Oslo, Norway
Oslo Fact Sheet
Apply now to reserve your place in Oslo, Norway.
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Enrollment CLOSED
PROGRAM COST:
TOTAL COST: $5,495 USD ($5,045 without Credit) + airfare. (Includes: Tuition – 3 credits, travel insurance, accommodations, festival/concert access for reporting, “Norway in a Nutshell” reporting trip to Bergen and an Oslo metro transportation pass.)
FEE: $50 application fee (nonrefundable)
DEPOSIT: $2500 ($500 non-refundable) due by March 9th, 2023
BALANCE: $2995 due by April 1, 2023
DISCOUNT: A $250 discount is available for applications submitted by January 17, 2023 and paid in full within 10 business days from your acceptance notice (usually within 1-2 weeks after application submitted).
GENERAL LOCATION: 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.
FOCUS: We immerse ourselves in the music and culture of Norway’s largest cities to provide deep and accurate print, online and multimedia reporting. New this year, public relations students will have opportunities for customized instruction and multimedia production in Norway.
COOPERATING UNIVERSITIES: University of Jamestown, University of North Carolina Asheville.
MEDIA PARTNER: High Plains Reader.
- Why have you selected this specific program and location?
- How does this program tie into achieving your personal and professional goals?
- What skills do you hope to gain by participating in this program?
The Oslo Project
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.
Logan Harle (front) and Angie Perez exit the pit after photographing Wilco at the Norwegian Wood Festival.
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.
A student holding a pass to the Norwegian Wood Rock Festival.
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.
Aker Brygge – the popular entertainment and shopping area.
Faculty
(Subject to enrollments/budget)
Steve Listopad (Program Director) is an assistant professor of media at Henderson State University and a Ph.D. candidate at North Dakota State University. He has taught journalism and media in China (2013); Nice, France (2014); Florence, Italy (2015); and Oslo (2016 and 2017). Before teaching, Listopad worked for New Line Cinema in Los Angeles, and he reported for a daily newspaper, an alternative weekly newspaper and a military newspaper.
Bob Reeder has taught photojournalism as well as mentored graduate photojournalism students at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, DC. His work has been widely published and recognized by White House Press Photographers Association, National Press Photographers Association, as well as other organizations.
View complete faculty biographies on our Oslo Faculty Page.
Program Cost
The cost is $5,495 USD + airfare, including tuition for three credits, travel insurance, accommodations, festival/concert access for reporting, “Norway in a Nutshell” reporting trip to Bergen and an Oslo metro transportation pass. Graduates and students who do not need credit can deduct $450 from the program cost. Students who pay in full, by check, by Jan. 15 will receive a $150 “early-bird discount.”
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 ranging from $2,500 to $5,000. Check with your school’s financial aid office and your study abroad offices to find out if other assistance is available. More information on financial aid is available here.
Students must fill out the online application and include contact information for two references using the “Apply Now” link. A $50 application fee is required with the application but will be applied in full to your program fees or refunded if you are not accepted into the program. Application deadline: March 1, 2023.
- Why have you selected this specific program and location?
- How does this program tie into achieving your personal and professional goals?
- What skills do you hope to gain by participating in this program?
