SCAN ST 101 – First Semester Norwegian
(4 credits)
- Section 001: MTWRF 9:55-10:45 am 386 Van Hise Hall Instructor: TBD
- Section 002: MTWRF 1:20-2:10 pm 387 Van Hise Hall Peggy Hager
Prerequisites: No prerequisites. Open to undergraduates.
Norwegian 101 is a first semester language course that presumes no knowledge of the Norwegian language. It is open to freshman. The course develops basic skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing Norwegian. We offer a thematic, communicative approach to language teaching that strives to put language in the context of culture. Classroom time focuses on communication and listening, as well as introducing basic grammatical concepts. Homework centers on reinforcing vocabulary, reading, grammar exercises and writing. Thematic units covered in Norwegian 101 include social language and identity, schools and education, food and meals, daily-life and leisure. We are currently using a curriculum package published by Nancy Aarsvold and Kari Lie Dorer called Sett i gang I (Edition II). First semester Norwegian covers chapters 1-11 in this text..
The final grade is determined as follows: 10% attendance and participation; 20% homework, essays, written work; 15% in-class quizzes; 50% exams; 5% oral exam
Required texts:
- Sett i gang I (Edition II) (chapters 1-12) (authors: Kari Lie Dorer and Nancy Aarsvold)
- Audio and online exercises: Free and online.
SCAN ST 111 – First Semester Swedish
MTWRF 12:05-12:55 pm 1116 DeLuca Biochemistry Building Instructor: TBD (4 credits)
Prerequisites: Open to first-year students.
Language of Instruction: Swedish
This course is an introduction to the Swedish language. Students will learn the foundations for reading, speaking, and writing Swedish and will learn about the culture of Sweden.
SCAN ST 121 – First Semester Danish
MTWRF 11:00-11:50 am 4279 Helen C. White Hall Instructor: TBD (4 credits)
Prerequisites: Open to first-year students.
Language of Instruction: Danish
This is an introductory course in basic Danish, so we will be working with the important basic skills of language acquisition, i.e., speaking, listening reading and writing. The most important aspect of learning a new language is using it, and we will base our strategy on the communicative language teaching approach. Class time is crucial for practicing communication skills, so attendance is essential, and participation will be part of your grade. The course will also contain presentations and information about Denmark and the Danes, and you will be encouraged to make comparisons between the Danish and the American culture in order to gain a deeper understanding of differences and similarities. We will use technology regularly to work interactively with the language and to enhance our understanding of the Danish society. We will watch movies and listen to music to gain a historical and current perspective on Danish culture.
For more information see the instructors website.
SCAN ST 131 – First Semester Finnish
MTWRF 11:00-11:50 am 375 Van Hise Hall Instructor: TBD (4 credits)
Prerequisites: None. Open to first-year students.
Finnish 131 is a first semester language course that presumes no knowledge of the Finnish language. It is open to freshman. The course develops basic skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. We offer a thematic, communicative approach to language teaching that strives to put language in the context of culture. Classroom time focuses on communication and listening, as well as introducing basic grammatical concepts. Homework centers on reinforcing vocabulary and grammar through reading, writing, and other exercises. Thematic units covered focus on daily life and activities in Finland, with an emphasis on vocabulary of importance to the student, or future visitor to Finland.
SCAN ST 201 – Second Year Norwegian
MTWR 2:25-3:15 pm 378 Van Hise Hall Peggy Hager (4 credits)
Prerequisites: SCAN ST 102 Norwegian or equivalent. Open to undergraduates.
Language of Instruction: Norwegian
Norwegian 201 is an intermediate third semester language course that requires the completion of Norwegian 102 or equivalent. The course builds on the vocabulary introduced in first year Norwegian and strives to examine various aspects of Norwegian culture through texts, video, internet and classroom discussion. The class is taught entirely in Norwegian. In the first few weeks we finish our Sett i Gang II textbook (main units are body, health, travel) and then read the popular contemporary Norwegian writer Erlend Loe’s short story Fisken. Students dialog with other classmates throughout the semester in the form of topical journals. The class makes extensive use of technologies including internet activities, video clips and podcasts.
Textbooks:
- Sett i gang II (chapters 24-30) (authors: Kari Lie Dorer and Nancy Aarsvold)
- Fisken by Erlend Loe
compendium of materials
SCAN ST 211 – Second Year Swedish
MTWR 9:55-10:45 am 3425 Sterling Hall Instructor: TBD (4 credits)
Prerequisites: SCAN ST 112 Swedish or equivalent.
Language of Instruction: Swedish
This course continues the study of the Swedish language from the first year sequence.
SCAN ST 221 – Second Year Danish
MTWR 9:55-10:45 am 487 Van Hise Hall Nete Schmidt, Ph.D. (4 credits)
Prerequisites: SCAN ST 121,122, Danish or equivalent
The purpose of this class is to continue building on the Danish skills gained in 121 and 122. We will be talking, listening, reading and writing. We will include more grammar and grammatical exercises, and we will expand your vocabulary, working towards a higher degree of proficiency in Danish. Apart from continuing with the textbooks, we will also be reading more authentic texts that cover aspects of Danish culture and the Danes, so we can continue analyzing and comparing with that of the US. We will focus on contemporary reading and include films and audios, representing Danish popular culture. We will include new technology to enhance our authentic language and culture acquisition.
Required Textbook:
- Beginner’s Danish (author: Nete Schmidt) (Hippocrene Books).
- Various handouts, short stories, news articles.
For questions regarding this course please contact Nete Schmidt: aschmidt2@wisc.edu
SCAN ST 251 – Readings in Norwegian Literature
TR 1:00-2:15 pm 155 Van Hise Hall Dean Krouk (3-4 credits)
Language of instruction: Norwegian
A selection of Norwegian prose, poetry, and drama from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries read in the original, with attention to social criticism and historical contexts. Authors include Henrik Ibsen, Amalie Skram, Cora Sandel, Knut Hamsun, Gunvor Hofmo, Torborg Nedreaas, Paal Brekke, Rolf Jacobsen, Aksel Sandemose, and others.
All texts will be available on course Canvas website.
For questions regarding this course please contact Dean Krouk: krouk@wisc.edu
SCAN ST 261 – Readings in Swedish Literature
MWF 12:05-12:55 pm 115 Brogden Psychology Building Susan Brantly (3 credits)
Prerequisites: SCAN ST 212 Swedish or equivalent. Open to undergraduates.
Language of Instruction: Swedish
“Readings in Swedish Literature” is both a language course and a literature course. Students should have the equivalent of two years of Swedish language and the course counts as a fifth-semester language course. We will be reading and discussing short literary texts from the 19th and 20th Centuries by such authors as Pär Lagervist, Hjalmar Söderberg, and August Strindberg, among others. All instruction is conducted in Swedish and students will improve their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Required assignments include papers, translations, and presentations. Course readings will be provided.
SCAN ST 271 – Readings in Danish Literature
TR 1:00-2:15 pm 101 Brogden Psychology Building Claus Andersen (3 credits)
Course Description: The primary objective of the class is, of course, to teach you to speak, understand, read, and write Danish at an advanced level, while at the same time learning about Danish culture and society. By the end of the semester you should be able to communicate in complex sentences on abstract topics such as literature and film. Being introduced to the structure and the grammar of a foreign language should also increase your understanding of your own language.
Learning Outcome: The class aims to increase your ability to speak understand, read, and write Danish. This means that by the end of the class you will be able to:
- Understand complex written and spoken Danish.
- Demonstrate effective, informative, and persuasive written and oral communication skills in Danish.
- Demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills through writing in Danish.
- Communicate in complex sentences on abstract topics.
SCAN ST 276/SCAN ST 476 – Scandinavian Life and Civilization I/II
TR 11:00am-12:15pm 119 Babcock Hall Nete Schmidt, Ph.D. (3 credits/4 credits)
Prerequisites: None. Open to first-year students.
Instructional Mode: Face-to-face.
In this course we will be taking an introductory look at Scandinavia. Through a diverse series of guest lectures and discussions, we will explore the arts, culture, geography, history, languages, music, literature, and politics of the Scandinavian countries.
The guest lecturers are all experts in their field, so you can expect a semester filled with very varied experiences covering many centuries and topics from archeology and Vikings to the conditions and ways of living in contemporary Nordic countries.
For questions regarding this course please contact Nete Schmidt: aschmidt2@wisc.edu
Scand St 373/Lit Trans 271 – Masterpieces Of Scandinavian Lit: From The Middle Ages To 1900
MW 11:00-11:50 am 4308 Sewell Social Sciences Scott Mellor (3 credits)
Requirements Fulfilled: Literature; Humanities; Intro (Scand St Intermediate); L&S
During the late Middle Ages, Scandinavian literature reached its first high point: The Old Norse, or Vikings, sagas and poems. These works supply the starting point for the course, which gives an overview of Scandinavian literature from the sagas to the prose and drama of the golden age of the late 19th century. All genres receive proper attention, and all texts analyzed are firmly located in their historical context, so that the student is able to trace the ways in which literature reflects the sociological changes from a feudal society to the modern industrial world. Among the authors discussed are Kingo, Holberg, Bellman, Blicher, Ibsen, Lie, Strindberg, Lagerlöf, and Hamsun.
SCAN ST 404 – Languages of Northern Europe: Continuing Finnish
MTWRF 11:00-11:50 am 375 Van Hise Hall Instructor: TBD (4 credits)
For questions regarding this course please contact us at: info@gns.wisc.edu
SCAN ST 404 – Languages of Northern Europe: Modern Icelandic
MTWRF 11:00-11:50 am 3425 Sterling Hall Instructor: TBD (4 credits)
Prerequisites: Open to all students; no prior knowledge of Icelandic or other Nordic languages is required.
Language of Instruction: Icelandic
This course is an introduction to the Modern Icelandic language.
SCAN ST 410 – Introduction to Scandinavian Linguistics
TR 9:30-10:45 am 575 Van Hise Hall Kirsten Wolf (3 credits)
Instructional mode: All face-to-face.
Credit hours: Traditional Carnegie definition.
Instructors: Kirsten Wolf, Kim Nilsson (Professor), and Torger Thompson (Chair)
Objective: The course is intended to give students an overview of the development of the Scandinavian languages (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, and Faroese) from Proto-Germanic to modern times, focussing on phonological and morphological changes. The emphasis will be on Proto-Scandinavian (ca. 200-ca. 600), Common Scandinavian (ca. 600-ca. 1050), and Old Scandinavian (ca. 1050-1350).
Format: The course is a combination of lecture and seminar. Following a general introduction and a brief survey of the various methods of study, the development from Indo-European to Proto-Germanic will be considered. Proto-Scandinavian, Common Scandinavian, and Old Scandinavian will be treated in detail with emphasis on phonological and morphological changes. The characteristics of the five individual Scandinavian languages will be examined.
Learning outcomes: By the end of the semester, students will have a good overview of the development of the Scandinavian languages and understand the main differences between East Norse (Danish and Swedish) and West Norse (Faroese, Norwegian, and Icelandic).
Required textbooks:
- Einar Haugen, Scandinavian Language Structures: A Comparative Historical Survey (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1982)
For questions regarding this course please contact Kirsten Wolf: kirstenwolf@wisc.edu
SCAN ST 411 – Areas In Scandinavian Literature: Norden
TR 4:00-5:15 pm 1312 Van Hise Hall Scott Mellor (1 credit/1 credit)
Prerequisites: 5 semesters or equivalent in Scandinavian languages.
Concentrated study of topics within Scandinavian literature.
SCAN ST 415 – History Of The Scandinavian Languages II: Standard Languages
TR 11:00-12:15 pm 101 Brogden Psychology Building Kirsten Wolf (3 credits)
Instructional mode: All face-to-face.
Credit hours: Traditional Carnegie definition.
Instructors: Kirsten Wolf; Kim Nilsson, Professor; and Torger Thompson, Chair
Objective: The course is intended to give students, who are already familiar with at least one of the Scandinavian languages, the opportunity to critically assess scholarly articles on aspects of the Scandinavian languages, such as dialectology, language policy and planning, trends in linguistic analysis.
Format: The course is in seminar style. Students are required to take a very active role and be prepared to lead group discussions. Each student will be assigned particular articles or book chapters and is required to give a detailed and critical 35-minute summary of each chapter or article assigned and answer questions from other students and the instructor. All students are required to read the articles and books listed and to participate in the discussion with questions and comments.
Learning outcomes: By the end of the semester, students will have an in-depth knowledge of the development and the characteristics of Danish, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Faroese from around 1550 until the present day. Special attention will be paid to the challenges these languages face today.
For questions regarding this course please contact Kirsten Wolf: kirstenwolf@wisc.edu
SCAN ST 424/LIT TRANS 337 – Nineteenth-Century Scandinavian Fiction
Online Susan Brantly (3-4 credits)
Prerequisites: Students taking the course as SCAN ST 424 must have some knowledge of a Nordic language. Students taking the course as LIT TRANS 337 have no language requirement. Students in their first or second years need only ask permission to register.
The 19th-Century generated some of Scandinavia’s best-known writers. The course begins with Romanticism and looks at Norwegian folktales, Esaias Tegnér’s popular Viking tale (Frithiof’s Saga), and Hans Christian Andersen’s world-famous stories, to name but a few highlights. From there, we move to the Modern Breakthrough, perhaps the most important period in Scandinavian literary history, during which writers were urged to take up current issues for public debate. Internationally famous Nordic writers did just that in classics such as Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Strindberg’s The Father. We will trace how these influential social debates about class and gender took literary form. As the century comes to a close, some writers, such as Nobel laureates Knut Hamsun and Selma Lagerlöf, react against the rationality of the Modern Breakthrough by turning to literary Decadence and Neo-Romanticism.
This course on 19th-Century Scandinavian Literature is being taught entirely online. Lecture content is streamed illustrated audio. Students will complete assigned readings, take quizzes and exams, and post to a discussion board. Students taking the class for a 4th credit will write a paper.
Texts:
- Ibsen Enlightens the World by William Strong (1902)
SCAN ST 429/LIT TRANS 342 – Mythology of Scandinavia
TR 1:00-2:15 pm 224 Ingraham Hall Scott Mellor (4 credits)
Requirements Fulfilled: Literature; Humanities; Advanced; L&S
Scandinavian Mythology will introduce you to the belief systems of early and medieval Scandinavia in a European Context and take a look at the literary works written by Christian Scandinavians about their former Religion. We will look at the Kalevala, the mythological and heroic poetry of the Edda and the Icelandic legendary sagas, as well as a few early Christian texts.
SCAN ST 475 – The Writings Of Hans Christian Andersen For Scandinavian Majors
MWF 12:05-12:55 pm 5206 Sewell Social Sciences Nete Schmidt, Ph.D. (4 credits)
Instructional Mode: Face-to-face.
Credit hours: Traditional Carnegie definition.
Hans Christian Andersen lived in Denmark from 1805 – 1875. He is one of the best-known writers in the world, and his tales have been translated into numerous languages.
His writings span many genres and include much more than the “fairy” tales which made him famous. In this class, however, we will focus on the tales. They can be read by young and old alike, but it is quite certain that as an adult you will have a much stronger appreciation of the complexities and important messages in his tales. They are not mere “children’s tales” but contain, wit, humor, sharp observations, social criticism, and existential thoughts, among many others They are composed in a way that guarantees them well-deserved immortality.
We will read a variety of tales, discuss them, place them in a historical context, and also try to build a picture in our mind of Andersen, the writer. Maybe you will even be inspired to visit Denmark and his native city of Odense.
For questions regarding this course please contact Nete Schmidt: aschmidt2@wisc.edu
SCAN ST 476 – Scandinavian Life And Civilization II
TR 11:00 am-12:15 pm 119 Babcock Hall Nete Schmidt (4 credits)
Prerequisites: 2 years of Nordic languages or consent of instructor. Open to first-year students.
Scandinavian culture in all its aspects ranging from past history up to contemporary trends in politics and ideologies.
The following course are offered as Independent Study options.
- SCAN ST 681 – Senior Honors Thesis (3 credits)
- SCAN ST 699 – Directed Study (1-6 credits)
- SCAN ST 799 – Independent Study (1-6 credits)
- SCAN ST 990 – Research and Thesis (1-6 credits)
- SCAN ST 999 – Independent Reading (1-6 credits)
Note: These courses require consent of instructor.
For questions regarding these courses please contact your instructor or contact us at: info@gns.wisc.edu