Academics

Academic Program

This program allows UO students to study in Norway for one semester, an academic year, and/or during a six-week intensive summer school. Students with less than two years of training in Norwegian may select from a wide variety of courses taught in English, and they also normally enroll in Norwegian language. Students with two or more years of Norwegian prior to the program may, depending on their language ability and the availability of courses, take one or more courses taught in Norwegian. The UiO offers a full range of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. All UiO courses numbered 4000 and above are graduate-level.

Some unique offerings include: Scandinavian studies; Viking medieval studies and runology; studies in society, development and the environment; and musicology. For more information, see the UiO’s English-language website.

Graduate students may select from courses in several interdisciplinary master’s programs taught in English. Graduate students who intend to study abroad must apply for approval from the Graduate School.

Arctic Sciences Option on Svalbard

Science students also have the option, through the Norway programs, to study at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), a cooperative campus managed by several Norwegian universities. UNIS is located on the Svalbard archipelago, in Longyearbyen (literally, "the long-year town"), a small community at 78ºN (well inside the Arctic Circle). UNIS is a state-of-the-art research center, the majority of which has been constructed since the mid-1990's. The facilities are designed for projects specific to the Arctic environment and boast up-to-date classrooms, computer and research labs, library, and specialized equipment.

The Centre offers courses in the sciences (biology, geology, geophysics, and technology) that are specific to the Arctic environment. In addition, the Centre offers a course on Arctic safety (required in a student's first term at UNIS) as well as an elective, general course on Arctic history and culture. The UNIS portion of the Oslo program is ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students majoring in the sciences (biology, geological sciences, environmental science, or closely related areas), with a keen interest in Arctic studies.

The academic calendar, budget, and other general information for UNIS participation varies slightly from the Norwegian Universities. UNIS participants must be in very good to excellent physical condition and healthy. In addition, specialized equipment is necessary to survive the harsh Arctic conditions. Winter on Svalbard is a six-month night, lasting from Fall Equinox to Spring Equinox (part of both semesters). Interested students should read the entirety of the UNIS website before applying: http://www.unis.no/.

Interested students must apply directly to Study Abroad Programs by the published deadlines in this website, in the same way that other Oslo program applicants apply.

The Oslo International Summer School (ISS)

UO graduate and undergraduate students are also eligible to participate in the six-week ISS program. For undergraduates, the ISS curriculum is largely in Scandinavian studies, political science, and Norwegian language courses. For graduate students, courses are offered in special education, peace studies, international development studies, media/film studies, sustainable energy planning, and international community health. For more information, see the ISS website, http://www.uio.no/iss/.

Interested students must apply directly to Study Abroad Programs by the published deadlines in this website, in the same way that other Oslo program applicants apply.

Registration and Credits

Students participating in this program will be registered at the University of Oregon and will receive UO credits for courses taken in Oslo. The student’s course work will be reviewed and evaluated by appropriate academic departments at the UO. Students must keep detailed records of course outlines, reading lists, exam results, and other work completed to facilitate accurate evaluation by the academic departments at the UO.

Students are responsible for making sure that the courses they plan to take in Oslo will meet major and minor requirements. Students are advised to consult with their academic advisor about their plans to study in the Oslo program.

Course Equivalencies

Only those courses that have been taken by UO students in the last seven years are listed on the equivalency sheet. Courses that do not appear on this sheet will need to be approved for UO credit.

Oslo Equivalencies
Oslo Credit and Grade Chart

Host Unversity Website

For general information on the University of Oslo: http://www.uio.no/iss/

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