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German and Theatre Studies BA (UCAS RW24)

Modern Languages students in discussion at the University of Warwick.

Explore our German and Theatre Studies degree at Warwick

A modern languages degree equips you with excellent communication, research, critical and evaluative skills, all of which are highly sought after by employers. German and Theatre Studies (BA) gives you the opportunity to develop an in-depth knowledge of German language and culture while also exploring theatre and performance studies.


General entry requirements

A level typical offer

Advanced route

ABB to include German

Beginner route

ABB to include A Level grade B or GCSE grade A/7 in a modern or classical language.

A level contextual offer

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level.

Advanced route

BBB to include German

Beginner route

BBB to include A Level grade B or GCSE grade A/7 in a modern or classical language.

See if you’re eligible.

General GCSE requirements

Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.

IB typical offer

Advanced route

32 to include 5 in Higher Level German.

Beginner route

32 to include 5 at Higher Level or GCSE grade A/7 in a modern or classical language.

IB contextual offer

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level.

Advanced route

30 to include 5 in Higher Level German.

Beginner route

30 to include 5 at Higher Level or GCSE grade A/7 in a modern or classical language.

See if you’re eligible.

General GCSE requirements

Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.

BTEC

Advanced route

We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A level German.

Beginner route

We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A levels, including A level grade B or GCSE grade A/7 in a modern or classical language.

Scotland Advanced Highers

Advanced route

AB in two Advanced Highers including German, and BBB in three further Highers subjects.

Beginner route

AB in two Advanced Highers including a modern or classical language, and BBB in three further Highers subjects. If you are not taking an Advanced Higher language, you must have grade A at National 5 in a modern or classical language.

Welsh Baccalaureate

Advanced route

BBB in three subjects at A level including German, plus grade C in the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate.

Beginner route

BBB in three subjects at A level including A Level grade B or GCSE grade A/7 in a modern or classical language, plus grade C in the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate.

Access to Higher Education Diplomas

We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis.

Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 12 Level 3 Credits. We may also require subject specific credits or an A level to be studied alongside the Access to Higher Education Diploma to fulfil essential subject requirements.

General GCSE requirements

Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.


International qualifications


English Language requirements

All applicants have to meet our English Language requirementsLink opens in a new window. If you cannot demonstrate that you meet these, you may be invited to take part in our Pre-sessional English course at WarwickLink opens in a new window.

This course requires: Band B

Learn more about our English Language requirementsLink opens in a new window.


Frequently asked questions

Warwick may make differential offers to students in a number of circumstances. These include students participating in a Widening Participation programme or who meet the contextual data criteria.

Differential offers will usually be one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer.

All students who successfully complete the Warwick IFP and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme (selected courses only).

Find out more about standard offers and conditions for the IFP.

We welcome applications for deferred entry.

We do not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on your UCAS form which includes predicted and actual grades, your personal statement and school reference.

Course overview

This degree allows you to develop an in-depth knowledge of German language and culture while also exploring theatre and performance studies through both practice and theory.

You benefit from the full range of expertise on offer in both departments and will be able to explore the synergies between the two subject areas. This involves taking cultural and historical modules in the School of Modern Languages, which include looking at theatre through the medium of your chosen languages, and exploring the intercultural specialisms of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, which include theatre in the African context, contemporary European theatre, applied theatre and playwriting.

You will normally spend your second or third year abroad, consolidating and enhancing your learning. If you are studying German for the first time, your year abroad will normally be in your third year.


Study abroad

We strongly recommend that you take a year abroad as part of your modern languages degree, if you are able to. If you are unable to take a year abroad you will move to a three-year. You will be required to complete further language reinforcement work. You will also be encouraged to spend time abroad in other ways, during vacation times.

You will usually spend your year abroad doing one of three things:

  • Working as a language assistant teaching English in a primary or secondary school
  • Studying full-time at a partner university in your chosen country
  • On a work placement

Find out more about flexible Year Abroad options.

Core modules

In your first year, you will follow a core German language programme at either beginners’ or advanced level. To complement your language skills, you will follow a programme focussing on contemporary German society and the origins of modern German culture. This provides an excellent and comprehensive foundation for studying further aspects of German literary, visual and political culture in the later stages of your degree.

On the Theatre Studies side, you will take core modules that introduce you to theatre and performance studies so that you can explore how theatrical form and language interrelate in production and how key theatrical movements have responded to particular moments of upheaval in history and politics. In your intermediate and final years, in addition to core and optional modules in Theatre Studies, you will go on to further develop your German language skills.

You will have an opportunity to develop your own particular interests by choosing from a wide selection of modules offered by German specialists that cover a broad range of subjects in German culture, society, literature, politics, philosophy, film, history and business, as well as translation and transcultural studies.

You can also opt to study some of our interdisciplinary cross-School modules.


Year One

Modern German Language 1

You will develop your translation, grammatical and speaking skills in German, and in doing so broaden your vocabulary and range of idiom, expression and awareness of various stylistic registers. You will work in a pair or group on a media project under the supervision of a tutor, which will contribute to your end-of-year mark in spoken German.

Read more about the Modern German Language 1 moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

or

Modern German Language for Beginners

As a beginner in the acquisition of the German language, you will cover the main linguistic skills in speaking, listening, writing and reading. You will focus on gaining grammatical accuracy as well and communicative fluency and competence. By the end of the year, you will be expected to be able to sustain everyday conversations in German, read authentic texts such as newspaper articles, follow the gist of TV extracts and be able to write an intermediate range of texts in German. You will also work on basic translations to and from German as a means of consolidating your knowledge.

Read more about the Modern German Language for Beginners moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Provincial - Pariah - Powerhouse: Reading German-language Culture in a Global Perspective

Which stories, sounds, images, and events come to mind when you first think of Germany and the German language? This module focuses on the media and representations through which many of us first encounter German-language culture: fairy tales and adaptations; performance, visual, and screen culture; music and sound.

Across the module, you will build up your linguistic confidence by engaging with sources of increasing length, giving you a sense of the nuances of German delivered in diverse settings. Our aim is to equip students with a toolkit for critically engaging with the narratives and media that determine our relationships with contemporary society.

We will meet a wide variety of notable characters, including Nobel Prize winners and pioneering figures like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose works helped to define what German culture meant at a time when “Germany” did not yet exist as a nation state, and when the global elite looked down upon German as a provincial lesser cousin to Latin, Italian, and French. How, then, did German culture transform the status of the German language? How did German-speaking artists shape the cultural genres that we all consume today? And how does engaging with such works give us a more differentiated understanding of the positive and negative aspects of Germany’s history and its global influence? Ultimately, we seek to understand developments that led to Germany’s emergence as a cultural, political, and economic powerhouse.

Read more about the Provincial - Pariah - Powerhouse: Reading German-language Culture in a Global Perspective module, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Two Theatre Studies modules:

Theatre and Performance in Context

In this module students will explore the inter-related disciplines of theatre and performance, considering some of the key conceptual and artistic frameworks that have shaped the fields. Throughout the module students will engage with the sociopolitical and historical contexts that have informed these frameworks and the ways in which theatre and performance not only reflects, but also seeks to change and shape, society. The module therefore aims to:

  • Equip students with a broad understanding of the key issues and theoretical concepts underpinning the study of theatre and performance
  • Investigate how theatre and performance can inform understandings of wider society, including politics, cultures, identities
  • Explore the sociopolitical and cultural contexts in which particular theatre and performance events and practices emerged
  • Examine how politics and culture intersect with the study of theatre and performance

Read more about the Theatre and Performance in Context moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

or

From Text to Performance

Through practical exploration of a number of selected plays and texts, in this module you’ll investigate the process of taking material from page to stage or performance, and the relationship between theory and practice. You’ll have the opportunity to experiment practically with realising multiple texts in performance, considering aspects such as staging, genre, narrative structure, performance strategies, dramaturgical thinking and directorial conceptualization, as well as the changing role and function of the audience.

Read more about the From Text to Performance moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

Intermediate Year

Modern German Language 2

In this second-year module, you will increase your general and specialised vocabulary in German through translation into English and German, essay-writing in German, spoken and listening comprehension, and work on business-related materials. In pursuit of these aims, you will learn to identify and rectify grammatical problems, and gain increased sensitivity towards language in general, and an awareness of register, semantics and style in particular. You will also gain important research skills, including correct use of dictionaries.

Read more about the Modern German Language 2 moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

or

Modern German Language 2 (Post-beginners)

You will increase the range of your general and specialised vocabulary in German, improve your speaking, listening and comprehension skills, and develop your ability to translate from German, including through a sound knowledge of grammar, register, semantic nuances and style. There will be opportunities to write in German and to work on business-related materials.

Read more about the Modern German Language 2 (Post-beginners) moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

A selection of optional modules in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (30 credits) and in Theatre and Performance Studies (60 credits)

Final Year

Modern German Language 3

In this third-year module, you will use vocabulary of increasing sophistication in both general and specialised fields, and improve your skills in spoken and written German and translation. You will improve your listening and reading comprehension skills, and learn to identify and rectify grammatical problems. An important aim of the course is to cultivate sensitivity towards language in general, and an awareness of register, semantics and style in particular.

Read more about the Modern German Language 3 moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).

A selection of optional modules in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (30 credits) and in Theatre and Performance Studies (60 credits)


Optional modules

Assessment

We will track your progress through:

  • Language assignments
  • Essays
  • Presentations
  • Portfolio submissions
  • Practical projects
  • Creative logbooks
  • Examinations (written and oral)

To help you improve your skills you will receive detailed and personalised feedback throughout your course.

Your intermediate- and final-year marks each contribute 50% of your final degree classification.

Teaching

We employ a variety of teaching styles within the School of Modern Languages including:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars (consisting of around 15 students and focussing on student participation)
  • Written and spoken language classes in small groups

You will spend the rest of your time:

  • Studying independently
  • Preparing for classes
  • Reading
  • Analysing materials set for study
  • Writing essays
  • Working on your language skills

Class sizes

Seminars generally involve around 15 students.


Typical contact hours

12 hours per week (15 hours per week in first year).

Tuition fees

Tuition fees cover the majority of the costs of your study, including teaching and assessment. Fees are charged at the start of each academic year. If you pay your fees directly to the University, you can choose to pay in instalments.

Undergraduate fees

If you are a home student enrolling in 2024, your annual tuition fees will be £9,250. In the future, these fees might change for new and continuing students.


How are fees set?

The British Government sets tuition fee rates.

Learn more about fees from UCASLink opens in a new window.

Undergraduate fees

If you are an overseas or EU student enrolling in 2024, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:

  • Band 1 – £24,800 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
  • Band 2 – £31,620 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Maths, Statistics, Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)

Fees for 2025 entry have not been set. We will publish updated information here as soon as it becomes available, so please check back for updates about 2025 fee rates before you apply.


Fee status guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status.Link opens in a new window


Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on this web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module CatalogueLink opens in a new window (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2023/24 year of study). Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

  • Core text books
  • Printer credits
  • Dissertation binding
  • Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Further information

Find out more about tuition fees from our Student Finance team.


Scholarships and bursaries

Learn about scholarships and bursaries available to undergraduate students.

We offer a number of undergraduate scholarships and bursaries to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.

Find out more about funding opportunities for full-time students.Link opens in a new window

If you are an international student, a limited number of scholarships may be available.

Find out more information on our international scholarship pages.Link opens in a new window


You may be eligible for financial help from your own government, from the British Council or from other funding agencies. You can usually request information on scholarships from the Ministry of Education in your home country, or from the local British Council office.


Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2023

We believe there should be no barrier to talent. That's why we are committed to offering a scholarship that makes it easier for gifted, ambitious international learners to pursue their academic interests at one of the UK's most prestigious universities. This new scheme will offer international fee-paying students 250 tuition fee discounts ranging from full fees to awards of £13,000 to £2,000 for the full duration of your Undergraduate degree course.

Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2023.Link opens in a new window

We provide extra financial support for qualifying students from lower income families. The Warwick Undergraduate Bursary is an annual award of up to £3,000 per annum. It is intended to help with course-related costs and you do not have to pay it back.

Find out more about your eligibility for the Warwick Undergraduate Bursary.Link opens in a new window

As part of the 'City of Sanctuary' movement, we are committed to building a culture of hospitality and welcome, especially for those seeking sanctuary from war and persecution. We provide a range of scholarships to enable people seeking sanctuary or asylum to progress to access university education.

Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarships for asylum seekers.Link opens in a new window

Further information

Find out more about Warwick undergraduate bursaries and scholarships.

Eligibility for student loans

Your eligibility for student finance will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality and residency status, your course, and previous study at higher education level.

Check if you're eligible for student finance.

Tuition Fee Loan

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your tuition fees. It is non-means tested, which means the amount you can receive is not based on your household income. The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you won’t have to set up any payments.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You can apply for a Maintenance Loan towards your living costs such as accommodation, food and bills. This loan is means-tested, so the amount you receive is partially based on your household income and whether you choose to live at home or in student accommodation.

Find out more about government student loans for home students residing in England.Link opens in a new window

If you’re starting a course on or after 1 August 2021, you usually must have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement SchemeLink opens in a new window to get student finance.

Tuition Fee Loan

If you are an EU student and eligible for student finance you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees. It is non-means tested, which means the amount you may receive is not based on your household income. The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you won't have to set up any payments.

Help with living costs

For the 2023 academic year, you may be eligible for help with your living costs if both of the following apply:

  • You have lived in the UK for more than 3 years before the first day of the first academic year of your course

And

If you are coming to the UK from 1st January 2021, you may need to apply for a visaLink opens in a new window to study here.

Please note: Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Find out more about government student loans for EU studentsLink opens in a new window

Repaying your loans

You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount (for students starting their course after 1 August 2023 the repayment threshold is £25,000). Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.

Find out more about repaying your student loan.Link opens in a new window

Your career

A languages degree will equip you with skills applicable to a wide variety of different jobs and career paths. Our students often go on to careers using their languages after graduation. They also develop transferrable communicative and analytical skills that are highly sought after by employers.

Graduates from Modern Language courses have gone on to work for employers including:

  • Amazon
  • British Airways
  • Civil Service
  • Grayce Consulting
  • HM Revenue and Customs
  • HSBC
  • Ipsos Mori
  • Lidl
  • NBC Universal
  • Save the Children International
  • The Department for International Trade

They have pursued careers such as:

  • Business and financial project management professionals
  • Chartered and certified accountants
  • Financial accounts managers
  • Human resources and industrial relations officers
  • Management consultants and business analysts
  • Public services associate professionals
  • Teachers and other educational professionals

Helping you find the right career

Our School has a dedicated, professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support you. They offer impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events to boost your employability. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • What are you doing after Warwick? Career planning for final year language students
  • Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
  • Completing effective CVs and Application Forms for students from the School of Modern Languages
  • Reflecting on Your Year Abroad
  • Languages Alumni Evening

Find out more about careers support at Warwick.

Modern Languages and Cultures at Warwick

Join us at one of the best universities in the UK for Modern Languages, with an excellent reputation for employability. Study one, two or three languages and cultures, or combine languages with other subjects.

Get to know us a bit better by exploring our department websiteLink opens in a new window


Explore our new Faculty of Arts building

The department recently moved into the brand new £57.5 million Faculty of Arts building.

This means, as an Arts student at Warwick, you’ll find your home amongst brand new teaching, learning and social spaces, including specialist facilities, all designed to support collaborative working and to enable your creativity and innovation to flourish.

The sustainably built, eight-storey building is located next to the newly refurbished Warwick Arts Centre in the heart of the University’s creative and cultural arts quarter.

Explore our new Faculty of Arts building further.


Our courses

For degrees combining two or more languages, please see our Modern Languages courses.

Life at Warwick

Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities. A place where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. Our supportive, energising, welcoming space creates the ideal environment for forging new connections, having fun and finding inspiration.

Keep exploring life at Warwick

Find out how to apply to us, ask your questions, and find out more.

Warwick Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is key to helping you settle in quickly.

We have 12 self-catering undergraduate halls of residence on campus.

Our student property management and lettings agency manages more than 8,000 rooms both on and off campus, and provides advice to all full-time undergraduates.

Explore Warwick Accommodation

Our campus

You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible new sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus.

Explore our campus

Food and drink

We have lots of cafés, restaurants and shops on campus. You can enjoy great quality food and drink, with plenty of choice for all tastes and budgets. There is a convenience store on central campus, as well as two supermarkets and a small shopping centre in the nearby Cannon Park Retail Park. Several of them offer delivery services to help you stay stocked up.

And don't miss our regular food market day on the Piazza with tempting, fresh and delicious street food. Soak up the atmosphere and try something new, with mouth-watering food for all tastes.

Explore food and shops

Explore Students' Union venues

Clubs and societies

We currently have more than 300 student-run societies.

So whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.

Or you could try something new, or even form your own society.

Explore our societies

Sports and fitness

Staying active at Warwick is no sweat, thanks to our amazing new Sports and Wellness Hub, indoor and outdoor tennis centre, 60 acres of sports pitches, and more than 60 sports clubs.

Whether you want to compete, relax or just have fun, you can achieve your fitness goals.

Explore sports at Warwick

Studying on campus

Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs.

You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.

  • The Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas.
  • The University Library provides access to over one million printed works and tens of thousands of electronic journals
  • Three Learning Grids offering you flexible individual and group study spaces.

Studying at Warwick

Travel and local area

Our campus is in Coventry, a modern city with high street shops, restaurants, nightclubs and bars sitting alongside medieval monuments. The Warwickshire towns of Leamington Spa and Kenilworth are also nearby.

The University is close to major road, rail and air links. London is just an hour by direct train from Coventry, with Birmingham a 20-minute trip. Birmingham International Airport is nearby (a 20-minute drive).

Travelling from campus

Wellbeing support and faith provision

Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.

Our Chaplaincy is home to Chaplains from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths. We provide regular services for all Christian denominations and a Shabbat meal every Friday for our Jewish students. There is also an Islamic prayer hall, halal kitchen and ablution facilities.

Student support

Chaplaincy

How to apply

Learn more about our application process.

Key dates

Key dates for your application to Warwick.

Writing your personal statement

Make an impression and demonstrate your passion for your course.

After you've applied

Find out how we process your application.

3 ways to connect

Talk to us

Join us at a live event. You can ask about courses, applying to Warwick, life at Warwick, visas and immigration, and more.

See event calendar Link opens in a new window


Warwick Experience

Take a virtual, student-led campus tour. Then join an interactive panel session, where you can hear from and chat to our current students and staff.

Book a tour Link opens in a new window


Student blogs

Explore our student blogs on Unibuddy. You can read about campus life from students themselves, and register to post questions directly to students.

Ask a student Link opens in a new window

Explore campus with our virtual tour

Our 360 tour lets you:

  • Watch student videos
  • View 360 photography and drone footage
  • Learn about facilities and landmarks

Explore our campus virtually through our 360 campus tour now

Come to an Open Day

Don’t just take it from us, come and see for yourself what Warwick is all about. Whether it's a virtual visit or in-person, our University Open Days give you the chance to meet staff and students, visit academic departments, tour the campus and get a real feel for life at Warwick.

Open Days at Warwick