This module aims to provide a competent reading knowledge of Bulgarian and basic communicative skills in the language. Students who complete the module...

This module aims to provide a competent reading knowledge of Bulgarian and basic communicative skills in the language. Students who complete the module successfully will be able to assure both potential employers and academic supervisors that they possess the necessary foundation-level Bulgarian language skills to work with original Bulgarian texts and to enable them to undertake study and/or research in Bulgarian. The module provides an intensive introduction to Bulgarian grammar, a knowledge of basic vocabulary, practice in the skills of oral communication in Bulgarian in straightforward situations, translation and information retrieval skills, using Bulgarian texts in Bulgarian and international cultural, political, and social themes. The module is designed for beginners. It requires intensitve study including learning and practising independently beyond the contact hours.

The module will examine society and culture in Scandinavia in the period ca. 800-1100. Geographically the module will encompass Sweden, Denmark Norway, and the...

The module will examine society and culture in Scandinavia in the period ca. 800-1100. Geographically the module will encompass Sweden, Denmark Norway, and the Norse colonies in the North Atlantic (the Faroes, Iceland, and Greenland). In the case of Iceland the time-span will extend to the end of the Commonwealth period (ca. 1262). The principal themes that the module will cover include: the causes of the Viking Age; the development and emergence of the three Scandinavian kingdoms; the nature of the pre-Christian religion; the conversion to Christianity; the development of Church organisation; relation with Europe, in particular the Insular world and the beginning of written culture. Particular emphasis will be placed on presenting and analysing the various source-categories relevant to Viking-Age Scandinavia. These include, for example, runic inscriptions, place-names, archaeological evidence and saga literature.