都柏林圣三一学院

Why study German?

German is spoken by some 100 million Europeans. Contemporary Germany is the geographical and cultural link between east and west and the largest economy in Europe. Studying German at an in-depth level is excellent preparation for the world of work and is likely to make you highly employable in Ireland, the EU, and further afield.

Modern Germany is a society in transition, increasingly ethnically diverse, and engaged in lively debate about its own past and about its political, social, and economic responsibilities in Europe and the world. Germany’s history has been rich, dynamic, and troubled, and this history shapes the contemporary society and culture in countless ways. Reflection on and critical engagement with these experiences have been central to German writing and thought since the earliest times, and remain very much so today.

German: The course for you?

We teach most of our language and culture modules in small groups, which is a considerable advantage when learning a language and sets us apart from most other universities in Ireland and further afield. We also offer a rich and lively course for first year students in Beginners German, run by dedicated language specialists; this course connects to the Area Studies and Literature elements of the core German course. Whether you are a beginner or have completed German to post-Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) with us you will acquire advanced competence and fluency, spoken and written, in the German language. You will also develop reading and communication skills alongside methods of research, description, and analysis in literature, history, culture, film, and society of the German-speaking countries. You will be encouraged to follow your curiosity and develop specialist interests by choosing from a wide range of optional subjects. All this in a small, friendly, award-winning department with a wide extra-curricular programme including a theatre group, debating, and film evenings.

German @ Trinity

If you are interested in novel approaches to the study of literature, culture, and film, then our programme is for you. We view Germanic culture, history, and society through a cultural-historical and theoretical lens. A thread that runs through our programme overall concerns one of the major global phenomena of today: the idea and figure of the 'Other' - 'outsiders' and 'strangers' who feature strongly in Germanic culture and history from the distant past to the present. Moreover, we do this by examining and debating diverse cultural products - prose, drama, film, and material culture - from the late 18th century to the present.

Graduate skills and career opportunities

Recent UK research suggests that graduates with a degree in German are on average the highest-paid language graduates. This makes sense, as Germany is the largest national economy in Europe and the fifth largest economy in the world. Employers value not only the language skills of German graduates, but also their ‘transferable skills’: the mix of accuracy and creativity, confidence and sensitivity which marks the advanced linguist, and the maturity, flexibility, and broadened understanding that comes from engaging with another culture, and from the experience gained abroad. Language graduates are found up to senior level in all kinds of rewarding careers. Recent graduates are working for employers such as Google, Deutsche Bank, and Enterprise Ireland as well as in telecoms, IT, education, public service, the media, law, and in universities in Ireland, Europe, and North America. Germany is a major export destination for Irish goods as well as being the second most important source of Foreign Direct Investment for Ireland. Competence in German can give you a competitive advantage in the domestic job market as well as in the job markets of the German-speaking world.