German

Did you know that Germany has the world’s fourth largest economy?  that it is home to some of the world’s best-known manufacturing and engineering companies including Volkswagen, Siemens, Audi, BMW and Thyssenkrupp?

Subject Information

German enhances the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired at GCSE. It allows you to broaden your vocabulary, deepen your grammatical competence, and develop your listening, reading and writing skills. It immerses you in the rich and vibrant history, art, music, politics and society of the German-speaking world.  It fosters communication, critical thinking, research skills and creativity.  

Course Details

The core content covers:  

  • Social issues and trends (the changing statement of the family, the digital world, youth culture, immigration, integration, racism) 
  • Political and artistic culture (festivals and traditions, art and architecture, cultural life in Berlin, past and present, Germany and the European Union, German re-unification and its consequences, politics and youth) 
  • Grammar 
  • Literary texts and films 

The four language skills are assessed by examination after 2 years of study. 

  • Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing (50%) 
  • Paper 2:  Writing (20%) 
  • Paper 3: Speaking (30%) which includes an individual research project 

Subject Specific Entry Requirements

  • Grade 6 in GCSE German.
  • or applicant is bilingual or near-native standard .

Where could German take me?

German will prepare you for degree-level study, either as a single honours or joint honours degree. German is extremely versatile and can be combined with almost any other subject.  A proficient knowledge of German will make you attractive to many employers and businesses keen to recruit German speakers for effective and successful communication.  It opens the door to a wide variety of career options in, for example, banking, diplomacy, fashion, interpreting, journalism, law, marketing, media, sport, teaching, tourism or translation. German is the second most commonly used language in the scientific world and on the internet. You will have more access to research, publications and information.  You will be able to enjoy the works of Beethoven, Einstein, Goethe, Marx, Mozart or Beethoven in the original. 

German is a great investment for your future! 

Reading List

Fiction 

  • Zonenkinder, Jana Hensel (set text)  
  • Emil und die Detektive, Erich Kästner 
  • Die Wolke, Gudrun Pausewang 
  • Märchen der Gebrüder Grimm, Wilhelm & Jacob Grimm 
  • Die Verwandlung, Franz Kafka 
  • Der Vorleser, Bernhard Schlink 
  • Die Wand, Marlen Haushofer 
  • Die Erfindung des Lebens, Hanns –Josef Ortheil 
  • Im Westen Nichts Neues, Erich Maria Remarque 
  • Die Entdeckung der Currywurst, Uwe Timm 


Non-fiction
 

  • Tatsachen über Deutschland (August 2018 edition)  
  • The Shortest History of Germany, James Hawes 


Useful books to support vocabulary and grammar
 

  • Wort für Wort, German vocabulary for AQA A-Level, Paul Stocker  (sixth edition)  
  • AQA A-Level German Revision and Practice Workbook: Themes 1 and 2, Paul Elliott 
  • AQA A-Level German Revision and Practice Workbook: Themes 3 and 4, Paul Elliott  


Audio books 
 


Culture and news
 


Music 
 

  • lyricstraining.com/de   
  • goethe.de/prj/stg/en/mus.html
    a wide range of materials from the Goethe Institut on music, football, film, sutainability and Germany. Introductions are often in English but there are countless links to podcasts, video clips, worksheets in German.
     

Site Search

Submit your research project!

Use this form to submit your research project. We can only accept documents saved as .pdf files. 

Register your interest now!

Sign up here if you’re interested in applying – this will allow us to make sure you have lots of support with your research project between now and 24th February.