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Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

A streetscape in a small German town, displaying cobbled streets, white and pink flowers, and traditional timber-and-beam-houses.

Facts & figures

Modern Languages

#1 in NSW
2021 QS World University Rankings

Department of Germanic Studies

Exploring the rich tapestry of Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Immersed in the history, literature, culture and ideas of the German-speaking world.

The language of musicians, philosophers and scientists, German is spoken by more than 100 million people and has a major presence on the European and world stages. Established in the 1850s, our department boasts a long history of teaching excellence and has grown to be one of the largest of its kind in Australia.

We offer language studies to both beginner and advanced speakers, as well as exchange programs with universities in Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Cologne, Freiburg and Constance. Our research areas span a wide range of academic enquiry that includes historic and contemporary German literature, cinema, art, philosophy and history.

Our study offering

Germanic Studies

Study both the German language and culture, including literature, film, history and society. Through exchange programs in Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Cologne, Freiburg and Constance, you will experience exciting opportunities to enhance your language proficiency and deepen your understanding of German culture.

Undergraduate

*Available as a major and minor within the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Visual Arts, as well as all combined Bachelor of Advanced Studies degrees.  

Research

Our research

Our department has a strong research focus across these areas:

Contemporary German literature, culture and society
German colonialism and nationalism
History of Germans in Australia and the Pacific
German, Austrian and Swiss film
Women and gender studies
German as a foreign language, applied linguistics, educational linguistics
19th and 20th century German history
Intellectual history in the German-speaking world.

Learn more: Languages and cultures research

Exchange

Our advanced exchange programs provide life-changing experiences in Germany and Austria where students exercise their language skills and develop an understanding of cultural intricacies first hand.

Partner institutions

Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg
Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
Humboldt-Universität Berlin
Freie-Universität Berlin
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich
Technical University Berlin
Universität Bamberg
Universität Konstanz
Universität Mannheim
Universität Wien, Vienna
Universität zu Köln, Cologne

Learn more: Study abroad and student exchange

Our people

Academic staff

Key academic contacts

Undergraduate coursework and exchange: tristan.lay@sydney.edu.au
Honours and postgraduate research: brangwen.stone@sydney.edu.au

Sessional staff

Nick Enright
Dr Kylie Giblett
Emilie Kolb
Silke Schoppe
Dr Maria Veber
Dr Sabina Zulovic

Honorary Associates

Dr Andrea Bandhauer
Associate Professor Franz-Josef Deiters
Dr Cat Moir
Professor Tony Stephens

Events

See our school's calendar for a full listing of upcoming events.

Germanic Studies

Find out more about the major

Languages at Sydney event

Get a taste of German with us

Department Chair

Dr Brangwen Stone

Visit Dr Stone's academic profile

Contact

Phone

1800 SYD UNI (1800 793 864) (in Australia)
+61 2 8627 1444 (outside Australia)

Email

slc.enquiries@sydney.edu.au

Address

School of Languages and Cultures, Room 506, Brennan MacCallum Building A18, The University of Sydney NSW 2006

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Current students

Study information, prizes, scholarships and opportunities

Student portal (Canvas)

Featured news

Stained glass window in the Great Hall

Celebrating student success in languages and cultures

The School of Languages and Cultures hosted its 2021 Awards Ceremony to recognise 136 students for their outstanding performance in the academic years of 2019 and 2020.

16 December 2020

Bird's eye view of the University's Quadrangle and surrounding buildings on campus

Recognising high-achieving students in language and culture studies

The School of Languages and Cultures congratulates 75 students who have received scholarships and prizes in 2020.

15 December 2020

Collage of book covers

Smart Summer Books

We asked the Heads of Schools in Humanities to nominate some of the must-read academic books of 2020. Grab a cup of tea and get into them.

16 November 2020

Reflection of Quadrangle on the New Law School Building.

ARC success for University of Sydney researchers

The Australian Research Council (ARC) has announced University of Sydney researchers will receive funding for more than 50 new Linkage and Discovery projects.

11 November 2020

Collage of language graduates

How languages help you stand out from the crowd

From law to tech, public health to environmental policy, catch up with some of our language graduates who are making an impact across various fields in Australia and beyond.

09 September 2020

Collage of eight language students from the University of Sydney

Learning languages at Sydney

At the University of Sydney, we teach languages through cultures. From extracurricular enrichment to scholarship support, our students share some highlights and key opportunities from their language learning experience.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence and students in the University's Quadrangle

Learning languages opens our minds

Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Sydney, Dr Michael Spence, recently graduated with a Diploma of Languages (Korean Studies) at the very university he leads.

Colourful assortment of world flags with poles stuck into a sun-lit concrete bluish-grey wall

How studying languages can expand your world

In this interconnected era, cross-cultural and multilingual skills are integral to navigating the world around us. We talk with two of our former students who are making their mark through languages.

Sandstone building of the University of Sydney's Quadrangle with purple Australian native flowers in the foreground

Five minutes with Yixu Lu

In the lead up to the University's first multilingual conference on world literature, we speak with Professor Yixu Lu, convenor of the World Literatures and Global South Conference, about the cultural and linguistic diversity of international literary works.

20 November 2018

Large pile of boxed packages in an old warehouse

The lost voices of WWI: German internment in Australia

The story of Australia's 'German Concentration Camps', as they were called, is a little-known episode in the history of the First World War. Now, 100 years on, a collection of letters written by these internees have been translated into English for the first time by students from the University of Sydney's Department of Germanic Studies.

Stock image of stack of books.

Grants success for University of Sydney humanities researchers

Humanities academics from the University of Sydney have secured the largest number of 2018 grants awarded by the Australian Academy of the Humanities.