簡介：The number of universities in the German ranking has stabilised after 16 dropped out in two years, reflecting a worldwide decline in the language that has been worrying the German government, as well as academic linguists. A small increase in applications in 2011 brought hope that a corner had been turned, but this year has seen a 22 per cent decline that is bound to heighten anxieties about the subject at degree level. Fewer than 300 students began degrees in German in 2011, although many more will have included the language in combination with others. Cambridge makes it seven years in a row as the leader in German. Indeed, the top two are the same as last year, but Durham has captured third place for the first time, overtaking Southampton, which had the best results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Cambridge has the highest entry standards and shared the best score for student satisfaction with sixth-placed Warwick. Satisfaction levels remained generally high in the 2011 National Student Survey, when only two universities failed to satisfy at least 75 per cent of final-year undergraduates. The best employment score was at Bristol, in eighth place, the only university apart from Cambridge to see more than eight out of ten graduates go straight into graduate-level jobs or further study. Fifth-placed St Andrews remains the leading university in Scotland, while Cardiff is now well clear of Swansea in Wales. Portsmouth is one of just three post-1992 universities left in the ranking and the only one in the top 30. Despite the recruitment difficulties in German departments, there are still more than five applications for every place. Nine out of ten undergraduates enter with A levels or equivalent qualifications, and entry standards are relatively high, especially at the leading universities. At more than half of the universities in the table, entrants average at least 400 points. As in other modern languages, career prospects are reasonable: two thirds of leavers go straight into graduate jobs or further study, and the 6 per cent unemployment rate is among the lowest for any subject. German has also moved up the table for starting salaries, which now average more than ￡21,000. Most universities in the table offer German ab initio as part of a languages package, as well as catering for those who took the subject at A level.以下是2013年times英國大學排名德語專業排名。