Spaces for the new Norse Mythology and the Graphic Novel course next semester with a Spring Break trip to Reykjavik, Iceland, are limited to 15 students and are being filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
“This class is geared towards anyone who loves Norse mythology and wants to create a graphic novel or photo book,” said instructors and coordinators of the trip, Dr. Susan Youngs, English Language and Literature Program chair, and Tracy Dow, the Communication Media Arts Department chair said. This semester-long course will be team-taught by the duo.
The class will be held on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and can fulfill either a literature (LIT2STI-13501) or graphic design (GRA2ST3-13702) course requirement, according to Youngs and Dow. It can also satisfy the mythology requirement for game design majors.
“Students will read a number of Norse myths and will be producing either a graphic novel, a video or a photo book based on the readings they completed in the first portion of the class or the trip,” Youngs and Dow said.
From Saturday, March 10 to Thursday, March 15, the class will have the opportunity to visit Iceland for $1,020, which includes round trip airfare, as well as accommodations for the duration of the trip, according to the flyer posted around campus.
While there were several other Scandinavian countries that could be considered for the Spring Break trip, the two faculty members selected Iceland for its accessibility. “There are a number of museums in and around Reykjavik that offer information on the Viking Age and Norse mythology,” Youngs and Dow said. “Students will also travel a bit outside Reykjavik, which will be helpful for showing Icelandic terrain.”
According to the flyer, students will visit several museums including the Viking World Museum, the Settlement Museum and the National Museum of Iceland, as well as visit Hallgrimskirkja (a Lutheran church) and Hafnarfjordur Viking Restaurant. They will also have the chance to go on a Golden Circle Tour.
Including a trip to Iceland as part of the course will enhance students’ knowledge of the material they will learn in class. “The chance to visit a Scandinavian country will help in understanding the culture that produced the Norse myths,” Youngs and Dow said. “The main written sources we have for Norse mythology are directly associated with Iceland.”
This is likely the first and only time this course will be offered, so Youngs and Dow encourage any interested students to email them at s.youngs@snhu.edu and t.dow@snhu.edu, respectively, and attend the information session on Monday, October 23 at 3:30 p.m. in Robert Frost 320. Trip attendance must be confirmed by October 31.
