Education Abroad & Exchange - University of Copenhagen

University of Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark. Officially founded in 1167, the city developed from a small fishing village into København, "port of tradesmen," a bustling port for trading vessels from all over the Baltic region. Today, with a population of more than 1.5 million, Copenhagen is the largest city in Scandinavia and the commercial, cultural, and administrative center of Denmark.
Although as busy and noisy as any large city, Copenhagen has managed to retain much of its charm. The inner city's many pedestrian streets, beautiful squares, and narrow lanes richly reward the casual stroller, and its canals, picturesque towers, and old buildings can be appreciated from numerous outdoor cafés and restaurants.

The University

The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, has nearly 35,000 students and is Denmark's largest institution of research and education. It is also a major force in the Øresund University, a cooperative venture of Swedish and Danish institutions of higher learning.

Curriculum

The University of Copenhagen has the academic structure of a traditional European university, with six main areas of study: Humanities, Social Sciences, Theology, Science, Health Sciences, and Law.

Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities is the University's largest in terms of both students and subjects taught. Its 23 departments and several multi-disciplinary centers cover some 75 subjects in these broad categories: History, Philosophy, subjects relating to Social and Cultural History, Fine Arts, Communication, Linguistics, Nordic Languages, other European Languages, non-European Languages, Classical Languages, Psychology, and Education.

Social Sciences

The Faculty of Social Sciences is divided into four departments. It teaches and conducts research in Economics, Political Science, International Politics, Management, Anthropology, and Sociology.

Theology

The smallest of the University's faculties, that of Theology, comprises three departments and the affiliated Center for African Studies. It teaches Biblical Exegesis, Church History, Dogmatics, Ethics, and Philosophy of Religion, and runs the Søren Kierkegaard Library and the Søren Kierkegaard Research Center.

Science

The 16 departments in the Faculty of Science teach Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Computer Science, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics/Economics, Astronomy, Geophysics, Biophysics, Meteorology, and other subjects.

Health Sciences

The theoretical research and teaching in Health Sciences take place in ten academic departments. Clinical research and teaching are carried out at University hospitals in the Copenhagen area.

Law

The Faculty of Law comprises four departments and runs the "Law Laboratory," a special library for law students

Courses in English

Each semester the University of Copenhagen offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses in English. They are part of the regular curriculum and are open to Danish and foreign students enrolled at the University.
Please note: Most of the University's departments plan their curricula for the coming semester just before the end of the previous semester. The full list of courses to be offered in English is therefore not available until a few weeks before the semester starts. For more information on these courses, please contact the UMass program coordinator.

Length of Study

The University of Massachusetts Exchange Program accepts students for either a semester or a full academic year. The fall semester lasts from the beginning of September through the end of January. The spring semester lasts from the beginning of February through the end of June. Full-year students are encouraged to participate in a three-week intensive Danish-language course prior to the beginning of the semester.

Housing

The International Office assists exchange students in finding housing in Copenhagen. The University of Copenhagen has no student housing facilities and the International Office has only limited access to residence halls. Most students therefore rent rooms in private homes or share flats with other students. The International Office assigns only single, furnished rooms that typically rent for between DKK 2,000 and DKK 2,800 per month.

Eligibility

The program accepts graduate students and undergraduates in good academic standing. All majors are welcome to apply. The application process includes an interview.
Because the University of Copenhagen offers a wide variety of courses taught in English, fluency in Danish is not required. Students are encouraged, however, to enroll in either an intensive Danish-language course or a "Danish as a foreign language" course. Students planning to earn credits by taking regular University courses taught in Danish must be proficient in the language.

Cost

The program fee covers tuition and fees. Health Insurance is covered by the Danish Health Security Act. Graduate students should inquire with the program coordinator for specific information on graduate program fees.
For estimated monthly expenses for room and board, books, and incidentals as well as local and international travel see our Expense Estimate. Costs for health insurance for the first eight weeks of the program are additional. Financial aid can usually be applied to program costs.

Please Contact

Regine John
International Programs Office
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9335
Tel.: (413) 545-2710
Fax: (413) 545-1201
Email: reginejohn@ipo.umass.edu
www.umass.edu/ipo/denmark/copenhagen

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