German and Politics

German and Politics is a degree that connects the depth of one of Europe's major languages with the analytical rigour of political science. Germany is not merely a significant country in its own right; it has been at the centre of the major political transformations of the twentieth century, from Weimar democracy and the Third Reich to division, reunification, and the emergence of the Federal Republic as a cornerstone of European governance. Understanding German politics, society, and culture in any depth requires the language, and understanding the language opens access to the primary sources, the intellectual traditions, and the political debates that have shaped European history.

At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year full-time programme develops your German language skills to a high level while also giving you a thorough grounding in political science. In German you will study literature, cultural history, film, and contemporary discourse, working across written, spoken, and analytical registers. In Politics you will engage with comparative government, political theory, international relations, and the study of democratic institutions and their challenges, developing the analytical and argumentative skills that political science requires.

The two subjects enrich each other: your political knowledge deepens your engagement with German political texts and history, while your linguistic competence gives you direct access to the political and cultural debates of the German-speaking world.

Edinburgh's political science department is research active and internationally oriented, and the German department has particular strengths in modern German culture and literature.

Graduates pursue careers in the civil service, diplomacy, journalism, European institutions, international business, academia, education, and think tanks. Many go on to postgraduate study in German studies, political science, or European politics. The combination of language and political analysis is particularly valued in careers with a European dimension.