Department of German Studies

Acknowledged as the motor of the European economy, Germany has also been at the heart of its intellectual development. Studying German language and culture gives you a deep understanding of its people and society which will enhance both your life and your career prospects.

Why Study German At Warwick?

We are consistently ranked by national newspapers as one of the very best departments in the UK.

German Studies at Warwick has featured at or near the top of student satisfaction rankings since the National Student Survey began. We currently top the table with 98%.

We offer a unique combination of exciting modules, intensive language work and small-group teaching (especially in your first year) – and all of this in a supportive and student-friendly environment.

For us, learning advanced German cannot be separated from the study of German culture, society and politics, making our graduates real communicators between cultures.

Our annual intake of 60–65 students is supported by 10 full‑time academic staff at the cutting edge of their research and teaching disciplines.

Pav Khaira

Student Profile: Pavitar Khara,
2nd year, German and Business Studies

'German is an amazingly flexible course; you can combine it with all sorts of other interesting subjects including other languages, such as French and Italian, or other arts courses, such as History.

We are one of the smaller departments on the campus, which I find really useful as it means I get a lot of face-to-face time with my lecturers and tutors. The number of native speakers teaching in the Department certainly helped me to improve my oral skills in language classes. We also have our own careers adviser for Languages, which is very useful if you need to talk to someone about your options or just want to get an idea of what a certain profession is like'.

We offer a wide range of studies from the Enlightenment to the ultra-contemporary and exploring film, literature, history, politics and German thought. All of them are taught by acknowledged experts in their field.

All modules are supported by plentiful resources in our state-of-the-art Transnational Resources Centre, our outstanding Library collection and on the web.

You will be supported by our specialist librarian who oversees one of the UK’s most substantial collections of German material and also manages our extensive system of web-based research tools and digital resources.

In your year abroad, you will be able to participate in our residential course at a medieval castle in Germany.

Our aim is that when you graduate you will have acquired a very high level of expertise in written and spoken German as well as an in-depth understanding of German culture and society from both a historical and contemporary perspective.

How Will I Be Taught?

In the first year we teach most of our classes in small groups of 7 or 8 students; this promotes confidence and helps students to adjust quickly and effectively to university-level study. Many students have never studied films or literary texts before, so workshops equip you with the necessary study skills. You will take part in tutorials, seminars, oral classes and lectures.

How Will I Be Assessed?

We will track your progress through language assignments, essays, presentations and examinations, both written and oral. Throughout your course you will receive detailed feedback to help improve your skills.

What Opportunities Are There To Study Abroad?

All the degrees in the German Department are four years in length, including a year spent studying or working overseas. You can either study at a university (such as Vienna, Berlin or Cologne) or work as a school language-teaching assistant. At our annual residential course at Schloss Dhaun in Rheinland- Pfalz – something unique to Warwick – we meet up with all our year abroad students for seminars, tutorials and discussions.

What Careers Can A Warwick Degree In German Lead To?

When you leave, you’re likely to be among the most employable graduates in your year. In recent years our graduates have taken up positions with prestigious firms and organisations such as KPMG, Deloitte, Accenture, Esso, the BBC, Deutsche Welle, and SAP. Whether you are interested in working in management and accountancy or in media and journalism, a degree in German will set you up for a bright future.