Full Time: 4 Years
Gain a high level of expertise in German and immerse yourself in its culture. Address the issues facing the country, and gain a broader view of the world's most pressing problems through the joint study of international relations.
Join our friendly and dynamic Department of Modern Languages and European Studies, which offers the opportunity to study in a lively, multilingual community with staff and students from all over the world. We offer a flexible and supportive approach to learning which allows you to tailor your degree to your interests, including the opportunity to learn other languages.
Through this course you will become confident and highly skilled in written and spoken German. You will master the fundamental elements of the language, to the point where you will graduate with a near-native command of it. We’re proud of our small language classes, led by native speakers. Direct access to expert staff for help and feedback ensures you develop your language skills to the best of your ability. A wide range of optional modules in German and German-speaking history, film, literature and linguistics enhance your learning, and provide you with an in-depth knowledge of the country. You will have the opportunity to explore topics such as German cinema, the reunification of East and West Germany in 1989 and what life was like in the former German Democratic Republic.
In international relations, you will acquire a strong grounding in fundamental elements such as political ideas and international relations theory. You will spend most of your contact in small teaching groups, allowing you to interact directly with staff and add your own voice to the discussion. You will have the opportunity to study a wide range of specialist core and optional modules, which cover topical issues such as European political integration, international terrorism and the Middle East crisis. The course also delivers innovative modules in which you can take part in United Nations and Middle East simulations and get a direct feel for the political process.
We provide accelerated learning in German, meaning that you can start at intermediate level if you have previously learnt it up to GCSE or AS level. Regardless of which level you join the course at, all students achieve the same standard of written and spoken German by the final year. Please check the entry requirements for more details on entry points.
Quick look entry requirements A Level BBB/ABC | IB 30 pts overall
What will you study?
How much will it cost?
How much will it cost?
New UK/EU students: £9250* per year
New international students: £16070 per year
* UK and EU Fee Changes
Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
Information on this page is based on 2018/19 figures and is likely to change slightly for 2019/20 entry. We will publish up-to-date information about 2019/20 entry as soon as it becomes available.
For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.
What are the fees for a placement year?
For Home/EU and International students entering in 2017/18, your placement year will be in 2019/20 and your fees will be 15% of full fee (subject to changes in the University’s Fees Policy).
If your study abroad is covered by the Erasmus scheme, please contact the Erasmus/Study Abroad team by emailing studyabroad@reading.ac.uk or this link.
Additional Costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
* UK and EU Fee Changes
Subject to the Government passing legislation to raise the minimum fee cap, we will raise undergraduate tuition fees from £9,000 to £9,250 for new UK/EU students applying to start courses in the 2017/18 academic year. You will not be affected by this rise if you have deferred entry to the 2017/18 academic year. The Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
The tuition fee will remain £9,000 per year for the full duration of this course if you start in the 2016/17 academic year or have accepted an offer but deferred your entry until the 2017/18 academic year. This is unlike other institutions who are planning to raise fees midway through courses.
For further information, please see our webpage on the Teaching Excellence Framework and future tuition fees.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
What career can you have?
What career can you have?
By the time you graduate, you will be able to write and speak fluently in German – an immensely useful skill to have given that there is currently a great shortage of well-qualified linguists in the UK. The experience of studying or working abroad also distinguishes you from non-language graduates, providing evidence of self-reliance, adaptability and enterprise. You can put the political analysis skills you acquire through international relations to direct use in fields such as government, the civil service, non-governmental organisations and journalism.
Our graduates have an excellent record of gaining employment or progressing to further study. Many of our graduates go on to put their linguistic skills to practical use by working for companies with a German connection. However, prospects extend well beyond translating and interpreting. Recent Reading graduates have been recruited by employers such as Sony Europe, the Civil Service, Oxford University Press, Dow Jones and Price Waterhouse Cooper, all of whom clearly value the technical and intellectual training of a degree in modern languages.