German

Course summary

Years 1 and 2 of the course will allow you to extend your knowledge of language by building upon the skills learnt and developed at GCSE, becoming more proficient at listening, speaking, reading and writing. Many topics are covered, including; youth culture (music, fashion), the family, the effects of technology, festivals and traditions, aspects of multiculturalism in German-speaking countries, and aspects of the artistic and political culture in the target language countries such as German reunification and its consequences. An exciting and rewarding part of the course is the study of film and literature, both of which will give you insights into the culture of the language. By the end of the course, you will feel confident about speaking, writing and understanding German. In addition, you will have gained an insight into Germany, Switzerland and Austria, their people, language and culture. Taking German at A Level will give you the potential to pursue it at a higher level, possibly with another subject. German will interest you if you enjoy communicating with others and wish to broaden your cultural horizons. If you like literature and film these aspects of the course will appeal to you. A good memory for new words and an understanding of how grammar works are helpful and we will build on these skills. You will also conduct an Independent Research Project on a theme of your choice related to German culture so you will have the chance to focus on your specific area of interest. You will also have the opportunity to participate in a language visit to Berlin. As a linguist, a huge array of career options is open to you. German is the most widely spoken language in Europe with 110 million speakers. German-speaking nations are at the forefront of design, environmental and scientific technology. German can be combined with many other subjects, allowing students to develop linguistic and vocational skills. Former students have studied German and Law, German and History, German and Russian. The transferable skills of linguists make them highly sought after across all professions including banking, business, accounting, the media, travel and tourism. On average, language graduates earn 8% more than their peers.