bye bye to 2011

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the blog- team of RRE; Martin, Annie and Hilde!

After Christmas you can read more about the following topics:
-How to apply to study in the brilliant city of Lund
-What is a master of excellence, and what happend when Gery, Ruth and I went to the old cermonyhall of the university to find out.
- how is the daily life of an RREstudent in Copenhagen?
-what is it like to learn old languages by skype? and how in general is e-learing?
-and of course reports from compact seminars:)


Best wishes,
Hilde

Application procedure, Aarhus University

The Religious Roots of Europe is a joint programme offered in collaboration between six different Nordic universities (see the programme website ), these universities are here called the Host Institutions. For the academic year 2011-2012, 36 students can be admitted to the programme in total on the six Host Institutions. Applications for admittance is directed to and processed by one of the six Host Institutions, in accordance with the rules and regulations obtaining at this Host Institution. The following is a description of these rules and regulations at the University of Aarhus.

Applicants for one of the study places at Aarhus University must document (by submitting a certified transcript or bachelor certificate stating the subjects studied and the grades obtained) that they have completed or are completing a relevant bachelor degree (below) and that they have obtained a sufficient proficiency in ‘classical’ languages as well as in English (below).

Application deadline

1 March for commencement of studies on 1 September

IMPORTANT!

New online application system
Aarhus University is in the process of developing a new common online application system effective from the 2012 intake. We expect to launch our new system from 1 February 2012.

Admission information
Our application pages will be updated from now until February 2012. Thus, in the time ahead, you may notice we are making a mess – for which we apologise. Specific information about admission requirements, selection criteria, documentation requirements, etc. will be moved to the individual admission pages to be found in the Study Guide. When we open for applications from 1 February 2012, all admission pages will be up-to-date.

In the meantime

While waiting for the opening of the new application system you are welcome to contact the main programme coordinator for all the universities Associate Professor Jakob Engberg, Aarhus University on je@teo.au.dk   

Academic content

Please see the programme website

English language requirements

See general admission requirements

The most important part of this information is:

English language qualifications comparable to an 'English B level' in Denmark can be documented as follows:

·         TOEFL test results of at least 560 (paper-based test) or 83 (internet-based test)
The Aarhus University TOEFL code is 8935
The Aarhus School of Business TOEFL code is 7993
The AU-IBT (Institute of Business and Technology in Herning) TOEFL code is 8607
The test result must not be more than two years old

·         IELTS test with a minimum score of 6.5 points
The test result must not be more than two years old

·         Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CEA)

·         "C1 level" obtained by examination from a CEFR-validated English language course.

·         English-taught entrance examination (upper secondary school/high school) or Bachelor’s degree

·         English language qualifications obtained through at least 210 hours of English lessons (1 hour = 60 minutes) in a non-Danish entrance examination. You must ask your upper secondary school/high school to provide documentation for the total number of English lessons/hours you have received during your final three upper secondary/high school years. You are required to enclose a copy of your upper secondary/high school certificate, including course and examination descriptions of your English language course.

·          

Academic requirements, including requirements of ancient language proficiency

Admission to the Master’s Programme in European studies at Aarhus University requires successful completion of a relevant BA degree with a major in theology, the study of religion, classical philology, classical archaeology, history or the equivalent.

Since the study programme presupposes an ability to and further trains students in reading ancient religious text in the original languages, and since not all the mentioned bachelor’s degrees in all the Nordic countries or internationally include compulsory classical language training, it is specified as a prerequisite for admittance to the programme that the applicant can document a proficiency in at least one ‘classical’ language, i.e. Greek, Latin, Hebrew or Arabic, which equals the proficiency achieved by studying such a language in a module allotted 20 ECTS credits. [1]

Alternatively, a student can be admitted if she or he can document a proficiency in two of the ‘classical’ languages which equals the proficiency achieved by studying each of these languages in a module allotted 10 ECTS credits each.

Selection criteria

The Master's programme in the Religious Roots of Europe can only admit a limited number of students each year (for the academic year 2009-2010 there are 36 study places in total at the six Host Institutions), so fulfilling the requirements does not in itself guarantee admission to the programme.

If there are fewer qualified applicants at Aarhus University than places at this Host Institution, all qualified applicants are admitted.

If there are more qualified applicants for the programme at Aarhus University than places available, Aarhus University consults the Programme Committee (a joint body overseeing the running of the Programme). The decision, however, rests with Aarhus University and any appeals should be made to Aarhus University.

The criteria for selection between the qualified students are:

·         The number of ECTS credits obtained during bachelor studies in the relevant fields of religion and theology and ancient history, culture and languages. This will be evaluated on the basis of the bachelor certificate or certified transcript.

·         If more applicants have obtained the same number of ECTS credits in these fields then the applicant or applicants with the highest average of grades obtained during bachelor studies is or are admitted. These will be evaluated on the basis of bachelor certificate or certified transcript.

In selecting between the qualified applicants the Programme Committee and Aarhus University therefore focuses on the relevance of your previous studies and on the results achieved.

***

[1] I Danmark kan de klassiske sprogkrav indfries med et gymnasialt A-niveau i ét af de nævnte sprog, gennem propædeutik eller tilsvarende. Det vil sige, at bacheloruddannelserne i teologi, klassisk filologi og klassisk arkæologi er direkte adgangsgivende, mens en bachelorgrad i ét af de andre nævnte fag kun er adgangsgivende, hvis den studerende også kan dokumentere, at det klassiske sprogkrav er indfriet.

About the Faculty of Theology in Copenhagen

High Class Research
The Faculty of Theology at the University of Copenhagen ranks highly internationally for the quality of its research. Particularly in the fields of the Old Testament/ Hebrew Bible (the Copenhagen school), the Dead Sea Scrolls, the New Testament in its Graeco-Roman context (including philosophy) and feminist Biblical studies, the Faculty is internationally recognized for its expertise.

The Faculty has broad contacts with researchers worldwide, not least through its participation in The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU).

What are the Admission Requirements?
At least six students will be admitted to the programme at the University of Copenhagen in 2012.

The selection of students is based on the fulfillment of the following admission requirements:

a) A Bachelor's degree in a field of study that is relevant to the programme (e.g., theology, religious studies, classical philology, Semitic languages, ancient history etc.). The applicant must have, or anticipate getting, a Bachelor's degree from a recognized and internationally acknowledged university.

b) Documented proficiency in at least one "classical" language (i.e., 20 ECTS in either Hebrew, Greek, Latin or Arabic; or 10 ECTS in two "classical" languages)

c) Documented proficiency in English:
Level B for Danish students with a Danish bachelor's degree
TOEFL paper-based test score of at least 600
TOEFL internet-based test score of at least 83
TOEFL computer-based test score of at least 250
IELTS test score of at least 6.0

d) The selection of students is furthermore based on the relevance of the Bachelor's degree in terms of field of study, as well as on the grades achieved, and on the number of courses and ECTS-points that students have gained in relevant study areas (e.g., theology, religion, ancient history, culture and language).

Tuition fees
There are no tuition fees for students from Denmark and EU/EES countries (EU and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). For students from non-EU/EES countries the tuition fee is in the order of DKK 60.000 per year.

When and how to apply?
Application deadline is 1 March.

The Application must include:

a) A Bachelor's degree Certificate (the degree certificate may be forwarded after the closing of the application period, but it must arrive at the faculty of Theology at the University of Copenhagen by August 1 at the latest).

b) Documentation for proficiency in at least one "classical" language (i.e., 20 ECTS in either Hebrew, Greek, Latin og Arabic; or 10 ECTS in two "classical" languages)

c) Documentation for proficiency in English.

d) CV and a letter of motivation.

The application must include all the required documents. Incomplete or late applications cannot be processed. The application with all the required enclosures must be mailed via regular (air) mail or by an international courier service to The Faculty of Theology. E-mailed or faxed applications or documents will not be accepted.

The address is:

Faculty of Theology
University of Copenhagen
Købmagergade 44-46
DK- 1150 Copenhagen K
ATT: International Coordinator

For further information, see http://www.teol.ku.dk/english/religious_roots/
or contact coordinator Martin Ehrensvärd, meh [att] teol.ku.dk

Life as an International Student- An Argument is Like a Box of Chocolates…

One of the undeniably great things about this course is it diversity.  Students from the Nordic countries and further afield join together: studying together and socialising together.  As international student myself, this is by far one of the best elements of the course.  I asked Fritz, a 3^rd cycle RRE student from the US and studying in Århus, his thoughts and feelings on life as an International student! 

I started with all the good intentions of a question-answer style interview, but probably not to the surprise of anyone who knows us, this turned into a general and long chat about life as International student; swapping anecdotes, thoughts and opinions (and not often agreeing, I must add!  Again, probably not a surprise!)

Lets not deny that for some of us, doing a Masters does give us the opportunity to carry on studying and put off our grand entrance into the real world somewhat, whilst warding off that daunting question asked by parents, “So what are you going to do after University”. But in all seriousness, this course is a great way to adjust to a future in Academia.  It poses as a bridge between undergraduate studies and PHD level, as well as being a great course to take to satisfy your interests. So, initially I asked Fritz why he wanted to apply for the course and where he wanted to take it.  Fritz, being from America was able to apply for a Scholarship (something to think about for those of you who are thinking of coming from further afield), which naturally gave him an inclination towards this avenue.

On keeping with the academic note, we both agreed that the comparative element of interpretation this course offers is interesting to say the least.  It is something that as a previous Religious Studies student, Fritz had not really addressed and the chance to do so proved exciting and innovating.  Amongst this it means you get to learn about religions and religious practices you may not have studied before.

After some general chitchat, and perhaps a debate or two, we approached the subject of the course’s diversity.  Both of us agreed that this is our favourite part.  Not only have we met some great people but we have also had an opportunity to learn about different academic and religious disciplines.  On an academic level (because its not all about the late night drinking sessions, grabbing coffee and lunch, or continuously getting lost together in Rome!), Fritz commented, and I agreed, that the diversity of his peers and their ideas mean that his own are challenged.  To better explain this I will use the analogy of a production line in a chocolate factory.  The process starts as a trickle of chocolate and eventually forms into something more solid.  There are several stages to this and at each stage they go through a standards check, if they do not survive it they are dropped, but if they do ‘fit the bill’ they add another layer of chocolate, until finally out comes a beautifully wrapped chocolate bar for all to enjoy!  So if you hadn’t have guess, the trickle of chocolate is your initial idea and the stages are the opinions of others.  If your argument is not strong enough to survive the standards check you can reject but if it does survive, you have an argument that is formed and strengthened by the differentiating opinions of your other peers.  This is a challenge, but a fun one!

So, we both agreed that although moving abroad and studying as an International student is undeniably challenging, this course has been a great experience so far, both socially and academically.  Now ask us again next year, come thesis time…