German

Examination Board

AQA (German) 7662

Entry Criteria

GCSE German Grade 7

Assessment

You will sit three exams.

Paper 1- Listening, reading and writing (2 hours 30 minutes) 40% of the A-level.

Paper 2- Writing (2 hours). 30% of the A-level.

Paper 3 – Speaking (21-23 minutes). 30% of the A-level.

Why you should study German

Choosing an A-level language is a really good move if you want a fascinating subject that offers you a range of career possibilities at the end and a lot of fun along the way. A-level language courses are interesting and varied subjects to study and give you a broad range of knowledge and skills.

Learning a language is a never-ending process; languages are constantly changing, bringing in new words and getting rid of old ones. This is one of the great things about learning languages, you’re always up to speed with the world! You may just want to turn your back on languages after doing them for two years at GCSE, but don’t! The skills and qualifications that you gain from studying a language at A-level are incredibly important tools to have under your belt. There is no doubt that universities value applications from students who have an A-level in a language.

Course Content

1.Social issues and trends

– Aspects of German-speaking society (The changing state of the family; The digital world; Youth culture: fashion and trends, music and television)

– Muticulturalism (Immigration; Integration; Racism)

2.Political and artistic culture

– Artistic culture (Festivals and traditions; Art and architecture; Cultural life in Berlin)

– Aspects of political life (Germany and the European Union; Politics and youth; German reunification and the consequences.

3.Grammar

4.Literary texts and films

– One text and a film or two texts from AQA’s list.

5.Individual research project

– A subject relating to a country where German is spoken.

Skills Developed, Progression and Possible Future Careers

Your A-level in German will build on what you have covered at GCSE level. Career prospects for language students are varied. Linguists tend to be good communicators and have other transferable skills including the ability to gather and interpret information, organisational skills and the ability to work well with others.

An ‘A’ level in languages can lead to courses at university either where languages are the main focus or where they are studied as secondary subjects to other courses. eg. Law, Business Studies, Media etc.

Language graduates can find employment in many areas: – Translation and Interpreting work, Diplomatic Service, Tourism, Teaching, Marketing, Sales, PR, Advertising, Business and finance, Banking, Accountancy Bi-lingual secretarial work, Civil Service etc. both in England and abroad. Other careers involve the Armed Forces, Law, Journalism, Film-making, ICT, Police Force etc.