Course description for 2023/24
The Nordic Societies
SA212S
Course description for 2023/24

The Nordic Societies

SA212S
This course will focus on Nordic Societies, their main values and cultural characteristics and the ideas and ideals on which Nordic people organize their societies. What are the most important institutions and categories of people? How are challenges met and decisions made about family life, education, working life, gender, minority groups, religion, social and cultural differences, environmental problems and other issues in the changing Nordic region.
Admission occurs based on general study competence (university entrance) according to current Norwegian regulations.

Knowledge

The student should:

  • have a broad understanding of central issues, theories, research questions and methods in studies on Nordic societies from a social science perspective
  • know about research work on Nordic societies.
  • Acquire new knowledge about the Nordic societies
  • Have knowledge about the history, cultures, traditions and distinctiveness of the Nordic societies, and knowledge about how the Nordic societies find solutions to social problems.

Skills

The student should:

  • Be able to use academic knowledge and relevant results from research on practical and theoretical issues and make reasoned choices.
  • Be able to reflect upon own academic practice and convey this in a way that is relevant for the subject matters.
  • Be able to find, assess and refer to academic knowledge and convey this in a way that is relevant for a problem.
  • Be able to use relevant academic expressions.

General competence

The student should:

  • Have knowledge about relevant academic research questions regarding the Nordic societies and cultures.
  • Be able to plan and write student papers with relevant academic subjects.
  • Be able to convey central academic issues like theories and research results regarding the Nordic societies in written form.
  • Be able to exchange views and experiences regarding the Nordic societies.
  • Know about new perspectives in studies of the Nordic societies.
No costs except semester registration fee and syllabus literature.
Compulsory for the Bachelor of Circumpolar and Nordic Studies. Elective course for other students at Nord University
On campus and online lectures, seminars and compulsory written assignments (answers to module questions).
Annual evaluations which are included in the university´s quality assurance system.

Written assignments and individual home exam:

The written assignments (answers to module questions) are preliminary examinations, and have to be successfully completed, together with the home exam, in order for the student to be able to receive the formal grade and credits.

Successfully completed preliminary examinations are valid the two subsequent terms after first attempt.

The exam consists of an individual take-home examination There will be one final grade using the regular Norwegian grading system (A-F).

The exam must be answered in English.

Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:

SA212S-2 - Northern Scandinavian Societies - 10 credits

SA212S-001 - Portfolio assessment - 4 credits

SA212S-002 - Take-home examination - 6 credits