- UCAS course code
- R210
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
BA German Studies
Develop intercultural awareness and advanced communications skills through the study of German, Austrian and Swiss language and culture.
Duration: 4 years
Year of entry: 2026
UCAS course code: R210 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Study abroad
Study with a language
- Typical A-level offer: ABB
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBC
- UK refugee/care-experienced offer: BBC
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 34 points overall with 6,5,5 at HL
Overview
Course overview
- Learn all about German, Austrian and Swiss language and culture, including literature, history, linguistics and visual and popular cultures.
- Study optional vocational-facing course units including translation.
- Spend Year 3 studying or working abroad in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.
- Study at a university ranked6thin the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Telephone
- 0161 509 2871
- ug-.languages@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/modern-languages/
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: About us
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
A-level
ABB including one essay based/humanities subject.
We offer German language from Beginners or Advanced level. If you are taking A Level German we require grade B or above and you will be placed in the Advanced stream.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
A-level contextual offer
BBC including one essay based subject.
We offer German language from Beginners or Advanced level. If you are taking A Level German we require grade B or above and you will be placed in the Advanced stream.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
Contextual offers are available for applicants who:
- live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
- live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
- have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.
See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.
UK refugee/care-experienced offer
BBC including one essay based subject.
We offer German language from Beginners or Advanced level. If you are taking A Level German we require grade B or above and you will be placed in the Advanced stream.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:
- have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
- have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).
See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.
International Baccalaureate
34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects
Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.
GCSE/IGCSE
Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 6 or B in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and 4 or C in Mathematics. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification.
Other entry requirements
Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.
Country-specific entry requirements
English language requirements
All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:
GCSE/IGCSE English Language grade B/6, or;
IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each component, or;
An acceptable equivalent qualification.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
If you need to improve your English language skills to meet the entry requirements for your academic course, the University Centre for Academic English (UCAE) summer pre-sessional courses can help. Check if your academic course offers the option of taking a pre-sessional course on the UCAE page .
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student requiring a visa to study in the UK must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language (common European Framework (CEFR B2 level) to be granted a Student Route visa (previously known as a Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
In addition, our academic Schools/Departments may require applicants to demonstrate English proficiency above the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found here .
English language test validity
Fees and funding
Fees
Fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been set. For entry in 2025 the tuition fees were £9,535 per annum for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2026 entry.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
Residence abroad support
We offer dedicated financial support packages of up to £2,000 for residence abroad students, based on household income.
You will be automatically assessed for this, based on your Student Finance financial assessment - you just need to make sure you apply for a financial assessment in the academic year in which your residence abroad will take place.
Scholarships and Bursaries
- Find out more from student finance
- Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
- Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
- Many students work part-time or complete a student internship
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
Mitigating Circumstances
Mitigating circumstances may be personal or family illness, other family circumstances, change of teachers during a course, problems with school facilities or an unusual curriculum followed by your school or college. We recommend that information on mitigating circumstances that have affected or are likely to affect your academic performance should be included in the referee's report.
We cannot usually take into account information that is supplied after an adverse decision has been made on an application by the admitting School. If you encounter mitigating circumstances after you have submitted your application, please inform the admissions staff in the School to which you applied as soon as possible.
Where mitigating circumstances have already been taken into account, for example by the relevant Exam Board, we will not be able to make further allowances.
Home-schooled applicants
Non-standard educational routes
Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences. Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest. There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.
The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to. Further information for mature students can be found here ( http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/mature-students/ )
Returning to education
Access courses are acceptable as an entry route to this course - please contact the UG Admissions Team.
Deferrals
Policy for applicants who resit their qualifications
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
BA German Studies is open to complete German language beginners (ab initio) and post-A-level standard German speakers.
In addition to the language component, this course integrates various subjects, including linguistics, and a wide range of German-language cultural and historical sources. Using these materials enhances not only your linguistic skills but also deepens your understanding of German-speaking societies and their histories.
Specialisms in German include historical and contemporary linguistics, literary studies, screen studies, gender and sexuality, modern cultural history, minority cultures and Holocaust studies.
In the third year, you'll spend time in a German-speaking country. You can opt for a work placement, teach English in schools through the British Council's assistantship program, or study at our prestigious partner institutions in Berlin, Freiburg, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Basel, Innsbruck, and Vienna.
Our teaching has been praised in both the Teaching Quality Assessment and by external examiners. It is supported by an innovative Independent Language Learning Programme, encouraging you to take charge of your own learning journey.
You will also benefit from our strong links with the Goethe Institute and the Austrian Cultural Forum, which sponsor a varied programme of cultural events.
The course unit details listed below represent the optional units available for selection.
Please note that these options are subject to change and reflect the current curriculum offering. While language units may appear as optional, they are mandatory components of your modern languages degree. You will take the units relevant to your level of language in each year of study and it is compulsory to study language at all levels of your modern languages degree.
Aims
- Provide you with a comprehensive grounding in the German language.
- Deepen your understanding of German culture, linguistics, history and literature.
- Equip you with the skills and expertise needed to thrive in a German-speaking environment.
Special features
Residence abroad
You have the opportunity to spend up to a year studying and/or working in a country or countries where your chosen language(s) are spoken, enhancing your communicative skills in an immersive, native-speaking environment.
Collaborations and partnerships
The University has links with language and cultural institutions across the city, including:
- Instituto Cervantes - a centre for Spanish culture;
- HOME - international and contemporary art, theatre and film;
- Manchester China Institute - promoting mutual understanding in UK-China relations through research, teaching, and activities;
- Alliance Française - home of French language and culture.
Societies
Within the University, you'll discover over 30 international and language-focused student societies . These offer a breadth of cultural activities and experiences, creating a diverse and engaging community.
Teaching and learning
You'll learn through a mixture of formal lectures, seminars and tutorials, spending approximately 12 hours a week in formal study sessions.
For every hour of university study, you will be expected to complete a further 2-3 hours of independent study.
You will also need to study during the holiday periods.
The individual study component could be spent reading, producing written work, revising for examinations or working in the University's Language Centre.
Coursework and assessment
You will be assessed in various ways, including:
- written and oral examinations;
- presentations;
- coursework (which may include library research, linguistic fieldwork and data collection, or web-based research);
- in your final year, a dissertation based on a research topic of your choice.
Assessment methods vary from course unit to course unit - see individual course unit listings for more information.
Course content for year 1
You are trained in modern spoken and written German through a core language course unit in which you work with German texts, write short essays and engage in discussions in German (this language instruction takes place in German and is taught principally by native speakers).
At the same time, you reinforce your grammar and vocabulary through monitored self-study.
You are given a detailed introduction to the German-speaking countries: their geography, politics, culture and society.
You also get to explore a variety of important issues within these countries, such as the challenges faced by multicultural German society following Germany's reunification.
In addition you take a set of other broad-based course units designed to give you an essential grounding in key areas of German culture, history and linguistics.
Most of the teaching on these course units is in English, so that you can focus fully on the new concepts introduced to you.
You will take only the language units relevant to your level of language in each year of study.
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| GERM10040 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| GERM10350 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| GERM10340 | 20 | Optional | |
| GERM51011 | 20 | Optional | |
| GERM51022 | 20 | Optional | |
| GERM51030 | 20 | Optional |
Course content for year 2
You also continue your programme of monitored self-study to complement your language classes.
The other course units available in your second year are more numerous and more specialised than in the first year, allowing you to explore a diverse range of areas including Weimar culture, post-1945 German and Austrian culture, and the German language today.
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| GERM20262 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| GERM20802 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| GERM20901 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| GERM51030 | 20 | Optional | |
| GERM51040 | 20 | Optional |
Course content for year 3
Your third year of study is spent abroad under approved conditions in a German-speaking country. You can choose a work placement, teach English in schools as part of the British Council's assistantship scheme, or study at our prestigious partner institutions in Berlin, Freiburg, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Basel, Innsbruck and Vienna.
Course content for year 4
You resume your studies in Manchester with a core language course unit and choose from a wide range of specialised course units. Language study is centred on translation into and out of German, essay writing, and oral work involving discussion of texts, debates and presentations.
Also available are course units that cover topics closely related to the research interests of individual members of staff, covering a broad range of linguistic, literary, historical and cultural topics.
As part of your final-year work, you can write a dissertation on a theme of your choice related to one of your course units.
Course units for year 4
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| GERM51050 | 20 | Mandatory | |
| GERM30341 | 20 | Optional | |
| LALC30000 | 40 | Optional |
Facilities
The University Language Centre is home to many language resources, including a new interpreting suite, purpose-built recording rooms, and resources for more than 70 languages.
The Centre also offers multilingual word processing, language learning software, off-air recording and AV duplication, multilingual terrestrial and satellite TV, and extensive support and advice for learners.
Learn more at facilities.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
A degree in Modern Languages and Cultures paves the way for a broad range of careers. You'll acquire intercultural awareness and enhanced communication skills - both highly valued by employers.
You'll develop transferable skills central to language learning, such as improved perception and interpretation abilities, as well as advanced decision-making and multitasking skills.
During your residence abroad, you'll gain independence and self-confidence, and your intercultural communication skills will position you as a competitive candidate for roles in media, journalism, and PR.
Many of our graduates go straight into business services, marketing, advertising, management, banking, or communications.
Others opt for postgraduate study or additional vocational training to pursue careers as accountants, lawyers, and teachers (both in the UK and internationally), or to enter the Civil Service.
The University of Manchester has an excellent reputation for employability, and we are the second most targeted in the UK for top graduate employers (High Fliers Research, 2024).
Employers of our German graduates include PwC, Sandhills East, Lidl, Vodafone, Inghams Travel, Amazon, Egger (Germany), and Mark Warner.
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .Regulated by the Office for Students
The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.