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German and Economics (BA)


Entry year

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Why study this course

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Spend a year abroad

Adventure into a new culture; open your mind to new ideas and experiences while applying and developing your language skills.

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Tailored to your ability

All our languages can be studied at beginner or advanced level and do not require an A Level.

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Freedom to choose

Gain experience on a placement, work as a teaching assistant or choose to study during your year abroad.

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State of the art trading room

Prepare yourself for trading and risk management in a controlled environment equipped with Investor Simulations, TRETS and Bloomberg.

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Tailored to your interests

Specialise in industrial economics, economic history, labour economics or international economics.

Our aim at the School of Modern Languages and Cardiff Business School is to educate our students to become ‘global citizens’. By combining German and Economics you will gain a variety of transferable skills and knowledge beneficial to the world of employment, making you competitive and attractive in an increasingly global workforce and opening the doors to a variety of career paths.  

The four-year degree in German and Economics combines the main elements (modules and teaching) of Economics with the study of German language and culture. The programme will equip you with a thorough grounding in the theory, concepts, principles and techniques of the core subject areas of the discipline: macroeconomics, microeconomics and quantitative analysis. It aims to provide you with knowledge of the workings of the UK economy and the ability to use that knowledge in a range of contexts. It also aims to provide a high level of competence in German and knowledge of the economy of Germany.

We will introduce you to the breadth and depth of economic analysis and offer you the opportunity to acquire knowledge and techniques across a number of specialised areas. Studying Economics provides a rigorous training that can be a useful foundation for future careers.

Through the study of German and Economics, the programme encourages a range of transferable discipline-specific and core skills that will be of value to you in future education and in your subsequent careers. 

As the European Union develops, language skills are becoming increasingly attractive to employers. Studying Economics with German will help to prepare you for a career in Economics by providing you with a sound knowledge of the theories, concepts, principles and techniques of the discipline.  The programme will also give you the added advantage of acquiring a language.

Each school involved in delivering the degree offers a challenging course of modules, supported by a friendly atmosphere and excellent staff-student relationships.

The first year provides the essential Economics and related modules that form the basis of a degree in Economics together with modules in German language and culture.

Year two develops from this base, giving equal weighting to Economics and German subjects. You will continue to focus on core modules in Economics, whilst the German language component focuses on your communication skills in the target language. In your second year of Economics you will study compulsory modules in both microeconomics and macroeconomics. You will choose your remaining 20 credits from a list of optional modules.

Your third year is spent in Germany studying modules to the equivalent of 120 credits in a range of accounting, business and economics subjects in German.

Germany is a major actor on the European and world stage, possessing a rich and sophisticated culture. German is one of the official working languages of the European Union and of the United Nations. 

In year four you will take 60 credits of optional Economics related modules, combined with 30 credits in German language and 30 credits of German optional modules.

Overall, the degree in German and Economics prepares you for a career in Economics or international business with an ability to work in German as well as in English.

Subject area: Economics

  • academic-schoolCardiff Business School
  • icon-chatGet in touch
  • Telephone+44 (0)29 2087 4674
  • MarkerColum Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3EU

Subject area: Modern languages and translation

  • academic-schoolSchool of Modern Languages
  • icon-chatGet in touch
  • Telephone+44 (0)29 2087 0824
  • MarkerCathays, Cardiff, CF10 3AS

Entry requirements

We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:

A level

ABB-BBB. If you have grade B in German at A-level you will have access to the languages advanced pathways.

Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.

Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application.

  • Eligible students will be given an offer at the lower end of the advertised grade range.
  • Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional points in the selection process or be guaranteed interview/consideration.

Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.

International Baccalaureate

32-31 overall or 665 in 3 HL subjects. If you have grade 6 in HL German you will have access to the languages advanced pathways.

Baccalaureate Wales

From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.

You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.
- GCSE Maths grade B/6 or equivalent qualification (subject and grade). If you are taking A-level Maths (or equivalent), GCSE Maths is not required. Core Maths may also be accepted in place of GCSE Maths.

We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.

GCSE

Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.

IELTS (academic)

At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.

TOEFL iBT

At least 90 overall with minimum scores of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading and 20 for speaking.

PTE Academic

At least 62 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.

Trinity ISE II/III

II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.

Other accepted qualifications

Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.

You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

  • access to computers or devices that can store images
  • use of internet and communication tools/devices
  • curfews
  • freedom of movement, including the ability to travel to outside of the UK or to undertake a placement/studies outside of Cardiff University
  • contact with people related to Cardiff University.

Other qualifications from inside the UK

BTEC

DDM in a BTEC Extended Diploma in Arts, Humanities, Science, and Social Science subjects. If you have grade B in German at A-level in addition to or in combination with a BTEC you will have access to the languages advanced pathways.

T level

D in a T Level in any subject.

Qualifications from outside the UK

See our qualification equivalences guide

Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.

Interview or selection process

Each candidate’s profile is considered as a complete picture, taking into account your interest in and suitability for the degree, as shown in your personal statement and referee’s report, as well as achieved and predicted grades. Your ability to present an argument, evidence of intellectual curiosity and your enthusiasm for and commitment to studying will also be assessed.

Tuition fees for 2024 entry

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.

Learn how we decide your fee status

Fees for home status

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2024/25 academic year. Fees for the previous year were £9,000.

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2024/25 academic year.

Fees for island status

Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Fees for overseas status

We are currently awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2024/25 academic year.

Additional costs

Course specific equipment

Many students choose to invest in personal copies of the recommended core textbooks and unabridged bilingual dictionaries and reference grammars. While copies of most course materials are available in the library, many students opt to acquire personal copies of set texts.

Accommodation

We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.

Living costs

We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.

Course structure

BA German and Economics is a four-year degree programme. It is structured in such a way that you will acquire over successive years high-level language and economic competencies, combined with the skills to become an independent and critical thinker, equipped for professional employment.

In each year of the programme you will study 120 credits, equally split between 60 credits in Economics and 60 credits in German. Your third year will be spent studying or working abroad in Germany or another German-speaking country.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2024/2025 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2024.

Year one

In Year one you will take 60 credits in core economics modules and one compulsory 40 credit module in German language a 20 credit Transnational module, providing you with a solid base for the next three years of your degree programme.

Year two

In year two you are required to pursue modules amounting to 120 credits. Year two develops from the foundation of Year one, giving equal 60 credit weighting to business and language subjects. You will continue to focus on compulsory Economics modules in both microeconomics and macroeconomics, whilst the language focuses on your communication skills in German language, providing the ideal preparation for the third year which is spent abroad.

Year three: Sandwich year

Your third year is spent in Germany or another German-speaking country. The year will enable you to develop your language skills, deepen your understanding of the German culture and develop your independence, resourcefulness and resilience.

Your options include studying at one of our partner universities, working as an English assistant in a school through the British Council Scheme, or working for a German organisation or company. No matter what you choose, the year abroad is a great opportunity for you to improve your understanding of the language, immerse yourself in another culture, and gain international study or work experience.

If you choose the study option, we have established exchange programmes which provide opportunities to study in institutions in German cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne.

Placements for teaching assistants on a scheme run by the British Council can take you to either a major city or a small, rural town. This option provides first-hand teaching experience and allows you to earn a salary sufficient to live on, although you only work on a part-time basis. Prior to the start of your placement, the British Council provides a training weekend in the destination country. In addition, the school you have been assigned to should also guide you in your role as a teacher and help you to find a place to live.

The third option consists of a work placement with an organisation or company in the German-speaking world. The necessary arrangements can be made through personal contacts you may have or by approaching organisations directly. In order to ensure that your work placement affords you plenty of opportunity to speak German and provides you with a beneficial experience, such arrangements will require prior approval by the School.

Any student who undertakes a study placement or a traineeship/work placement in Europe is currently eligible to apply for an Erasmus grant.

Studying or working abroad is excellent preparation for your final year and gives you a level of self-confidence and maturity that has proven popular with employers.

Year four

When we welcome you back to Cardiff in your final year, you will take 60 credits of optional Economics modules. A compulsory 30 credit module in German language is also taken, along with a 30 credit optional module in German.

The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.

Learning and assessment

Our teaching is heavily informed by research and combines academic rigour with practical relevance. While our internationally recognised faculty consists of academics who are at the forefront of knowledge within their field. They bring the lessons learned from their most recent research into the classroom, giving you access to critical business thinking and contemporary real life examples and scenarios. The teaching covers all the key competencies, and is enhanced by the inclusion of digital learning.

We will provide your teaching and learning resources, and will be responsive to your needs and views. For your part, you will need to put in the necessary amount of work both during and outside formal teaching sessions, and make good use of the facilities provided.

You will primarily be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials and seminars, although German modules will also offer the opportunity for workshops and language classes. Most modules involve a mixture of lectures and small group teaching (called classes, seminars, workshops or tutorials). 

In tutorials and seminars you’ll have the opportunity to discuss particular themes or topics, to consolidate and get feedback on your individual learning and to develop skills in oral presentation. Communication skills are developed in tutorials, where you will make individual contributions to group study, for example by summarising a particular case study for the group.
 

Lectures provide an overview of the key concepts and frameworks for a topic, equipping you to carry out independent research for the seminars and to develop your own ideas. Seminars provide an opportunity for you to explore the ideas outlined in the lectures. Seminars may take various formats, including plenary group discussion, small-group work and student-led presentations. You will also enhance your team-working skills.

Language classes are taught in groups to enhance confidence and active learning. A varied timetable includes oral expression, aural comprehension and writing skills, which are taught in small groups to enhance confidence and active learning. These vital communication skills are practiced and developed through regular classwork exercises and written work. Our teaching methods allow you to engage with a range of language-learning technologies. Materials including textbooks, videos, films, novels, audio files and websites are supported by online resources that compliment classroom activities and promote and enable independent learning. Class materials include a range from literary and historical to contemporary journalistic texts, providing a broad insight into language and culture.

Independent study forms a key part of your learning, and our independent learning portfolios have been developed to provide you with online resources to support your independent language learning.  

How will I be supported?

Our BA German and Economics programme is team-taught, with the programme as a whole overseen by the Programme Director. You will be supported by a number of different staff, some focussing on academic performance in a particular area and some looking at learning and progress more holistically.

All academic staff have designated hours where they are available to meet with you to offer advice and feedback on the subjects that they teach.

You will also be allocated a personal tutor, who will meet with you regularly to reflect on your progress and development across your studies, and to think about how to build on your achievements and advance further. Your personal tutor can also guide you if you are experiencing difficulties towards appropriate support.

While you are away from Cardiff, you will be assigned a Year Abroad Coordinator, who will keep in touch with you and monitor your progress. You may also get a visit from one of your lecturers who will be keen to find out how you are getting on.

You will have access through the Learning Central to relevant learning resources, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion circles.

We pride ourselves on the level of engagement we have with our student body, giving you the opportunity to express your opinions and be partners in School decision-making where possible. We survey students regularly to make sure we are always working in your best interests.   

The University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, the Academic Skills Development Centre and excellent libraries and resource centres.

How will I be assessed?

Feedback and assessment is a priority area within this programme, with a dedicated assessment and feedback lead tasked with ensuring you have the best experience. The focus of assessment in the School of Modern Languages and Cardiff Business School is in supporting you to develop your ideas, skills and competencies, with the feedback you receive feeding forward into future work. The programme offers a range of traditional assessment formats (such as essays, class tests, exams and dissertation) as well as more innovative forms of assessment, (such as vlogs, participation in radio shows, video and audio projects, interviews, portfolios, and so forth). Assessments include formative assessments (which enable you to develop your skills and do not count towards your final degree classification) and summative assessments (which do count towards your final classification).

As part of your skills training in year 1, you will be supported in understanding how the assessments work, what is expected of you, how you will be marked and how to make the most of your feedback.

What skills will I practise and develop?

Knowledge & Understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • The ability to speak, write, and understand one or more foreign languages to a high level of competency.
  • An in-depth intercultural understanding including specific knowledge of other cultures, allied to the ability to navigate and mediate between more than one culture.
  • A sound understanding of the foundations of and developments in economic theory.
  • Familiarity with the main forms and sources of economic data and how they are used in economic analysis.
  • Understanding of the key current economic policy debates and contemporary economic problems.
  • Appreciation of the contribution economic analysis can make to understanding a range of specific economic problems.

Intellectual Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • Enhanced linguistic skills, as well as a broad appreciation of the culture, literature, and history of Germany and German speaking countries.
  • The ability to communicate clearly, concisely and persuasively in writing and speech, in English and German.
  • An ability to explain, manipulate, apply and critically evaluate specific economic models
  • An ability to work with economic data used in economic analysis.
  • Skills in understanding and using empirical findings from the economic literature.
  • Skills in undertaking basic research into economic problems.
  • A capacity to apply theoretical ideas to analyse worldwide economic problems, contemporary and/or historical.

Professional Practical Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • Using a range of IT programmes and digital media, where appropriate.
  • Resilience and independence through time spent in immersive foreign language contexts.
  • Communication and critical-thinking skills.
  • Working to deadlines and priorities, managing a range of tasks at the same time.
  • Working as part of a team, developing a collaborative approach to problem-solving.
  • An ability to model complex economic decision-making situations to produce analytical frameworks that facilitate both understanding and efficient problem solving.
  • A capacity to apply deductive reasoning and logical analysis to model economic issues.
  • Skills in using basic mathematics to elucidate economic ideas.
  • Competence in integrating data, factual information, quantitative analysis and empirical work, in an appropriate manner.

Transferable/Key Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

  • The ability to grasp complex issues with confidence.
  • The ability analyse complex texts.
  • The ability to interpret and apply relevant data.
  • Practical research skills.
  • Imaginative solutions of your own that are rooted in evidence.
  • Learning from constructive criticism and incorporate its insights.
  • Responsibility for your own learning programme and Professional development.
  • Critical skills (reasoning, evaluating evidence, problem-solving, relating theory to practice).
  • Creativity and innovative thinking.
  • Leadership, teamwork and self-management skills.
  • Identifying, recording and communicating your relevant career attainments.
  • Progression from problem formulation to solution identification. 
  • Structured argument to derive a conclusion from a set of assumptions.
  • Concepts of macroeconomics and be able to undertake basic macroeconomic analysis of, for example, the effects of a monetary expansion.
  • Mastery of diagrammatic and algebraic techniques.
  • The ability to undertake both diagrammatic and mathematical analyses of macroeconomic issues.
  • Analytical, communication and learning skills through class work and web-based exercises.
  • An ability to exercise numeracy, problem solving and IT skills.

Careers and placements

Career prospects

We are committed to helping you achieve your professional ambitions, providing you with the skills, curiosity and confidence to make your mark in a competitive job market. Whether you have a clear idea of what you’d like to do after university, or no idea at all, we have the tools and support to guide you.

Many language graduates enjoy their year overseas so much that they take time out for more travel, or go abroad following graduation in search of employment.

Of those who choose to remain in the UK, many choose to continue their studies and pursue postgraduate programmes at the School of Modern Languages. Others start work immediately following their studies. Our language graduates can be found in diverse fields that include travel & tourism, finance, sales and marketing, publishing, engineering, technology, the civil service and sport.

Economics is an intellectually stimulating discipline and the skills of economics graduates are often in demand by employers in both the public and private sector. Some economics graduates take a period of additional training after completing their degree, a postgraduate course perhaps or a further training course which will allow them to convert to another profession such as accountancy or law. Whatever career you pursue, the skills acquired during your Economics degree (problem solving ability, quantitative techniques, analytical skills etc), will undoubtedly be welcomed by employers.

Within the Business School we have a dedicated Careers Centre offering bespoke business-specific support, including industry placements, internships, work experience and insights.

You’ll benefit from career consultations, interview and CV writing workshops, industry-specific events and specialist psychometric assessment and broad skills training.

Placements

If you are interested in teaching you may have the possibility of completing an internship teaching language in a UK secondary school in your final year.

Cardiff Business School has a dedicated Placements Manager to offer advice on available work placements, internships, work experience and opportunities to enhance your CV and broaden your horizons.

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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.