Fast Facts
DATES: June 1 - July 5, 2026
GENERAL LOCATION: Oslo, Norway
ENROLLMENT CAPACITY: 16
FOCUS: Immersive print, online and multimedia reporting
PROJECT COST: $5,845 + airfare
ACADEMIC CREDIT: Optional 3 units, $450
INCLUDES: Travel insurance; housing; welcome and farewell dinners; reporting trips and excursions to visit sites and meet with representatives in the communities. Academic credit is optional. DOES NOT INCLUDE AIRFARE.
International Reporting meets Criminal Justice
Immerse yourselve in the music and culture of Norway’s largest cities to provide deep and accurate print, online and multimedia reporting. New this year, Criminal Justice / Criminal Law students will have opportunities for customized instruction and multimedia production in Norway.
The Oslo Project
Oslo, Norway’s capital, sits on the southern coast, at the head of the Oslofjord. Bergen, Norway’s major western seaport, is in the heart of the fjords. When summer dawns, Norwegians draw back their blinds, open their doors, breathe in the fresh air and head onto the streets to ROCK! The land of the Vikings is home to major international music festivals, an abundance of venues, the birthplace of Black Metal and so much more. Oslo is the perfect setting for journalists, photojournalists, graphic artists, and other storytellers, no matter the medium, to practice working an international music and culture beat. Also, Norwegian language students can hone their language skills as an interpreter, working alongside our journalists and designers.
Oslo Rocks! Music and Culture Journalism
As a student in the Rock Journalism program, you will have a one-of-a-kind experience. You will be a true music and culture journalist, spending your days learning about the music scene, language and culture, experiencing it firsthand at night. From the moment you land to the day you leave, your immersion reporting will put you in front of major national and international stars, local talent searching for their break and an ocean of unique and interesting fans, supporters, producers, technicians, promoters and more. Similarly, PR students will gain an appreciation for digital storytelling as a project process, and distinguish between the role of reporter and public relations practitioner, particularly in the music industry.
Past Projects
In 2016-2018, our student journalists covered the citywide Oslo Musikkfest, 12 hours that featured 400 bands across the city: Muse at Telenor Arena; Ozzie and Alice at Tons of Rock Festival; Wilco and Israel Nash at Norwegian Wood; Tom Jones and Travis at Over Oslo Festival; Silvana Imam at Oslo Pride Fest; Ghost at Bergen Fest; local artists at venues and squats; and countless artists, musicians, critics and regulars of the scene.
But it’s not just the music; there is so much more to Norway. Our reporters interviewed refugees, the Norwegian filmmaker behind the documentary “Drone” residents of squat houses, tattoo artists, Christian revivalists in a predominantly Atheist country, LGBTQ activists, street artists, politicians, a tour company owner who has brought more than 120 groups of American Norwegians to the homeland, the Norwegian ambassador to Bulgaria, athletes, fishermen, chefs, shop owners, American families meeting their ancestral families for the first time; and the list goes on. Yet they barely scratched the surface.
Led by veteran journalists, photojournalists and educators, in partnership with the Fargo-based High Plains Reader, you will produce real stories, photos and multimedia for a U.S. and international audience. The Oslo ROCKS! program aims to jump-start your career by offering you real experience covering the world stage. All of our student work can be found at http://www.oslorocks.com and at the High Plains Reader.
Norwegian Language and Interpreting
If it’s not the music or the storytelling that is driving you to think about a trip to Norway, maybe it’s the language and culture. Our program is headquartered at the premiere Norwegian language school in Oslo, and for four weeks we will be surrounded by top educators in the field. If you are interested in honing your Norwegian language skills while immersed in the culture, this will be the perfect trip for you. As a Norwegian interpreting student, you will receive language instruction from Alfaskolen and assist our journalism students in their research and interviewing. Join our team and help us continue to tell the stories of the greatest music city in Europe.
Your Stay in Norway
Oslo, the capital of Norway, sits on the country’s southern coast, at the head of the Oslofjord, and is known for its expansive green spaces and museums. Many of these are on the Bygdøy peninsula, including the Norwegian Maritime Museum; the Vikingskipshuset, with ships from the 10th century; and the Norsk Folkemuseum, with artifacts from Sami and Viking cultures. Other attractions include the Munch Museum; the Oslo Opera House; Holmenkollbakken, the site of the Olympic ski jump; fjord tours; the Nobel Peace Center; the royal palace and so much more.
Supporting us in and around Oslo will be the Alfaskolen language school, officially recognized by Vox, the Norwegian Agency for Lifelong Learning. Alfaskolen will provide interpreters and language and culture instruction. If you’re already a student of Norwegian language, you’ll have the opportunity to practice more advanced skills. If you’re new to the language, you’ll learn enough to survive and work successfully with interpreters. Many Norwegians speak English, so it’s an excellent opportunity to hone your international journalism skills in a friendly environment.
Students will have secure suite-style housing in or near Oslo city center. Typical housing units will sleep four students and have one bathroom, a kitchenette, a commons area and free Wi-Fi.
Students must bring their own mobile phones, laptop computers, DSLR cameras, SD cards, voice recorders (or smart phone) and personal reporting material. If you don’t have these items, please discuss technology options with the program director. The program will provide some specialized equipment as needed.
Experience and University Credit
The Oslo ROCKS! program is open to undergraduate and graduate students and interns, as well as post-graduate interns, non-traditional students, professionals and experienced travelers looking for a unique experience.
Undergraduate students will receive three credits and a grade from our partner institution, Henderson State University. The credits are transferable, and we will help you get them accepted at your university for upper-division credits or graduate credits in journalism, communication or electives prior to the trip.
Students
The program is open to English-speaking college students and recent graduates from any school. Most of our students are journalism, creative writing or communications majors; those majoring in other subjects such as public relations, marketing and advertising are welcome as well. Experience working for a college or professional publication is helpful but not required. The program is open to English-speaking students and recent graduates from around the world.Students from many universities have participated in past ieiMedia programs, including:
American University, Arizona State University, Baylor University, California State University Fullerton, California State University Long Beach, Carleton University, Colorado State University, Cornell University, Georgia College and State University, Georgetown University, Humboldt State University, Indiana University, Iowa State University, Ithaca College, James Madison University, Louisiana State University, Montclair State University, New York University, Rider University, Rutgers University, Ryerson University, San Diego State University, San Francisco State University, State University of New York at New Paltz, Syracuse University, Temple University, Truman State University, UCLA, University of Arizona, University of British Columbia, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Kennesaw State University, University of Illinois, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Northern Iowa, University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Virginia Tech, and Washington and Lee University. We’ve also had students from Japan, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad participate.
Graduate Students
Graduate students are also invited to apply. We’d be happy to talk with you about supervising an independent project that would qualify for graduate credit at your school – or to offer this experience as a graduate internship.
Faculty Director
Steven Listopad
Steven Listopad is a Ph.D. candidate at North Dakota State University and has been an assistant professor of journalism and mass communication and student media director at the University of Jamestown and Valley City State University in Norwegian-rich North Dakota. He has taught journalism and media in China (2013); Nice, France (2014); Florence, Italy (2015); and Oslo (2016). Listopad has been honored with the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation’s First Amendment Award for Education, AEJMC’s Innovative Outreach to Scholastic Journalism Award, the Friend of Journalism Education Association award and the Distinguished Multimedia Adviser award from College Media Association. His converged student media center at UJ was a finalist in North Dakota’s annual professional entrepreneurial competition, InnovateND, and he was a 2015 Scripps Howard Fellow for Entrepreneurial Journalism. Before teaching, Listopad reported for a daily newspaper, an alternative weekly newspaper and a military newspaper. He also worked as a talent agency assistant and in post-production and international distribution and publicity at New Line Cinema in Los Angeles. Listopad is a music and culture enthusiast and lists Jonny Lang, Jesse Ventura, Gear Daddies and Skid Row as some of his favorite interviews.
Faculty
Robert A. Reeder
Robert A. Reeder is an accomplished photojournalist and educator with a distinguished career spanning several decades. He has taught and mentored graduate photojournalism students at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C., sharing his expertise with the next generation of visual storytellers.
Reeder lived and worked in Chișinău, Moldova, where he documented political struggles in the post-Soviet era while teaching at the Independent Journalism Center. He retired from The Washington Post in 2006 after 16 years as a staff photographer, then played a key role in launching the groundbreaking political news outlet Politico as its photo editor and photographer before moving abroad.
His teaching experience extends internationally, including programs in Urbino and Florence, Italy, as well as Oslo, Norway. Throughout his career, Reeder has combined a commitment to powerful visual journalism with a passion for teaching and mentoring emerging photographers.
Lori Listopad
Lori Listopad is currently the director of residence life at the University of Jamestown. Her graduate and undergraduate degrees are in mass communication. Prior to working in higher education, Listopad was a reporter and morning anchor at KSAX in Alexandria, Minn. Listopad teaches public speaking and professional communication both online and in the classroom, as well as operating a successful blog. Her specialty is on air delivery and field reporting. She taught in Nice, France in 2014.
View complete faculty biographies on Our Professors under Current Faculty.
APPLICATION, PAYMENTS, AND WAITLISTS
APPLICATION DEADLINE: We are accepting applications for summer 2026 as long as spots remain available. Please review our application instructions and reach out to admissions@ieimedia.com if you have any questions. We are here to support you through the application process and are so excited to learn more about your interest in studying abroad with ieiMedia! If you have questions about applying, you can also start a conversation with us by clicking the Get Started button. Please refer to the Application Deadline Details for more information.
PAYMENT DEADLINES: see Payment, Cancelation and Refund Policy for information on deposit deadlines and amounts.
ENROLLMENT CAPACITY AND WAITLISTS: ieiMedia projects have a defined capacity limitation for applicants. Since there is a limited number of applicants who can attend, you can only be guaranteed a spot when you (1) have paid your Application Fee and (2) made payments on time according to the Costs and Payment Schedule. If a program has reached capacity OR you have not met the requirements for enrollments, you will be placed on the waitlist until requirements are met and capacity is available.
ACADEMIC CREDIT
Academic credits can be earned for this ieiMedia Project. Requesting course credit is optional. This course offers an option to earn upper-division journalism elective credits. The cost for academic credit is $150/credit. Students choosing this option must indicate so in their application. After applying, student will find procedures in our Student Portal to request academic credit through our school of record, University of Jamestown. NOTE: Students on a quarter system will be able to transfer as four(4) or eight(8) credits at no additional fee for ieiMedia courses that are listed as three(3) or six(6) credits respectively. Transfer credit ultimately depends on a student's home university. Please check with your university for procedures to follow when transferring credits to your institution.
Application Details, Travel Advisory, Financial Aid
Application Deadline Details
We are accepting applications for summer 2026 as long as spots remain available. Please review our application instructions and reach out to admissions@ieimedia.com if you have any questions. We are here to support you through the application process and are so excited to learn more about your interest in studying abroad with ieiMedia!
If you do not have the necessary access to submit your application, please reach out to admissions@ieimedia.com to speak with an advisor.
Get started now to reserve your place or contact the ieiMedia Director of Admissions at: admissions@ieimedia.com
Travel Advisory
ieiMedia will be monitoring The US Department of State Travel Advisories and will provide status updates to those who sign up for the project regarding important information.
Financial Aid
Students studying abroad for the summer term have limited financial aid options, but Pell grant recipients are encouraged to apply and receive our help in applying for a Gilman Study Abroad Scholarship which can award up to $5,000. Check with your school’s financial aid office and your study abroad offices to find out if other assistance is available. For more information on financial aid, get started by connecting with us here.
QUESTIONS? Contact the ieiMedia Director of Admissions at admissions@ieimedia.com You can also schedule an ieiMedia advising session.
Past information session recordings and slides can be viewed here.