German and English

The four-year BA German and English is a joint honours programme split equally between your two chosen subjects. The language part of your degree is taught in the School of European Languages, Culture and Society where will take modules not only in language (speaking, listening, reading, writing and translation) but also in cultural topics including literature, history, film, linguistics, politics and other relevant field designed to complement your language learning. With a wide variety of modules on offer, you will be able to tailor your degree to your areas of interest. Your third year is a Year Abroad, spent in a country where your language is spoken.

As well as learning German from either beginners or advanced level, studying German at UCL opens up a lot of opportunities. From the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 back to the teachings of Luther, the music of Bach and Beethoven, the writing of Goethe and Thomas Mann, and the theories of Marx and Nietzsche, Germany and the German-speaking tradition have occupied a central place in Europe and the world. You will have the opportunity to modules in medieval, early-modern and modern literature, cultural studies, literary theory, Austrian studies, the practice and theory of translation and language acquisition, modern German history and politics, cultural, social and political theory, and film studies.

UCL was at the forefront of the establishment of English literature as a university subject, and the department is regularly ranked amongst the best in the country. UCL’s English Department has a strong tradition of links with the literary world. Practising writers are invited to give readings; there is a writer-in-residence programme; and a wide range of extracurricular culture, media and journalism-based student societies. The wide-ranging nature of the department's optional modules is designed to give you an overview of developments in literary periods and movements over time, whilst also allowing you to pursue your own interests through specialised sign-up seminars and one-to-one tutorial teaching.

UCL is ranked 3rd in the UK for Modern Languages in the 2018 QS World Rankings and offers outstanding opportunities to language students and graduates.