Semester programme in English

About the programme

The semester program consists of two courses on bachelor level and you will study together with NLA’s full-degree students.  The course covers  a wide range of topics in English literature, culture and language, with a focus on didactic methods relevant to teaching English as a second language in schools. The course also develops students’ creative, analytic, written and oral skills in English.

About the courses

4MGL5ENG101 English Language and Language Didactics

English is in high demand as the dominant global language, facilitating communication in international business, travel, and academia. Much of the world’s media, scientific research, and technology is in English, making it essential for staying informed and competitive. English proficiency also enables people to connect with diverse cultures and access a broader range of educational and professional opportunities.

The course in English language and language didactics equips you for teaching English at the secondary school level (grades 5-10 and up) by giving you a solid foundation in phonetic, grammatical, and semantic structures of the English language and their appropriate use, as well as creative didactic methods for explaining and teaching the language to children and young people. 

4MGL5ENG102 English Literature, Culture, and Didactics

This module focuses on literature, culture, and didactic methods for stages 5-10 (upper primary to lower secondary) in the Norwegian school system. The course will, however, be relevant for English as Second Language teachers everywhere, as well as to students with a general interest in English literature, and classic children’s literature in particular. We examine a wide range of both historical and contemporary writers, as well as a range of genres including poetry, fiction, drama, musicals, films, graphic novels, and audiobooks. Thematically, the focus is on children’s growth and development, and on imagining adult-child relationships within changing literary, cultural and historical contexts.

The theme of the course is learning and growing up: moving from childhood into early adulthood. How has this transformative ‘between’ been imagined in literature for children and young people? How has childhood been depicted in relation to adulthood? We will also think about the cultural and social worlds, roles and expectations that have surrounded these fundamental transitions in human life. Students will learn how to use not just poetry, fairy tales, plays and fiction, but also musicals, theatrical performances, films, audiobooks and graphic novels to craft experiences of imaginative growth and development for young learners.

Information for international students

• International students are required to participate in the orientation program (2-4 days) in the beginning of the semester.   
• International students must find their own accommodation either through the student welfare organisation in Oslo (SiO) or on the private market. 
• Read more information for international exchange students here.