School of Literature, Language and Media

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French

Why Study French?

Studying French opens doors to communicating with people across Africa and around the world, while deepening your appreciation of new cultures, histories, and values. In today’s global market, a French major is more relevant than ever, as employers increasingly seek liberal arts graduates whose strong communication and critical thinking skills offer a distinct advantage over narrowly trained specialists in business and professional fields.

Courses in French combine well with:

Courses in French combine seamlessly with a wide range of disciplines, offering students opportunities to broaden their academic and cultural perspectives. They pair particularly well with other European languages, fine arts, political science, sociology, philosophy, drama, music, international relations, translation and interpretation, as well as media studies, creating rich interdisciplinary pathways for study and future careers.

Facts about French

  • French is a language of diplomacy, business, tourism, arts and culture, science and gastronomy.
  • It is a world language, spoken in Africa, Europe, Canada, the Pacific and Caribbean islands, and East Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia).
  • It is spoken in more than 20 African countries where it is the official language.

Undergraduate study

First Year

Basic French Language and Culture

This module is a beginner course in French aligned with the A1 level of the Common European framework for languages. It focuses on basic communication skills in the target language and offers a cultural component, familiarising students with contemporary francophone cultural notions.

Intermediate French Language and Culture

This is a more advanced continuation of the module above.  Cultural texts are introduced in semester 2.

Second Year

French Language and Text Production

This module is aligned with the A2 level of the Common European framework for languages. It offers a revision of French 1 grammar and introduces students to new grammatical structures. The literary component offers a selection of francophone texts.

French Language and Text Production (B)

This course is a continuation of the first semester. By the end of the module, students should have reached A2 competency and be able to critically analyse a literary extract in French.

Third Year

Advanced French Composition and Stylistics

This course is aligned with the B1 level of the Common European Framework for languages. It aims to refine writing and reading skills and to enable students to interpret a wide range of texts representing all aspects of contemporary French usage.

Negotiating Language

This course is a continuation of semester 1(B1 level). Both oral and written language skills are refined in this module. Emphasis is placed on the practical application of French language skills. Different registers and discourses of the language are explored.

French Literature (Reading Course)

This course offers an in-depth exploration of selected canonical texts in French or Francophone literature. Texts are studied in the context of the socio-political and literary background of the period chosen.

Selected Topics in French Literature

This course offers a specialised study in 19th and 20th century French Literature. Independent research on a chosen topic is an integral part of the course.

Postgraduate Programmes

BA Hons French
MA French
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