Linguistics and German
UCAS Code: RQ21
Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Typical Contextual Offer: Grades BBB. Applicants must have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 standard in a Modern Language.
AS level results are not considered as part of the standard admissions process at The University of Manchester.
We require a QAA-recognised Access to HE Diploma (a minimum of 60 credits overall with at least 45 at Level 3), with merit or distinction in a subject area relevant to the chosen course. You should have a minimum of 30 credits with a Distinction grade, plus 15 credits with a Merit grade, all in a Humanities-related subject. 15 of the Distinction credits should be in the pre-requisite subject required for A-levels. Applicants must also either have GCSEs in both English and Mathematics (at Grade B/6 or higher), or achievement at Level 2 (GCSE-equivalent) by, for example, having six credits each in English and Maths. You must also either have GCSE Grade C/4 or higher in English Language or any language, or be able to demonstrate achievement at Level 2 (GCSE-equivalent) by, for example, having six credits in English Language or any language at Level 2. We also consider other factors such as additional educational achievements, life experience and skills on an individual basis.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
We consider applicants offering Pre-U Principal Subjects, or a mix of Pre-U and A Level subjects, provided a minimum of three distinct subjects overall is taken. Candidates taking Pre-U principal subjects in conjunction with A levels are expected to achieve a combination of D3,M2,M2 in the Pre-U and ABB at A level in three distinct subjects. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
The University recognises the benefit of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the opportunities it provides for applicants to develop independent study and research skills. We strongly encourage you to provide information about the EPQ in your personal statement and at interview. For this programme, as well as the regular conditions of offer, we may make students who are currently taking or completed the EPQ an alternative offer.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade C/4 in GCSE/iGCSE English Language and Mathematics. GCSE/iGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/iGCSE English Language. Please note that if you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Higher Level grades of H2,H3,H3,H3,H3. Pre-2017: A2,B2,B2,B2,B2. Applicants must have achieved a minimum of at least O3 standard in a Foreign Language.
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Diploma with Grades DM plus an A Level at Grade A in a Language or an essay-based subject such as English or History.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Extended Certificate with Grade D plus two A Levels at Grades BB; at least one of these A-levels should be in a Language or an essay-based subject such as English or History.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language.
OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Foundation Diploma with Grades DD plus an A-level at min. Grade B in a Language or an essay-based subject (such as English or History) plus an EPQ or AS at Grade B.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language. We require DD, plus one A-level at Grade B (preferably in either a Language or a Humanities subject).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language. We require a D, plus two A-levels at Grades BB (one of these A-levels should preferably be in a Language or a Humanities subject).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
We do not require you to have a Language A-level for this programme; however, applicants should have experience of studying a Language (any Modern Foreign Language) to at least GCSE level and should have achieved a good standard in this. We therefore require all applicants to have achieved a minimum of GCSE Grade B/6 (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language. We require a D, plus one A-level at min. Grade B in an essay-based subject (such as English or History) plus an EPQ or AS at Grade B.
Before reading this, please consult the A-level requirements for this programme and note any subject requirements. For applicants who have studied under the new Scottish qualification system, the following will apply. For programmes which have no particular pre-requisite subject, we require the following (in all cases, at least three Highers should be achieved by the end of S5): ABB at A-level: Highers of AAABBB or ABBB plus Advanced Higher at min. Grade B. For applicants who have studied under the old Scottish qualification system, Highers are welcomed but will not be accepted alone. The minimum requirement is three Advanced Highers, the grades of which will be the same as our stated A-level grades for the course in question. Any subjects (or other qualifications) required for A-level will also be required for the Advanced Highers, at the equivalent grade. All applicants must have achieved National 5 English at Grade B.
Before reading this, please consult the A-level requirements for this programme and note any subject requirements. For applicants who have studied under the new Scottish qualification system, the following will apply. For programmes which have no particular pre-requisite subject, we require the following (in all cases, at least three Highers should be achieved by the end of S5): ABB at A-level: Highers of AAABBB or ABBB plus Advanced Higher at min. Grade B. For applicants who have studied under the old Scottish qualification system, Highers are welcomed but will not be accepted alone. The minimum requirement is three Advanced Highers, the grades of which will be the same as our stated A-level grades for the course in question. Any subjects (or other qualifications) required for A-level will also be required for the Advanced Highers, at the equivalent grade. All applicants must have achieved National 5 English at Grade B.
The University welcomes and recognises the value of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma/Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate and usually requires two A Levels or equivalent to be included within this. The minimum grade required will normally be the same as the lowest grade listed in the A Level entry requirements. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
UCAS Tariff
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About this course
This course will introduce you to the study of the unique human faculty of language and to the investigation of the world's languages. You will explore a number of fascinating topics such as the ways in which dialects differ, how languages arise, change and die, how children acquire their first language, differences between the speech of men and women, how we communicate as individuals and within groups, and what happens when speakers of different languages come into contact.
You will also discover how language can be used to shape and manipulate ideas and opinions, looking in detail at how language and thought interact in fields such as politics and advertising. In addition, you will practise key transferable skills, such as essay writing and how to give a presentation.
Our German courses at Manchester give students a solid grounding in German language and the opportunity to explore in depth German culture, linguistics, history and literature. They equip students with the skills and expertise needed to thrive in German-speaking environments, both during their period of residence abroad and following graduation.
Core German language courses at all levels of study are complemented by a variety of other subject areas, including linguistics that teaches you how the language works and a wide range of cultural and historical units that use German-language sources to improve your core language competence, as well as your wider knowledge of the German-speaking countries.
The third year includes a period spent in a German-speaking country. You can choose a work placement, teach English in schools as part of the British Council's assistantship scheme or study at our prestigious partner institutions in Berlin, Freiburg, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Basle and Innsbruck.
We have specialists in an unusually wide range of German-related subjects, so that you can focus on subjects that really appeal to you in your final year of study.
All our units include a focus on key transferable skills that help to prepare you for the world of work, as well as encouraging you to develop your academic talents.
Offers students access to the full range of linguistic studies (theoretical, descriptive, and applied).
Students may apply to spend one semester studying abroad during the second year of their degree. Exchange partners are offered through the Worldwide Exchange scheme.
**Special Features**
- We offer German at both post-A-level and beginners' level.
- Specialisms in German include historical and contemporary linguistics, literary studies, screen studies, gender and sexuality, modern cultural history, minority cultures and Holocaust studies.
- Our teaching, praised in the Teaching Quality Assessment and by external examiners, is backed up by an innovative Independent Language Learning Programme, enabling students to take control of their own learning experience. The quality of our online teaching and learning resources is highly praised by students and its excellence recognised within the University.
- We have expertise in, as well as course units devoted to, a wide range of languages and language families including the Romance languages, the Germanic languages, languages of the Near East (e.g. Arabic and Hebrew), Iranian languages, the indigenous languages of Australia, Central and South America (e.g. Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru), languages of South Asia (e.g. Nepal, India and Tibet), and Romani.
- Particular strengths in the discipline include the linguistics of English (both synchronic and diachronic), endangered languages and field linguistics, phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax (especially Lexical-Functional Grammar and Construction Grammar), typology, language contact and sociolinguistics, historical linguistics (especially English, Romance and Germanic), semantics and pragmatics, corpus and child language acquisition.
Tuition fees
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Extra funding
The University is committed to supporting students from low-income households through our financial support packages detailed below. Full-time UK students do not need to apply for Manchester’s bursaries separately but should ensure that they consent to share their financial details with the University when making an application to Student Finance England. http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/student-finance/2018/
The Uni
University of Manchester
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures

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We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
German and scandinavian studies
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Linguistics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
German and scandinavian studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What do graduate employment figures really tell you?It's often said the UK doesn't produce enough modern language graduates, and graduates from German courses have a lot of options available to them when they complete their courses. The unemployment rates last year was lower than graduates in general. Nearly a quarter of working graduates from 2015 got jobs outside the UK — mostly as English teachers — which is much higher than for most subjects. The relative strength of the German economy means there will continue to be opportunities there in the future. But more graduates went to work in London, and those who want to stay at home to work find jobs anywhere where good communication skills are a must, particularly in education, in marketing, in the arts and in business and finance as teachers, writers, personnel officers, financial advisors, analysts, sales people and marketers.. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.
Linguistics
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What do graduate employment figures really tell you?This is not a particularly common subject at first degree level and most of the degrees that fall in this category are offered by the University of Durham. If you fancy one of these broad degrees, it is probably best to speak directly to tutors to find out what your options on your degree might be and what they can lead to,
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
German studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£23k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Linguistics
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£23k
£27k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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