German/Philosophy

German is a key European language with a rich intellectual and cultural heritage, opening access to some of the most significant literature, philosophy, music and political history of the modern age. Goethe, Kafka, Nietzsche and Brecht are just a few of the thinkers and writers whose work is best encountered in the original. Philosophy, meanwhile, is the discipline that asks the deepest questions about knowledge, existence, ethics and the structure of language itself, and the German philosophical tradition, from Kant and Hegel to Wittgenstein, has been central to that enquiry.

At the University of Glasgow you will study this five-year full-time programme, which includes both a sandwich placement year and embedded work placement opportunities. Glasgow's teaching in German spans a wide spectrum, from the eighteenth century to contemporary culture, allowing you to develop strong language skills alongside deep engagement with literary and cultural history. In Philosophy you will encounter the major traditions of Western thought, analytical and continental, and develop the capacity for sustained argument and precise conceptual analysis.

Studying in Scotland's largest city gives you access to a diverse and internationally connected academic community, and the combination of language and philosophy makes the whole experience of living and working in a culturally complex environment an intellectual resource as well as a personal one.

The combination of German and Philosophy is highly regarded by employers who value rigorous thinking, clear communication and the ability to engage across cultural and disciplinary boundaries. Careers in law, diplomacy, the civil service, publishing, journalism, international business, consultancy and education are all well-established destinations for graduates with this background. The German language itself opens opportunities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, countries with large and diverse economies.

Postgraduate study in philosophy, European literature, comparative thought or translation is a natural progression, and the analytical skills built in this programme transfer well to legal and professional qualifications.