German and Philosophy

German and philosophy is a combination that joins one of Europe's most philosophically rich languages and literary traditions with the discipline that has used them most powerfully. German is the native language of around a hundred million people and the primary language of the largest economy in Europe. It is also the language in which a significant portion of the most important philosophical work of the modern era was written, from Kant and Hegel through to Nietzsche, Heidegger and the Frankfurt School, making philosophical study and German language study natural companions.

Together, the two subjects give you access to intellectual traditions that have shaped the modern world in profound ways.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year MA programme develops your German language and communications skills to a high level of proficiency through study of the language, literature and culture of the German-speaking lands, following your own particular interests across a broad range of available course options. Alongside this, you will develop your philosophical skills in ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, political philosophy and logic, learning to construct and evaluate arguments with rigour. A year abroad is built into the programme, giving you extended time in a German-speaking country to develop your linguistic and cultural fluency.

Graduates who combine German with philosophy are well prepared for careers in law, the civil service, international organisations, academia, publishing, journalism, education, cultural institutions and a wide range of roles in German-speaking countries and in international contexts where knowledge of German business and culture is valued. The analytical and argumentative skills developed through philosophy are highly transferable, and the linguistic competence adds genuine professional distinctiveness. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in philosophy, German studies, political theory, law or European affairs.