Old Norse Studies Higher-Level MA Course II

NOFI302 covers a specific topic in Old Norse Philology Studies, focusing on either linguistics, literature, or both. This topic changes from semester to semester.

The goal of this course is to give students the opportunity to undertake further in-depth study in Old Norse, building on what they achieved at BA level. The course is also intended to contribute to the breadth and variety of the MA programme.

The course is open to both BA and MA students and can be taken with different course codes. These courses codes have in common that the students will be required write an assignment: a BA thesis for NOFI250, a semester paper for NOFI210 and NOFI300, and a home exam for NOFI302. In NOFI303, students give a presentation of 20-25 minutes in length on a selected topic from the course. Both the topic and the presentation must be approved by the lecturer.

Fall 2026: Ms 1491 — an Icelandic Saga Manuscript

The course focuses on the saga manuscript Ms 1491 in the Special Collections of the University Library, UiB. According to the catalogue, the manuscript was probably produced around 1700 and contains seven sagas of various genres.

Using this manuscript as a concrete example, students will practice reading texts in the original language and transcribing excerpts, as well as developing literary perspectives on the manuscript and its contents.

We will cover practically relevant topics and working methods such as cataloguing, description, transcription, and literature review. In collaboration with the Special Collections, we will also address aspects such as the care, conservation and medialization of manuscripts and other archival materials, and will experiment with forms of medialization (exhibitions and digital formats).

Knowledge

A candidate

• has good knowledge about the specific theme of the course
• has a good understanding of the topic in relation to other topics in Old Norse Studies
• has good insight into how a topic in Old Norse Studies should be communicated in writing

Abilities

The candidate

• can discuss and analyse a research problem within Old Norse studies
• can choose and use primary sources critically
• can search for and retrieve the necessary secondary literature
• can document the use of sources in a clear and structured manner, both through a referencing system and through the construction of a bibliography
• can organise a scholarly investigation in sound written form

General competence

The candidate

• can express themselves clearly, using correct terminology and giving a well-structured presentation of academic topics, both in writing and orally
• can read scholarly literature in the Scandinavian languages and English and has practiced reading texts in languages other than these
• can discuss research problems in medieval philology and adopt an independent position
• can continue their own professional development and specialisation independently