German and Sustainable Development

German and Sustainable Development brings together language and culture study with one of the most pressing intellectual and policy challenges of our time. Germany is at the centre of European environmental politics, the home of some of the world's most ambitious climate policy, and the origin of the influential tradition of ecological thinking that has shaped international debate. Studying German alongside sustainable development is therefore not just a convenient pairing: the German-speaking world is a significant participant in the global conversations about energy transition, biodiversity, urban sustainability and the governance of climate change.

At the University of St Andrews, the four-year MA (Hons) programme develops your German language and communication skills to a high level of proficiency, allowing you to engage with German-language texts, media and cultural life directly. You will explore the rich cultural heritage of the German-speaking lands through literature, film, history and intellectual history, while the sustainable development strand provides rigorous training in environmental science, development economics, environmental politics and the policy frameworks through which societies are attempting to respond to ecological crisis. The degree includes a year abroad, which is an essential dimension of serious language study and which may also provide direct experience of sustainability policy and practice in a German-speaking context.

This degree is well suited to people who want to work at the intersection of environmental policy, international affairs and cultural understanding. Graduates move into careers in environmental organisations, international development, the civil service, European institutions, journalism, NGOs and the research community. Postgraduate study in sustainable development, environmental policy, German studies, European affairs or international relations is a natural continuation.