German and English Literature

Overview

German

On this German and English Literature programme at The University of Edinburgh, you will have the chance to gain professional skills in all aspects of German, including writing, speaking, presenting and translating, thanks to four years of intensive training, including a year abroad.

You will also explore German-language literature, film and theatre, all within the context of historical and political developments from the eighteenth century to contemporary times.

English Literature

You will explore the cultural contexts of writing in English from the late Middle Ages to the present.

In Years 3 and 4 you will also study research-led courses, selected on the basis of your own interests. This will allow you to develop a detailed knowledge of specific topics, periods, and genres.

Why Edinburgh

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.

We also have the oldest department of English Literature in the UK, one of the longest established in the world. We are proud to be based in the heart of the first UNESCO World City of Literature.

By enhancing your literary, linguistic, and critical skills, this joint programme prepares you to contribute to a society in which an understanding of texts of all kinds is crucially important.

Career opportunities

Studying languages and humanities to degree level, especially when you spend a year abroad, gives you a set of skills and life experiences highly prized by employers.

By the end of your programme, you will be able to speak a major language of international communication, and work in countries where it is spoken. You will also be able to find opportunities in the many multinational companies and institutions where German is a working language.

German speakers are in high demand, particularly those with links to the German economy, which is the fourth largest in the world. In 2019, German overtook French as the language most sought after by employers.