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German and Philosophy at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS

Course summary

German thought has had a profound impact on philosophy, culture and science. Many of the most influential European thinkers have come from the German-speaking world, from Arendt to Hegel, Leibnitz to Wittgenstein. German Across all four years of our programme, including a year abroad in Year 3, your studies will give you the chance to gain professional skills in all aspects of German, including:

  • reading and listening
  • writing and translating
  • speaking and presenting
As well as language learning, you will also explore German-language literature, film and theatre. You will study these in the context of historical and political developments, from the eighteenth century to contemporary times. On this programme, you will take one of the following as your first language course:
  • German 1A - for beginners
  • German 1B - for students with more experience of learning the language
By your final year, you will have developed the linguistic, critical and analytical skills to the standard of completing a dissertation or long essay. Philosophy Studying philosophy will:
  • allow you to think about some of the great philosophical questions in a clear, disciplined and systematic manner
  • introduce you to the thinking of some of the great philosophers of the past and present
  • illuminate the connections between diverse areas of human experience
  • make you more aware of the assumptions that form the basis of your beliefs
Why Edinburgh As a world-leading historic, festival and capital city, Edinburgh is the ideal place to study a modern language in its cultural context. We have a strong historic connection to Philosophy, counting Adam Ferguson and Sir William Hamilton among our former students, and the subject has been taught at the University since its foundation in 1583. German has been taught here since 1894, making it one of the first European languages to be offered at the University. We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working. Graduating with a degree in German and Philosophy from Edinburgh gives you the combination of language and humanities skills, and the international perspective, valued by employers worldwide. How long it takes to complete this degree programme This programme is studied over 4 years, including a year abroad. This enables us to build choice and flexibility into your studies, giving you time to explore options, find what you like and build your skills. Your first two years will be your pre-honours years. They will give you a good grounding in your subjects. In addition to your core courses, you will broaden your education and skill set by choosing option courses from a range of disciplines. This may enable you to change the focus of your programme. Your final two years will be your honours years. You will spend Year 3 studying abroad, gaining lived experience of German-speaking culture. Year 4 will be tailored to your interests in specific topics, periods, or approaches to German and Philosophy. Programme benefits
  • Learn in a historic, capital city where German has been taught for over a century.
  • Study over four years, including one abroad.
  • Become fluent in a language.
  • Try out different subjects in your first two years.
  • Join societies related to what you are studying.
  • Delve into fantastic libraries and collections.


How to apply

This course is not open to application until the 13th May 2025.

Application codes

Course code:
RV25
Institution code:
E56
Campus name:
Central area campus
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Standard Qualification Requirements

This degree programme has a subject requirement of a language other than English. You may not use your own native language to meet this requirement. English or an alternative language other than native will be acceptable.  Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/271-german-and-philosophy

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Please click the following link to find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course

https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/271-german-and-philosophy


English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL (iBT)92total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
Cambridge English Advancedtotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Cambridge English Proficiencytotal 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISEISE II with distinctions in all four components.

You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at C; GCSE: English at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate: English at C; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.

Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:

https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
90%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Channel Islands £9535* Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535* Year 1
Scotland £1820* Year 1
England £9535* Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535* Year 1
Wales £9535* Year 1
EU £29600 Year 1
International £29600 Year 1

*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Scotland - Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees. Please note the 2026-27 fee rate is yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government. England/Wales/Northern Ireland - The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed. The fee for 2025 entry was £9,535. For 2026 entry this may increase in line with inflation and will be subject to government limits. EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees. Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme
German and Philosophy at The University of Edinburgh - UCAS