Study Abroad, Course Package 2 - Scandinavian/European History & Archeology

This programme is designed for students seeking a unique Scandinavian study abroad experience and who are interested in aquuiring and developing knowledge about Sweden and Scandinavia. The package consists of 4 courses:

- Introduction to Scandinavian culture
- Viking age Scandinavia
- The Dawn of Europe
- Swedish history from a Nordic perspective

Introduction to Scandinavian culture
Emphasis is placed on certain key periods in order to provide students with an understanding of the common features in the development of the cultural and social systems found in Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland). The course begins by examining Scandinavia in the Middle Ages. Influences from, in particular, France, Germany, England and the USA are discussed, as is the development of the national characteristics particular to the various countries of Scandinavia. There is a special focus on the development of democracy from the late 19th century to the present day. Examples are given of this historical process with literature, art, music, theatre, film and the history of ideas. The course is of an interdisciplinary nature.

Viking age Scandinavia
The course gives a broad overview of the archaeology, history and art history of the material culture and of the written sources from the 8th to the 12th centuries. Different aspects of the political, social, cultural and religious developments and changes within Scandinavia are treated here. These include such aspects as the transition from paganism to Christianity, Viking Age burials, gender and social segregation, trade and plundering, rural and urban landscapes, as well as the development of an economy.

The Dawn of Europe
The course is organised around a number of themes concerning central issues in European prehistory, such as the advent of agriculture and domestication, the impact of metallurgy, the growth of towns, the role of elites in this growth, and similar topics. The importance of these issues in the on-going social transformation taking place in the areas is discussed.

Swedish history from a Nordic perspective
The course includes a short overview of Swedish and Nordic history from the Viking Age to the present. A Nordic perspective is taken to allow critical approach to an otherwise Swedish interpretation of history. Selected issues from Swedish and Nordic history will be discussed in order to orient the students in relevant discussions and arguments in historical theory as well as to train them in historical argumentation based on scholarly foundations.

The Study Abroad programme includes 6 months of full-time studies (30 ECTS). At the end of successfully completed studies the student will receive a transcript and certificate. For students currently studying a degree, the home university will need to approve whether the ECTS credits from the programme can be transferred to the current degree programme.

Mer om utbildningen hittar du på http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/international-students/bachelor-s-studies/study-abroad-programmes