German

at UBC's

Vancouver Campus

The German Studies program is made up of courses on Germanophone culture, film, history, language, linguistics, literature, media, philosophy, society and thought. Our courses represent the historically and socially diverse lives and communities that make up the German-speaking world in and beyond Europe—from Switzerland to Namibia to Hungary and elsewhere. Students who complete the Major will achieve at least B2 proficiency in German based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

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Program information

  • Campus: Vancouver
  • Faculty: Faculty of Arts
  • Degree: Bachelor of Arts
  • Length 4 yrs
  • Co-op Yes
    You can combine your studies with full-time, paid work at top local and international organizations.
  • Honours Yes
    You can study intense specialization in a single field.

This program includes the language, literature, and culture of the German-speaking world instructed in both German (GERN courses) and English (GMST courses).

First- to fourth-year German-language (GERN) courses focus on language learning, and the program is designed to develop active and communicative skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing German. The content includes German-language materials from a variety of geographic regions, social contexts, and periods and includes conversation and literatures courses in the target language.

The UBC German Program also offers first- to fourth-year courses in German Studies (GMST), taught in English, that cover Germanophone culture, film, history, literature, media, philosophy, society and thought. These courses are open to all students and have no prerequisites.

The full program for Honours, Major, and Minor in German Studies includes third- and fourth-year courses taught in English and German in Literature, Cultural Studies, Languages, and Media Studies.

In addition, the Department of Central, Eastern, and Northern European Studies (CENES) offers Swedish, Danish, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Yiddish, and Croatian language courses, as well as courses on Scandinavian, Slavic, and Baltic literature and culture (taught in English). CENES also offers survey courses on Central, Eastern, and Northern European literature and culture (CENS courses) as well as degree programs in Nordic and Slavic Studies.

Campus features

The UBC library is proud to have very extensive German-language holdings and among the best collections in Canada in German history.

Your future

A UBC education will introduce you to people and ideas from around the world, open doors to new opportunities, and take you places you never imagined. You’ll graduate not only with expertise in your chosen field, but with the skills you need to continue growing, learning, and evolving with your career over time.

Program requirements

English-language requirements

English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.

General admission requirements

IB Diploma Programme

  • Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.

IB Certificate Courses

  • IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.
  • IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.

Degree-specific requirements: Arts

  • No specific courses required beyond those needed for general admission

Related courses

The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior year and senior year.

  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics and Computation
  • Second Languages
  • Social Studies
  • Visual and Performing Arts
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