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Diploma in German

College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Celtic Studies

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Course Overview

This two-year course will help students develop the skills to communicate successfully in the German-speaking world. Through the programme’s module on German culture, students will gain a deeper insights into a region that plays a vital role in central Europe's intellectual and economic life, as well as in its cultural history. In its language and culture elements, the course aims to excite students’ curiosity for other cultures since German is not only the official language of Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein, but is spoken in regions of France, Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland and many other East European countries.

Mode of Study: Blended learning

Applications and Selections

There is no intake for this course in September 2025. Applications will reopen from the 1st April, 2026. 

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Applications System. This course is listed under Adult Learning Undergraduate\Postgraduate, CPD, Micro-credentials & Summer School Applications.

Please visit our How to Apply page for Application tips and Supporting Documents information.

Requirements and Assessment

Classes are held on Wednesday evenings (6:30 - 9:30pm). All modules in the Diploma are individually assessed. The assessment for each module takes the form of essays, written assignments or presentations during the semester and a written examination at the end of the semester.

The teaching method is mainly based on a communicative approach, which focuses on teaching language structures through conversation and exercises rather than on memorizing forms. This approach helps students develop productive skills (speaking and writing) as well as receptive skills (listening and reading), as vocabulary and grammar activities progress from controlled and form-focused to open-ended and interactive.  Whenever useful, grammatical structures are contrasted with parallel structures in English.

Students are encouraged to spend time at home incorporating language practice in their everyday routines and availing of the self-access language-learning facilities at the University.

As this course is delivered via Blended learning most of the material is delivered online, please visit to our Online Learning webpage for further details on what is required to participate in a blended learning course.

What Our Students Say

Charles

Charles Doyle |   Diploma Graduate

Taking the Diploma in German at NUI Galway was easily one of the best moves I’ve made, both personally and professionally. I’ve always had a keen interest in linguistics but sadly I had neglected German since school. As it turned out, when I went back to college to pursue postgraduate research, German proved quite essential for my line of work in Classical Philology. After one year of trying (and failing) to teach myself German, I decided the Diploma was the best option. I started the Diploma to develop reading comprehension in German but by the end of the course I had gained so much more. The method of teaching and learning allowed me to pursue the coursework at my own pace, in tandem with my own research and teaching. The regular practice gave me so much more confidence in speaking the language, and has opened up a whole new world of media, literature, film, music and culture. The Diploma has instilled a strong desire to travel and explore Germany.

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