ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ

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Special Area Study (SAS) courses

Nominated exchange students can apply for so-called 'Special Area Study' (SAS) courses in a wide range of subjects across eight out of nine faculties at ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ. These courses are a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about subjects outside your major. The course offerings include courses mostly focusing on one discipline as well as interdisciplinary courses tackling contemporary societal and environmental issues at different levels. 

Practical information

Please read the information listed below carefully before applying to any of the courses.

While SAS courses are more specialised courses at the undergraduate level, previous studies in the subject are not required for admission. To be eligible, you must have completed at least one year of academic studies in any subject (which is a general requirement for exchange studies). This creates a unique opportunity for you tobroaden your knowledge outside of your main subject area and gain exciting new perspectives. 

The course contents are developed and taught by teaching staff specialised in the subject, who are happy to share their expertise and offer their guidance. Apart from fellow exchange students, your classmates will likely be regular students, who can also apply for these courses. Bringing different cultural and educational backgrounds into the mix when discussing topics or issues of specific interest to you and societies at large can be a highly rewarding experience and lead to useful new insights.  

SAS courses are each worth 7.5 ECTS credits. Note that their pace may differ, however. While a course delivered at a full-time pace takes approximately one-fourth of a semester (five weeks) to complete, most courses have a part-time pace and therefore last longer (often up to ten to fifteen weeks). It is therefore often possible to study several courses in parallel. Make sure to consider whether the courses of your interest can be combined with each other.

Your home university decides how to credit these courses based on the course-specific information provided.

Note that SAS courses are very popular and that admission is limited to places available. It is therefore always good to select some backup options (keeping in mind that there may be schedule clashes for certain course combinations). 

Students admitted to an SAS course must attend the introductory lecture to be enrolled and may not withdraw from the course without informing the relevant department first.

Note that the application process differs depending on whether you are a nominated exchange student or a regular student at ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ. This webpage is targeted at exchange students. Regular students must consult the Swedish national application website (universityadmission.se or antagning.se) for instructions on how to apply.

Once you have been nominated for an exchange to ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ, you can apply for SAS courses as part of your online application for exchange studies. For questions, please contact the person who signed your Letter of Acceptance at ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ.

Applying for exchange studies

Current SAS course offerings

Below you will find a list of currently available SAS courses by faculty, institute or centre. Their title is followed by their course code (between parentheses) and the semester(s) in which they are taught (autumn, spring or both).

More courses may be added continuously, so please check back here for updates.

The course webpages that are linked to are external webpages on the respective host's website.

See below for SAS course offerings at:

Faculty of Engineering (LTH) 

  •  | Spring (not offered every year – next round will be in spring 2026)

Contact incoming [at] lth [dot] lu [dot] se (incoming[at]lth[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at the Faculty of Engineering.

Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts

  •  | Autumn
  •  | Spring

Contact Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson, iveri [dot] kekenadze_gustafsson [at] eu [dot] lu [dot] se (iveri[dot]kekenadze_gustafsson[at]eu[dot]lu[dot]se), if you have questions about SAS courses at the Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts.

Faculties of Humanities and Theology

Swedish and Scandinavian Area studies

  •  | Autumn
  •  | Autumn and spring
  • | Autumn
  •  | Spring
  •  | Spring
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Autumn

European Dimension and Other Cultural Regions

  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  â€“ Autumn
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Spring
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Autumn

Global Issues of Contemporary Interest

  •  | Spring
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn and spring
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  • | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Spring
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Spring
  •  | Autumn
  •  | Autumn
  • | Spring

Contact international [at] ht [dot] lu [dot] se (international[at]ht[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at the Faculties of Humanities and Theology.

Faculty of Law

  •  | Autumn
  •  | Autumn

Contact incoming [at] jur [dot] lu [dot] se (incoming[at]jur[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at the Faculty of Law.

Faculty of Science

  •  | Spring

Contact incoming [at] science [dot] lu [dot] se (incoming[at]science[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at the Faculty of Science.

Faculty of Social Sciences

  • | Autumn
  •  | Autumn and spring
  •  | Autumn and spring

Contact incoming [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se (incoming[at]sam[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS)

  •  | Autumn

Contact amanda [dot] elgh [at] lucsus [dot] lu [dot] se (amanda[dot]elgh[at]lucsus[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ Centre for Sustainability Studies.

The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE)

  •  | Autumn

Contact patricia [dot] felix [at] iiiee [dot] lu [dot] se (patricia[dot]felix[at]iiiee[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics.

ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ School of Economics and Management (LUSEM)

Contact incoming [at] ehl [dot] lu [dot] se (incoming[at]ehl[dot]lu[dot]se) if you have questions about SAS courses at ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ School of Economics and Management.

SAS course schedules by semester

Keep in mind that not all SAS courses can be combined with each other and that there may also be schedule clashes between SAS courses and regular courses.

Looking for other courses for exchange students?

Last updated: 2 Apr 2025 | editors-studies [at] kommunikation [dot] lu [dot] se