Course summary

This four-year degree is provided jointly by our Department of Linguistics and English Language and our Department of Languages and Cultures. A year abroad gives you the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the language and culture. You don’t need to have studied French before as we offer an Intensive course for beginners. In French Studies we aim to help you become truly fluent. You’ll explore France’s history, culture, politics and social background. You’ll also learn how the English language functions and study traditional linguistic areas such as lexis, grammar and phonetics. In the following year you’ll study core modules such as English Phonetics and Shaping Contemporary France, and develop your French language skills. You’ll also be able to choose from options ranging from Society on Screen to Discourse Analysis. Studying English Language, in tandem with French Studies, will give you greater awareness of language use within context, and should equip you with the skills to identify how language structure interacts with meaning. The aim of your third year, which is spent living abroad, is to deepen your intercultural sensitivity and your command of the language. You can study at a partner institution or carry out a work placement and practice your language skills in a real-world context. Staff members within the department will work with you to secure accommodation, and help to ensure that you are ready for your year in France. On your return to Lancaster, your fourth year allows you to develop your French to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages C1/C2 levels, and you can specialise in particular fields of study. Modules could include Psycholinguistics, Translation as a Cultural Practice or Francophone Voices. You could also choose to complete a dissertation on a topic you would like to explore in-depth. Given the range of expertise within our department, our academics will be able to supervise most topics that fit your interests. The linguistic, communication and interpersonal skills you will have the opportunity to acquire are highly valued by most employers. The linguistics element of your degree is of professional relevance in many areas, from education to business management, advertising to accountancy. Linguistic awareness is likely to provide a real boost when working for international and multicultural companies and organisations, and our degree programme provides a solid foundation for a career in these areas.