OpportunitiesDepartment of Scandinavian Studies

The Scandinavian Studies Department offers a range of enriching experiences and resources for students interested in exploring the Nordic region. By engaging with these opportunities and resources, you can broaden your understanding of the region, develop cultural competency, build strong connections with peers, faculty, and alumni, and prepare for your career path.

Discover the Opportunities with Scandinavian Studies

  • Study Away Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities and financial support to study in a Nordic country. Gustavus has three exchange partner institutions in Sweden (Uppsala University, Linnaeus University, Mora Folk School); there also are opportunities to travel to Scandinavia on Gustavus-led courses.

  • Scholarships for Study Away Gustavus offers several scholarships for students to study in Scandinavia and scholarships from outside organizations coordinated through the Center for International and Cultural Education. In addition, there are other scholarships from organizations to pursue.

  • Out of Scandinavia The Out of Scandinavia Artist-in-Residence Program is an annual educational and cultural opportunity for Gustavus students and the wider communities, to foster and develop stronger cultural ties with the Nordic countries, and to showcase Scandinavian art and artists to American audiences.

  • Events There are numerous opportunities to participate in community-building and networking events sponsored by the Scandinavian Studies Department. In addition to the Out of Scandinavia, activities include a "Welcome Back Fika" in September; a Homecoming Alumni Career Panel that brings back several alumni majors; a Homecoming BBQ after the football game; a Julfika (Christmas/wintertime fika); the Wahlstrom Workshop each February by Eau Claire, Wisconsin; the Department of Scandinavian Studies Senior Major Colloquium; Virtual Swedish Language Alumni Evenings to give alumni a chance to keep speaking Swedish; and a Scandinavian Studies Alumni Evening at the American-Swedish Institute in Minneapolis in the summer.

  • Research Opportunities Research is built into the Scandinavian Studies major. You will work over multiple semesters to cultivate ideas and explore questions that will lead to a topic of interest for your senior research project. As a senior, you are mentored closely by faculty to develop a sense of mastery over your research topic and to practice presentation skills. This culminates with a Scandinavian Studies Colloquium on Honors Day each spring where seniors present publicly their research project.

    You have the opportunity to attend and present your research at the Wahlstrom Nordic Workshop held near Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This is an academic professional conference with undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty.

    Many students also pursue research outside of class in the summer. Projects may be on campus in the College archives translating documents from Swedish to English and then doing historical analysis and interpretation or projects may occur in other parts of the United States or abroad.

  • Student Organizations Students in the Scandinavian Studies Department love to have fun and be in community with each other. They run the Viking Society and the Sauna Society (yes this is a group that takes saunas together). There also is the amazing opportunity to live in the Barbara Osher Swedish House, an intentional residence setting that accommodates up to 10 students active in the Scandinavian Studies Department. In addition to hosting weekly "fika" for the campus, the residence coordinates several regular events during the year: kräftskiva, Lucia dinner, and Valborg celebration.

  • Student Departmental Work Students have the opportunity to work in the Department of Scandinavian Studies doing small-group language instruction, serving as Swedish language tutors and academic assistants helping with office tasks, hosting events, and doing minor research projects.

  • Swedish Language Study Students who have studied Swedish or another Nordic language before coming to Gustavus are urged to consult with a member of the Scandinavian Studies Department before selection of language level is made. Students who have studied in Sweden for a year generally start with SWE201 (Intermediate Swedish). In exceptional cases, well-prepared students may start with Advanced Swedish (SWE301 or 302). Students who have studied Swedish at the Concordia Language Villages or a similar language camp should contact the department chair for placement. Please note all courses starting with SCA and HIS offered through the department are taught in English, and all SWE courses offered through the department are taught in Swedish.

  • Language Support The Department offers regular Swedish Language tutoring.
    View the tutoring schedule

    In addition to the language support on campus, there are many resources available through other organizations to learn more about Nordic languages and culture.
    Here is a group of resources and country Embassy links

  • Internships There are opportunities to take advantage of the strong network of alumni and friends to set up a summer internship. Some examples of past internship sites include the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, the American Embassy in Stockholm, the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce Offices in Washington, D.C., and Stockholm, Karolinska Institute for Health in Stockholm. Students also have worked in marketing, communications and logistics settings at companies headquartered in Sweden and done environmental policy research in Sweden and in the U.S.

  • Graduate School and Careers The strong faculty mentoring, numerous opportunities for studying away and internships, engaged alumni network, small class sizes, rigorous research program, and flexibility for students to double major all lead to graduates from the Scandinavian Studies Department being awarded prestigious postgraduate scholarships such as the Fulbright Award, pursuing graduate school in the top programs in medicine, law, epidemiology, diplomacy, ministry such as at Harvard University, or working in interesting jobs in the United States and Nordic countries.