What Will You Study
Lancaster’s joint German Studies and English Literature degree is taught by the Department of Languages and Cultures in conjunction with the Department of English and Creative Writing.
Your German Studies programme enables you to acquire high-level language skills and gain a thorough understanding of the country’s historical, cultural, social and political background in a global context. In English Literature you will study a wide range of authors, genres, historical periods, literary movements, techniques and critical approaches.
Your first year comprises an exploration of the German language and its cultural context, as well as a core module in English Literature. Alongside this, you can choose another English module such as World Literature or Creative Writing, or alternatively a minor subject that complements your degree.
Building on your language skills in Year 2, you will study the culture, politics and history of Germany and Austria in more depth, as well as selecting modules which are international in scope and promote a comparative understanding of Europe and beyond. You will combine these with the core English module, ‘The Theory and Practice of Criticism’ and choose options such as ‘British Romanticism’, ‘Literature and Film’ and ‘American Literature to 1900’.
Spending your third year abroad in a German-speaking country gives you the opportunity to develop your language proficiency while deepening your intercultural sensitivity. You can study at a partner institution or conduct a work placement.
In your final year, you consolidate your German language skills, and study specialist culture and comparative modules, such as ‘Mirrors across Media: Reflexivity in Literature, Film, Comics and Video Games’. You will also select English Literature modules such as the full-year ‘Shakespeare’ and ‘Contemporary Literature’ as well as choosing from a variety of specialist half-year modules.
Related Courses
- Chinese Studies and English Literature : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and Film : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and French Studies : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and German Studies : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and History : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and Linguistics : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and Mathematics : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and Philosophy : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and Politics : BA Hons
- Chinese Studies and Spanish Studies : BA Hons
- Criminology and French Studies : BA Hons
- English Language and Chinese Studies : BA Hons
- English Language and Creative Writing : BA Hons
- English Language and Creative Writing (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- English Language and French Studies : BA Hons
- English Language and German Studies : BA Hons
- English Language and Literature : BA Hons
- English Language and Literature (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- English Language and Spanish Studies : BA Hons
- English Literature : BA Hons
- English Literature (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- English Literature and Creative Writing : BA Hons
- English Literature and Creative Writing (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- English Literature and History : BA Hons
- English Literature and History (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- English Literature and Philosophy : BA Hons
- English Literature and Philosophy (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- English Literature with Creative Writing : BA Hons
- English Literature with Creative Writing (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- Film and Creative Writing : BA Hons
- Film and Creative Writing (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- Film and English Literature : BA Hons
- Film and English Literature (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- Fine Art and Creative Writing : BA Hons
- Fine Art and Creative Writing (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- French Studies : BA Hons
- French Studies and Computing : BSc Hons
- French Studies and English Literature : BA Hons
- French Studies and Film : BA Hons
- French Studies and Geography : BA Hons
- French Studies and German Studies : BA Hons
- French Studies and History : BA Hons
- French Studies and Linguistics : BA Hons
- French Studies and Mathematics : BA Hons
- French Studies and Philosophy : BA Hons
- French Studies and Politics : BA Hons
- French Studies and Spanish Studies : BA Hons
- French Studies and Theatre : BA Hons
- French Studies with Italian : BA Hons
- German Studies : BA Hons
- German Studies and Computing : BSc Hons
- German Studies and Film : BA Hons
- German Studies and Geography : BA Hons
- German Studies and History : BA Hons
- German Studies and Linguistics : BA Hons
- German Studies and Mathematics : BA Hons
- German Studies and Philosophy : BA Hons
- German Studies and Politics : BA Hons
- German Studies and Spanish Studies : BA Hons
- German Studies and Theatre : BA Hons
- German Studies with Italian : BA Hons
- Management and French Studies : BA Hons
- Management and German Studies : BA Hons
- Management and Spanish Studies : BA Hons
- Modern Languages : BA Hons
- Modern Languages and Cultures : MLang Hons
- Psychology and Chinese Studies : BA Hons
- Psychology and French Studies : BA Hons
- Psychology and German Studies : BA Hons
- Psychology and Spanish Studies : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Computing : BSc Hons
- Spanish Studies and English Literature : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Film : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Geography : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and History : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Linguistics : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Mathematics : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Philosophy : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Politics : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies and Theatre : BA Hons
- Spanish Studies with Italian : BA Hons
- Theatre and Chinese Studies : BA Hons
- Theatre and Creative Writing : BA Hons
- Theatre and Creative Writing (Placement Year) : BA Hons
- Theatre and English Literature : BA Hons
- Theatre and English Literature (Placement Year) : BA Hons
Modules
Year 1
- Literature in Crisis: From Chaucer to Comics
- Part I German Studies (Advanced/CEFR: B1)
- Part I German Studies (Beginners to CEFR: A2)
- German Language: Oral Skills (CEFR: B2)
- German Language: Oral Skills (post-Beginners/CEFR: B1)
- German Language: Written Skills (CEFR: B2)
- German Language: Written Skills (Post-Beginners/CEFR: B1)
- Second Year Programme for Academic Skills, Employability and International placement preparation
- Shaping Contemporary German-Speaking Europe: Moments and Movements
- The Theory and Practice of Criticism
- American Literature to 1900
- British Romanticism
- Economic and Social Change in France, Germany and Spain since 1945
- Language and Identity in France, Germany and Spain
- Late Medieval to Early Modern Literature
- Literature, Film, and Media
- Professional Contexts for Modern Languages
- Society on Screen: The Language of Film
- Understanding culture
- Victorian Literature
- 21st Century Theory: Literature, Culture, Criticism
- African Literature
- Between the Acts
- Bible and Literature
- Contemporary Cities in Literature and Film
- Contemporary Fiction and Critical Theory
- Contemporary Literature in English
- Dissertation Unit
- Early Modern Outlaws: On Land and Sea
- Elizabethan Embodiment
- Images of Austria: National Identity and Cultural Representation
- Imagining Modern Europe: Post-Revolutionary Utopias and Ideologies in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century
- Literature and Fame in Contemporary Germany
- Literature and the Visual Arts
- Monstrous Bodies: Romantic Period Poetry and Prose
- Other Victorians
- Performing Death, Desire and Gender
- Ruskin on Art, Architecture and Society
- Schools Volunteering Project
- Science Fiction in Literature and Film
- Shakespeare
- The Byron-Shelley Circle
- The Literature of Sleep
- The Postcolonial Indian Novel in English
- Translation as a Cultural Practice
- Utopias and Utopianism
- Victorian Gothic
- Victorian Popular Fiction
- Where Do Poems Come From? Process, Manuscripts, Text
- Women Writers of Britain and America
Core
Year 2
Core
Optional
Year 3
Core
Year 4
Core
Optional
Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and others which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism. We divide academic study into two sections - Part 1 (Year 1) and Part 2 (Year 2, 3 and sometimes 4). For most programmes Part 1 requires you to study 120 credits spread over at least three modules which, depending upon your programme, will be drawn from one, two or three different academic subjects. A higher degree of specialisation then develops in subsequent years. For more information about our teaching methods at Lancaster please visit our Teaching and Learning section.
The following courses do not offer modules outside of the subject area due to the structured nature of the programmes: Architecture, Law, Physics, Engineering, Medicine, Sports and Exercise Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedicine and Biomedical Science.
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research.
Entry Criteria
Grade Requirements
A Level AAB
Required Subjects A level English Literature or A level English Language and Literature grade A. A level German, or if this is to be studied from beginners’ level, AS grade B or A level grade B in another foreign language, or GCSE grade A or 7 in a foreign language. Native German speakers will not be accepted onto this scheme.
IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.
Other Qualifications
International Baccalaureate 35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects including 6 in a HL Literature subject, and appropriate evidence of language ability
BTEC Considered alongside A level English Literature or A level English Language and Literature grade A, and appropriate evidence of language ability
We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.
Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
Careers
As well as language and subject-related skills, a degree in languages can help you to develop rich interpersonal, intercultural, cognitive and transferable skills. Combined with the communication, self-expression, research and critical understanding skills that can be gained by studying English Literature, a wide range of business and public-sector roles will be open to you. Some of our graduates go on to work in publishing, journalism, librarianship, television and the media, IT, business development, civil service, events management, finance, research and sales, as well as teaching and translating both in the UK and abroad.
The Complete University Guide 2020 ranked English joint 8th in the UK for graduate prospects.
Some graduates continue their studies at Lancaster, making the most of our postgraduate research facilities. We offer Masters degrees in Translation, Languages and Cultures, English Literary Studies and Creative Writing, as well as a range of PhD research degrees.
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, but that you also graduate with relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.
Studying
Teaching and Learning Methods
At Lancaster we offer a broad range of learning environments designed to best support the requirements of your chosen degree programme. These may include lecture and tutorials, interactive workshops, laboratory sessions, other practical activities, student-led seminars and web-based delivery.
The modules which make up a programme of study are assessed using a variety of different methods, enabling students to demonstrate their capabilities in a range of ways. Typical coursework assignments include laboratory reports, essays, literature reviews, short tests, short and sharply focused critical reports, poster sessions and oral presentations. Formal examinations include short answer questions, essays and data analysis. Multiple choice formats are also employed where appropriate. Students are supported in the production of final year project reports and dissertations. Details of the assessment methods for individual modules can be accessed via the university's online module catalogue. In addition to these learning and teaching methods we encourage independent study, meaning you take responsibility for your own learning. For more information visit our Teaching Approach page.
Assessment Methods
We offer you a variety of stimulating and effective approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. This enables you and your tutors to explore the very latest thinking within your subject and develops your skills in problem solving, analysis and critical reflection, communication, application of knowledge and modern technologies.
As a University, we commit to providing all our undergraduates with a minimum number of contact hours per week, providing you with timely feedback on your work and a maximum number of 15 students per seminar group.
Fees
We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2018-19 entry fees have not yet been set.
As a guide, our fees in 2017-18 were:
UK/EU (2017-18) | Overseas (2017-18) |
---|---|
£9,250 | £19,930 |
Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
Some science and medicine courses have higher fees for students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. You can find more details here: Island Students.
Funding
For full details of the University's financial support packages including eligibility criteria, please visit our fees and funding page
Students also need to consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation it may be necessary to take out subscriptions to professional bodies and to buy business attire for job interviews.