Undergraduate study - 2023 entry
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Undergraduate study - 2023 entry
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Subject area: French and Francophone Studies

Why choose French and Francophone Studies at the University of Edinburgh?

  • We are unique in Scotland in offering students a full academic year abroad within the four-year honours programme, regardless of whether you spend the year studying or working. If you are studying French and another language, you will divide your time between two countries, broadening your skills and experience.

  • We are ranked 3rd in the UK and 10th in the world for modern languages in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022.

  • From making friends in language cafes to campaigning on global issues, the Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) supports more than 300 student-led activities. The French theatre society - Les Escogriffes - typically stages a play in French each year. We also have a creative writing magazine especially for European languages.

  • Edinburgh is a world-leading festival city filled with cinemas, theatres, galleries, libraries and collections. The National Library of Scotland, for example, has one of the best French collections in the UK.

Study abroad

I adore the academic breadth and depth of the French curriculum offered here at Edinburgh. The tutors’ and lecturers’ dynamic encouragement of independent thinking has enabled me to examine topics ranging from Montaigne’s scepticism to Modiano’s postmodern fiction through a critical lens. In particular, the structure of the programme consistently inspires me to explore French and Francophone literature through a plethora of contextual frameworks: philosophical, historical, political, and more.

Oriana 2nd Year MA (Hons) French and English Literature
Oriana 2nd Year MA (Hons) French and English Literature

Introducing French and Francophone Studies

French is a major world language, spoken in many parts of Europe, Africa and the Americas.

At Edinburgh, you will study the French language in the context of the diverse countries, cultures and societies in which it is spoken.

You can take French as a single honours degree programme or as a joint honours with one of a wide range of partner subjects, including other European languages.

Over the course of your four-year programme, you will have the opportunity to acquire near-native fluency in French while gaining the broad cultural education valued by graduate employers.

We will introduce you to the extraordinary richness and variety of one of the world's great civilisations. You will explore aspects of French culture, including Francophone:

  • literature and cinema
  • political history
  • social movements
  • philosophical ideas

Our courses cover material from the Middle Ages to the 21st Century and include specialist options taught by leading experts in their field. Topics include post-colonial studies and gender studies, among others.

Teaching takes place in the University of Edinburgh's Central Area, which is located on the edge of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, surrounded by lots of green space.

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