Diploma in German

For information on how to apply, entry requirements, career options and assessment please visit our Courses page

Classes in 2024 - 25 

•  First Year - starting again in the academic year 2024 - 25, on Wednesdays 6.30-9.30p.m

Lecturer: Stephanie Burke; stephanie.burke@universityofgalway.ie

The Diploma in German provides an introduction to the basics of the German language, and is designed for those who have little or no previous knowledge of the language. Great emphasis is placed on teacher-student interaction, continuous assessment, written assignments and feedback to students. The German native teacher mainly uses the communicative method of modern language instruction.

She gradually introduces the relevant points of grammar to the students and shows how these are used in written and oral German. Each three-hour teaching session is divided between formal language tuition, grammar, comprehension and oral skills.

This two-year programme aims to equip students with essential communicative skills in German, both spoken and written (level A1 up to B1 of the European Language Framework),  to introduce students to the history and cultures of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, and to familiarise students with a range of contemporary social and political issues from the German-speaking world.

The Diploma programme will consist of lectures on one evening per week over two academic years. The academic year consists of two semesters of twelve weeks. Each lecture night is a three-hour session (6.30 - 9.30 pm) giving a total of 72 teaching hours over the academic year. Each three-hour session will be divided between formal language tuition, grammar, comprehension, civilisation and oral skills.

 Note: For those with German, on the basis of an interview with Stephanie Burke,(stephanie.burke@universityofgalway.ie) - it is possible to be admitted to 2nd year of the Diploma.