Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.

Dr. Paul Peterson

Signum MA FacultySPACE Preceptor

Germanic philologist and Nordic languages and literature expert

Paul Peterson, a proud native of Minnesota, holds a Ph.D. in Germanic Medieval Studies from the University of Minnesota, where he studied Germanic philology and learned to read every Old Germanic language. He also holds an M.A. in Medieval Icelandic Studies from the University of Iceland. [see full bio...]

Current and Upcoming Modules

Gothic Language 1

January 2025

All Modules

Crash Course on Norse Myths

Lecture-based • Low intensity
The literature containing Norse mythology remains one of the most fascinating bodies of medieval storytelling anywhere. Participants will make sense of Norse myths by examining the structures of the tales and investigating the background in which they were written down in manuscripts. Explore Norse mythology with Old Norse expert Dr. Paul Peterson!

Gothic Language Series

Discussion-based • Medium intensity
This series of modules introduces the vocabulary and grammar of the Gothic language, the oldest attested body of literature in a Germanic language (4th century AD), not just by talking about grammar, but by doing real translations of real Gothic texts. While no prior language study experience is necessary or expected, it is certainly a benefit to understand basic grammatical terms in English (or equivalent) or have knowledge of learning to read another language.

Swedish for Beginners Series of 3

Discussion-based • Low intensity
In an interactive language course, we will explore the grammar, culture, and vocabulary of the largest Scandinavian language spoken today. From Vikings to Volvos to IKEA, Sweden is internationally recognized as a leader of cultural thought and political neutrality. The Swedish language is from the branch of North Germanic languages, meaning a lot of built in cognates exist for speakers of other Germanic languages (including English).

Kom och tala svenska med mig!
If you have any questions about the SPACE program, please reach out to [email protected].