Economics and German

Economics and German is a combination that unites rigorous analytical training with deep cultural and linguistic access to one of Europe's most powerful economies. Economics provides the theoretical frameworks and quantitative methods to understand how markets work, how policies affect economic outcomes, and how individual and collective decisions aggregate into the patterns of growth, employment, and trade that shape the world. German adds a dimension that very few economists possess: fluency in the language of the largest economy in the European Union, a country at the centre of European policy-making, global manufacturing, and international finance.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year programme leads to an MA (Hons) and gives you a structured, cumulative, and rigorous grounding in both disciplines. In economics you will develop your analytical and decision-making abilities through training in quantitative and model-based methods, studying both micro and macroeconomic theory alongside empirical approaches. In German you will develop linguistic fluency alongside engagement with German literature, culture, and intellectual history, building the knowledge to work effectively in German-speaking professional environments.

The programme includes a year abroad, which may be spent studying at a German university or working in a German-speaking professional context.

Graduates from this combination are exceptionally well placed for careers in international finance, economic consultancy, European policy organisations, the civil service, international business, and investment management. The ability to combine economic analysis with German language skills is particularly valued by financial institutions, consulting firms, and multinational companies with significant German operations. Postgraduate study in economics, European studies, finance, or German is a natural next step for those who want to build deeper expertise.