German / History

Why study German and History at Aberystwyth University?

• History at Aberystwyth has been taught since 1872, making our department the most established and the foremost in Britain.
• Teaching in the Department of History and Welsh History is innovative, research-based and designed to develop your transferable skills in areas such as analysis, interpretation and communication. This prepares you for a wide range of careers.
• From the beginning of your degree, you will receive 4 hours of language work per week within the Department of Modern Languages. This includes reading/writing, aural, listening and translation. These four areas of linguistic development will provide you with a solid foundation from which to increase your fluency competencies in German.
• This degree is also available to you if you wish to study German as a beginner. At beginners level and in your first year, you will be taught differently from the students who are entering the course at an advanced level (A level or equivalent). You will receive intensive language classes bringing you to the same linguistic level as our advanced students. In your second and final year, you will continue the course with the advanced students.
• In addition to linguistic classes, you will have the opportunity to study core and optional modules within the Department of Modern Languages in a broad range of topics, from literature and culture, to language, politics, and business.
• As a vibrant, international university, we attract students from all corners of the world. Many of the staff who will teach you are native German speakers. We also teach most of our modules and classes through the target language, which means that you will have a broad exposure to the target languages that you are learning.
• The highlight of this degree for all of our students is the year abroad. You will be required to spend your year abroad (your third year) in Spain or a Spanish speaking country. Some students opt to spend their time studying with one of our partnered universities. Others have spent their time undertaking a paid or unpaid work experience. Find out what your options are by visiting our page Modern Languages - Where can I go?

Our Staff

Staff in the Department of History and Welsh History are active researchers and experts in their field of History. Most are qualified to PhD level and hold PGCHE. To find out more about our staff, please visit our departmental staff page.

All of the lecturers in the Department of Modern Languages are qualified to PhD level and are research active specialists in their chosen field. We also employ highly qualified and experienced language tutors, and native-speakers, who will ensure that your learning is of the highest possible quality and who will provide you with constant support through your years of study.

What opportunities exist after graduating?

Many of our students go on to teach the language they themselves have learned and a high proportion of our graduates go into administrative and managerial posts. A degree from the Department of Modern Languages is a qualification which opens the door to many professions in Britain, such as the civil service, tourism, social work, librarianship, publishing and broadcasting, and our degrees also take our students across the world.

While many History graduates take up careers directly linked to their subject such as working in the fields of archive, heritage or museum management, others find employment in a wide range of related and non-related professional employment, including librarianship, records management, journalism, media, advertising, the legal profession, local government, business and finance, a range of jobs which incorporate research, professional writing, the police force, the military, public relations and personnel management. The research and analytical skills you will develop during your degree also provide a sound basis for postgraduate study and for a career in academia.

Your year abroad will set you apart from the majority of graduates, demonstrating your ability to live in a foreign environment, and immerse yourself in a different culture. Alongside this, the university will offer you a range of initiatives to help improve your employability skills. Paid work and work experience opportunities are available in the University and the town, and the Careers Advisory Service are able to assist you in planning your future, putting together a CV, and looking for work during and after your studies. Furthermore, the University’s Personal Development Portfolio, in which you record and reflect on your academic studies, the development of your skills and your plans for the future is a useful way of tracking your progress through your studies, and can help you to decide what career might be suitable for you.

Transferable Skills

Studying for a degree in German and History will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued by employers. These include:

• the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
• effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills;
• The ability to work independently
• time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
• self-motivation and self-reliance
• team-work, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement
• Research skills.