Courses

FALL 2026

ENGL 110: College Composition I - 3 credits‍

Instructor: Dr. Robin Smith, American College of Norway ‍

Immersion in college-level critical reading and expository writing, emphasizing revision and careful preparation of manuscripts. English Composition is a foundational course for students who will be transitioning to university. It is designed to increase your ability to construct prose that reflects your thoughts, analysis, synthesis, interpretations, and ideas about texts, research, literature, essays, and the like. In essence, you will learn to read critically, which entails, among others, identifying problems, assumptions (stated and unstated), inferences, analyzing arguments, and testing conclusions.

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ENGL 226: Creative Writing - 3 credits

Instructor: Dr. Robin Smith, American College of Norway

In this course students will explore the process of writing fiction and poetry. Throughout the semester they will be expected to bring in examples of their own work to share with their peers. (Don’t worry. Everyone has to do it. This is part of the process.) Class discussions will focus on constructive criticism, thus giving the writer ideas for revision. At the end of the semester participation and a small body of work demonstrating revision and dedication will be used to determine a grade.

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SOCI 101 - Introduction to Sociology - 3 credits‍

Instructor: Susan Joel, PhD, Springfield College

A systematic examination of the social components of human behavior, including the norms, laws, cultural patterns, and economic forces that organize everyday life. Students will analyze theories of society, the structure of social institutions, social conflict and stratification, as well as social interactions among diverse groups of people.

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SOCI 314 - Environment and Society - 3 credits

Instructor: Susan Joel, PhD, Springfield College‍

This course focuses on the interconnectedness of human communities and their environment, exploring current environmental issues using the tools and insights of sociology. Using a case study approach, the course centers on environmental justice, exploring controversies and debates from the US and other societies focused on how vulnerable and marginalized populations - the incarcerated, undocumented workers, rural populations, racial and ethnic minorities - bear a disproportionate share of environmental risks.

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TBD number - Global Development Issues, 3 credits.

Instructor: Susan Joel, PhD, Springfield College

Using Concordia’s description: Students are introduced to the social scientific approaches used to understand how demographic, institutional, cultural, economic and ecological factors influence, and are influenced by, societal development. Comparative case studies enable students to understand the structure and dynamics (e.g., population change) of human populations as they relate to socioeconomic development. This course can also count towards the global studies program and the environmental and sustainability studies Program.

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Hum 300 - Oslo: Vikings to Hipsters

Instructor: Dr. Erica Gibson - American College of Norway

What makes a city a city? What can you learn about a people, a country, a culture, by studying one of its major cities? What makes the city of Oslo unique? How can learning the history of Oslo help us understand Norway? These are the questions we will examine as we explore Oslo, Norway, learn about its history, culture, construction, and the challenges facing it into the future.

Learning Objectives:

Understand what makes a “city”
Research history, culture, and demographics of Oslo, Norway
Explore Oslo first-hand to learn about city layout, culture, and identity
Examine the modern pressures that will shape Oslo into the future
Discuss “Oslo” as a microcosm of Norway
Explore the idea of the city as ecosystem

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THEA 210 - Ibsen as an Influencer - 3 credits‍

Instructor: Eric Todd Guggisberg, American College of Norway‍

This course is designed for students who have interests in social media, cinematography, and cultural studies. The course melds practical skills like learning effective filming and camera techniques with a theoretical understanding of messaging and communication. In addition to studying old and new influencers and gaining practical experience with camera techniques and social media, we will spend time in Oslo throughout the course where we will hopefully have the unique opportunity to conduct research, meet Scandinavian icons, visit Norway’s National Theater, along with other arts venues.

We will focus on Ibsen and the social, cultural, and gender issues he addressed in his works. We will look at the social, cultural, and gender issues in the United States for a brief period. From there students will “modernize” a specific part of Ibsen's work so that it addresses the issue that they have chosen to highlight.. Along the way a field trip to the Ibsen Museum will be arranged. We will also see the Nationalteater’s production of “John Borkman”. It will be very stylized and modernized.

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SPRING 2026

ENGL 130: College Composition II: Writing for Public Audiences - 3 credits

Instructor: Dr. Robin Jewel Smith, American College of Norway

College Composition with an emphasis on rhetoric and critical thinking. Requires the writing and production of both primary and secondary research, while asking students to apply that research to larger community issues. Students will practice writing with an immediate and explicit public purpose.

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ENGL 231: Literature & Social Issues- 3 credits

Instructor: Dr. Robin Jewel Smith, American College of Norway

“Anti-Heroes and Villains in Literature” What can society’s most dangerous, deviant, or defiant figures teach us about ourselves? This course explores the cultural work of anti-heroes and villains in literature, from Gothic monsters to modern misfits. We will study characters such as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, who weaponizes her trauma against systems of patriarchal violence; Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, whose descent into brutality mirrors the emptiness of consumer capitalism; and Elphaba in Wicked, who reframes the “wicked witch” as a misunderstood revolutionary resisting authoritarian power. Through novels, plays, and contemporary retellings, students will examine how these characters embody and critique social issues such as patriarchy, capitalism, consumerism, systemic bigotry, and political corruption. Coursework will include close reading, comparative analysis, and creative-critical projects that invite students to consider how “bad” characters disrupt cultural norms — and why we can’t look away from them.

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SOCI 314 - Environment and Society - 3 credits
Instructor: Susan Joel, PhD, Springfield College

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‍SOCI 101 - Introduction to Sociology - 3 credits
Instructor: Susan Joel, PhD, Springfield College

This course provides an introduction to sociological thought, research, concepts, and theory. How can food and eating be sociological? This course draws upon a variety of perspectives to examine the social processes that shape how food is produced, prepared and consumed in the United States. We start the course by focusing on the environmental and political dynamics that characterize both global and U.S. food systems. We then turn toward the subjects of farm labor, hunger and food security, the politics of nutrition advice, and the rise of alternative food movements. Following this, we draw from theories on the sociology of the body to understand how dieting is gendered. We then look at the intersection of gender, race and social class with regard to foodwork. We end the course with a focus on food media and emerging food trends.

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SOCI 312 - Genders in Society - 3 credits
Instructor: Susan Joel, PhD, Springfield College

This class focuses on sociological analysis of gender relations. Sociological concepts andtheories help to explain both differences and inequalities between men and women in United States society. Why is it “ok” for women to wear pants, but it’s not “ok” for men to wear dresses? Through independent study, interactive classroom discussions, and group projects we will examine biological sex, genders, and sexuality to develop an understanding and appreciation for the ways we, as members of society, produce and reproduce socially shared definitions and expectations of genders, sex, and sexuality. The work we do in this course will involve critically examining scholarly research, academic theories, and contemporary social and political issues through a sociological lens.

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HUM 224. Introduction to Human Rights & Multiculturalism 3 Credits.

Instructor: Abbey Marie Schneider, American College of Norway

Shifting and increasingly mobile populations threaten the nation-state in favor of multicultural societies. This presents a challenge for states because multicultural societies must balance the needs of a diverse citizenry to maintain their autonomous identities and associated values systems within a unified vision of citizenship.

This course will apply philosophical, social-anthropological, political, historical and legal lenses to explore how Human Rights Frameworks can guide our culture and policy when tension between diverse identities and unified citizenship comes into conflict.

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‍POLS 491: Arctic Symposium - Travel Course (Svalbard) - 1 or 2 credits
Instructor: Heidi Benjaminson, American College of Norway
This course is built around a five-day, four-night group trip to Norway’s fascinating Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Our primary aim is to stimulate and deepen interest in the Arctic, a region of increasingly vital importance to our world, as well as in the far north of Norway. During our time we will experience firsthand the climate of the High North, sample life in Longyearbyen, one of the world’s most northernmost towns, and expand our understanding of Svalbard’s history and status. Along the way will also learn more about its beautiful but fragile ecosystem and about the interlinking global processes of climate change. This is truly a rare opportunity that will unfold a unique place.

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*Courses subject to change

For complete course descriptions, please email info@americancollege.no.

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