Undergraduate study - 2020 entry
Undergraduate study - 2020 entry

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Subject area: French and Francophone Studies

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

  • We are ranked 3rd in the UK and 17th in the world for modern languages in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019.

  • Offering 16 languages and a wide range of joint programmes, we’re passionate about enabling choice and broadening minds through flexible, four-year study of languages and cultures from around the globe.

  • We are unique in Scotland in offering single and joint honours modern languages programmes which take four years to complete, including a year abroad. If you’re studying two languages, you’ll divide your time abroad between countries relevant to each language, further broadening your skills and experience.

  • Our festival city is bursting with cinemas, theatres, libraries and galleries, with plenty of French-focused activities, societies and clubs run by cultural institutions and the University’s Students' Association, including the 'Escogriffes' theatre society. Edinburgh’s French film scene is particularly strong, with an annual French Film Festival in November and plenty to see throughout the year.

  • As a large and popular subject area, we have a wide range of courses covering French and Francophone culture from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. We offer specialist options in literature, film, politics and the history of ideas.

  • Our teaching staff are also highly active researchers, passing on to you the same passion and world-class expertise that gained excellent results in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014. In modern languages and linguistics, 70 per cent of our research was rated either world-leading or internationally excellent on the overall quality profile, following a joint submission with Celtic and Scottish Studies.

Study abroad

The thing I like most is the opportunity to study a wide range of courses. This has allowed me to explore things I would otherwise have limited knowledge of, including politics and comparative literature.

Anna Simonson 3rd year MA (Hons) French & Spanish
Anna Simonson 3rd year MA (Hons) French & Spanish

Introducing French and Francophone Studies

French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. At Edinburgh, you'll learn about French and Francophone literature, cinema, art, and political and philosophical ideas, all of which have played a key role in shaping our modern civilisation, as well as mastering the language itself.

Join us and you’ll be part of the largest subject area in a School passionate about languages, literatures and cultures. You’ll benefit from great resources and friendly staff who are experts in their fields. We are home to the Centre de Recherches Francophones Belge and have excellent links with the Institut Français d’Ecosse.

You can take French as a single honours or as a joint programme with one of a wide range of subjects. You’ll engage with a broad range of subjects in Years 1 and 2, and specialise thereafter, with a vast range of option courses to choose from at honours level.

You’ll be based at the heart of the University, in the city’s historic centre, close to the Main University Library and the National Library of Scotland, both of which have excellent French collections.

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