Viking Studies

Course overview

The main aim of this interdisciplinary course is the study of the language, literature, history and archaeology of the Viking Age (c800-1100 AD). The course offers intensive and coherent study of the Viking Age in Scandinavia, Britain and elsewhere in the Viking world, integrating the approaches of several disciplines. Nottingham is one of the few universities in the country with a recognised reputation for research in Viking studies.

Year one

You are introduced to literary, linguistic, historical and archaeological evidence for the Viking Age and its subsequent perception. You are required to take introductory modules in the methodology of historians and archaeologists and receive an introduction to the language and literary culture of England in the first millennium. Optional modules can be taken in language history, archaeology or medieval history.

Year two

You will take core modules in the Viking Age, the relationship between Vikings and other people of medieval Europe, such as Anglo-Saxons and Franks as described in historical sources, as well as modules in the archaeology of Medieval Britain and Celtic Britain and Ireland. A wide range of optional modules allows you to expand your knowledge of research methodologies and topics in medieval studies and you have the opportunity to study abroad for one semester at the University of Oslo.

Year three

You take core modules in Learning Old Norse, regional archaeology of Britain and Ireland, as well as political developments in Anglo-Saxon England. Optional modules include the study of place names, history of the English language, Dark Age masculinities, as well as an opportunity to complete a piece of original research in the history, language or archaeology of the Viking Age.

By the end of the course

You will have a broad knowledge of the Viking Age, the cultural contacts between various medieval people, and the impact of the Vikings on their contemporaries. Your transferable skills will include the ability to communicate effectively and think independently, and you will have learned to research hitherto unknown areas and to draw conclusions from opaque or incomplete sources.

Websites

English Studies

for more information go to:
Centre for the Study of Viking Age