German and Norwegian

German and Norwegian together form an unusual and rewarding linguistic combination. Both belong to the Germanic family of languages, sharing deep historical roots, but they diverge in ways that make studying them side by side genuinely illuminating. German is the most spoken native language in the European Union, the language of one of Europe's most powerful economies and most influential cultural traditions in philosophy, literature, and music.

Norwegian connects you to one of Scandinavia's most distinctive cultures and to a country with one of the highest standards of living and quality of life in the world, as well as to broader Nordic cultural and political contexts. Together they open up a rich sweep of European history, literature, politics, and society.

At University College London, one of the world's great research universities, this four-year full-time programme develops your language skills in both German and Norwegian to a high level, alongside a serious engagement with the literatures, cultures, and histories of the German-speaking and Norwegian-speaking worlds. UCL's Department of Scandinavian Studies is one of the few in the UK that can offer Norwegian at this level, and the combination with German reflects the strength of the institution's European languages provision. The typical entry tariff of 168 points reflects the competitive nature of the programme and the high standards of analytical and linguistic ability it expects.

Graduates of German and Norwegian programmes are among the most linguistically distinctive in the humanities, and the combination is genuinely unusual in the UK job market. Careers in translation and interpreting, diplomacy, international organisations, journalism, publishing, business development in Scandinavian and German-speaking markets, and cultural institutions are all natural destinations. The analytical and communicative skills developed through close engagement with two foreign languages and their cultural contexts are also valued more broadly across professional fields.

Postgraduate study in German, Scandinavian studies, translation, European politics, or international business is available for those who want to develop specialist expertise.