DEGREE GUIDE

French

What do French degrees involve?

French degrees teach you how to communicate fluently in French while exploring the rich history, literature, politics, and culture of French-speaking countries. You will study key areas such as language acquisition, translation, linguistics, film, and contemporary society. These courses help you develop strong analytical, communication, and intercultural skills while gaining a deeper understanding of France’s global influence and its role in international affairs. You will also have the opportunity to study or work abroad, immersing yourself in the language and daily life of a French-speaking country. With a combination of language training, cultural studies, and real-world experience, you’ll be well-prepared for careers in translation, diplomacy, international business, and education.

Example
Modules

French Language: Build fluency in speaking, listening, reading and writing through grammar, vocabulary and conversation practice, developing confidence for real-world use.

French Literature: Read key French literary texts from different centuries, learning to analyse narrative techniques, themes and historical context.

French Cinema: Explore the evolution of French film, studying iconic directors, movements like the New Wave, and how cinema reflects French culture.

Common Degree Names

💼 Some programmes include professional placements in French-speaking countries as part of the year abroad.
🌍 A year abroad in a French-speaking country is a compulsory part of most French degrees.

BA (Hons) French
BA (Hons) French and Spanish
BA (Hons) French and History
BA (Hons) French and English
BA (Hons) French and International Relations

A French degree study workspace showing an unfolded map of the Francophone world with countries highlighted in different shades, a stack of books with one labelled Francophone Literature, an open notebook with handwritten study notes including "les défis culturels", and a teal mug with coffee.

Level 3 (A-level / IB Diploma (HL) / Scottish Highers)

French degrees develop fluency in the language alongside deep knowledge of French-speaking cultures, literature, history, and society. Most universities offer different entry routes depending on your current level.

For advanced-level courses (if you already study French):

French – required
Another Modern Language – valued if applying for combined programmes
English Literature, History, or Politics – develops essay writing and cultural analysis skills

For beginners'/ab initio courses (starting from scratch):

No French required – these courses are designed for beginners or those who stopped at GCSE
Another Modern Language – shows aptitude for language learning
English Language or Literature – useful for analytical and essay skills
History, Politics, or Sociology – helpful for understanding cultural context

✨ Don't worry if you haven't studied French since GCSE (or equivalent) – some universities offer beginners' or post-GCSE routes that will take you to degree level.

Universities may also accept:

BTEC National Extended Certificates or National Diplomas alongside relevant A-Level subjects
IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) with at least two IB Higher Level subjects, including French B, for advanced level coures (ideally three - see relevant subjects above) alongside your Career-Related Study

A year abroad in a French-speaking country is usually compulsory. Advanced and beginner courses have different requirements, so always check your chosen university's website to confirm which route suits you.

Level 2 Qualifications (GCSE / MYP / National 5)

Most courses ask for:

GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 4/C or above, or the equivalent such as National 5s or MYP
GCSE French (or equivalent) for advanced-level courses; not required for beginners’ pathways

📘 For beginners’ programmes, showing a strong interest in languages (through other language GCSEs or personal experience) is helpful.

💬 Interviews
Formal interviews aren't usually part of the application process. However, some universities may invite you for a short conversation, either online or in person, to learn more about your interest in the subject.

🔍 Work Experience

You don't need work experience to apply for French. If you have a school placement to fill, any setting where you can use or be exposed to French — such as a business with French clients, a tourism organisation, or a cultural exchange programme — could be useful.

✨ Personal Statement Tips

What draws you to studying French at degree level - the language itself, French literature, cinema, history, politics, or Francophone cultures beyond France? A French degree goes far beyond language learning, so thinking about what you want to explore helps. If you've engaged with French culture through films, music, books, podcasts, news coverage, or reading literature in French or translation, reflect on what sparked your interest and what you'd want to study further. You don't need to have visited France or a Francophone country, but showing genuine curiosity about French-speaking cultures and commitment to developing your language skills will strengthen your application.

If your qualifications don't match the usual entry requirements, there are some other possibilities.

🌱 Foundation Year in Languages or Humanities

Some universities offer a foundation year if you don't have the required language background or grades. Many French degrees also offer ab initio (beginner) routes, so a foundation year can be a way in even without prior French study.

🎓 Access to HE Diploma (Humanities or Social Science)

Accepted by some universities. Choose a pathway with essay-based units and aim for Merits and Distinctions in your graded units. Check whether your chosen university requires prior French study alongside the Access qualification.

Is this degree right for you?

Members can explore whether this degree fits who they are:

Skills you'd develop and whether they match your strengths
How this aligns with your interests, motivators and values
Career paths and where graduates end up

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Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Use the tabs to explore the kind of person that this would be a good fit for. Do you share the Interests, Motivations, Values, Work identity and skills that people who thrive in this course tend to have?

Not sure what these things are? Explore your Identity Tree with us first.

Interests that connect well with a French degree

Students who enjoy this degree often share these interests. You don't need to feel strongly about all of them, and interests develop over time. If one or two catch your curiosity, or sound like something you'd like to know more about, that's a good sign.

Different Cultures, Languages & Beliefs: The degree immerses you in the French-speaking world, from France to West Africa and the Caribbean. You'll develop fluency in the language while exploring how cultural traditions, identity, and daily life differ across Francophone countries and communities.

Language, Stories & Writing: Literature and linguistics are central to the degree. You'll analyse French literary texts from different centuries, study how the French language is structured and has evolved, and develop translation skills that require understanding how two languages express meaning in fundamentally different ways.

Students who thrive in a French degree are often motivated by

Engaging with People and Cultures

You're energised by working closely with people to understand what's really going on for them: talking, listening, asking questions, spending time, picking up on what isn't being said directly. That might be interviewing someone for a piece of research, sitting with a client who's trying to work something out, exploring a community you've not been part of, or working alongside people from a different culture. The energy comes from the engagement itself, not just from reading or thinking about people.

Analysing and Investigating

You're energised by making sense of information, looking for evidence, spotting patterns, and piecing together how things connect. Whether it's pulling apart data, questioning assumptions, or tracing a problem back to its source, you find energy in the process of understanding what's really going on. You'd rather dig into the details than accept things at face value.

Curiosity and Learning

You're energised by the activity of learning itself: diving into a subject you've never explored, watching documentaries, taking apart how something works, or constantly asking "why?" The process of learning gives you energy, not just the outcome. You don't just want the answer; you want to understand how things connect, why they matter, and what's underneath the surface explanation.

Working Internationally

You're energised by work that crosses borders and connects you with people from different countries, backgrounds, and systems. That might be collaborating with international colleagues, working in a place that isn't your own, using another language professionally, or tackling problems that don't stop at a single country's borders. You come alive when the work you're doing reaches beyond your own patch of the world.

What makes French click for the students who love it?

They are drawn to a language whose ideas and arguments have travelled far beyond France, from Paris to West Africa to Quebec. Understanding those societies from the inside is why the year abroad means so much to them: living among speakers, not watching from a distance, is what they are after. What they enjoy just as much is reading closely, taking a French essay or novel apart to see how it makes its case, line by line.

These are the skills that students who love this degree tend to enjoy using. You don't need to be great at them already, but if they sound like you, that's a good sign.

Skill Name

Skills that suit this degree

You don't need to be great at these already — but if you enjoy using them or want to get better at them, that's a good sign.

Do you enjoy learning about how people in other countries live, think, and see the world differently from you?
Do you like the challenge of expressing yourself clearly — especially when you can't rely on your first language?
Do you enjoy reading closely and thinking about what a text, film, or piece of writing really means?

Careers a French degree could lead you to

French

What do French degrees involve?

Example Modules

Common Degree Names

Is this degree right for you?

Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Careers a French degree could lead you to

Example
Modules