The German language is spoken by approximately 120 million people. It is the official language of 6 countries and is spoken as a minority language of more than 25 countries. German is one of the worlds most important cultural languages. Indeed, every 10th book worldwide is published in German. An official language of the European Union (EU) and a key instrument in the new economies in Central and Eastern Europe, German is also the language of China’s sixth largest trade partner: the German Republic.

Four levels of instruction in German area available at the undergraduate level. The courses aim at providing the students with knowledge and communication skills relevant to functioning in common everyday situations in a German-speaking environment. From day one, students will learn how to interact in a variety of everyday situations. Interaction means speaking, listening, reading as well as writing, all of which will be part of the daily course work. The materials used in the courses are all based on authentic sources and selected on the basis of what is interesting and relevant for learners ranging from their late teens to mid-20s. Students will also gain insight into the contemporary civilization and culture of the German peoples. At the end of the third or fourth semester of studying German, students may choose to take the A1 Language Test, an internationally recognized standard test, at the Goethe-Institute in Hong Kong http://www.goethe.de/ins/cn/hon/enindex.htm

Students who intend to join UM exchange programs with German universities will find the courses particularly beneficial.