Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.
Dr. Irina Manea
Signum Tutorials Program
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SPACE Preceptor
A curious mind and history buff
Irina-Maria is a Romanian living in Germany with a flair for Nordic cultures. She has a PhD in Norse mythology from the University of Bucharest, and her main research interests comprise the history of Vikings, magic and the supernatural in the Norse world, legendary sagas and sagas of the Icelanders.
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Current and Upcoming Modules
January 2026
March 2026
Highlighted Modules
All Modules
A History of the Vikings Non-Sequential Series
Mixed Lecture/Discussion Low intensity
From TV shows to computer games, the Vikings still manage to capture our imagination and ensnare us in an odd mix of fact and fiction. But who were they really? This new series takes a deep dive into this complex world of the early medieval Northmen, blending a wide variety of sources and the newest...
Beyond Mythology: Ritual and Performance in Old Norse Religion
Mixed Lecture/Discussion Low intensity
While medieval literary texts offer a weath of information about Norse mythology, pre-Christian religious behaviour is very difficult to trace back from these sources alone. We generally associate the religion of the Viking age with its gods and stories about them, but it consisted of so much more.
...
Conversational Norwegian 1
Discussion-based Medium intensity
Hei alle sammen! Hello everyone! Want to make good use of your spare time and learn something useful? How about Norwegian? It's quite easy to gain a basic level and the language has some very special traits you will love! We'll learn to introduce ourselves, use simple phrases, talk about everyday th...
Daughters of the North: Women in Old Norse Society
Mixed Lecture/Discussion Low intensity
In the early 10th century, a woman was laid to rest in a lavish ship burial at Oseberg, Norway—one of the richest Viking graves ever discovered. But she was no queen’s consort or mere noblewoman. Her grave goods suggest she was a ruler or religious leader, commanding respect in her own right. In the...
Epic Echoes: Legendary Tales from Medieval Iceland
Mixed Lecture/Discussion Low intensity
In this module we'll be exploring a few legendary Icelandic þættir, a distinct narrative form within Old Norse literature characterised by brevity, punch, and thematic sharpness. Although often overlooked in favor of longer sagas, þættir offer rich insight into medieval Iceland, social codes, and th...
Introduction to Old Norse Religion
Mixed Lecture/Discussion Low intensity
"What of the gods, what of the elves? Do you want to know more?" - the prophetess of the Eddic poem Völuspa keeps on asking Odin. And there is indeed so much more to investigate about the trove of pre-Christian beliefs and rituals in Scandinavia than your typical Marvel Thor images.
This short cour...
Mythological Poems in the Poetic Edda 1
Mixed Lecture/Discussion Low intensity
Note: This mini module is a special small-group experience consisting of four 1-hour sessions—one session per week—for the cost of 1 Token. Since this mini module is designed only for a small and intimate group, it will be capped at 4 students.
This mini module aims to explore the historical...
Norse Book Club: Eybyggja saga (The saga of the people of Eyri)
Discussion-based Medium intensity
This book club will explore the Eybyggja saga, a magnificent Old Icelandic epic filled with feud, revenge, memorable characters and a lot of paranormal activity. For one month we'll be delving into its exquisite storytelling, examining everything from its cultural background to narrative themes. Mee...
Pre-Christian Religions of the North
Lecture-based Low intensity
Explore the fascinating spiritual landscape of the ancient Germanic-speaking world (Anglo-Saxon, Continental Germanic, Scandinavian), where gods, myths, and nature were deeply woven into the cultural fabric. This crash course will dive into the rich traditions of paganism in Northern and Central Eur...
Viking Hogwarts: The World Of Old Norse Sorcery Non-Sequential Series
Mixed Lecture/Discussion Low intensity
This is the Landing Page for Prof. Irina Manea's Viking Hogwarts series exploring The World of Old Norse Sorcery.
In the first module, A Guide to Old Norse Magic, we will be critically exploring the sources for such powerful practices, the vocabulary of sorcery, as well as attempting to ent...