The importance of the German language

The German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche found that German is the tenth most widely spoken language in the world, with 105 million mother-tongue speakers and a total of  185 million speakers worldwide. What’s more, German is becoming increasingly popular:

The German current affairs weekly Der Spiegel says that there has been a rise of eight percent in German language learning, attributing the boom to the global economic crisis. Anyone wanting to study in Germany needs an adequate knowledge of German. International applicants must complete a language test before enrolling.

Opportunities to work in Germany while studying:

The German Parliament has implemented the EU Blue Card and a new unlimited work and residence permit to grant foreign graduates of German universities unrestricted access to the job market.

There are many possibilities to earn money during your studies. You can find job ads on the “Schwarzes Brett” (notice board) on campus or on your university’s website. Knowing German can significantly increase your chances of finding a part-time job.

An ideal way to supplement your studies is to take a job at an institute, library or other facility at your university. Waiting on tables in cafés and pubs is a typical student job. Other students accompany visitors at trade fairs, work as delivery drivers or cycle couriers, or take on odd jobs cleaning, babysitting, working in copy shops, etc. Your chances at finding a job will increase significantly if you know how to speak German. Basic German is a pre requisite to work even part time in any field in Germany.

 

A degree in German Studies opens up many different career opportunities

Also, after completing one’s degree programme from a German university, one is allowed to stay in Germany for 18 months to look for a job in keeping with one’s qualification

If you speak German you will generally find life in Germany easier. While many people speak English, knowledge of German helps you feel comfortable in Germany and settle in more quickly

If you think a degree in German Studies only equips you to be a German teacher, think again! German Studies offers huge potential for jobs in fields as varied as the arts and journalism. German Studies graduates are generalists and have lots of transferable skills.

German Studies graduates work as editors in publishing houses, librarians or documentalists, find jobs as cultural managers or journalists, run press offices, or write novels and textbooks. And of course they teach German too, in German schools, for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), or at a Goethe-Institut, the German Government’s cultural and language learning arm.

Some German studies graduates combine teaching German as a foreign language with translation or interpreting

It’s becoming more common for employers to look for language skills on prospective employees’ resumes. Having a language like German on your resume gives you an edge over other job candidates. Many companies pay higher salaries to bilingual employees, or offer bonuses based on language skills and proficiency. The more benefit you can bring to a company, the more attractive you are in the job market.

Learning German can not only help you get a job with an American company that has offices in Germany or other German-speaking countries, but it can help you pursue a position with a German company that has offices in the United States. Germany is a large producer of automobiles and electronics, and some of the best-known German companies for both have locations around the world, including in the U.S. Not only that, but Germany is home to the European version of NASA, so if you have an interest in space or aeronautics–and you speak German–you may be able to secure a position at one of the most prestigious organizations in the world

German is the language of Goethe, Marx, Nietzsche, and Kafka, of Mann, Brecht, and Grass. Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, and Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Wagner, Mahler, and Schoenberg spoke and wrote German, as did Freud, Weber, Einstein, and Heisenberg, Kant, Hegel, and Heidegger.

Many of the Western world’s most important works of philosophy, literature, music, art history, theology, psychology, chemistry, physics, engineering and medicine are written in German and continue to be produced in German.

Travel

Make the most of your travels not only in German-speaking countries, but in many other European countries where German is widely spoken, especially in Eastern Europe.

What is it that makes Germany  special and what can it offer to the students from all over the world?  

 The Federal Republic of Germany proportionally is a quite small country but its history as well as its actual role in the world is something special. It is not only in Europe that Germany has an important position but it is also an important international trading partner and player, concerning political and economic questions.

German employees from different fields and disciplines are in great demand all over the world and have realistic chances to get a job in an international company in many different countries. Germany itself is also a good and attractive country to work there later.

These opportunities exist due to the good German educational system.

The universities and the obtained masters degree are well-known all over the world . At German universities the practical part of the studies has an important part to play. Internships have to be done in many programs of study and every professor recommends doing one. The big industry and especially the large cities provide many opportunities for these internships. One can absolve them in the most different kinds of disciplines and companies.

Depending on which area in Germany one decides to study, there are numerous activities and journeys to do and go in the free time or on holidays. During this traveling one can see the different areas of the country and all its faces. With more time and a larger amount of money one can also start travelling Europe from Germany. The country gives the perfect start for this trip and one is able to see a lot of countries during the time abroad. Study programs are furthermore considered as more difficult than the ones in other countries but this has a positive impact on the reputation.

With a German masters degree one has a very good chance for the future and with some more own initiative one can work all over the world.

Furthermore, studying in Germany not only provides interesting topics but also numerous free time activities and many travel opportunities. It is really worth, getting to know this country in the heart of Europe.

With more than 300 higher education institutions across the country, Germany has a density of universities which is practically unequalled around the world.

The cost of living for students in Germany can be kept low by using many of the student benefits and discounts. On average, you will need around 700 Euros per month (per 2004).

Below are the highlights as to why a student should choose Germany for further studies:

Education: Many German higher education institutions offer courses leading to an international degree. These courses are designed to attract foreign students and Germans looking to study with an international dimension. The range of study opportunities covers undergraduates, graduate and postgraduate degree courses (Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD levels). Courses and lectures are taught in English, often exclusively during the first year of study. German language courses are offered before and during the program.

Nearly all German universities and colleges are financed by the state. So far, German and international students have been able to pursue their studies and research without having to worry about tuition fees.

Technology: Ever since the dawn of modern engineering, Germany is known for its technological innovation. The technology that rooted out of the German soil is considered to be one of the best in the world. German companies are on hike not only nationally but also internationally.

 

Top Ranking universities: Many of the technical universities such as TU Darmstadt, TU Karlsruhe, RWTH Aachen etc., rank very high in the list of “World ranking for the best technical institutes”.

 

International Degree: Previously the hitch that kept the international students off bay was the mode of education just being in German. Due to the growing demand and huge in-flow of foreign crowd, the universities have comfortably switched to English taught courses and hence has increased the flow of international applicants.

 

Flexibility of the Course Duration: Since the education system is split into “practical oriented” study and “industry oriented” study, many German universities offer a 3 semester Masters course (1.5 years). Alternatively, there are also 4 semester Masters course (2 years) offered by many technical institutes. This is a huge advantage to people who would want to complete their Masters as soon as possible and head directly to the German industry to work.

 

Strategic University Locations: The German universities are usually located in such strategic locations where the industry concentration predominant and the research hubs are easily reachable. This helps the industry-university interaction grow further and eventually to make the learning environment bidirectional.

 

World Class Facilities: With the recent boom of international applicants, the laboratories and the research facilities toady meet the international standards.

 

Subsidized Tuition Fee: One of the major advantages of studying in Germany is the “subsidized tuition fee”.In Germany, most of the institutions of higher education charge no or very little tuition fee — to the tune of 500 Euro per semester. However, you will need to pay semester contribution ranging from Euro 50 to 250, depending upon the university and the services or benefits provided. These low charges certainly help to make Germany attractive as a study destination.

 

Research Fundings: The research projects in the universities largely depend on the funding provided by three main sources: The German Government, the industry, The European Union (EU). Since all these three factors are largely unaffected by the external influences, the research funding for the projects have literally no bound. Hence Germany is indeed a Mecca for researchers from any discipline.

 

Excellent Job opportunities: Germany is known for its industrial hub (Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Hannover, Bonn, etc.) Many world famous German companies such as Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Siemens, Bosch, SAP etc, provide excellent career opportunities to one and all, irrespective of their nationality. Thousands of supplier companies to these big giants also keep their doors open to the international talents.