French

French is spoken as a first or official language across five continents and by more than 275 million people, making it one of the most globally significant languages in the world. Its literary and intellectual tradition is among the richest in any language: from the philosophy of Descartes and Montaigne through the novels of Balzac, Flaubert, and Proust, the existentialism of Sartre and de Beauvoir, the new wave cinema of Godard and Truffaut, and the vibrant contemporary literature of the Francophone world in Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond. To study French is to gain access to this tradition in the original and to develop a cultural awareness that extends across multiple continents.

At the University of Liverpool, this four-year, full-time degree gives you the opportunity to develop your French to an advanced level while also engaging seriously with the literature, history, and culture that the language carries. Liverpool has a well-regarded modern languages department, and the programme takes you through a wide range of French and Francophone texts and cultural contexts, developing your analytical and interpretive skills alongside your linguistic competence. You will read primary texts in French across historical periods and genres, write critically and analytically in both English and French, and develop an understanding of how linguistic and cultural contexts shape meaning.

A typical entry tariff of 136 UCAS points indicates the level of prior French study expected.

French at degree level develops close reading, precise writing, cultural sensitivity, and the capacity to operate comfortably in a second language at a high level. These are capacities with wide professional application.

Graduates work in translation and interpreting, education, journalism, international business, the diplomatic and civil service, law, publishing, and the cultural sector. French proficiency at degree level is valued by employers with European and Francophone operations. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in French, translation, or comparative literature.