Study German at a UK Top 10 University*
*Complete University Guide 2025
German at the University of Exeter is an internationally recognised hub of teaching and research in German language and culture, nestled within the welcoming and supportive community of the Department of Languages, Cultures, and Visual Studies. We have carefully designed pathways focusing on core language teaching either from post A-level or Beginners level; your language study will be guided by both native and non-native speakers of German.
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Top 10 for German in the UK
9th in the Complete University Guide 2025
Top 150 worldwide for Modern Languages
QS World University Subject Rankings 2024
Spend a year abroad on an International Placement
1st in the UK for research impact
Joint 1st for world-leading or internationally excellent research, REF 2021
Discover world-class German degrees at the University of Exeter
With over 200 million speakers, German provides a passport to a diverse community of speakers worldwide. Learning German also opens up a treasure trove of European culture and a major economy whose political, diplomatic and economic influence reaches across the world.
German at Exeter is characterised by a wide-ranging teaching and research approach to the society, literature, history and culture of the German-speaking world, with optional cultural modules including film, museum studies, medical and queer history and migration. Material studied is based on diverse media, including films and documentaries, literary texts, statistics, visual arts and historical documents.
Students on one of our undergraduate courses have the option of spending their third year in a German-speaking country either studying at one of our renowned partner universities such as Vienna, Tübingen and Humboldt University in Berlin, gaining valuable employment experience and practical applied learning by working abroad, or teaching English as part of a British Council placement in Austria, Germany, or Switzerland (subject to availability).
At the heart of our Department is our pioneering Language Centre. You will find community-driven learning opportunities such as the Languages Café, and fantastic self-study resources and learning spaces. The Centre also provides credit-bearing modules for those studying outside of the Department.
Four pathways to study German at Exeter
Undergraduate German degrees
Through our BA Modern Languages programme, you can choose to focus on German and graduate with a BA in German, or study German alongside one or two other languages (eg, Chinese, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish).
Alternatively, you may choose to broaden your study with ancient and contemporary study of literature, film, and art from Germany and German-speaking countries through our BA Comparative Literatures and Modern Languages programme, with the opportunity to focus on German and graduate with a BA in Comparative Literatures and German.
You can begin German study from Beginners or Advanced level. You will also be able to study modules from other disciplines outside of Modern Languages such as Politics and History.
Undergraduate combined honours degrees
Study a language alongside Arabic, Art History & Visual Culture, Classical Studies, English, Film Studies, History, International Relations, Latin, Politics, Philosophy or Sociology as part of one of our Combined Honours programmes. You may choose to focus on German and graduate with German in your degree title in place of Modern Languages.
You can also study German with a bespoke and tailored selection of subjects and modules as part of our Flexible Combined Honours programme.
Postgraduate German degrees
Postgraduate German degrees
You can study German through our Language Centre as part of your course on our MA Global Literatures and Cultures programme, while also exploring modules driven by our internationally recognised research such as Green Matters in Modern Languages and Cultures.
Students on our MA Translation Studies programme can focus on German, taking advantage of our expertise in the language to guide their studies. You can also enjoy and take part in research seminars and events through the University's Centre for Translating Cultures.
German PhDs and research degrees
We offer sector-leading research degrees in German, including MPhil or PhD German Studies and MA by Research Modern Languages.
Researchers in the Department of Languages, Cultures, and Visual Studies are actively engaged in cutting-edge projects across a broad range of research interests, 18th and 19th century cultural and literary studies, museum studies, memory studies, and the Culture of the Weimar Republic. The department boasts specialists in in the use of machine translation and computer-assisted translation tools, as well as frequent public seminars and lecture series which feature distinguished scholars and public figures in related fields.
Why choose the University of Exeter?
We offer world-class education and research with outstanding student satisfaction, committed to working with our students to make the world greener, healthier, and fairer. With beautiful, green campuses in Devon and Cornwall, we offer a unique opportunity to study in one of the most stunning parts of the UK.
As a member of the Russell Group, we are committed to maintaining the very best internationally recognised research, and translating our research into an outstanding teaching and learning experience. Our excellence is recognised by organisations worldwide, with Exeter graduates in the UK's top 10 for most targeted by leading employers*.
* The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research
