German and Polish

German and Polish is a combination that spans two of Europe's most historically significant cultures and languages, connecting the Germanic tradition with the Slavic tradition through study of the two most important national languages in Central Europe. Germany and Poland are close neighbours with a relationship shaped by some of the twentieth century's most dramatic and tragic history, and understanding both languages and cultures gives you a perspective on that history and on contemporary European politics that is rare and genuinely valuable.

University College London offers this four-year full-time programme, developing genuine proficiency in both German and Polish alongside a serious engagement with their associated literatures, histories and cultures. UCL is one of the few UK universities with the depth of provision to offer this particular combination at the highest academic level. The German strand takes your language to an advanced academic level alongside engagement with German literary and intellectual culture from the medieval period to the present.

The Polish strand develops proficiency from whatever your starting point, taking you through the language's complex grammar and vocabulary to a level at which you can engage with Polish literary and cultural texts in the original. The combination of Germanic and Slavic linguistic study develops exceptional linguistic breadth and the analytical flexibility that comes from working across different language families.

The degree trains linguistic precision, deep cultural knowledge, comparative historical understanding and the research and analytical skills that serious language study demands.

Graduates work in diplomacy, translation, international organisations, journalism, academia, the cultural sector, international business and a wide range of roles where Central European linguistic and cultural expertise is valued. Postgraduate study in German, Polish, Slavic studies, translation or comparative literature is a natural option for those wishing to develop their expertise further.