
German and English Language MA (Hons)
Course Overview - German and English Language MA (Hons)
More people speak German as their first language than any other in Europe. Worldwide, German is the third most popular language to learn.
This flexible joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study German in its cultural context while exploring how the English language has changed over time. Combining the linguistic and cultural study of languages demonstrates that you are a good communicator, a resilient problem solver, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas.
Together with your core courses, the options you will take on this programme can he...
More people speak German as their first language than any other in Europe. Worldwide, German is the third most popular language to learn.<br/><br/>This flexible joint honours programme gives you the opportunity to study German in its cultural context while exploring how the English language has changed over time. Combining the linguistic and cultural study of languages demonstrates that you are a good communicator, a resilient problem solver, and someone open to other cultures and new ideas.<br/><br/>Together with your core courses, the options you will take on this programme can help you gain skills in many areas of the arts, humanities and social sciences.<br/><br/>Additionally, we are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working.<br/><br/><strong>German</strong><br/><br/>As a world-leading festival and capital city, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to study a modern language in its cultural context. German has been taught here since 1894, making it one of the first modern European languages to be offered at the University of Edinburgh.<br/><br/>Across four years, including a year abroad, your studies will give you the chance to gain professional skills in all aspects of German, including:<br/><br/><br/>* reading and listening<br/><br/><br/>* writing and translating<br/><br/><br/>* speaking and presenting<br/><br/><br/>As well as language learning, you will explore German-language literature, film and theatre. You will study these in the context of historical and political developments, from the eighteenth century to contemporary times.<br/><br/>On this programme, you will take one of the following as your first language course:<br/><br/><br/>* German 1A - for beginners<br/><br/><br/>* German 1B - for students with more experience of learning the language<br/><br/><br/><strong>English Language</strong><br/><br/>Using techniques from modern linguistics, you will analyse the structure of written and spoken English and explore how the language has changed throughout its history.<br/><br/>As well as the study of change in English, we have a strong tradition of investigating variations of the language, including:<br/><br/><br/>* Scots<br/><br/><br/>* distinct dialects of English<br/><br/><br/>* international variations<br/><br/><br/>You will study modern-day English and Scots and identify the similarities and differences between English and other languages.<br/><br/><strong>How long it takes to complete this degree programme</strong><br/><br/>This programme is studied over 4 years, including a year abroad. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills.<br/><br/>Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subjects. In addition to studying core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of subjects and disciplines. This may enable you to change the focus of your programme.<br/><br/>Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 studying abroad, gaining lived experience of German-speaking culture. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics or approaches to German and English Language.<br/><br/><strong>Programme benefits</strong><br/><br/><br/>* Learn in an historic, capital city where German has been taught for over a century.<br/><br/><br/>* Study over four years, including one abroad.<br/><br/><br/>* Become fluent in one of Europes most widely spoken languages.<br/><br/><br/>* Try out different subjects in your first two years.<br/><br/><br/>* Join societies related to what you are studying.<br/><br/><br/>* Delve into fantastic libraries and collections. <br/>
Course Information
1 option available
Some courses vary and have tailored teaching options, select a course option below.
Course Details
Information
Study Mode
Full-time
Duration
4 Years
Start Date
14/09/2026
Campus
Central area campus
Application Details
14 January
Application deadline
Provider Details
Codes/info
Course Code
QR32
Institution Code
E56
Points of Entry
Year 1
Entry Requirements
UCAS Tariff
Not Accepted
Scottish Higher
A,B,B,B
ABBB by end of S5 or AABB/ABBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: no specific Higher subjects required. National 5s: a language other than English at B; English at C.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
34
34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: no specific subjects required. SL: a language other than English at 5; English at 5.
A level
A,B,B
ABB. Required subjects: A levels: no specific A level subjects required. GCSEs: a language other than English at B or 6; English at C or 4.
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Fees and funding
Region | Costs | Academic Year | Year |
---|---|---|---|
Scotland | £1,820 | 2025/26 | Year 1 |
England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Channel Islands, Republic of Ireland | £9,535 | 2025/26 | Year 1 |
EU, International | £29,600 | 2025/26 | Year 1 |