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“It is fulfilling when you understand how everything connects in language and literature”

The lecturers are wonderful people. They are always there to help and encourage you in your academic pursuit.

Tobias Salte Klausen

Bachelor in English

Please introduce yourself.

My name is Tobias, I am 22 years old and I am from Evje, in Norway. I have just completed my Bachelor's in English here at UiA. Before going to UiA, I went to a Norwegian high school. My hobbies are fiction and fantasy writing, gaming and cooking.

Why did you choose this study programme? 

I chose the Bachelor's programme in English because I have always had an affinity for English throughout school. I would read English books, play English games, among others. My main ambition would be to be a scenario/story writer for a video game company, as I have always loved writing. So I decided that I wanted to spend my next three years at UiA studying the subject I love and simultaneously hone my skills in both writing and speaking.  

What do you think about the structure and possibilities of the programme? 

During the first semester, the structure of the programme did not make entirely sense, but as one goes further into it, everything starts to click. For me, that was the third semester when we had morphology and African American literature. It is like a puzzle where all the pieces start to fall in place. It is fulfilling when you understand how everything connects in language and literature.

What did you think of the lecturers while you were studying?

One thing I can’t highlight enough is that the lecturers are wonderful people. The lectures themselves can sometimes be a bit tedious and difficult, but what makes up for it is the engagement of the lecturers. They are always there to help, and if you want to talk to them after class either about the lecture or something else relating to the topic, they’re always open to it and encourage you in your academic pursuit. I find myself often greeting the lecturers whenever I see them in the hallway because besides being our professor, they are really cool people to talk with in general. 

Why can this programme be recommended to international students? 

Maybe the most comfortable thing to know is that everyone attending the programme knows how to speak English, so you won’t have to worry about communication! But on a more serious note, it is a nice way to learn more about the world of English both linguistic and literary. Many international students take the programme, so you will have plenty of people to share your experience with. The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in Agder is also there to create a social network for all international students.

Do you think UiA has given you any unique opportunities? 

One of my good friends and I are actually the founders of the Student Union for Foreign Languages and Translation. I am the event coordinator for this union. Mostly, we tend to focus on social events, as unfortunately we don’t have the board members yet to have educational events. Being part of this union is a great opportunity for me. I am developing my administrative skills whilst enjoying seeing people having fun around me. 

I am also part of the student parliament which gives me a great insight of the workings of the University, as well as the possibility to make an impact. I was never very engaged in students politics, but when I was elected and participated in meetings, I realised how important and fun it can be.

I also write for Unikum which is the school newspaper, which helps me develop my writing skills, and even gives me a bit of exposure and encouragement to try writing new things. There are plenty of unique oppurtunities at UiA, but they won't always come to you, sometimes you have to seek them out yourself.