Willkommen!

Opening of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin in 2004

Welcome to the AFL German page of the University of Bristol School of Modern Languages.

At the School of Modern Languages we offer a full range of German language courses, from ab initio (beginner) to advanced level, for undergraduate students throughout the University. We have a well-established tradition of providing specialist language training for students on Study in Continental Europe programmes, who wish to pursue their undergraduate studies at a German-speaking university in their third year. However, we also very much welcome those students opting to take German as an Open Unit.

The focus of our courses at Level 1 is on acquiring and/or consolidating general language skills, whereas students in their second year of German will also have the opportunity to explore more specific aspects of the language related to their own degree studies. We also run continuation courses for students returning from their year abroad aimed at developing their linguistic expertise in areas related to their future working life. At every level, however, we aim to introduce learners to authentic every-day German in all its varieties, to open up to them the diverse culture of the German-speaking countries in Europe and to keep them abreast with current affairs and topical issue in these countries.

All classes are conducted in German and learners are encouraged to interact in the target language as fully as possible. Whilst equal emphasis is given to all four skills during the course as a whole, in classroom hours maximum attention is devoted to helping learners develop and improve their oral and listening skills.

Please note: If you are a native German speaker you are not permitted to study German at the Language Centre.

Our small team of very experienced and committed tutors work closely together to produce resources that are constantly up-to-date and will prove stimulating and challenging for learners of German. Our approach to the design and delivery of our courses is pragmatic and flexible in that we try to cater for the very real and practical needs of individual groups of learners within the broad framework of the syllabus.

In the pages on this site you will find information on all aspects of your AFL German studies at the School of Modern Languages, from timetables to course descriptions. Also check for news about special events, including guest lectures, conferences and  films. Details of registration for 2011-2012 are also now available.

If you want to study independently or if you need to do some research for your German class, the links on the resources page should help you.

We hope you enjoy browsing through this site. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please contact the Language Director of German (j.o.langner@bristol.ac.uk)