German BA
London, Bloomsbury
German BA (2023)
The four-year German BA encompasses intense study of German language and culture from the earliest times to the present. This programme combines a strong emphasis on linguistic competence with an exceptional breadth of research-led teaching, offering a detailed understanding of the development of German culture and society.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
Programme starts
September 2024Application deadline
31 Jan 2024UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- ABB
- Subjects
- German required.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- BBC more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- German required at grade B.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
- Points
- 34
- Subjects
- A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects, including German, with no higher level score below 5.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 30 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects, including German, with no higher level score below 5.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction, 12 credits at Merit and 3 credits at Pass in the Level 3 units. Please note, where subject specific requirements are stipulated at A level we may review your Access to HE syllabus to ensure you meet the subject specific requirements prior to a final decision being communicated.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades ABB. German is required.
A,B,B at Advanced Highers (or A,B at Advanced Higher and B,B,B at Higher). German Advanced Higher required.
D3,M1,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. German required.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 4
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
In years one, two and your final year, you will take language modules in German, as well as cultural modules, covering a range of topics that draw on literature and film, history and linguistics.
You will spend your third year abroad, in a country where German is spoken. You will achieve the same linguistic competence regardless of whether you start a language from scratch or have previous knowledge of it.
Over the four years, you will deepen your knowledge of the German language while also developing valuable skills in cultural literacy and critical thinking.
What this course will give you
Studying German at UCL provides access to a broad range of subject areas, an innovative approach to learning and a rich tradition of research.
Academic staff are prominent in their fields and include acknowledged experts on medieval comedy, modern German literature and film, Austrian literature, German history, linguistics and psychology.
Students play an active role in the department, organising an annual German play and hosting high-profile events. Some recent examples have included a summit on the future of Anglo-German relations.
Resources within ten minutes' walk include the British Library, Senate House Library, the Institute for Modern Languages Research, the German Historical Institute and the Wiener Library.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in German.
Modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
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You will spend the first two years at UCL gaining expertise in the productive and receptive skills of the German language as well as gaining a more developed understanding of the literature, cinema, politics, linguistics, history, culture and society of the countries where German is spoken.
There is a compulsory year abroad in year three during which you will spend your time in a country where German is spoken. You may study at a partner university or undertake an approved work placement. The final year is based at UCL where you will continue to study a range of advanced-level modules on language, applied language (such as translation), literature, history, film and linguistics.
A final year dissertation module is available should you wish to undertake a self-initiated project which builds on the independent research skills developed over the course of your programme of study.
Optional modules
Your learning
This programme is delivered primarily through seminars, often including individual and group presentations and small-group exercises. You will also attend oral and translation classes in groups of 10 to 15 students. Lectures are less frequent and are used to convey information which can then be discussed in the small-group teaching.
During terms one and two, approximately 35% of a student's time is spent in lectures, seminars or tutorials and the remainder in independent study. There is minimal teaching during term three, which focuses on examinations and assessment.
Assessment
The programme is examined in a variety of ways: timed examinations, assessed coursework, oral examinations, an assessed year abroad, assessed oral presentations, and take-home papers.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.
The foundation of your career
While a significant number of our graduates choose to remain in the UK, others spend at least part of their working lives based elsewhere, often in German-speaking countries. Recent graduates have been very successful in gaining employment with leading companies such as Deutsche Bank, Google and the Wall Street Journal, and with organisations such as the British Council.
A high percentage of our graduates proceed to further study, either acquiring additional qualifications in law, journalism or business administration or embarking on Master's or doctoral degrees (in German studies and related areas such as translating, interpreting or international relations).
Employability
There are many career opportunities for UCL's modern language graduates. We seek to embed within our teaching the acquisition of transferable skills such as leadership, team work and communication skills as well as linguistic and cultural knowledge.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2023/24) | £9,250 |
| Tuition fees (2023/24) | £26,200 |
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2023/24 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2023/24 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library (hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions).
In addition, please note that if you study abroad during your programme at UCL, this is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200–£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website.
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
Your application
We seek to select candidates who, in addition to academic achievement, have the motivation and passion for language learning, for inter-cultural inquiry, and who have a deep commitment to developing and finessing their language proficiency to an advanced level.
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
Our admissions process aims to assess your linguistic abilities and attainments as well as cultural awareness and intellectual potential. We may interview candidates by telephone in order to establish a level of language ability.
If your application demonstrates that your academic ability and motivation make you well-suited to our degree and you receive an offer, then we shall invite you to a Post Offer Open Day, where you will be able to experience the sort of teaching we offer and life in SELCS.
