German and English Literature
Entry requirements
A level
Required subjects: A Levels: English Literature or combined English at B. GCSEs: a language other than English at B or 6.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
34 points with 655 at HL. Required subjects: HL: English at 5. SL: a language other than English at 5.
Scottish Higher
AABB by end of S5 or AAAB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6. Required subjects: Highers: English at B. National 5s: a language other than English at B.
UCAS Tariff
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About this course
For centuries, both English and German-speaking cultures have had a profound international influence on literature. Today, more people speak German as their native language than any other in Europe, and it is the third most popular foreign language taught worldwide.
This joint honours programme aims to develop your critical, analytic, linguistic and creative skills by engaging with a broad range of texts in both English and German, and a variety of approaches to reading.
You do not need to have any prior knowledge of learning German. Through intensive classes on developing spoken and written skills, you will have the opportunity to quickly develop your understanding of the language.
**German**
Across all four years of our programme, including a year abroad, your studies will give you the chance to gain professional skills in all aspects of German, including:
* reading and listening
* writing and translating
* speaking and presenting
As well as language learning, you will also explore German-language literature, film and theatre. You will study these in the context of historical and political developments, from the eighteenth century to contemporary times.
On joining us, beginners take our German 1A course; students with prior experience of learning the language typically take German 1B.
By your final year, you will have developed the linguistic, critical and analytical skills to the standard of completing a dissertation or long essay.
**English Literature**
Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, you will study in the oldest department of English Literature in the UK, one of the longest established in the world.
You will gain the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of poetry, drama and prose and explore the cultural contexts of writing in English from the late Middle Ages to the present.
At honours level, you will select courses on the basis of your own interests in specific topics, periods or literary genres.
Combining literature with a language shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own, an essential attribute in many careers and a global marketplace.
**Why Edinburgh**
As a world-leading festival city, Edinburgh is a fantastic place to study a language in its cultural context and alongside literature.
From the University's Special Collections to the National Library of Scotland, the city's resources for studying literatures, languages and cultures are exceptional.
Studying over four years gives you the blend of specialist skills and Intercultural Competence needed for a range of careers.
In Years 1 and 2, as well as your core subjects, you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines. You will specialise as you progress through your honours years, choosing courses that further match your own interests, expertise and employability needs.
You will spend Year 3 in a country where German is spoken. 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.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Central area campus
School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below 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.
Literature in english
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
German and scandinavian studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
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.
Literature in english
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
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.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Literature in english
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
£23k
£32k
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.
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.
£21k
£29k
£33k
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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You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
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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