MA German and Philosophy

Year 1

If you haven't studied German before you will take German 1A, an intensive language course. If your entry qualification for German is a Scottish Higher, A level, or equivalent, you will be admitted to German 1B, which covers language as well as literature and culture from 1770 to the present day.

Year 1 philosophy courses introduce you to key topics in the history of philosophy, morality and ethics, and the nature of argument. You can also choose to take Philosophy of Science 1 in either Year 1 or Year 2, which looks at the basic assumptions of science.

Year 2

In the German 2 language course you will develop your oral language skills further, and practise creative writing, translation and grammar. You will also study literature and culture. We are developing a suite of options, likely to include:

• Disability in German Romanticism
• Identity, Politics and Society on the German Screen
• Culture, Modernity and the City in the Weimar Republic
• Reading Literary Antisemitism; the Contemporary Short Story in German
• Migration and Integration in German-Language Discourses

You will take two of these options.

You will also take two courses in philosophy: Mind, Matter and Language; and Knowledge and Reality.

In addition, you will choose option courses in literature, culture, film, language or linguistics. A wide range of courses is available and is likely to include:

• Introduction to European Cinema
• Responses to War
• Crime and Detection
• Gender and Culture
• Structure and History of European Languages
• Migration, Diaspora and Exile

Year 3

You will spend Year 3 studying or working in a German-speaking country and you will complete prescribed work in both philosophy and German.

Year 4

You will develop advanced language skills in spoken and written German and choose from a range of specialist courses in both German and philosophy. You will also complete your dissertation or long essay.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2019/20)

Our facilities

Teaching takes place in and around the School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures in the University's Central Area. We are based in a state-of-the-art building, at 50 George Square, which houses computer microlabs, a language resource centre, and social facilities as well as tutors' offices, lecture theatres, and a film projection room.

Study abroad

During Year 3, you will spend a minimum of 30 weeks on approved work or study placement in the country/countries relevant to the language/s studied.

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

Courses are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and computer-assisted learning. You will often work in independent learning groups with the guidance of experienced staff, and will have the opportunity to discuss the latest research of world-leading scholars.

Language teaching involves developing professional speaking and writing skills, as well as an introduction to professional translation techniques.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a combination of exams, coursework and class participation.

Programme details

Find out more about this programme's aims, what you will learn, how you will be assessed and what skills and knowledge you will develop.

To give you an idea of what to expect from this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme details (2019/20)

More people speak German as their native language than any other in Europe. An official language of seven European countries and provinces, German also plays an important role in communications in many other countries, particularly in central and eastern Europe, and is the third most popular foreign language taught worldwide.

German speakers are highly sought after by British employers, particularly those with links to the German economy, the third largest in the world. Seven out of 10 businesses in the UK value foreign language skills in their employees, and 49 per cent of them rate German as useful for their business, placing it ahead of Spanish and Mandarin.*

In Year 1, you will do a project in which you interview a German native speaker working in Edinburgh or Glasgow, giving you the opportunity to practise professional communication, find out about the value of languages in the workplace and gain some insights into possible career options. Our graduates have gone on to careers in journalism, translation, marketing, the finance industry, publishing, and the cultural and heritage sectors.

There are also opportunities to continue studying at postgraduate level, with Year 4 in particular developing the research skills you’ll need if you choose this path.

*CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey, 2017

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: AAAA - AABB by end of S5. If you haven’t achieved this by the end of S5 we may consider your application based on a strong performance in S6. A minimum of BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: AAA - ABB.
• IB: 40 points (grades 766 at HL) - 34 points (grades 655 at HL).

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6, with a minimum of BBB achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 34 points (grades 655 at HL).

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: no specific Higher subjects required. National 5: a language other than English at grade B and English at grade C.
• A Levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: a language other than English at grade B or 6 and English at grade C or 4.
• IB: HL: no specific subjects required. SL: a language other than English at grade 5 and English at grade 5.

Additional requirements

Language requirement

Please note that for degrees that have a subject requirement of a language other than English, students may not use their own native language to meet this requirement. In these instances, English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable.

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.

International Foundation Programme

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 Grade C

• SQA Standard Grade 3

• SQA Intermediate 1 Grade A

• SQA Intermediate 2 Grade C

• GCSE Grade C or 4

• Level 2 Certificate Grade C

• IB Standard Level Grade 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic module overall 6.5 with 5.5 in each component

• TOEFL-iBT 92 or above with 20 in each section

• Cambridge English: Advanced or Proficiency overall 176 with 162 in each component

• PTE Academic: Total 61 with at least 51 in each "Communicative Skills" section

• Trinity ISE: ISE II with a distinction in all four components

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

English language requirements

(Revised 22/03/2019 to provide more accurate/comprehensive information.)

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Unistats data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for MA German and Philosophy

Additional costs

For your compulsory residence abroad in Year 3, we give you a wide range of options. Your costs will depend on where you decide to go, and how you spend your time. A placement with an Erasmus work grant, for example, could make this the cheapest year of your programme.

Universities outside the EU may charge you a fee for courses but we will reimburse you for this provided the course has been approved. You will be informed about the cost implications as you plan your year abroad, during Year 2.

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

• College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions Office
• Email: CAHSS.UGAdmissions@ed.ac.uk
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3565
• Web: German website
• International enquiries