Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy

Scandinavian studies and philosophy is a combination that connects two intellectual traditions which, despite their different methods, have long been in fruitful dialogue. The Scandinavian countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland, have produced a disproportionate body of literary, philosophical, and cultural work relative to their population, from the medieval sagas and Eddic poetry to the dramatic realism of Ibsen and Strindberg, the existentialist philosophy of Kierkegaard, and the twentieth-century fiction and crime writing that has found enormous international audiences. Philosophy, with its concern for the most fundamental questions of existence, knowledge, ethics, and society, provides a set of analytical and conceptual tools that both illuminate literary and cultural texts and stand as a mode of inquiry in their own right.

At University College London, this four-year full-time programme draws on UCL's strong Scandinavian studies department and its distinguished philosophy faculty. UCL is one of the UK's leading research universities, and the programme benefits from the intellectual resources of both departments. You will develop proficiency in at least one Scandinavian language, study the literatures, histories, and cultures of the Scandinavian countries, and work through the major areas of philosophical inquiry, including logic, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy.

The juxtaposition of literary and philosophical study develops both analytical precision and interpretive sensitivity.

Scandinavian studies at UCL has particular depth in Scandinavian literature, linguistics, and cultural history, and the philosophy department is strong across both analytic and continental traditions, giving you access to a rich range of philosophical perspectives.

Graduates move into careers in translation, journalism, education, academia, the civil service, publishing, and international organisations. The combination of language skills and philosophical training is distinctive and valued across any field that requires careful thinking and clear communication.