Education Abroad & Exchange - Uppsala

Uppsala University

At-A-Glance
Eligibility / Requirements	2.8 GPA
Open to Non-UMA?	Yes
Fall (Sep-Jan), Year	April 14
Spring (Jan-Jun)	October 10
Classes Taught In	English, Swedish
Abroad Advisor	Regine John
Documents	UMass Application, Non-UMass Application, Expense Estimate

Overview

Founded in 1477, Uppsala is the oldest University in Scandinavia, and it is a well-known international research center. The university enrolls approximately 29,000 students each year and offers over 1,000 courses in 100 departments. An indication of the quality of the research departments at Uppsala is that six Uppsala scientists have been awarded the Nobel prize, and these scholars are following in the footsteps of such prominent historic scholars as the botanist Carl von Linné (Linnaeus), the wide-ranging genius Olof Rudbeck, and the astronomer Anders Celsius, inventor of the Centigrade/Celsius thermometer scale.
The university teaches a wide range of courses in English. These courses are not taught specifically for foreigners; they are regular Uppsala courses in which Swedish students are enrolled. For those students able to study in Swedish, a wider range of courses will be available. Swedish language courses for foreigners are also available.
Students at Uppsala University take one course at a time, in a manner similar to the U.S. block system. Courses are of various lengths and types (such as lectures, seminars, group work, laboratory work, and independent study). Students take all courses for a semester in the same department, and it is not possible to change departments in the middle of the semester. Each academic department keeps its own calendar for the year.

Location

Uppsala, the fourth largest town in Sweden, has the charm of a small town and the opportunities of a big city. The population is about 200,000, and the town is located 45 miles north of Stockholm. Full of living history, Uppsala was once the seat of the royal Swedish kingdom. Traces left by their Viking forefathers are still to be seen in Uppsala today. Uppland, the province in which Uppsala is located, is flat but beautiful. Walking and bicycling are wonderful ways to explore the town as well as the surrounding fields and forests.

Curriculum

Students can choose to participate in either the Swedish-taught program or in the English-taught program. Some overlap can be arranged. Courses in English are available in many subjects, including Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social Studies, Political Science & Government, East European Studies, Economics, Psychology, Education, Computing Science, International Media and Communication Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Social and Economic Geography, International Business, Swedish Culture and Society, History, and the History, Philosophy and Social Science of Religion.

Housing

Rooms will be reserved for exchange students to Uppsala in on-campus dormitories. The dorms are organized in corridors, each with 4-12 student rooms and a shared living room and kitchen. All student rooms usually have their own toilet and shower and are furnished with desk, bed, and chairs. Students must provide their own linens and cook their own meals in the common kitchen. All student housing complexes have laundry facilities.

Student Union

All students at the Universities of Uppsala or Linköping belong to a student union which acts as a service agency. The student union is often able to provide information or assistance with questions concerning health care, housing, sports and social activities.

Eligibility / Language

Applicants should demonstrate general academic strength and a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students entering the Swedish language program should have a strong command of Swedish (at least 12 credits of college-level Swedish language instruction) since all teaching and course materials are in Swedish. Students entering the English-taught programs do not need any knowledge of Swedish but will benefit culturally from Swedish language training.

Contact

Regine John (reginejohn@ipo.umass.edu)
International Programs Office
William S. Clark International Center
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-9335
Tel: (413) 545-2710
http://www.umass.edu/ipo