ISSHF1530 – The Vikings and Medieval Norway

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

This course surveys the history and culture of Norway during the Viking Era (ca. 750-1030) and the Medieval Era (ca. 1030-1536), including mutual influences and interactions with neighboring regions and peoples. The course includes a focus on Norse mythology and covers the social and political contexts of Viking expeditions, national unification, and conversion to Christianity. It covers the medieval Kingdom of Norway’s period of relative peace and prosperity in the 1200s, and then the Black Death and Kalmar Union. Reading focuses on skaldic and saga literature (especially Icelandic and Norwegian) and other historical primary sources. Also included in this course is consideration of how the memory of the Vikings and Medieval Norway have influenced political and cultural trends in Norway over the past few centuries.

Learning outcome

Learning outcome:

Knowledge:

After this course you will have knowledge about:

  • Norwegian geography
  • The basic prehistory of Norway
  • Norse mythology
  • Social and political conditions in Norway during the Viking Era and Middle Ages
  • The causes, effects and broad narrative of the Viking expeditions
  • The processes that led to significant changes such as conversion to Christianity, national unification, economic diversification, and international unions
  • Medieval Icelandic and Norwegian literature

Skills:

After having completed the course, you will:

  • read primary and secondary historical sources with good comprehension
  • apply reading, writing, and thinking methods such as critical source assessment, interpretation, corroborating, and contextualizing
  • analyze complex information in written responses

General competence:

After completing the course, you will:

  • be better prepared to understand and appreciate the historical-cultural environment of modern Norway and neighboring countries

Admission to the course

If you would like to take this course, you must apply directly to the International Summer School

Only students admitted to the course may take part in instruction.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

No obligatory prerequisites beyond the minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway. Minimum academic requirements.

Overlapping courses

Teaching

The course consists of three hours of daily instruction, Monday to Friday, for four weeks. Classroom sessions include lectures, informal exercises with primary source readings, discussions, and occasional field trips to institutions such as museums in Oslo related to the Vikings and Medieval Norway.

Daily attendance is expected of all participants. Students must attend a minimum of 75% of the lectures in order to take the final exam.

Examination

The course grade is determined by a two-hour final exam consisting of map identifications, short-answer questions (such as multiple-choice, matching, and brief term identification), document-based questions, and more-developed written responses. A study guide to assist in preparation will be provided at least a week in advance of the exam date.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 25, 2026 2:20:34 AM

Facts about this course

Level
Bachelor
Credits
10
Teaching
Summer
Examination
Summer
Teaching language
English

Contact

International Summer School