MA in Norse and Viking Studies
This programme introduces students to the study of the language, literature and culture of medieval Scandinavia in a truly interdisciplinary and structured way.
The course offers a thorough and structured approach for students wishing to proceed to postgraduate research in Viking Studies, medieval languages and literatures, or history, but is also suitable for those with a more general interest in the Vikings and medieval Scandinavian history and culture. The course is structured in four strands (language, literature, research methodology and cultural studies), which are complementary to each other.
The course combines taught modules with a 60-credit dissertation, which builds on areas studied in the taught part of the course and encourages independent research into a chosen field of Norse or Viking Studies. All students will get thorough instruction in Old Norse in their first semester, with options to take other medieval languages.
Nottingham is particularly renowned for Runology and Name-Studies and the MA supports cross-disciplinary approaches, incorporating evidence from historical sources and archaeology, considering questions of identity and gender, and including the study of post-medieval sources on Vikings. Several of the modules involve student-led research projects based in some cases on field trips to areas of Viking interest.
The Centre for the Study of the Viking Age is regularly involved in the organisation of joint events and field trips with the School of History and the Department of Archaeology. Students are encouraged to attend the regular Norse and Viking Seminar, and other conferences, symposia or workshops organised by the Centre. The library has a strong collection in Old Norse-Icelandic language and literature, including the special Eiríkur Benedikz Collection of Icelandic literature. The School also organises the prestigious biennial Fell-Benedikz lecture.
Course structure
Full-time students complete the course within one year, part-time students must take between 24 and 36 months to complete. The taught modules are offered in two semesters of the academic year, while the dissertation is normally completed in the summer months of June to September.
The course structure below reflects the modules that will be taught and assessed in the academic year 2011/12. The course structures are updated in April of each year to show the course content for the following academic session. If you have any queries concerning the course structure please contact the PG Administrator at english-postgrad@nottingham.ac.uk.
September to June
Students must take this 15 credit module:
-
Q34328 Research and Career Planning for Medievalists'
AND students take 30 credits from this group:
-
Q34321 Old Norse Texts I
-
Q34322 Old Norse Texts II
-
Q34311 Reading Old Icelandic Literature
AND 15 credits from this group:
-
Q34302 Basic Techniques in Medieval English Studies
-
Q34310 World of the Vikings: Research approaches and methodology in Viking Studies
AND 60 credits from this group:
-
Q34301 The Study of Place-Names
-
Q34302 Basic Techniques in Medieval English Studies
-
Q34303 Voyages of the Sea-Kings: Viking Age Scotland
-
Q34304 Of Gods and Kings: Viking-Age Poetry
-
Q34306 The Language of Stones: Runes and runic inscriptions of the Viking Age
-
Q34307 The Hammer and the Cross: Religion in Viking-Age Scandinavia
-
Q34309 Warriors and Valkyries: Gender in the Viking Age
-
Q34310 World of the Vikings: Research approaches and methodology in Viking Studies
-
Q34311 Reading Old Icelandic Literature
-
Any other appropriate module
June to September
Up to 30 credits may be taken from other appropriate modules offered by English Studies or any other Department, subject to the approval of the MA convenor.
Students are encouraged to focus on options in language, literature or cultural studies. Students may be given the option to take part of their credits at the University of Oslo in the spring semester.
Studying in the Medieval Section in the School
Students who join this MA programme join a close community of staff and students interested in all aspects of medieval language, literature and culture.
Assessment
Core modules and optional modules are assessed by coursework (normally 3,000 words for a 15-credit module and 6,000 words for a 30-credit module), the language modules by a mixture of exams and essays (normally 4,000 words of coursework and two hours of examination for 30 credits), and the dissertation module by the completed dissertation of 12,000-15,000 words.
Reading List
There is no set list of texts you should have read before embarking on your MA programme. As a postgraduate student, you will now be expected to track down your own sources, both primary and secondary, and develop your own critical sense of what is worth reading and what is not.
If you have already done some Old Norse-Icelandic or Viking Studies as an undergraduate, you should dig out your old books and reading lists, and refresh your memory of what you have already read.
You should read as widely as possible in Old-Norse-Icelandic texts (in translation if necessary at this stage, using your library or secondhand bookshop as a resource. You can buy cheap (and not so cheap) used books easily at AbeBooks.
There are many new books, both popular and more scholarly, coming out. Log into Hallward Library's online catalogue here to begin to familiarise yourself with what is available.
There are also many relevant websites: some good, many not so good. Again, do your own searches and aim to develop your own critical sense.
Back to top
Back to MA Courses