 1.svg)
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
English and German (5 years), MA
Introduction
English and German at Aberdeen gives you all the advantages of the UK’s second most highly-rated research hub for English literature, language and creative writing. You will study this programme within a European, historical and contemporary context through top-rated study of the German language and literature, history and culture. This subject combination is ideal preparation for a career across the creative arts and media, and with the international dimension opening other options too.
Study Information
At a Glance
- Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
- Degree Qualification: MA
- Duration: 60 months
- Study Mode: Full Time
- Start Month: September
- UCAS Code: QR32
Aberdeen is a leading centre for the study of literature, language and creative writing, rated second in the UK for its research output. You will study poetry and prose through the dynamic relationship between author, reader and literary text, covering every period from Chaucer to contemporary English, Scottish, Irish, European and American writing and the cultural and critical impact of powerful and controversial modern works. You will be inspired by enthusiastic teachers and researchers, themselves acclaimed authors and poets and will be encouraged to develop your own creative writing skills.
German at Aberdeen has an outstanding reputation with the highest possible rating of ‘Excellent’ in the last national Teaching Quality Assessment. You will gain a broad understanding of Germany’s complex history and culture in today’s German-speaking world and enjoy many opportunities to practice your developing language skills informally through the German Society and Drama Group.
As an integral part of your 5-year programme, you will spend the whole of year three taking your language and cultural skills to a very high level as a Teaching Assistant or visiting student in a German-speaking country.
You will graduate prepared for careers across the arts, publishing, or media, with the international dimension opening opportunities in business, international organisations, tourism and many other options.
Aberdeen Global Scholarship
The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme.
What You'll Study
Year 1
- Compulsory Courses:
- Academic Writing for Language & Literature (AW1008)
- Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
- Acts of Reading (EL1009)
- Optional Courses:
- Select ONE OR BOTH from the following:
- Controversial Classics (EL1513)
- Rethinking Reading (EL1536)
- Also, select ONE of the following options:
- Beginners (for absolute beginners and those who have studied German for up to 3 years):
- German for Beginners 1 (GM1054)
- German for Beginners 2 (GM1554)
- Background to German Beginners 1 (GM1049)
- The Global City (LA1501)
- Advanced (for post-Higher candidates and those who have studied German for more than 4 years):
- German Language 1 (GM1050)
- German Language 2 (GM1550)
- Modern German Culture 1 (GM1052)
- The Global City (LA1501)
- Beginners (for absolute beginners and those who have studied German for up to 3 years):
- Select ONE OR BOTH from the following:
Year 2
- Compulsory Courses:
- Encounters with Shakespeare (EL2011)
- Modern German Culture 3 (GM2043)
- The Global City in Text and Film (LA1501)
- Optional Courses:
- Select one of the following:
- The Tragedy of Knowledge (EL2512)
- Power, Empire and Equality (EL2518)
- Select ONE of the following options:
- Beginner:
- German Language (Advanced Introductory) 1 (GM2040)
- German Language (Advanced Introductory) 2 (GM2540)
- Advanced:
- German Language 3 (GM2042)
- German Language 4 (GM2542)
- Beginner:
- Select one of the following:
Year 3
- Compulsory Courses:
- Academic year spent in a German-speaking country.
Year 4
- Compulsory Courses:
- German Junior Honours Language Study (GM3069)
- Optional Courses:
- Two level 3 EL courses to be chosen from two of the groups below:
- Medieval/Renaissance Literature:
- Page and Stage: Renaissance Writings
- Knights, Virgins and Viragos: Chaucer and Medieval Writing
- Romantic/Victorian Literature:
- Romanticism
- Britain and the Nineteenth-Century World
- Fallen Women and Self-Made Men
- Sympathy for the Devil: Scottish Short Stories
- Contemporary/Modern Literature:
- Modernism: Make IT New
- American Voices: Self and Society, 1850-1930
- Haunted Texts
- Art and Atrocity: Representations of Violence and Trauma
- Medieval/Renaissance Literature:
- Plus, select a further 45 credits of level 3 German courses.
- Two level 3 EL courses to be chosen from two of the groups below:
Year 5
- Compulsory Courses:
- German Language Study for Senior Honours (GM4099)
- Optional Courses:
- Select ONE of the following dissertation options:
- English Dissertation (EL4502)
- Dissertation in German (GM4052)
- Plus further courses in Level 4 English and German to gain 60 credits in each discipline.
- Select ONE of the following dissertation options:
How You'll Study
Learning Methods
- Individual Projects
- Lectures
- Research
- Tutorials
Assessment Methods
Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:
- Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course.
- Practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course.
- Written examinations at the end of each course.
The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.
Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.
Why Study English and German?
Why English
- An international profile through major literary projects such as the Cambridge Edition of the Works of Jane Austen and the Edinburgh Edition of the Waverley Novels of Sir Walter Scott.
- The WORD Centre for Creative Writing, promoting creative projects in fiction, non-fiction and collaborative mixed-media in all the languages of northeast Scotland (from Doric to Polish).
- The spectacular, award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library, home to literary treasures collected over 500 years, charting the power of the written word from ancient papyri and medieval manuscripts to contemporary e-books and other media.
- Historic collections including rare printed books, the 12th century Aberdeen Bestiary, MacBean Stuart and Jacobite Collection, the novels of Sir Walter Scott, and an exceptional collection of Charles Dickens' first editions.
- A packed campus programme of student and public events, exhibitions, seminars, invited speakers and the annual WayWORD Festival, welcoming internationally acclaimed authors to discuss literature, including European writers.
- Research centres include the nationally recognised Centre for the Novel, the Centre for Modern Thought, and the Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies.
Why German
- A vibrant international community on campus and across the region, with many German-speaking students, staff and activities to get involved in and practise your language skills.
- German Society open to all students interested in German and the German-speaking countries, organising drama performances and other events such as Kaffee and Kuchen, a German Stammtisch, film showings, and visits by German speakers and writers.
- German Drama Group providing a great opportunity to produce an annual play, widen your language skills and meet other German students studying in Aberdeen. Previous years included works of 20th century dramatists Dürrenmatt, Borchert and Horvath.
- Opportunities to study the rich literature and culture of Austria and Switzerland in addition to Germany.
- A packed campus programme of events, exhibitions, seminars, invited speakers and the popular annual WayWORD festival, welcoming international figures, experts, authors and scientists to campus.
- Your period abroad as a language assistant or visiting student - we have exchange scholarships with the Universities of Zurich, Kiel and Greifswald, and Erasmus partners including Leipzig, Cologne, Bonn, Trier and Graz in Austria.
- The spectacular, award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library, with fabulous study facilities, state-of-the-art technology, and an extensive German collection to inspire your studies.
Entry Requirements
Qualifications
- SQA Highers:
- Standard: AABB
- Minimum: BBB
- Adjusted: BB
- A LEVELS:
- Standard: BBB
- Minimum: BBC
- Adjusted: CCC
- International Baccalaureate: 32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
- Irish Leaving Certificate: 5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.
Fees and Funding
- England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland: £9,535
- EU / International students: £20,800
- Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme.
- Home Students: £1,820
Careers
There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.
- More information on employability at the University of Aberdeen
- More information on the Careers and Employability Service
Our Experts
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
Discover Uni
Discover Uni draws together comparable information in areas students have identified as important in making decisions about what and where to study. You can compare these and other data for different degree programmes in which you are interested.
English and German at University of Aberdeen
To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.
Make an informed choice.
See course info
link opens in new tab
Get in Touch
Contact Details
Address
Student Recruitment & Admissions University of Aberdeen University Office Regent Walk Aberdeen AB24 3FX
Email Us Call Us +44 (0) Enquire Now Using an online form
Social Media
Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Connect With Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn YouTube Flickr
Contact Us
Address
University of Aberdeen King's College, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX
Phone
Tel: +44 (0)
Contacts A to Z Maps and Directions Staff Directory
Top of Page
Terms and Conditions of Use Your Privacy Accessibility Cookies Slavery & Human Trafficking Statement Freedom of Information
The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No.SC013683.
