German and English Literature, MA (Hons)

More people speak German as their native language than any other in Europe, and it is the third most popular foreign language taught worldwide. For centuries, both English and German-speaking cultures have had a profound international influence on literature. This joint honours programme aims to develop your critical, analytic, linguistic and creative skills by engaging with a broad range of texts in both English and German, and a variety of approaches to reading. German Intensive language training, including a year abroad, will give you the chance to gain professional skills in all aspects of German, including writing, speaking, presenting and translating. You will also explore German-language literature, film and theatre, all within the context of historical and political developments from the eighteenth century to contemporary times. English Literature Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, you will study in the oldest department of English Literature in the UK, one of the longest established in the world. You will gain the essential skills needed for the critical close reading of poetry, drama and prose and explore the cultural contexts of writing in English from the late Middle Ages to the present. At honours level, you will select courses on the basis of your own interests in specific topics, periods or literary genres. Combining literature with a language shows an openness to ideas and perspectives other than your own, an essential attribute in many careers and a global marketplace. Why Edinburgh We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working. Our language programmes are also extremely flexible. In Years 1 and 2, you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines in addition to your core subjects, giving you the breadth of education valued by graduate employers worldwide.