Undergraduate study | Scandinavian Studies | Scandinavian Studies

Learn a Scandinavian language - choose from Danish, Swedish or Norwegian - while exploring Scandinavian and wider Nordic culture, past and present.

Why study Scandinavian Studies in Edinburgh?

Learn at the only university in Scotland, and one of only two in the UK, to offer undergraduate honours programmes in Scandinavian Studies.
Study over four years, giving you the choice and flexibility to try out different things.
Go abroad for the first of your honours years - Year 3.
Build up to fluency in Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, and specialise in different aspects of Scandinavian studies as you move through your degree.
Delve into fantastic libraries and collections at the University and in the city.
Join societies, attend events, and gain the skills and confidence for life after university.

Studying Norwegian [my chosen Scandinavian language] was the best choice I have ever made. The department is full of many kind people who share my passion for Scandinavian Studies. The course starts at beginners' level, but after a year I already felt fluent in Norwegian, with the help of amazing tutors, fellow students, and the Scandinavian community here at the university.

Single and joint honours degree programmes

If you would like to take an undergraduate MA Hons degree programme in Scandinavian Studies, you can:

take a single honours degree in Scandinavian Studies
take any of the following joint honours degree programmes...

French and Scandinavian Studies	German and Scandinavian Studies	Russian Studies and Scandinavian Studies
Scandinavian Studies and Spanish	Scandinavian Studies and Politics	Scandinavian Studies and Social Policy
Scandinavian Studies and English Language	Scandinavian Studies and Linguistics	Scandinavian Studies and English Literature
Scandinavian Studies and History	Scandinavian Studies and Classics	Scandinavian Studies and Philosophy
Celtic and Scandinavian Studies	Scottish Ethnology and Scandinavian Studies

To study on any of our undergraduate programmes, you must apply through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

The UCAS site will show you if any of our Scandinavian Studies degree progammes remain open for application for September 2026 entry.

Search the UCAS website for our undergraduate Scandinavian Studies programmes

If you have applied to start studying Scandinavian Studies with us in September 2026, and would like a reminder of what our programmes involve and where they might take you, check out Degree Finder for 2026 entry.

Visit Degree Finder - Scandinavian Studies (choose 2026 entry)

Keen to get a head start for 2027?

There’s lots of information about our undergraduate Scandinavian Studies programmes on the University of Edinburgh Degree Finder.

For example, you can find out about:

the courses you will take each year
how you will be taught and assessed
the support we offer
entrance requirements
English language requirements
fees and funding opportunities
student societies and living in Edinburgh

For programmes starting in September 2027, choose 2027 entry.

Visit Degree Finder - Scandinavian Studies (choose 2027 entry)

Information correct as of May 2026
See full student Terms & Conditions

Skills and experience

Studying a language to degree level demonstrates that you are a good communicator, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas - what employers value as intercultural competence.

Beyond the language skills you will develop on this programme, you will also gain a nuanced understanding of diverse cultures and societies.

Graduating with a four-year Master of Arts degree from the University of Edinburgh shows intellectual maturity, resilience, and flexibility.

The skills you will be able to demonstrate to employers when you graduate include the ability to:

understand, analyse and articulate complex issues and concepts
manage your time to meet deadlines on different types of projects
work independently and as part of a group

Opportunities across sectors

Our programmes are an excellent primer for a range of careers, especially those that place a premium on thinking that is both disciplined and imaginative.

Within the private, public, not-for-profit, and for-benefit sectors, previous graduates have gone on to work in:

business, finance, commerce and tech
communications, marketing, advertising and public relations
education, outreach, advocacy and training
journalism, broadcasting and media
leisure, tourism and travel
politics, policy work, diplomacy, civil service and law
publishing, culture, heritage and the arts
research, development, consultancy and venture acceleration
translating and interpreting

Local and global opportunities

With increasing migration in response to changing global dynamics, there is demand for our graduates in Scotland, the UK and abroad.

Wherever you are based in the world, the ability to communicate in another language, and to understand the cultures to which it opens doors, will make you stand out.

If you are keen to work abroad, it’s good to know that - as there are relatively few graduates from UK universities specialising in the Scandinavian languages - there are excellent opportunities for those who do learn Danish, Norwegian or Swedish.

Speakers of one Scandinavian language are widely understood in all Scandinavian countries, and both Swedish and Danish are official working languages of the EU.

Further study

The enhanced research skills you will develop on a Scandinavian Studies programme, particularly in your honours years, are a valuable asset if you wish to continue studying at postgraduate level.

At the University of Edinburgh, we typically offer a Masters by Research degree in Scandinavian Studies or taught masters programmes in:

Comparative Literature
Intermediality
Translation Studies

I loved how the department was small. This not only meant that we all knew one another and developed friendships whilst we studied, but it also felt like all the different subjects of Scandinavian Studies were at our fingertips. Studying translation theory during every year of my degree has turned out to be very useful, while my time at LLC has also put me in contact with professional translators such as Kari Dickson, Guy Puzey, Ian Giles and others. They have inspired my passion for translation, as well as given me indispensable advice for getting started in the industry.

Find out more about LLC alumni and futures

QS World Rankings by Subject 2026

The University of Edinburgh is ranked 3rd in the UK for Modern Languages.

We are ranked fourth in the UK in the broader subject area of the Arts & Humanities.

Globally, we’re in the World Top 15: Modern Languages (12) and Arts and Humanities (9).

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are based on research citations and the results of major global surveys of employers and academics.

They are International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) approved.

Graphic of a person with a phone and the words #3 in the UK World Top 15

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Other ways to take Scandinavian Studies at Edinburgh

If you're not on one of our degree programmes, you can still learn Danish, Norwegian or Swedish with us!

As an undergraduate student of most subjects at the University of Edinburgh, you can take a Scandinavian language, or one of our cultural courses, as an outside subject in one or both of Years 1 and 2 of your programme,depending on your timetable. You don't need any prior knowledge of any of our subjects.