German/ Theology & Religious Studies

German and theology and religious studies is a combination that brings together a major European language with the academic study of religion and religious thought. German is not simply the language of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland but one of the most significant languages in the intellectual history of Europe: the language of Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, and Weber, and of biblical scholarship, reformation theology, and some of the most important developments in modern philosophy of religion and theological thought. Studying it alongside theology and religious studies creates a particularly rich engagement with both traditions.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year, full-time programme provides a wide spectrum of German teaching, ranging from the eighteenth century to contemporary culture, alongside an engagement with theology and religious studies that encompasses the study of religion, the Bible, and theological traditions in their relationship to politics, history, literature, philosophy, art, and culture. A sandwich year with work placement opportunities is built into the programme, giving you professional experience in a context relevant to either discipline, which might include cultural organisations, religious institutions, educational settings, or research environments.

Graduates go on to careers in education, the church and other religious organisations, translation and interpreting, cultural diplomacy, journalism, academic research, chaplaincy, and international organisations. German language competence opens professional opportunities across Germany and the German-speaking world, including in institutions with strong theological connections such as the churches, theological publishers, and ecumenical bodies. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in theology, German, philosophy of religion, or European studies, building on the distinctive combination the undergraduate degree develops.