Viking and Medieval Norse Studies

The programme is designed for students holding a bachelor’s degree with a medieval component in at least one of the following areas: literature, history, religion, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, art history or folklore. Prior knowledge of Old Icelandic/Old Norse is not required.

Students will be given the opportunity to study in two of the Nordic countries. The first two semesters will be spent at the University of Iceland. The third semester will be spent at either the University of Aarhus, the University of Copenhagen or the University of Oslo. The fourth semester will be spent writing the master's thesis at the University of Iceland or the University of Oslo. The language of instruction is English.

The programme offers an interdisciplinary approach to Viking and Medieval Scandinavia by drawing on expertise in the fields of Norse literature (including the eddas and sagas), linguistics, history, textual criticism, palaeography, runology, folklore, religion, art and archaeology at four different Nordic universities and associated research institutes. Two of these, the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies in Iceland and the Arnamagnæan Institute at the University of Copenhagen, share custody of the largest single collection of Icelandic medieval manuscripts in the world.