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French Studies at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 20262026 - 2027
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

Our Graduate Diploma in French Studies is ideal if you are keen to study French language, literature and culture at an advanced level. It will help you become a proficient French speaker with a critical appreciation of the literature and cultural history of France and the French-speaking world from the Enlightenment to the present day. Why choose this course?

  • You will be taught by specialists from a centre of teaching and research excellence that prides itself on research-led teaching.
  • It offers you the chance to attend numerous workshops, public lectures and conferences organised by our affiliated research centres such as the Centre for French, Francophone and Comparative Studies.
  • If you have a degree in another subject or have taken a break from studying, this course will improve your written French and develop your research and study skills to prepare you for a master's degree in French or comparative studies.
  • It is also ideal if you are a teacher wishing to refresh and deepen your knowledge but you are not quite ready to undertake a full MA.
What you will learn This qualification will prepare you for postgraduate study and allow you to pursue a personal or intellectual ambition. You will gain a high level of proficiency in French language and develop your understanding of French culture by choosing option modules from a diverse and challenging syllabus, exploring French literature and culture through a range of different periods, from the eighteenth century to today. You can also choose one of our cross-cultural modules, allowing you to analyse comparative themes across linguistic, cultural and historical contexts. At the same time, you will master transferable skills such as essay writing, oral presentations and written reports, critical and logical thinking, and translating. How you will learn Teaching takes place in small-group seminars giving you plenty of opportunities to participate actively and interact with your peers and our experienced tutors, who are experts in their fields. Language teaching is delivered in French, allowing you full immersion in the language. This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening allowing you the flexibility to combine studying your Graduate Diploma with other commitments, such as work and family. Highlights
  • This course is designed for students with a particular interest in developing their French to an advanced level, or who require further training to progress to an MA course, such as Birkbeck’s MA/MRes Modern Languages and Comparative Literatures.
  • All teaching takes place in our central London location in Bloomsbury, a stone’s throw from all the cultural richness that London has to offer by way of theatre, museums and galleries.
  • You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square cinema and a theatre and performance space.
  • We are also close to a number of cultural centres and research libraries relevant to French studies, including Senate House Library, the British Library, British Film Institute, Warburg Institute and Institut Français.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this course you will have gained an array of transferable skills, including:
  • enhanced intercultural awareness, especially of the French-speaking world
  • critical thinking
  • advanced communication skills in both English and French
  • time management and organisation.
Graduates can pursue career paths in the Civil Service, international organisations or businesses, translating and teaching, research and journalism. Possible professions include:
  • translator
  • secondary school teacher
  • researcher
  • journalist
  • diplomatic services operational officer
  • interpreter.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

For the language module and for other modules, assessment is by a combination of coursework and in-class tests.

How to apply

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Entry requirements

Normally a second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) in a subject other than French studies or modern languages. Language skills in French equivalent to A-level plus one year (also equivalent to a pass in French 3). Applications are reviewed on their individual merits and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £7380 Year 1
Northern Ireland £7380 Year 1
Scotland £7380 Year 1
Wales £7380 Year 1
International £13560 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
French Studies at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS