French and Politics

French and politics is a combination that equips you to understand the French-speaking world in its full complexity and to analyse the political forces that shape societies and international relations. France is a major European power with a distinctive political culture, a rich intellectual tradition and a global reach through its language, which is spoken by over 300 million people across five continents. Politics, as an academic discipline, examines how power is organised and exercised, how governments function, how ideologies shape political action, and how international relations between states and non-state actors are conducted.

Together these subjects give you an unusually well-rounded preparation for careers that require both linguistic fluency and political understanding.

At the University of Stirling, this four-year full-time degree builds your French to an advanced level while introducing you to the major concepts, debates and methods of political science. You will study French language and literature, engage with the history and culture of France and the francophone world, and examine contemporary French and European politics alongside wider comparative and international political analysis. A year abroad is a central feature of the programme, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in a French-speaking country, develop your linguistic fluency in a real environment and build the international outlook that employers in a range of sectors increasingly value.

Typical entry is around 184 UCAS tariff points.

Graduates from French and politics programmes go on to careers in diplomacy, international organisations, the European Union institutions, government and the civil service, journalism, international business, law, development organisations and academia. The combination of language and political analysis is particularly valued by organisations working across national and cultural boundaries. Further study in international relations, European politics, French studies, law or public administration is a common route for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.