About this course
The Danish Language & Culture course at DIS is your ideal entry point for living and studying abroad in Denmark. This focused section offers an integrated approach to Danish language and culture through the lenses of sport and exercise. Topics include the role of sport within the welfare state, the importance of voluntary associations (foreningsliv) in shaping civic culture, and how sport and health ideals are embedded in the Danish education system and in everyday urban life in Copenhagen.
The course addresses sport in times of crisis and change, including its historical role in Denmark during World War II and contemporary debates about sport and politics. Questions of national identity and collective belonging are explored alongside issues of access, migration, and integration. Tensions between elite systems and grassroots participation are examined through the contrast between Denmark’s ambitions to punch above its weight in global sport, the egalitarian concept of Janteloven, and the Danish school system’s emphasis on participation and community over competition.
Language learning focuses on spoken, everyday Danish, reading and listening comprehension as well as basic grammar, allowing you to interact in simple and practical ways in your local surroundings. This functional approach is reflected in classroom interactions, hands-on exercises, and experiential learning through field studies in Copenhagen and surrounding areas.