Uppsala Universitet, Sweden

Why start Euroculture in Uppsala?

Founded in 1477, Uppsala University is the oldest Nordic university and a leading European research institution – see the latest rankings here. Among the University’s alumni there are 16 Nobel Prize laureates, of which 8 received their prizes for discoveries made during their time at Uppsala University. Academics in 9 faculties and over 60 departments teach more than 50 000 students per year in all areas of academia here. Notable alumni include astronomer Anders Celsius, physicist Anders Ångström, botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus and the late UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld. University facts and figures.

The university library dates back to 1620 and offers a wide variety of physical and digital resources. The main library building, Carolina Rediviva, houses precious collections of books, manuscripts, pictures, maps and even musical scores.

But Uppsala is about far more than just study – located only forty minutes by train from Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, it is one of Sweden’s most lively and attractive cities, offering both small-town charm and big-city resources. There are many cafés and concerts to enjoy and a rich student life full of traditions to discover. More on student life.

Thematic Focus

The Master’s Programme in Euroculture involves lecturers from a variety of disciplines. In the first semester, our core courses consider different historical, religious, political and legal aspects of Europe. In the second semester, Uppsala’s current specialisation is The Limits of Europe, which asks to what degree we construct our idea of Europe from how we delimit it from the rest of the world: from a global perspective, Europe is merely the westernmost appendage to the great Asian landmass yet Europeans see it as not only culturally but also geographically apart. We therefore look at the spaces – the sea and land borders – we use to build our understanding of ourselves as separate.

Thesis supervisors can be scholars within a variety of academic fields, including history of religion, languages, law, migration, peace and conflict studies, political science, sociology of religion, theology, and other research fields.

The programme is administered by the Faculty of Theology – the university’s oldest faculty and also home to the Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies on Racism and the Uppsala Religion and Society Research Centre (a participant in the EU’s RESPOND project on mass migration).

Swedish academic culture is fairly informal. This means that university lecturers are considered as more like partners in students’ educational and learning processes. Less time is dedicated to traditional classroom lectures and more to personal reading and individual and group tasks. The aim is to give students a balanced workload between taking part in lectures, reading the assigned course materials, critical consideration of the readings, and group discussions, all of which are important parts of the advanced learning experience. Active participation in class discussions and student interaction outside the classroom are encouraged, giving therefore a substantial amount of responsibility to students in their preparations for their future lives as professionals, researchers and policy-makers.

Why Sweden?

Sweden is a land of forests and lakes, moose and bear but also one of the most technically creative countries in the world. Historically, the country has left its mark as a land of Vikings and an imperial power. Today, it is known as a defender of democracy, diversity and reform.

Sweden’s university system encourages students to be independent and challenge established thinking. It is strong in fields such as gender and identity studies, peace and conflict, human rights and environmental studies – thus providing an ideal context for studying Euroculture, which concerns not only politics but also society and culture: identities, values and heritage.

More on Sweden:

About Uppsala city

Uppsala is an old city with strong academic and cultural traditions. With its river, many green areas and cycle paths, it offers a pleasant living environment in which to pursue an active student life. 

The city is characterised by its university, castle and cathedral, which is the largest in the North. It lies just 70 kilometres north of Stockholm and is only 30 kilometres away from the international airport, Stockholm Arlanda. The fourth largest city in Sweden, Uppsala was once an important trading centre to the Vikings – as you will find out if you visit nearby Gamla Uppsala (Old Uppsala). The Viking centres of Birka (8th century) and Sigtuna (10th century) also lie nearby; Birka is a World Heritage site.

Useful links:

Practical

  • Course Catalogue: More about the course structure in Uppsala here.

  • Campus: the Euroculture programme is based at the English Park (Humanities) campus. You will find a short tour of the campus here.

  • Accommodation: students can apply for a room from Uppsala University Housing Office (UUHO) - list of housing areas here.

  • Living costs: around 900 EUR per month.

  • Visa / Study permits: students from countries outside the European Economic Area will require a study permit, which they can apply for online: more on study permits here.

  • Swedish courses: students can apply for a Basic Swedish course, which is free of charge and offered at 4 different levels.

  • English: resources permitting, international students wishing to improve their English skills may be able to apply for an oral proficiency or academic writing course through the Department of English. The courses are free of charge but do not award credits. More information on English courses here. See also the English Department's resources page.

  • Language Workshop: if you are having difficulty structuring a written assignment or require feedback on an oral presentation, the Language Workshop can help you. The workshop is open to all Uppsala University students and is free of charge. The tutors involved at the Language Workshop have extensive experience in teaching oral and written communication techniques in different academic disciplines, and can provide individual consultations in both English and Swedish. More information on the Language Workshop.

  • Study support:

  • Student gym: the student gym is called Campus 1477.

  • Career counselling: Uppsala’s Careers Office can advise on studies, work and the labour market. They also organise special sessions on CVs and interviews.

Contact

Email: euroculture@teol.uu.se
Phone: +46 18 471 2236 (Cameron Ross, administrative coordinator)
Website: https://www.uu.se/en/admissions/master/selma/program/?pKod=HEC2M
Visiting address: Thunbergsvägen 3B, Uppsala.

Postal address:
Euroculture Programme
Department of Theology
Uppsala University
Box 511
SE-751 20 Uppsala
Sweden

Recognition status

  • Name of Institution: Uppsala universitet

  • Name of the degree awarded: Master of Arts in Theology (120 credits) with Euroculture as the main field of study.

  • Accredited by: under Swedish law, universities are entitled to establish programmes by themselves