Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic

If you’re fascinated by medieval history, literature and languages, and you relish the prospect of doing your own research using original source materials, this unique course will appeal to you.

A voyage of discovery

The history and culture of Anglo–Saxon England, the languages and literature of the Celtic–speaking peoples, or the exploits of the Vikings–studying a completely new subject area can be an exciting voyage of discovery, especially when there's the chance to explore a range of cultures, or to look at history, language and literature side by side. Anglo–Saxon, Norse, and Celtic allows you to do this.

"I like the variety of subjects that the course includes: in two years it feels like I've already studied a broad range of topics, most of which I had never considered before. Another good aspect is that students have a lot of contact time with staff – it makes you feel well supported." – Clare

ASNC, as it’s known, focuses on the history, material culture, languages and literature of the peoples of Britain, Ireland and the Scandinavian world in the earlier Middle Ages. In order to develop a full appreciation of those societies it's necessary to get to know their literature and to learn to read texts in the original languages. ASNC students discover medieval history while learning one or more languages and reading great works of literature, such as the Old English poem Beowulf, the epic medieval Irish tale Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) and Icelandic sagas.

Cambridge is the only university in the UK where you can study this fascinating combination of areas and disciplines. Exactly which areas you study and to what depth is largely up to you. Once you discover where your strengths lie, you have plenty of options to choose from. In your final year you carry out some original research in the form of a dissertation.

The whole course is based on the idea that you develop key skills through direct exposure to and close analysis of primary texts. In this respect, Cambridge has rare and exceptional resources to offer in the University Libary, the College libraries, and in the Fitzwilliam and other museums.

What are we looking for?

No previous knowledge of the subject is expected or required; all of the languages are taught from scratch and we don't assume that our students have studied early medieval history or literature at school. However, we do require passion and commitment, and we look for evidence of your general ability in arts and humanities subjects.

The structure of the course

In your first year, you select six papers from a range of 10 (please see the course outline, below). Your Director of Studies helps you to decide on the combination that suits you best. You have the flexibility to choose a range of subjects that reflects your interests; there are no compulsory combinations of subjects. At the end of the first year, you take a Preliminary Examination in four of the papers and departmental tests in the other two.

In your second year, you may continue to study the six subjects that you chose in your first year and take Part I examinations in them. Alternatively, you may replace up to three subjects with a dissertation and/or one or two papers offered by other degree courses. Our current second–year students are able to 'borrow' papers on Medieval English literature, Medieval French, Anglo–Saxon Archaeology and Scandinavian Archaeology.

In the third year (Part II), you have the opportunity to study four subjects in greater depth and you also write a dissertation on a topic of your choice within the scope of the ASNC course. The four subjects are selected from a list of 12 papers offered by the Department; these include advanced subjects in the languages and literatures that you study in your first and second years, and historical topics that cover specific themes in Anglo–Saxon, Scandinavian and Celtic history. The Department also offers Textual Criticism, Germanic Philology and Celtic Philology to third–year students.

Students may replace one of their four Part II ASNC papers with a borrowed paper. The range currently includes Medieval English Literature, Historical Linguistics, Anglo–Saxon Archaeology, Scandinavian Archaeology and a subject borrowed from the Faculty of History. Alternatively, students may replace one of their Part II subjects with a Part I paper that they didn't offer for the examinations at the end of their second year.

All in all, the ASNC course offers students a wide range of choice and an impressive degree of flexibility, as well as the chance to engage in interdisciplinary study.

Changing course

A few students choose to transfer to another course after Part 1. ASNC combines well, for example, with Part II of the History or English degree courses.

After ASNC

This unusual and challenging degree enables you to develop your powers of argument, to refine your appreciation of literature, and to sharpen your powers of analysis. This means that, like any other arts subject, it equips you for a wide range of careers where importance is attached to your intellectual and analytical skills.

Many employers regard the ASNC degree as a promising sign of individuality, and former Asnacs (as they like to be called) can be found in a wide range of careers. Some go on to take advantage of the specialist opportunities open to them and do research and teaching in schools and universities, or work in museums and libraries; while many others go into other careers including journalism, banking, law, the Civil Service, industry and business.

Course outline

The course is split into two Parts, with a two–year Part I and a one–year Part II. Teaching is provided through lectures, classes, seminars and supervisions and you can expect between 10 and 15 hours of lectures and classes per week during Part I. Years 1 and 2 Part I In the first year of Part I, you study the various disciplines which form the core of ASNC studies. You choose six subjects selected from a range of 10, and take an examination in four of them and departmental tests in the other two: Historical subjects Anglo–Saxon history Scandinavian history Gaelic history (Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man) Brittonic history (Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, the Pictish kingdoms and the North Britons) Language and literature subjects Old English Old Norse Medieval Welsh Medieval Irish Insular Latin Palaeography (the study of manuscripts and handwriting)

In your second year, you may continue to study your chosen subjects and take an examination in all six of them. Alternatively, you have the option to replace up to three of your first–year subjects with papers ‘borrowed’ from related courses and/or a dissertation. Borrowed papers cover subjects from English, Archaeology, and Modern and Medieval Languages. Year 3 Part II This is where you develop and use the skills you learned in Part I, exploring your chosen fields and applying your newly acquired knowledge in original and imaginative ways. You study four subjects selected from a range of 17. Including, for example: The Conversion of Scandinavia Beowulf Advanced Medieval Irish Language and Literature Germanic Philology. These are designed to give you the opportunity to pursue more detailed study in your chosen areas. You also write a dissertation of between 9,000 and 12,000 words on a specific subject of your own choice within the scope of the course.