Norwegian Language and Culture for International Students - 60 ECTS credits
Are you a foreign student who wishes to acquire the language skills and cultural background necessary to study at university or college level in Norway? Are you in Scandinavian Studies in your home country and want to go to Norway to study and practice your subject on the spot? Or are you just tempted by the idea of learning Norwegian where it is spoken and getting to know the country and the people through direct contact?
Then the study programme in Norwegian language and culture at Hedmark University College is something for you:
- It is designed to give you a competence where practical language mastery is combined with an insight into the society and culture of present-day Norway
- It takes place in Hamar, a medium-sized town centrally located in the south eastern part of Norway, only an hour by train from Oslo Airport Gardermoen
Duration, scope and level
Norwegian language and culture for foreign students is a full-time primary degree course which lasts for one year, the programme starts in August with Level 1. Each of the three levels is taught for about 9 weeks. Each week students have 12 hours of tuition, and student led seminars are added.
Aims, content and assessment
Level 1 (20 ETCS)
- is aimed at foreign students with no prior knowledge of Norwegian
- will provide students with general background and skills in Norwegian language and culture
- will make students able to understand and speak Norwegian in day-to-day situations and about general topics, to read simple authentic texts in Norwegian and write simple texts themselves
Level 2 (20 ETCS)
- will make students able to keep updated on relevant topics and events, both locally and nationally, based on their knowledge of Norwegian society and culture
- will make students able to write about ordinary topics dealt with in the course
- basic grammar knowledge will be improved
- students will increase their vocabulary and learn idioms and varied ways of expressing themselves in different contexts.
Level 3 (20 ETCS)
- will give students a good command of spoken and written Norwegian
- will make students able to read and understand texts in Norwegian, including academic prose, and to write formal texts themselves
- will provide students with an insight into Norwegian society both from a contemporary and a historical perspective and into Norwegian culture, including some history of Norwegian literature as well as modern literary work
Written assignments are to be handed in every week. An obligatory assignment is also required.
Each Level is completed with a written and an oral exam. In order to be permitted to do the exams, students must have attended at least 80% of the classes.
Entry requirements
General entry requirements:
All international applicants must meet the minimum requirements for admission to higher education in Norway set by the Norwegian agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT). That includes English proficiency, read below.For a number of countries, some higher, post-secondary education from the country of origin is required. Among these countries are most South American countries, USA, Russia and a number of Asian and African countries like India and Nigeria.
English language requirements:
All non-native English speakers must provide official documentation of English language proficiency at the level of Norwegian upper secondary school/high school.English must have been the primary foreign language in at least seven years in primary, secondary and upper secondary school, alternatively an A-level exam in English.
Applicants who do not fill these requirements must take one of the following tests:
- TOEFLwith a minimum score of 500 (written) 170 (computer based) 60 (internet based)
- IELTSwith a minimum score of 5.0
No exceptions are made to this requirement[1]. Scores lower than 500/170/60 (TOEFL) or 5.0 (IELTS) will not be accepted.
If you are not sure that you fill the English requirements, consult the GSU-list.
[1] The TOIC test is not accepted.
