MA in Viking and Anglo Saxon Studies
This innovative programme allows students the comparative study of two areas of early medieval languages and literatures: Old English and Old Norse, as well as their cultural background.
The course is excellent preparation for postgraduate research in the subject area, but is also suitable for those planning a career in the heritage industry, or with a more general interest.
The course offers students the basic linguistic, textual, and analytical skills for early medieval studies, within a broader comparative and thematic context. It combines taught modules and a 60-credit dissertation which builds on the subjects studied in the taught modules. Students may choose to emphasise either Old English and Anglo-Saxon studies, or Old Norse and Viking studies, or may pursue both within the overall comparative framework.
In addition to language and literature, Nottingham is also particularly renowned for its specialisation in name-studies and in runology, and the MA programme has close links with related work in other disciplines such as archaeology and history.
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 the two semesters of the academic year, while the dissertation is normally completed in the summer.
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 all modules in this group:
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Q34302 Basic Techniques in Medieval English Studies
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Q34329 Research and Career Planning for Medievalists
Students must take a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 45 credits from this group:
AND a maximum of 60 credits from this group
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V14120 Anglo-Saxon England 850-1066
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Q34317 Old English Texts I
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Q34318 Old English Texts II
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Q34321 Old Norse Texts I
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Q34322 Old Norse Texts II
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Q34303 Voyages of the Sea-Kings: Viking Age Scotland
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Q34304 Of Gods and Kings: Viking-Age Poetry
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Q34306 The Language of Stones: Runes and runic inscriptions of the Viking Age
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Q34307 The Hammer and the Cross: Religion in Viking-Age Scandinavia
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Q34309 Warriors and Valkyries: Gender in the Viking Age
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Q34310 World of the Vikings: Research approaches and methodology in Viking Studies
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Q34311 Reading Old Icelandic Literature
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Q34323 Old English in History I
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Q34324 Old English in History II
With the agreement of the course convenor, students may choose up to 30 credits of modules from within or outside the School.
June to September
Resources
Students on this MA form part of a lively local and international community. They may attend the seminars and lectures organised by the Institute for Medieval Research, where they will meet postgraduates and senior scholars in all areas of medieval studies. There are also specific events of direct relevance to students on this programme, such as the Norse and Viking Seminars (NoViS) and the biennial Fell-Benedikz lecture organised by the Centre for the Study of the Viking Age which has a range of research projects. Students are also encouraged to attend the wide range of postgraduate events organised by the School of English. There are opportunities for study abroad supported by the Erasmus programme with the University of Oslo. The library has strong collections in all branches of the subject area, including the special Eirkur Benedikz collection of Icelandic Literature.
Studying in the Medieval Section in the School
Students who join this MA programme join a close community of staff and students.
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 English/Anglo/Saxon Studies and/or Old Norse-Icelandic/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 English and Old Norse-Icelandic texts (in translation if necessary at this stage), using your local 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.
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.
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