German and Spanish

German and Spanish together represent two of the most globally significant languages in Europe and the world beyond it. German is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union, the language of one of the world's largest economies, and a language with a literary, philosophical, and scientific tradition of extraordinary depth. Spanish is the second most widely spoken native language on Earth, the official language of over twenty countries, and a language whose cultural reach spans Europe, Latin America, and communities across North America and beyond.

Studying both to degree level opens an enormous breadth of cultural, professional, and intellectual territory.

At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year full-time programme allows you to develop advanced proficiency in both languages alongside a deep engagement with the literatures, histories, and cultures of German-speaking and Spanish-speaking worlds. Edinburgh is one of the UK's great research universities, with strong modern languages departments and a genuinely international academic community. The four-year structure of a Scottish degree gives you additional time to develop both languages in depth, and the programme will involve intensive language work, literary and cultural study, and engagement with contemporary society and politics in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, and Latin America.

Language degrees at Edinburgh typically involve the expectation of significant time spent in countries where the languages are spoken, and students are encouraged to pursue this through academic exchanges, work placements, or study abroad arrangements.

Graduates of German and Spanish programmes move into careers across a wide range of sectors, including diplomacy and international affairs, European Union institutions, translation and interpreting, international business, journalism, publishing, law, and education. The combination of two major European languages is particularly valued in organisations operating across European and Latin American markets.