German and English Language

Course outline

Taught within our School of Languages and Social Sciences, this course combines the study of German and English Language.

In German we emphasise the practical application of language in real-life and professional situations.

There are a varied and exciting range of module choices in areas such as film and cinema, translation, interpreting, the media and press, contemporary history and culture and linguistics. All of our modules – not just language classes – are taught in German enabling you to rapidly improve your language skills. Although this may seem daunting at first, our approach to language teaching is a key factor in our outstanding graduate employment record: our students graduate with near-native language skills, making them highly attractive to employers.

There is a fully integrated Year Abroad with extensive preparation and support offered by our dedicated international placements team.

Learning, teaching & assessment

You will take part in interactive seminars, presentations and group work as well as attending lectures and tutorials. There are also opportunities for individual research and guided study. We teach many of our courses in German, which means that our students are at a real advantage when it comes to gaining maximum benefit and experience from the year abroad.

You will be allocated a personal tutor who can provide you with help and advice.

Assessment is through a combination of written and oral exams, coursework, essays, presentations and an extended dissertation during your final year.

Year abroad

All students studying English Language and a Modern Foreign Language undertake a compulsory year abroad. The Aston year abroad offers a great deal of flexibility – with the option of studying, working, undertaking a teaching assistantship or combining several of this options!

At Aston we have a high percentage of students doing an industrial work placement in their year abroad. Recent work placements include IBM, Nobert Zänker (Translation Company), Volkswagen, Continental, and SAP. If you would like to study at an exchange university abroad we currently have links with prestigious institutions in Leipzig, Paderborn, and Viadrina (Frankfurt an der Oder). Recent students have also undertaken Teaching Assistantships in Germany, Austria and German speaking Switzerland.

Whichever option you choose experienced staff in the International Placements Office will assist you in finding placements and in every aspect of preparation for the year abroad.

Career prospects

Aston’s Modern Language courses are ranked 3rd in the UK (out of over 90 universities) for job prospects (Guardian University Guide 2009) and joint 1st for % of graduates employed.

Our graduates enter careers in UK and international business/marketing, the languages and communications professions, education, European institutions and research.

Recent Aston Graduate First Destinations included:

• Graduate Trainee Managers for British Airways, Aldi Stores, John Lewis Partnership and Selfridges

• Journalist for Tatler Magazine

• Michelin - Senior Administrator

• Public Relations Officers for a number of companies

• European Union/European Parliament Officers/Assistants

• PGCE Secondary Teaching Qualification - French and German Teachers

• Marketing Assistant at Beiersdorf (makers of NIVEA amongst other products)

• German/English Translators at companies such as Volkswagen and freelance work

• Bilingual Marketing Assistant at 3Com (an international Internet and Telecomms company)

• Trainee Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers

Further study and PhD Research in the areas of International Politics, European Cultural Studies, Linguistics and Translation/Interpreting.