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With our BA French and History programme you can combine the study of French culture and language with a broad exploration of history.
Join our friendly and dynamic Department of Languages and Cultures, which offers the opportunity to study in a lively, multilingual community with staff and students from all over the world. We offer a flexible and supportive approach to learning that allows you to tailor your degree to your interests, including the opportunity to learn other languages.
Through this course you will become confident and highly skilled in written and spoken French. You will master the fundamental elements of the language, to the point where you will graduate with a near-native command of it. We’re proud of our small language classes, led by native speakers. Direct access to expert staff for help and feedback ensures you develop your language skills to the best of your ability.
This course enables you to pursue your own interests through a wide range of optional modules in French and francophone culture, history, literature, politics and film. You will have the opportunity to study with staff who are internationally recognised experts in French-speaking books, history and culture including: the literature of the French Caribbean; French children’s literature and publishing; twentieth century French history; Medieval literature, history and art, as well as translation and adaptation studies.
Discover a thousand years of history whilst experiencing all the specialist areas offered by the Department of History, including Britain, Europe, Africa, America, the Middle East and South Asia. Your first year acts as an introduction and helps you identify your particular areas of interest. You will explore people, politics and revolution and we will teach you the skills you need to study and research history. Certain modules focus on French history, allowing you to explore the reigns of monarchs in Capetian France or the political leaders and groups during the French Revolution – a great way to complement your study of the language.
An integral part of the course is the opportunity for you to spend up to a year in a French-speaking country, studying at a university, working on a placement, or as a British Council language assistant in a school. This enables you to immerse yourself in the culture and develop your language to a high level. The core language module in the second year will prepare you for your time abroad, equipping you with the skills and knowledge required to work and live in a different culture. There is also the option to study for a degree in modern languages, inclusive of a year abroad, while at the same time training to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), a qualification that will enable you to teach in secondary schools in England and Wales after your degree.