Sociology and French

Sociology asks how societies are structured, how power operates, and how individual lives are shaped by forces that extend far beyond personal choice. It examines class, race, gender, religion, family, education, and globalisation through a combination of theoretical frameworks and empirical research. French, as a language, opens access to a culture, literary tradition, and political history that has been central to the development of European and global sociology itself, from Durkheim and Bourdieu to contemporary debates in French politics and society.

At the University of Manchester, this four-year programme includes a sandwich year, giving you professional work experience, and a year abroad spent in a French-speaking country, where you will deepen your linguistic fluency and your understanding of French society at first hand. You will also have access to work placements. Manchester's sociology department has exceptional research strength, and the combination with French means you will engage with French-language sociological and cultural writing as well as the English-language canon.

You will develop both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and you will read critically across the major sociological traditions.

Graduates of sociology and language programmes are well prepared for careers in social research, policy analysis, NGO work, the civil service, journalism, education, social work, international organisations, and cultural and community roles in francophone contexts. The analytical and research skills sociology develops are transferable across a wide range of professional settings, and French fluency is a consistent professional asset. Postgraduate study in sociology, social policy, international relations, or French studies is a well-established route for graduates who wish to pursue research or specialist professional work.