Course summary

On this joint honours programme, you will study two major languages in the context of the histories, literatures and societies of the countries in which they are spoken. China is one of the world's oldest civilisations, while German-speaking cultures have long had a profound international influence. In Europe, more people speak German as their native language than any other. The language ranks in the World's Top 20, being particularly important for business and politics. Mandarin Chinese is the world's second most widely spoken language. It is your gateway to a major economic and political global power - one whose scale makes an understanding of regional and cultural differences essential. Language learning in a cultural context Edinburgh is the only university in Scotland to offer both single and joint honours undergraduate programmes in Chinese. While we specialise in teaching students with little or no prior knowledge of the language, we can also accommodate students who already have some experience studying Chinese. Study with us and you will develop advanced competency in the Chinese language. You will also gain specialist knowledge on mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and associated diasporas in pre-modern, modern and contemporary contexts. Courses explore history, literature, culture, politics and international relations. Likewise, you will learn the German language to an advanced level while studying literature, film and theatre, all within the context of historical and political developments from the eighteenth century to contemporary times. Immersive study includes a year abroad, spending time in either China or Taiwan and in a German-speaking country. By the end of the programme, you will be able to demonstrate a range of advanced language skills in both Chinese and German together with the critical skills and cultural awareness valued by employers around the globe.