Nursing Schools and Programs in Norway

Nursing Studies in Norway

Skyscrapers in OsloAre you considering pursuing an education and later a career in the very fast-paced and rewarding field of nursing?  Have you thought about taking some or all of your courses via a study abroad program?  Studying abroad is a great way to combine your love of learning with the excitement and adventure of foreign travel.  One country particularly popular for this purpose is Norway, home to some of the best universities in the world, especially when it comes to the health sciences, such as medicine and nursing.  To help you become more familiar with these programs, below we have compiled a brief overview regarding nursing studies in Norway, including some useful facts about the country itself, information about the type and scope of the nursing programs offered there, and a few reasons why studying in Norway may be the best decision you’ll ever make.

Study Nursing in Norway

About Norway

Norway, officially known as the Kingdom of Norway, is a Scandinavian unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and the sub-Antarctic Bouvet Island.  The majority of the country shares a border with Sweden to the east, while its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east.  To the south it is separated from Denmark by the Skagerrak Strait, and the country’s extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its renowned fjords.  Norway has a total geographic area of nearly 147,000 square miles (385,000 square kilometers) and a population of roughly 5 million, a large portion of which lives in its capital and largest city of Oslo.  With a density of only 35 people per square mile, Norway is the second least densely populated country in Europe.  According to the UN Human Development Index (HDI), Norway is the best country in the world in which to live.

Nursing Education in Norway

Norway is renowned for the quality of its higher education system and excellent universities, most of which offer nursing as a regular course of study and degree program, at both the undergraduate and graduate level.  Some universities, including the University of Stavanger, even offer an English-taught version of the nursing program, designed for foreign students studying abroad whose first language is English.  This particular program is very patient-centered and consists of both theoretical coursework and clinical practice.  In the theoretical component, instructors cover topics such as public health, anatomy, physiology biochemistry, ethics and medical terminology.  The clinical portion of the class will give nursing students the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned in a variety of care settings, including public health clinics, hospital emergency rooms, surgical wards, medical offices and senior care facilities.

Why Study Nursing in Norway

In addition to the excellent nursing education you’ll receive in Norway, there are also a number of other reasons to choose this stunning northern land as a destination for your upcoming study abroad experience.  Some of these reasons include:
 

• Natural Beauty.  Norway is one of the most beautiful countries in the world; a country that features snow-capped peaks and miles of gorgeous coastline.  It is predominantly a maritime nation, with most of its population living along the coast or in the hundreds of coastal islands where the weather is moderated by the Gulf Stream.
• History and Culture.  Norway’s national identity is intertwined with that of the Vikings or Norsemen of old, who set out by sea to conquer the world and found reasonable success.  In fact, the Norse explorer Leif Ericsson may well have been the first European to visit North America, around 1000 AD—about 500 years before Columbus.  Stories like these are part of the national fabric of the country and a source of cultural and historical pride among its people.
• High Standard of Living and Friendly People.  Contemporary Norwegians are a gentler breed than their Norse ancestors and take pride in their communities and educational system.  The Norwegian standard of living is very high, in part because the country is almost completely self-sufficient in its energy needs.  People are quick to say hello as you pass them on the street, and the friends you will make while studying in this proud country will last a lifetime.

 
And finally, there are the sites and attractions.  While taking those much-needed breaks from your nursing studies in Norway you’ll find plenty of time to visit some of the country’s most popular sites and attractions, offering countless opportunities for enjoyment, relaxation and enlightenment.  Places to visit include the Velmunden, a fun canoeing paradise in Eastern Norway; the Telemark Canal in the city of Skien, known as the “Gateway to West Telemark” and located in the same town where the famous playwright Henrik Ibsen was born;  the Fjord valleys, a cluster of valleys that extend all the way from the ocean to the high mountain regions of Trollheimen and Dovre; and the famed Nidaros Cathedral, located in Central Norway and one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations during the Middle Ages.