German Studies

French, German and Spanish are taught on our two flagship programmes, BA Modern Languages and BA Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting, as well as a range of Joint Honours options. These include Business Management, English Literature, History, International Relations, and the recently-introduced Combined Honours which allows you to select modules from across the School of Culture and Communication.

German Studies

At Swansea, studying German means joining a community led by an experienced and passionate team which includes Professor Julian Preece, Christiane Günther, and Susanne Arenhövel. Together, they bring expertise in literature, language, film, translation, and intercultural communication to create a rich and supportive learning environment. You’ll explore German language and translation at all levels, alongside modules in contemporary literature, exile writing, bilingualism, and film. Teaching is shaped by research-led insights into 20th- and 21st-century culture, with special attention paid to authors such as Günter Grass and Herta Müller.

As a student of German, you will benefit from award-winning teaching, small-group conversation classes, interpreting practice, and cultural events that link classroom learning to the wider world: you will be able to apply for up to £1,000 from the Hilda Hunt Memorial Fund to study in Germany, Austria, or the German-speaking part of Switzerland. We also support successful applications to the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) for summer language courses at German universities. These experiences open exciting opportunities for travel, cultural immersion, and language learning - 27 students have already taken part since 2012!

Many students choose to spend their year abroad in Germany or Austria, either studying at one of our partner institutions or working as a British Council-funded language assistant in German or Austrian schools. Back in Wales, our outreach work with schools gives you the chance to build valuable teaching and communication experience.

We also collaborate closely with the Goethe-Institut London, the German Embassy, and the DAAD, giving you even greater access to the cultural and professional life of the German-speaking world.

At Swansea, teaching and research go hand in hand – whether you’re an undergraduate or postgraduate student, you will benefit directly from the research produced by our German team. Publications span everything from innovative language pedagogy to contemporary cultural studies.

• Julian Preece was inspired to write one of his books after teaching Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum to first-year students.
• Christiane Günther co-authored Wuschel auf der Erde, a creative resource to promote a passion for German amongst young learners.
• Susanne Arenhövel developed Toolkit German for Primary Schools in Wales, expanding access to early language learning.

In October 2025, we’re excited to welcome Dr Jack Arscott, a postdoctoral researcher working on Elias Canetti and the British in a European Context: Exile, Reception, Appropriation - a major collaborative project between Swansea and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, funded by both the AHRC and the DFG. Jack will also be teaching BA and MA students, bringing fresh expertise to the classroom. In 2024–25, final-year and MA students were directly involved in translating extracts from Canetti’s British diaries, contributing to their future publication in English.