings. This tradition is rooted in the linguistic tradition of structuralism but also lies behind the success of current large language models of generative AI. In this course, we explore different approaches to the analysis of meaning and what they tell us about the relation between mind and language.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ENS344M
    Vocabulary Acquisition: Research and Theory hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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)

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ENS217F
    Adaptations hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This class will focus on film and television adaptations, with scripts derived from short stories, canonical works, popular and pulp fiction, as well as graphic novels and comics.

    In this course we will focus on various literary works and corresponding adaptation theories relating to film adaptations and current television series. Key issues and concepts in this course  will be taught in relation to Modernism/Postmodernism and Origin/Intertextual play in Adaptation Theory and Cinema semiotics.

    Course requirement:
    Apart from the obligatory course text Adaptations and Appropriation by Julie Sanders, we will read significant articles on adaptation as well as selected short stories (provided by the tutor) that have undergone the transition process and been adapted to into films. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions in class.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Year unspecified
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • ENS034F
    Second Language Theories and Pedagogy hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is an overview course that introduces major theories of second language acquisition and how they influence language instruction. We will examine research on the cognitive, linguistic, individual, social and educational factors that affect the language learning process and language attainment. The role of input on language learning will be examined as well as the development of reading and writing skills in a second language. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • ENS216F
    Language, Mind and Meaning hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    What does it mean for a word to have meaning? We use words to talk about the world around us and one tradition in linguistics, growing out of philosophy, anchors meaning in the real-world phenomena that we talk about. But words often represent a perspective or way of thinking about the world. Another tradition, allied with cognitive psychology, therefore characterises meaning in terms of our concepts and ideas about the world around us. It turns out however that one of the most important inputs into forming concepts is in fact our linguistic system itself. A third tradition therefore emphasises the dynamic potential of language for creating meanings. This tradition is rooted in the linguistic tradition of structuralism but also lies behind the success of current large language models of generative AI. In this course, we explore different approaches to the analysis of meaning and what they tell us about the relation between mind and language.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ENS344M
    Vocabulary Acquisition: Research and Theory hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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)

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ENS217F
    Adaptations hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This class will focus on film and television adaptations, with scripts derived from short stories, canonical works, popular and pulp fiction, as well as graphic novels and comics.

    In this course we will focus on various literary works and corresponding adaptation theories relating to film adaptations and current television series. Key issues and concepts in this course  will be taught in relation to Modernism/Postmodernism and Origin/Intertextual play in Adaptation Theory and Cinema semiotics.

    Course requirement:
    Apart from the obligatory course text Adaptations and Appropriation by Julie Sanders, we will read significant articles on adaptation as well as selected short stories (provided by the tutor) that have undergone the transition process and been adapted to into films. Students are encouraged to participate in discussions in class.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
First year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • FRA103F
    Individual Project. Political System, History and Culture hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    A thorough overview of the political system, history and culture of France. Taught in French.

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • FRA218F
    Individual Project. Usage and Presentation: French hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Second year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • FRA103F
    Individual Project. Political System, History and Culture hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    A thorough overview of the political system, history and culture of France. Taught in French.

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • FRA218F
    Individual Project. Usage and Presentation: French hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Year unspecified
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • FRA103F
    Individual Project. Political System, History and Culture hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    A thorough overview of the political system, history and culture of France. Taught in French.

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • FRA218F
    Individual Project. Usage and Presentation: French hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
First year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • ÞÝS104F
    German Cultural History A hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

    Those students who have already finished the course ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication do not need to take this course, but students in the programme MA in German and MA in German Tourism and Communitation can take it as an elective course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝS702F
    German Cultural History B hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

    However, those students in the programme German Teaching, MA who have completed either ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication or ÞÝS104F German Cultural History from Bach to Present Age do not take this course, whereas students in the programmes German, MA and Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication, MA can take this course as an elective course even if they have completed the above-mentioned courses.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS703F
    Language Usage and Expression: German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Practical exercises in grammar, text analysis, writing and oral presentation for master students.

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝS701M
    On the trail of Literature and Culture in Austria, Germany and Switzerland hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course there will be discussions about culture and literature in German speaking countries, focusing on tourism and media.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝS804F
    Political System, History and Culture: German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The political system, history and culture of the German-speaking countries. It is assumed that students already have some basic knowledge of these fields.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS808M
    Blitz aus heiterem Himmel: Practical Contrastive Analysis of Icelandic and German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course deals with selected aspects of Icelandic and German on the basis of contrastive analysis and with a practical orientation.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS003F
    German as a Foreign Language in Iceland hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course will focus on deepening the knowledge about and the practical application of basic learning and teaching methods in German as a Foreign Language. The class will also look at how German teaching methodology in the new teaching approaches has changed and developed until now. These changes include new types of assignments, new approaches for testing and evaluation as well as a stronger emphasis on learners' articulation skills and, also, new approaches in intercultural and self-guided learning. To be discussed is also the question of which contents and methods most appeal to Icelandic students. The work in the course is based on group discussions, presentations and class discussion.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Second year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • ÞÝS104F
    German Cultural History A hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

    Those students who have already finished the course ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication do not need to take this course, but students in the programme MA in German and MA in German Tourism and Communitation can take it as an elective course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝS702F
    German Cultural History B hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

    However, those students in the programme German Teaching, MA who have completed either ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication or ÞÝS104F German Cultural History from Bach to Present Age do not take this course, whereas students in the programmes German, MA and Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication, MA can take this course as an elective course even if they have completed the above-mentioned courses.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS703F
    Language Usage and Expression: German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Practical exercises in grammar, text analysis, writing and oral presentation for master students.

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝS701M
    On the trail of Literature and Culture in Austria, Germany and Switzerland hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course there will be discussions about culture and literature in German speaking countries, focusing on tourism and media.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝS804F
    Political System, History and Culture: German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The political system, history and culture of the German-speaking countries. It is assumed that students already have some basic knowledge of these fields.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS808M
    Blitz aus heiterem Himmel: Practical Contrastive Analysis of Icelandic and German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course deals with selected aspects of Icelandic and German on the basis of contrastive analysis and with a practical orientation.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS003F
    German as a Foreign Language in Iceland hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course will focus on deepening the knowledge about and the practical application of basic learning and teaching methods in German as a Foreign Language. The class will also look at how German teaching methodology in the new teaching approaches has changed and developed until now. These changes include new types of assignments, new approaches for testing and evaluation as well as a stronger emphasis on learners' articulation skills and, also, new approaches in intercultural and self-guided learning. To be discussed is also the question of which contents and methods most appeal to Icelandic students. The work in the course is based on group discussions, presentations and class discussion.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Year unspecified
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • ÞÝS104F
    German Cultural History A hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

    Those students who have already finished the course ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication do not need to take this course, but students in the programme MA in German and MA in German Tourism and Communitation can take it as an elective course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝS702F
    German Cultural History B hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Goal of the course is to provide an overview of German cultural history from Bach to present age. The history of ideas will be described through the prism of literature, music, art, and science, and the interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between these areas will be the basis of analysis. Certain thinkers, poets and artists are highlighted as representative of specific currents (such as Baroque and Romanticism). Students will write an academic paper on a subject of their choice, but students of Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication may choose an assignment concerning the presentation of Icelandic culture to German-speaking audiences.

    However, those students in the programme German Teaching, MA who have completed either ÞÝS702F German and Intercultural Communication or ÞÝS104F German Cultural History from Bach to Present Age do not take this course, whereas students in the programmes German, MA and Applied Studies in German in Tourism and Communication, MA can take this course as an elective course even if they have completed the above-mentioned courses.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS703F
    Language Usage and Expression: German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Practical exercises in grammar, text analysis, writing and oral presentation for master students.

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝS701M
    On the trail of Literature and Culture in Austria, Germany and Switzerland hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course there will be discussions about culture and literature in German speaking countries, focusing on tourism and media.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝS804F
    Political System, History and Culture: German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The political system, history and culture of the German-speaking countries. It is assumed that students already have some basic knowledge of these fields.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS808M
    Blitz aus heiterem Himmel: Practical Contrastive Analysis of Icelandic and German hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course deals with selected aspects of Icelandic and German on the basis of contrastive analysis and with a practical orientation.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝS003F
    German as a Foreign Language in Iceland hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course will focus on deepening the knowledge about and the practical application of basic learning and teaching methods in German as a Foreign Language. The class will also look at how German teaching methodology in the new teaching approaches has changed and developed until now. These changes include new types of assignments, new approaches for testing and evaluation as well as a stronger emphasis on learners' articulation skills and, also, new approaches in intercultural and self-guided learning. To be discussed is also the question of which contents and methods most appeal to Icelandic students. The work in the course is based on group discussions, presentations and class discussion.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
First year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ101M
    Spanish Film Studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will explore the history of Spanish cinema in twentieth century Spain, with particular emphasis on the post-Franco period. (The Cine-Club Hispano will be operated during the semester).

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • SPÆ202M
    History of the Spanish Language hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An overview of the history and developments of the Spanish language.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ401M
    Translation (Spanish) hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will focus on the history of translation and methods available in the field of translation. Students will try their hand at the different methods of translation working with technical- periodical- as well as literary texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ402M
    Literature and Culture of the Mexico-US Border Region hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    A survey of literature and history of the Mexico-USA boarder regions. Works by Mexican and Mexico-American (Chicano) authors read.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ405M
    Latin American Literature: The 20th Century Novel hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • SPÆ412M
    The Latin American Literature: Short stories hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ501M
    Colonial Literature hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will explore literature from the colonial period, with particular emphasis on the role of the conquest gaze as a promoting factor in the image making for the new world. Geographic, literary, and ethnic issues will be examined.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Second year
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ101M
    Spanish Film Studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will explore the history of Spanish cinema in twentieth century Spain, with particular emphasis on the post-Franco period. (The Cine-Club Hispano will be operated during the semester).

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • SPÆ202M
    History of the Spanish Language hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An overview of the history and developments of the Spanish language.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ401M
    Translation (Spanish) hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will focus on the history of translation and methods available in the field of translation. Students will try their hand at the different methods of translation working with technical- periodical- as well as literary texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ402M
    Literature and Culture of the Mexico-US Border Region hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    A survey of literature and history of the Mexico-USA boarder regions. Works by Mexican and Mexico-American (Chicano) authors read.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ405M
    Latin American Literature: The 20th Century Novel hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • SPÆ412M
    The Latin American Literature: Short stories hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ501M
    Colonial Literature hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will explore literature from the colonial period, with particular emphasis on the role of the conquest gaze as a promoting factor in the image making for the new world. Geographic, literary, and ethnic issues will be examined.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified
Year unspecified
  • Fall
  • ÞÝÐ029F
    New Voices in Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The aim of this course is to make students familiar with new research and discourse in translation studies; regarding for example the role of translation in a globalized world; the function of the translator; the translating process and participants; pros and cons of new translation technology; social, political, cultural and linguistic impact of translation; historical research on translators archives etc. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ027F
    Translation Studies hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Introductory course in translation studies in which we will create a reader where important texts in the field are gathered. The most important theories of translation studies will be discussed and put into the context of contemporary discourse on translation with a view of seeing how they can be applied in research.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ028F
    Translation and Translation Technology hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    5
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will be dedicated to the Computer Assisted Translation-technology available to translators. Students get an insight into the importance of translation memories, how humans and machines use these memories, and learn how to align text corpora to create language data and dictionaries. How to use online dictionaries, data bases and other online means. We will consider language policy, technical terms and neologisms. The translators working environment will be considered as well as skills that help freelancers get by in the gig-economy. It is hoped that experienced translators will contribute to the seminar. Students work on projects during class to prepare them for the home assignments.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • ÞÝÐ030F
    History of Translation hide
    Mandatory (required) course
    10
    A mandatory (required) course for the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course the major authors in the history of translation will be covered, from ancient times to modernity. Selected texts that have been highly influential, indeed reviolutionary at times, will be read, discussed and translated. A special focus will be on the argumentation and the argumentation structures of authors who translated similar or the same texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Online learning
    Prerequisites
  • Fall
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ101M
    Spanish Film Studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will explore the history of Spanish cinema in twentieth century Spain, with particular emphasis on the post-Franco period. (The Cine-Club Hispano will be operated during the semester).

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ704F
    Translating novels hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The subject of the course is the translation of novels and they will be studied both from a historical and theoretical viewpoints. Articles by authors and translators on the subject will be read and examples of different translations analysed, in an attempt to see whether translators apply certain methods or whether their approach is different at different times. Students will do research on one specific translator and his or her works and present their results in a presentation. Issues in narratology will be discussed and students will submit a paper on the subject. Finally, students will translate a passage from an hitherto untranslated novel.

    Prerequisites
  • MOM301F
    Languages and Culture I hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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 langauge will be considered, raising the question of how we understand man with respect to thought and language.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL101F
    Writing and Editing hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

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

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

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MFR701F
    Cultural Studies and Social Critique hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course reviews cultural studies on the whole and focuses on its value as a radical form of social and cultural criticism. Texts of key authors from the 19th Century and until recent years are discussed with the very concept of culture as a central issue and the question of its meaning for critical reflexion on society, history and contemporaneity. The interpellation of cultural criticism and the study of culture is scrutinized and the way in which this relationship is central for cultural studies. This conflict, which can be felt in older and recent texts has for the last decades been a fertile gound for the humanities in general and characterizes their connection to cultural politics. Concepts such as ideology, power, hegemony, gender and discourse play a central role in the discussion.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ102F
    Certified translation and interpretation hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is primarily a preparatory course for those who are going to take the examination to become certified translators and interpreters. The major aspects of legal translation and interpreting will be covered. Students will work on previous examinations and will be introduced to basic translation theory. This course can also be taken as a part of the translation studies course.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    ÞÝÐ903F
    Applied Translations II/business hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation in the fields of law, finance, the European Union and marketing, translating into their native language with the support of the teacher. The teacher will choose texts for exercises and assignments. Students will practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and helpful tips for translating will be discussed. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating. 

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Spring 2
  • SPÆ202M
    History of the Spanish Language hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An overview of the history and developments of the Spanish language.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ401M
    Translation (Spanish) hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will focus on the history of translation and methods available in the field of translation. Students will try their hand at the different methods of translation working with technical- periodical- as well as literary texts.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ402M
    Literature and Culture of the Mexico-US Border Region hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    A survey of literature and history of the Mexico-USA boarder regions. Works by Mexican and Mexico-American (Chicano) authors read.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ405M
    Latin American Literature: The 20th Century Novel hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • SPÆ412M
    The Latin American Literature: Short stories hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    An introductory course in Latin American Literature. Literary works include poems, short stories and novels.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • Not taught this semester
    SPÆ501M
    Colonial Literature hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course will explore literature from the colonial period, with particular emphasis on the role of the conquest gaze as a promoting factor in the image making for the new world. Geographic, literary, and ethnic issues will be examined.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • MOM402M
    Languages and Culture II: The European Intellectual Tradition hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Face-to-face learning
    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • HMM240F
    Culture and Cultural Communication hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    The course critically engages with the concept of culture, addressing predominant conceptualizations while simultaneously exploring the role, conditions and influence of culture in the present. The objective is to generate a disciplined discussion on cultural heritage, cultural politics and policy, and cultural sustainability in conjunction with questions on the practicality of presenting and communicating expressions of culture. Attention is paid to the relationship between the cultural field and other social, political and economic aspects of society and how these enable and limit the communication and dissemination of cultural resources. Questions on how cultural heritage, traditions, collective memory, ideas on authenticity and identity generate the formation and reproduction of cultural constellations are dealt with as well as how conceptualizations such as ‘cultural capital’, ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘authorized discourse on heritage’ can be employed to understand and analyze manifestations of culture.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • HSP620M
    Psychoanalysis, philosophy and culture hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This course is taught in Icelandic and is intended for graduate students and BA students in their final year. It presents the main theories of psychoanalysis in light of philosophy and literary and cultural studies. It also concentrates on the contribution of psychoanalysis to further our understanding of culture and cultural achievements such as literature and cinema. It is taught twice a week, students give presentations and write a final essay.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÍSL004M
    Language and Society hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    In this course we concern ourselves with how language and society interact by examining sociolinguistic methods and concepts with regard to international and domestic research in the field.

    Among the topics discussed are language attitudes, language contact, dialects, language style and language management. We take a look at different manifestations of language use and language variation as well as contemplating on how factors such as environment, context and background of a language user potentially influence language use and choice of style.

    We provide an overview of principal research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, discuss recent trends in sociolinguistics and evaluate methods and methodologies with respect to the particular research topic.

    Besides presenting research on attitudes towards language and language use, considering both attitudes towards one’s own language and that of others, we consider possible outcomes of unconventional language use. Special emphasis will be put on considering the language use of those who speak Icelandic as a foreign language as well as the status of immigrants in Iceland.


    Additionally, we address the current status of the Icelandic language, particularly in relation to English and other languages. Principles of language management are discussed along with people’s ideas and believes about language through time. In that respect, we have a look at Icelandic language policy, language management, language standardization and linguistic purism from different perspectives, e.g. a synchronic and diachronic angle as well as with regard to other speech communities. 

    We will discuss language use of particular social groups (e.g. teenagers) in terms of its social meaning for the group on the one hand and for the speech community as a whole on the other hand.

    Students are expected to complete group or individual tasks on questions and problems originating from topics and discussions in the class room.

    Prerequisites
  • ÍSM025F
    The Language of the Eddic Poems hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    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.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ001F
    Terminology hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    This is a course for students in translation studies, Icelandic language and foreign languages. The goal is to introduce the main fields of terminology, its connection to other subjects, relation among object and concept, definitions, characteristics, intensions and extension, concept systems, relations between concepts, simple terms, compound terms, terminology and lexicography, dictionaries, terminologies, standards and domain loss. The teaching is provided in the form of lectures, discussions, and projects.

    Face-to-face learning
    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ601F
    Independent project in Translation Studies hide
    Elective course
    10
    Free elective course within the programme
    10 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independent study.

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ602F
    Independent project in Translation studies hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Independant study

    Prerequisites
  • ÞÝÐ803F
    Applied Translations hide
    Elective course
    5
    Free elective course within the programme
    5 ECTS, credits
    Course Description

    Students practice Applied Translation by translating texts pertaining to different fields. Students translate into their native language with the support of the teacher. Students practice working independently, as well as collaborating with others. Various aids and guidelines for translating will be presented. An emphasis is put on practical experience and discussions on the challenges of translating.

    Distance learning
    Prerequisites
  • Year unspecified

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.





Additional 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.

Translators and interpreters work in settings such as:

  • translation agencies
  • government ministries
  • private companies
  • international relations
  • freelance work
  • academia

This list is not exhaustive.

There is no specific student organisation for this programme, but students meet frequently in the Student Cellar.

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