Prospective students

Scandinavian Studies in Frankfurt

At Goethe University Frankfurt, you can take Scandinavian Studies as either your major or minor for your Bachelor’s degree, or for a Master’s degree. You can also take the course ‘Empirical Linguistics‘ with Scandinavian languages as the focal point, which is offered by the institute of Scandinavian Studies.

The Frankfurt Institute of Scandinavian Studies has a particular focus on the core subject areas of philology and literary studies. We put special emphasis on teaching language skills and knowledge of the languages that constitute a large part of the course. The academic programme comprises the literature and culture of the North from early civilisation to present times. The course will also educate students in methods and theories of the study of literature, culture, and linguistics, and will provide students with many opportunities to deepen their understanding by studying examples from literature as well as cultural artefacts – examining, for example, the occurrence of and approach to medieval Norse myths in modern literature, or analysing a literary motif in its cultural and historical context. We approach research and teaching in an integrated manner,, which means our courses will also offer you a chance to engage with the latest scholarly research. In addition to this, you can attend and conferences  hosted by the Institute of Scandinavian Studies. Our Masters programme places particular value on independent study, thereby preparing our students for the pursuit of a doctorate.

The Bachelor’s programme does not require you to have any prior knowledge of Scandinavian languages. You can find more about entry requirements here. At our Institute, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish are taught by native speakers. Students pick one main focal language to study, and acquire additional passive knowledge of the other two languages so they arrive at a sufficient level of reading and comprehension. Our language teachers also frequently organise activities and events such as workshops or readings by authors. Bachelor students are also instructed in the basics of Old Norse, so that they may read mediaeval texts in their original language. Students can also opt to learn modern Icelandic. Knowledge of Scandinavian languages is further deepened in the Masters programme.

The Institute also has a very active students’ union that represents student interests and organises events such as activities at the beginning of the first semester, a midsummer-fest, and a Glöggfest before Christmas.