What level of German do I need to start the Diploma in German Language?

CEFR B1 (intermediate). A short oral interview at application confirms your level. Students just below the standard can be offered a foundation pathway before joining the Diploma.

Does the Diploma in German Language prepare me for Goethe-Institut exams?

Yes — the course covers content aligned with the Zertifikat B2 and C1 syllabi, and students choosing to sit those exams can do so externally. The Diploma itself is the LSJHML UK qualification; the Goethe certificate is a separate addition for students who want it.

Can I take the Diploma in German Language online?

Yes. The online route mirrors on-campus delivery with live oral classes, recorded grammar and translation seminars, and supervised written work. Distance learners follow structured deadlines and submit oral assessments via recorded video.

How much translation is on the Diploma in German Language?

A substantial strand — German-English and English-German across business and editorial texts. The translation work is for applied bilingual fluency rather than to qualify as a professional translator. Students wanting that should continue to an Advanced Diploma in Translation Studies.

Is the Diploma in German Language useful for working in finance or engineering?

Yes — particularly the DACH market. Germany's manufacturing, engineering and financial sectors recruit consistently for bilingual professionals, and the Diploma's business-German strand is built around the conventions and vocabulary those sectors expect.

Diploma in German Language in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Diploma in German Language at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month UK qualification taking students from solid intermediate German (CEFR B1) toward upper-intermediate to advanced working competence (B2/C1). The course draws on Goethe-Institut methodology and Chartered Institute of Linguists professional standards, and combines language proficiency with the applied bilingual practice the DACH market actually pays for.

You graduate able to handle professional German in writing and speech, read German press fluently, translate competently in your domain and operate confidently in business contexts across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Key Features

Intensive language module targeting CEFR B2/C1 by the end of the course.
Business German strand covering DACH commercial conventions, correspondence and meeting culture.
Applied translation workshop — German-English and English-German across business and journalistic texts.
German media engagement — reading the FAZ, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Der Spiegel; listening to Deutschlandfunk and Tagesschau.
Cultural and contemporary studies in German on contemporary Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Goethe-Institut exam preparation for students wanting the Zertifikat B2 or C1.

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in German Language is structured around the four-skills development a serious language course requires plus the applied practice the working market demands. You leave able to take a meeting in German, write a professional email or report, translate a contract and read German news media without translation aids.

Advanced grammar — Konjunktiv I and II, complex subordination, passive constructions, particle verbs.
Extended vocabulary across business, current affairs, technology and culture.
Listening — fast spoken German, regional accents, news and interview formats.
Speaking — presentations, discussion, professional negotiation, social register.
Reading — German press, professional documents, contemporary German non-fiction.
Writing — professional correspondence, reports, op-ed style.
Translation — German-English and English-German across business and editorial texts.
DACH commercial and cultural literacy — Germany, Austria, Switzerland and regional differences.

Who This Diploma Is For

Intermediate German speakers wanting structured advancement to working professional level.
UK and international professionals targeting roles in the DACH region or with German-speaking employers.
Translators and editors building German as a working language or strengthening an existing pair.
Certificate-level graduates ready for a substantial UK qualification in German.

Career Pathways

Working German is one of the most consistently employable European languages for UK-based professionals — particularly in finance, manufacturing, automotive, engineering and publishing. Graduates of the Diploma in German Language typically progress into:

German Translator (commercial, legal, technical)
Bilingual Editor (DE/EN) (publisher, content platform)
German Teacher (UK secondary, language school)
DACH Region Account Manager (UK company exporting to Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
Bilingual Customer Support Lead (technology or financial services company)
International Programme Officer (cultural institution, NGO)

Graduates progress to an Advanced Diploma in German or directly into the final year of a relevant Bachelor's degree.

Entry Requirements

Completion of secondary school (A-Levels, BTEC, or international equivalent).
German at CEFR B1 (intermediate) for entry — confirmed via short oral interview.
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement.
Mature applicants (21+) may apply with two years of relevant work experience.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.