French

Immerse yourself in French language, literature, history, and culture as you gain insight into key global issues such as post-colonialism and international relations with our BA French degree.

This intercultural degree equips graduates with the cultural awareness and linguistic proficiency in French required to take up careers in a wide range of sectors, including diplomacy, international relations, education, and translation. If you are interested in combining French with one or two additional languages, explore our BA Modern Languages programme.

Delve further into your language studies by choosing from a selection of exciting optional modules, which may include:
- Conflict, Identity and Absurdity in 20th-century French Theatre

- La France Moderne

- Behind the Camera: introduction to women's cinema from the 1960s to the present

- Défis contemporains de la société française

- Franco-African Relations from de Gaulle to Macron (1944 to the present)

- From Princesses to Poisoners: Gender, Identity and Society in Seventeenth-century French texts

- The Algerian War

- Avant-garde Currents in French Cinema

And cross-departmental modules such as:
- Constructions of gender, sexuality and race

- Cross-cultural Cinema: Migration and Displacement

- Thinking Otherwise: Decolonial approaches to contemporary thought and culture

- Introduction to Linguistics

- From Text to Tech: Digital Approaches to Languages and Cultures

- The Romance languages: structure, variation and change

One of the most exciting elements of this degree is that you'll experience studying, working or teaching in a Year Abroad.

There's an extensive range of language combinations available to you within our Modern Languages department. Some combinations we are unable to offer due to timetabling restrictions.

Why study this course?
- Experience a new approach to language learning with our CLIL (Content Language Integrated Learning) teaching method - study topics of cultural significance in French, designed and delivered by expert researchers.

- Teach, study or complete a work placement abroad, immersing yourself in French.

- Learn in a vibrant city that is culturally, ethnically and religiously diverse. Join a number of language and culture-based societies to further enhance your skills, including the multilingual Linguist Magazine.

- Benefit from focused academic contact. We pride ourselves on competitive contact hours, which take place within small groups to encourage active language learning through engagement with cultural material.

17th for French in the Complete University Guide by subject 2025

Top 25 for French in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

Top 100 for Modern Languages in the QS World Subject Rankings 2024