BA (Hons) Education and German (with a year abroad)

Course content

Throughout your degree, you'll cover the key concepts and debates in Education, while becoming a proficient user of German. In your first year you'll study core modules which introduce important background knowledge and academic approaches. In your second and final years you'll study more option modules, allowing you to focus on subjects which interest you.

You’ll go abroad in your third year. You can choose a work placement, internship or studying at one of our partner universities. Our internship students have been to a wide range of organisations including in schools, the heritage sector, the media, translation, marketing and finance sectors around the world. Your plans will be supported by our departmental year abroad coordinators.

A key focus of your final year will be your Dissertation. You'll identify an aspect of education to investigate in detail. You'll design and carry out a research project, writing up your findings in a 7,000-word extended essay.

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Fees and funding

The fees and funding information here is for students starting in the 2026/27 academic year.

If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year.

Annual tuition fees

The UK government has announced its intention to increase tuition fees from £9,535 to £9,790 for the 2026/27 academic year. We expect this to apply to new UK (home) undergraduate students starting their studies in September 2026.

UK (home) or international fees?

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

• UK (home) fees may increase within the government fee cap in subsequent academic years. We will notify you of any increase as soon as we can.
• International fees are subject to increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

More information

For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.

Additional costs

You will need to cover the cost of travel to placements. This will vary depending on the location of your placement; the majority are in York.

Funding

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2026/27 throughout the year.

• UK government loans
• UK scholarships and bursaries
• International scholarships
• Country-specific funding
• US loans

Teaching and assessment

You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Teaching format

We use a variety of teaching methods, including:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Group activities
• Supervisions
• Guided reading
• Practical online learning

Weekly lectures and seminars are a chance for you to debate and discuss topics with fellow students and your tutors. You will be encouraged to think for yourself, to engage in academic debate and to develop and present your arguments with confidence and skill.

Our language modules are taught in the language of study, and many of our staff are native-speakers of the languages we teach. You'll be supported to communicate and complete your assessments in your chosen language. We also emphasise issues in culture and society as part of our teaching. This will help you to develop transcultural awareness that underpins your language skills.

In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.

Facilities

You'll use the languages e-lab throughout your studies. In this space, you'll have access to a variety of resources. This includes specialist linguistics software and online language-learning materials.

Teaching location

You will be based in the Department of Education, which is located in Derwent College on Campus West. You can expect to have contact hours primarily on Campus West.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.

Assessment and feedback

You'll be assessed in a number of different ways, depending on the modules you choose. Forms of assessment include:

• Essays
• Open examinations
• Presentations
• Reviews
• Posters
• Policy briefs
• Oral and listening exams

You'll receive written feedback on all assessed work, helping you to understand your strengths and identify areas for improvement. You can also discuss your work with your tutors and your personal supervisor to help guide your development.

Your year abroad is assessed. All students must complete two assessments in their language of study. If you are studying at a university, you must attend courses and sit the exams. If you are on a work or teaching placement, you must satisfactorily complete the duties set out in the placement agreement. However, your marks on the year abroad assessments do not contribute towards your overall degree mark.

Entry requirements

Additional requirements

We don't require any specific GCSEs for entry to this course. However, if you wish to train as a teacher you should be aware that good GCSE or equivalent passes in Mathematics and English Language and, for primary teaching, a science, are required.

Ab initio or post-A level routes

You can take the language part of this programme ab initio (from scratch, or with a qualification at AS level or below), or you can study on a route designed for those who have an A level in this language.

Our language programmes are designed to develop fluency. For this reason we do not normally offer places to native or near-native speakers who wish to study their own language.

Alternative offers

Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.