Course summary

Lancaster’s joint German Studies and Computing is taught by the Department of Languages and Cultures in conjunction with the School of Computing and Communications. Your German Studies programme enables you to acquire high-level language skills while gaining a thorough understanding of the country’s historical, cultural, social and political background in a global context. In Computing, you’ll focus on developing professional skills, including extensive study of software and systems development. Your first year comprises an exploration of the German language and its cultural context, as well as core modules in the fundamentals of computer science and software development. Alongside this, you will study a minor subject of your choice. 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 modules such as Databases, HCI, Networking and Software Design. Spending your third year abroad in a German-speaking country makes a major contribution to your command of the language, 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 ‘Translation as a Cultural Practice’. You will also select Computing modules such as Internet Applications Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. Beginners Languages Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so we only allow students to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at our first year module options. If you apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, your optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.