German at St Andrews - language, literature, and culture

Study German at Scotland's oldest university. Develop high-level German language and communications skills and explore the rich cultural heritage of the German-speaking world.

Top in the UK for German 2026

St Andrews is 1st in the UK for German in the Complete University Guide 2026

Why study German at St Andrews?

Reputation and student satisfaction

The School of Modern Languages is consistently rated among the best in the UK by major national rankings.

St Andrews is 1st in Scotland and 2nd in the UK for languages and linguistics in the Guardian University Guide 2026.
St Andrews is 1st in the UK for German in the Complete University Guide 2026.
St Andrews is 1st in Scotland and 2nd in the UK for German in the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026.
In the National Student Survey 2025, 95% of final year MA (Honours) German students said they were satisfied overall with their course.

Welcoming community

The School of Modern Languages prides itself on being a vibrant and engaging academic community. The School is committed to creating an environment that supports equality, diversity, and inclusion.

The Department of German each year welcomes students from around the world.
Undergraduate study in German is open to beginners as well those who have studied German as a main subject at school - with language streams in years one and two tailored to your language proficiency.
Core language modules build on each other to expand and develop your German language competence and confidence.
Optional cultural studies modules reflect the Department's innovative, interdisciplinary, and inclusive approach to German studies.

Innovative, research-led teaching

St Andrews offers an imaginative, challenging, and diverse approach to the study of German and the acquisition of high-level language skills goes hand in hand with studying culture.

Choose from a range of optional modules that reflect the rich cultural heritage of the German-speaking world, connect to key social, political, and historical issues, and allow you to follow your own interests.
Optional modules in German give you a research-based knowledge of German-language literature and culture and cover different historical periods - from the medieval period to the present day - and different media - texts, film, television, and visual culture. Recent optional modules include:
- The Age of Goethe
- Travel Writing in German Since 1990
- The Medieval Short Story
- Masculinities in Contemporary German Film, TV, and Literature
- German Classicism
- German Environmental Thought, 1800-2000
- German Popular Music: Sound, Page, and Screen
- Rethinking German Realism, 1845-1898
- Weimar Republic, 1918-1933
- East German Cinema
- The Nazi Past in German Cultural Memory
- Berlin: Modernity and the Metropolis

Study German with other languages or subjects

Study German as a single-subject degree or combine German with another subject that best reflects your academic interests and professional goals.

Study German with one or two other languages or Comparative Literature as part of a double- or triple-languages honours degree.
Alternatively, combine German with another subject such as Economics, History, International Relations, or Management as part of a joint honours degree.

Integrated year abroad option and study abroad placements

Combine your German studies with time abroad and develop your linguistic skills, intercultural competence, and self-confidence.

Study German with an integrated year abroad - spending a year working in a German-speaking country and making your degree a five-year programme.
Alternatively, the study abroad and St Andrews abroad schemes provide study abroad placements that count towards your degree - you can study in Germany, Austria, Canada, and the USA.

Linguistic, transferable, and social skills for employability

Languages can be used in almost any career and so are a uniquely valuable subject whatever your professional goals. Languages are particularly sought after in sectors where communication, intercultural competence, and self-confidence are essential attributes.

German studies graduates leave St Andrews with an impressive mix of linguistic, transferable, and social skills equipping them for careers in:

journalism and communications
government and civil service
non-governmental organisations
intelligence and security services
marketing and business development
international aid and development
teaching and education

Postgraduate study in languages, literatures, and cultures

Take your German studies further with a postgraduate degree.

Masters degrees

Masters degrees with the School of Modern Languages provide advanced study in global cultures - giving you the intercultural and professional competencies needed to understand, and thrive in, a globalised world.

Research degrees

As a PhD, MPhil, or MSt (Res) student in the School of Modern Languages you will be part of a vibrant interdisciplinary research community.

You will work with academic supervisors who will provide you with subject expertise and guidance to help you plan and manage your research while the University's researcher development programmes give you the skills you need as an independent researcher.

Research degrees in languages and comparative literature

Start your journey

Register your details to receive more information about programmes at the School of Modern Languages and the University of St Andrews.