Please note: This is NOT the most current catalog.
Norwegian
http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/norwegian/
Chair, 2013-14: Margaret Hayford O’Leary, Norwegian literature, culture and language
Faculty, 2013-14: Kari Lie Dorer, Norwegian language, applied linguistics; Dean Krouk, Scandinavian literature and Norwegian language; Christine Haerter Piñero, Norwegian language
Students at St. Olaf have the opportunity to study a unique subject — Norwegian. St. Olaf is one of a few colleges and universities where students can use Norwegian to complete their foreign language requirement — and beyond the requirement can study the language, literature, culture, and history of Norway in depth. In addition to graduating with a major in Norwegian, St. Olaf students have many opportunities to study and travel in Norway.
The study of Norwegian opens the door to another culture and another way of viewing the world. Students develop skills in communication, research, analytical thinking, and writing that are essential to a liberal education and are useful in a wide range of careers. They learn about Norway’s role in technology, environmental awareness, social equality, and international peace initiatives. Some of the world’s best literature awaits discovery by students of Norwegian: works by authors like Ibsen, Hamsun, and Undset, as well as by writers who have not been translated into English. Norwegian also enables many students to explore their cultural heritage and encourages contact with relatives and friends in Norway.
OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR
The Norwegian major allows students to gain competence in the Norwegian language and an understanding of Norwegian society through a combination of courses in the language, literature, history, and culture of Norway. Norwegian majors are encouraged to use their language skills for learning in other disciplines and to experience the culture firsthand through study in Norway.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR THE MAJOR
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR
Norwegian 111, 112, 231, 232, 253, 371, 372, one history/cultural component (Norwegian 140, History 222, or other approved course), plus one additional upper-level course chosen in consultation with the chair.
DISTINCTION
Distinction in Norwegian should reflect a special interest in some aspect of Norwegian language and culture. A distinction paper or project may spring out of course work, but must go beyond and must incorporate some public activity, whether that be print publication, website development, oral presentation, or other public performance.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
The Norwegian Department sponsors many speakers and activities such as the annual Christmas service and Seventeenth of May celebration and provides students with the opportunity to live in a language house with a native speaker assistant. The Norwegian-American Historical Association, a rich source of information on Norwegian immigration, is housed in Rølvaag Memorial Library. Many students choose to study in Norway on a variety of programs such as the Oslo International Summer School and the St. Olaf-sponsored programs in Norway. Norwegian professors also participate in the Foreign Language Across the Curriculum (FLAC) program, collaborating with disciplinary professors to offer students the opportunity to use their foreign language skills in selected courses in other departments.
COURSES
LANGUAGE COURSES
Proficiency in a second language opens the door to another culture and another way of viewing the world. This course starts students on the road to achieving such a proficiency. Students begin learning to speak, understand, read, and write Norwegian and learn about Norwegian culture through the language. Offered annually in the fall semester.
Students continue developing proficiency in spoken and written Norwegian, increasing their vocabulary, improving grammatical accuracy, and gaining experience reading and listening to authentic materials. Prerequisite: Norwegian 111 or equivalent. Offered annually in the spring semester.
Students improve proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with an emphasis on communication as well as improved grammatical accuracy. Reading and discussion of authentic literary and cultural texts allow students to expand their vocabulary and knowledge of the Norwegian way of life. Prerequisite: Norwegian 112 or equivalent. Offered annually in the fall semester.
This course is a continuation of the approach of Norwegian 231, in which authentic cultural and literary texts provide the basis for writing and discussion on topics such as health, work, Norwegian history, society, politics, environmental issues, and minorities in Norway. Materials include a contemporary novel. Prerequisite: Norwegian 231 or equivalent. Offered annually in the spring semester.
253 Advanced Conversation and Composition
Students gain insight into Norwegian identity and culture, expand vocabulary, and improve fluency and grammatical accuracy by reading a variety of texts and writing essays. Speaking assignments help students understand readings and become more effective speakers. Prerequisite: Norwegian 232 or equivalent. Offered annually in the fall semester.
371 Norwegian Literature from the Saga Period to 1890
A study of Norwegian literature from the Saga period through Ibsen, this chronological overview examines literary developments in the context of historical, cultural, and linguistic change and relates Norwegian literature to international trends. Lectures, essays, and class discussion are in Norwegian. Prerequisite: Norwegian 253 or equivalent. Offered annually in the fall semester.
372 Norwegian Literature from 1890 to the Present
A study of Norwegian literature from 1890 to the present, this chronological overview places contemporary Norwegian literature in the context of historical, cultural, and linguistic change and relates Norwegian literature to international trends. Lectures, essays, and class discussion are in Norwegian. Prerequisite: Norwegian 253 or equivalent. Offered annually in the spring semester.
SCANDINAVIAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE (IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION)
This film course introduces students to contemporary Nordic film. Readings/screenings present a broad spectrum of contemporary issues, along with current critique and theoretical approaches. Topics include: history, culture and society, translation, gender/sexuality, national identity, urbanization, minority issues, etc. Students attain an understanding of these cultural trends and the technical terminology to watch, read, think, talk, and write critically and intelligently about films as text. Taught in English. Offered annually or periodically. Counts toward film studies concentration.
140 Norway: Continuity and Change
Contemporary Norway is much more than lutefisk, lefse, Hardanger fiddles, rosemaling, and elaborate costumes. This course examines modern Norwegian society, imperfections and all, against the backdrop of tradition, looking at such issues as Norway's role in peace negotiations, its position as an outsider in Europe, and its evolving relationship with the United States. Taught in English. Offered most years.
224 Topics in Contemporary Nordic Literature: A Window on Society
Recently there has been an explosion in Nordic literature translated into English, providing unprecedented access to contemporary literary texts produced in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. In this course students read and analyze contemporary Nordic literary texts and examine those societies through a literary perspective. Sample topics: "Murder Nordic Style: Contemporary Crime Fiction" and "Gender and Nordic Society." Taught in English. Offered most years.
240 Vikings in Literature: Medieval to Modern
The sagas, myths, and poetry of the Vikings rank with the world's great literary treasures. Strong men and clever women engage in a heroic struggle with a tough and unyielding nature and face perennial human problems: love and hate, crime and punishment, travel and adventure. These works will be read in their historical and cultural context, as well as examining their impact on popular culture, including film, video games, comics, and sci-fi/fantasy fiction. Taught in English. Offered periodically.
244 The Sámi: Traditions in Transition
This interdisciplinary course explores the Sámi, an indigenous people living mainly in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Students first place the Sámi in a historical-cultural context by examining the Sámi's social and economic systems, religion, customs, and values. The major portion of the course examines the Sámi primarily from within: the Sámi will present themselves through their literature, film, music, and art. Taught in English. Offered periodically.
248 Rewriting Nordic Identities: Scandinavian Multicultural Literature
Nordic literature of today features writers with immigrant backgrounds, many from non-Western countries. These translingual and multicultural writers present narratives that negotiate identity and appropriate new homelands, and thus rewrite what is means to be Nordic. Students examine literature that represents the immigrant experience in present-day Scandinavia in relation to the experience of immigrants to the U.S. in the 19th century and within the international context of global migration in today's world. Counts toward Nordic studies concentration.
Students analyze the plays of Henrik Ibsen in English translation using a variety of critical approaches. Students investigate ethical issues and themes in Ibsen's plays by examining the plays through the lens of ethics, using readings in ethical theory to better understand both the ethical issues and the plays themselves. Students also study Ibsen's dramatic technique and the historical and literary context of his work. Prerequisite: BTS-T or permission of instructor. Taught in English. Offered most years. Counts toward women's and gender studies major and concentration.
294 Internship
298 Independent Study
394 Internship
396 Directed Undergraduate Research
This course provides a comprehensive research opportunity, including an introduction to relevant background material, technical instruction, identification of a meaningful project, and data collection. The topic is determined by the faculty member in charge of the course and may relate to his/her research interests. Prerequisite: determined by individual instructor. Offered based on department decision. May be offered as a 1.00 credit course or .50 credit course.
398 Independent Research
May be repeated if topics are different. Counts towards medieval studies major.
related course
History 222 Modern Scandinavia
This course offers a survey of modern Scandinavian history from the period of the Protestant Reformation to the present with special attention to recent developments. Foreign Language Across the Curriculum course available in Norwegian. Offered most years.