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Scandinavian Studies and Social Policy at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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Course summary

The languages, politics and culture of Denmark, Norway and Sweden have long had a considerable impact beyond the Nordic region. Today, Scandinavian languages and cultures continue to expand in popularity, and the socio-economic concept of the Nordic Model is widely studied. Scandinavian Studies and Social Policy make an excellent joint honours choice by combining the study of:

  • a modern language in its cultural, social and political context
  • the distribution of welfare and wellbeing within societies, and the policies which influence that distribution
  • option courses from a wide range of disciplines
Scandinavian Studies On our programme, you have the opportunity to develop advanced spoken and written language skills in modern Danish, Norwegian or Swedish while exploring Scandinavian culture, past and present. You do not currently need to know a Scandinavian language, as courses are available for beginners. By Year 3, you will have the skills to spend the year abroad in Denmark, Norway or Sweden. While you will specialise in one Scandinavian language, you will also gain an understanding of the other two we teach to degree level. In Year 2, for example, you can choose to explore the similarities and differences between Danish, Swedish and Norwegian. Social Policy You will focus on social and economic change, what causes it, and its consequences for society. Reflecting on how policies are developed, you will learn about the policy-making process in the UK. You will also study the influence of international bodies such as the EU and OECD. We deal with a wide array of policy areas, for example:
  • health and welfare
  • education and labour markets
  • family and childhood
We work closely with:
  • governments
  • NGOs
  • third sector and interest representation groups
  • international organisations and other external actors
International comparative analyses are one of our main strengths, and we place a strong emphasis on providing our students with empirical research skills. Why Edinburgh Edinburgh is the only university in Scotland, and one of only two in the UK, to offer undergraduate honours programmes in Scandinavian Studies. As well as being distinctive in our subject offering, we are also unique in Scotland in integrating a full academic year abroad into the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working. We are the proud home of the Northern Scholars Scheme which fosters co-operation between the Nordic and Baltic countries and Scotland. Our flexible programme incorporates a range of option courses, giving you the blend of specialist skills and broad Intercultural Competence valued by graduate employers around the globe.

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
RL64
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Standard Qualification Requirements

For degrees that have a subject requirement of a language other than English, students may not use their own native language to meet this requirement. In these instances, English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable. Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://www.ed.ac.uk/ug/RL64

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Please click the following link to find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course

https://www.ed.ac.uk/ug/RL64

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5Total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL (iBT)92Total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English AdvancedTotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English ProficiencyTotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components.
PTE Academic65Total 65 with at least 54 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies. For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher: SQA National 5 at C; SQA Standard Grade at 3; SQA Intermediate 1 at A; SQA Intermediate 2 at C; GCSE/IGSCE at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate Grade C or IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
85%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Scotland £1820 Year 1
EU £28000 Year 1
International £28000 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees. England/Wales/Northern Ireland - Due to UK Government announcements in relation to RUK Undergraduate Fees the UoE UG RUK fee will be confirmed later in 2024. EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees. Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme
Scandinavian Studies and Social Policy at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS