Chinese Studies and German Studies
Lancaster University
UCAS Code: R2T1 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
A level Chinese and/or German. Native Mandarin or German speakers will not be accepted onto this scheme.
Access to HE Diploma
in a relevant subject with 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 15 Level 3 credits at Merit, alongside Chinese and/or German at an advanced level
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects including 6 in Chinese HL and/or German HL
Considered alongside A level Chinese and/or German
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
This four-year joint degree combines the study of the languages and cultures of China and Germany and the Sinophone and German-speaking worlds. It includes a year’s international placement in Chinese- or German-speaking countries or split between the two. The degree provides the opportunity to acquire both high-level language skills and a thorough understanding of the sensitivities of Chinese and German cultures and societies within a global context.
You will learn language and culture in innovative and engaging ways. For example, students learn the Chinese language in its social and cultural context by participating in a wide range of activities through the Chinese Friendship Project. Recent activities have included a day trip to Manchester Chinatown, Chinese Food Corner, Chinese Film Night, Chinese festival celebration, and more.
Besides studying the core language modules, you will also choose from a broad range of specialist cultural, historical and political modules that provide comparative insight into relevant countries in global contexts.
In addition to language modules, in year one you will also select one module from other related subjects.
In the second year, you will continue to take Chinese and German language modules (an oral and a written module for each language), as well as the core modules 'Shaping Contemporary China' and 'Shaping Contemporary German-speaking Europe'. You will be able to choose two optional modules.
Your third year will be spent studying or working in Chinese- and/or German-speaking countries. The year abroad is an immersive experience that gives you the opportunity to greatly improve your language proficiency while deepening your intercultural awareness. You can study at a partner academic institution or conduct a work placement. As a joint major student, you can spend your time in a German- or Chinese-speaking country, or split the year between the two.
When you return to Lancaster for your final year, you will continue to develop your core Chinese and German language oral and written skills, combining this with a further choice of specialist courses. If you are interested in exploring a particular topic in depth, perhaps a subject you have studied previously in the course, you could take a dissertation module.
The language modules are designed so that you can attain CEFR levels C1-C2 (equivalent to HSK5-6) upon successful completion of the degree.
The optional modules offered will vary from year to year depending on availability and areas of expertise of staff.
**Beginners Languages**
Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so we only allow students to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at our first year module options. If you apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, your optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.
The Uni
Lancaster University
Languages and Cultures
What students say
How do students rate their degree experience?
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German and scandinavian studies
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Asian studies
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
German and scandinavian studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
It's often said the UK doesn't produce enough modern language graduates, and graduates from German courses have a lot of options available to them when they complete their courses. The unemployment rates last year was lower than graduates in general. Nearly a quarter of working graduates from 2015 got jobs outside the UK — mostly as English teachers — which is much higher than for most subjects. The relative strength of the German economy means there will continue to be opportunities there in the future. But more graduates went to work in London, and those who want to stay at home to work find jobs anywhere where good communication skills are a must, particularly in education, in marketing, in the arts and in business and finance as teachers, writers, personnel officers, financial advisors, analysts, sales people and marketers.. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.
Asian studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
China plays an important role in world economics and politics, and business can be very interested in graduates with good Chinese language skills. In 2015, just over 180 degrees were awarded in this subject to UK graduates, so it is still an unusual and specialist degree to take - take that into consideration before drawing definitive conclusions from the data. About one in five graduates went on to further study (mostly at Masters level) and of those who were working, a quarter went to work abroad. Most of the rest were working in the UK after six months, mainly in London. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills, even if that language is rare and valuable to business.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
German and scandinavian studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£26k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Asian studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£26k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
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It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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