# German Language and Modern German Studies (in German)

**Source**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate/german-language-and-modern-german-studies-german
**Parent**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate

45.04.02 
*In German*

Level of education Master

Type of instruction Full-time

Duration 2 years

Programme description

The Master’s programme 'German Language and Modern German Studies' provides students with a unique opportunity to deepen their theoretical expertise in German and general communicative linguistics while honing advanced practical proficiency in the German language. The curriculum integrates theory and practice, preparing graduates for careers as university lecturers, school teachers, cultural institution managers, corporate translation specialists, or academic researchers.

Main courses

- Current Issues in Translatology / Aktuelle Probleme der Translatologie
- Text analysis in the Aspect of Language Criticism / Sprachkritische Textanalyse
- Diachronic Shifts in German / Historischer Sprachwandel im Deutschen
- Communicative Strategies and Grammatical Forms / Kommunikative Strategien und grammatische Formen
- Culture of Interpreter’s speech / Sprachpflege bei der Dolmetscherausbildung
- LSP-Linguistics / Fachsprachenlinguistik
- Intercultural communication in context of the German-Russian relations / Interkulturelle Kommunikation im Kontext der deutsch-russischen Beziehungen
- Academic writing / Wissenschaftliches Schreiben
- German and Russian Idioms / Deutsche und russische Idiomatik
- Fundamentals of Linguistic Pragmatics / Grundlagen der linguistischen Pragmatik
- Text understanding and interpreting / Textverstehen und Textinterpretation
- Creative Writing / Kreatives Schreiben
- Theory and methods of applied linguistics / Theorien und Methoden der angewandten Linguistik
- Types of texts in political communication / Textsorten im Kommunikationsbereich Politik
- Language of new forms of communication / Sprache der neuen Medien

Our advantages

- The programme continues the Germanistic traditions of the St Petersburg (Leningrad) Philological School—traditions upheld by V. M. Zhirmunsky, V. G. Admoni, A. V. Fedorov, L. R. Zinder, T. V. Strojeva, and others. The Department of German Philology at Saint-Petersburg University has decades of experience in training specialists in German studies, enabling students to acquire knowledge and skills that meet modern domestic and international standards. The programme aims to deepen students’ theoretical and practical knowledge, essential for multifaceted linguistic analysis of language phenomena and improving communicative proficiency in German
- The programme’s core principle is the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical skills. It employs up-to-date teaching methods and technologies, including digital resources and online platforms
- The curriculum includes a significant number of practical classes, allowing students to develop professional German language skills
- Teaching is conducted by experienced specialists, many of whom have taught at German-speaking universities and actively participate in research
- The programme features unique, lecturer-designed courses based on modern textbooks and teaching materials
- Students have the opportunity to conduct research in modern German studies under the guidance of experienced mentors and may pursue further study (PhD) at leading domestic and international universities
- The programme addresses current employer demands in language education and cultural outreach, preparing German philologists for careers in various fields, from teaching to managing cultural projects
- The programme offers active career support for graduates through a network of contacts and partnerships with employers

Teaching staff

Galina Baeva — Doctor of Philology, author of over 150 academic works and teaching manuals on the history of the German language, historical pragmatics, and more

Konstantin Filippov — Doctor of Philology, author of over 150 academic works and teaching manuals on theoretical and applied issues in general and Germanic linguistics, text and discourse linguistics

Irina Ezan — Candidate of Philological Sciences, programme director. Author of over 80 academic works on political linguistics, text and discourse linguistics, advertising and (new) media language

Elena Kovtunova — Candidate of Philological Sciences, author of over 60 academic works on German lexicology, phraseology, lexical semantics, lexicography, terminology, specialised language linguistics, and media linguistics

Anna Melgunova — Candidate of Philological Sciences, author of over 50 academic works on German lexicology and word formation, textual cohesion, and more

International cooperation

SPbU maintains close partnerships with leading centres of German studies in Russia, Belarus, and Germany, and offers the opportunity to participate in academic mobility programmes in SPbU partner universities. Graduates may pursue further study (PhD or doctoral programmes) at leading Russian and international universities.

Key research areas

- Current trends in modern German studies
- German language: Modern German in diverse communicative contexts
- Current issues in linguistic pragmatics
- Communicative grammar of German
- Dynamic processes in the German lexicon
- Patterns of cultural representation in German texts and discourse
- German as a tool of persuasion and manipulation in media and political discourse
- Linguistic peculiarities of internet communication
- Features of major types of translation work
- Linguistic foundations of intercultural communication, etc.

Career opportunities

Teaching, Professional and Research Placements at Saint-Petersburg University and other educational institutions in St Petersburg, including the private German language school Deutsch-Club.

**Key professions:**

- German Studies Researcher
- University Lecturer, Secondary School Teacher, Language School Instructor, Teacher at German Culture Centres
- Translator / Interpreter, Interpreter with Executive Assistant Role, Tour Guide Interpreter
- Personal Assistant (proficient in the German language)
- International Department Manager (in cultural centres)
- Exhibition Coordinator
- Foreign Media Section Editor
- Foreign Collections Research Specialist in libraries

**Organisations where our graduates work:**

- Saint-Petersburg University and other universities in St Petersburg and Moscow
- State and private schools and gymnasiums with advanced foreign language programmes
- Research institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)
- National School of Guide-Interpreters Translation and interpreting agencies
- Publishing houses and media organisations
- International departments of libraries Russian branches of German corporations
- Tour operators and travel agencies
- Language schools (e.g. Katjas Schule online school, DeutschEffekt, HotelsPro, IntiLED, Veeam, etc.)
- ’German-Russian Meeting Centre’ foundation for supporting and developing Russo-German relations
- T-SYSTEMS RUS LLC
- Rosskongress Foundation
- Russian-German Chamber of Commerce
- Russian-German Forum ’Petersburg Dialogue’, etc.

[This webpage may contain outdated information. The programme descriptions and admission requirements for the 2026/2027 academic year are currently being updated. For the latest information on 2026/2027 admission, please visit the Admissions Office website.](https://abiturient.spbu.ru/en/)

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