History and German

History and German is a combination that rewards intellectual ambition in two related but distinct ways. History gives you the tools to examine the past critically, to evaluate evidence, to construct arguments and to understand how events and societies have changed over time. German, one of Europe's most important languages, gives you access to a rich literary, philosophical and cultural tradition, and to one of the world's leading economies.

The two subjects speak to each other particularly well: German-speaking history, from the Reformation and the Enlightenment through to the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the postwar division and reunification of Germany, is among the most studied and debated in the world, and the ability to work with German-language sources gives any historian a significant advantage.

At the University of York, this four-year full-time programme incorporates both a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to live and study in a German-speaking country and to deepen your linguistic competence and cultural understanding through extended immersion, and a sandwich placement, which gives you further professional experience. Work placement opportunities are embedded in the programme. You will develop your German language skills across all registers, from formal written communication to literary and cultural analysis, while also building the source-analysis, argumentation and research skills that define historical study at degree level.

York has strong research expertise in both history and modern languages, and the programme benefits from teaching that connects closely to current scholarship in both areas. You will engage with a wide range of historical periods and themes alongside German literary and cultural study.

Graduates move into careers in journalism, diplomacy, international business, education, law, the civil service, the cultural sector, translation, and a wide range of roles in organisations with European and international dimensions. Postgraduate study in history, German, European studies, international relations or law is a natural next step.