Course summary

French and Philosophy at Aberdeen adds to your solid grounding in a major modern European language and culture with a fascinating exploration of how we as humans approach the ‘big questions’ of fundamental importance to us throughout the ages to the present day. The combination of language, analytical and intellectual skills you will develop and their transferability will make you a very attractive graduate with wide career options, including in international business. French at Aberdeen has an outstanding reputation, gaining the highest possible rating of ‘Excellent’ in the last national Teaching Quality Assessment. You will add to your growing language skills with courses in contemporary civilisation and culture, Francophone and post-colonial studies, philosophy, history, sociology, linguistics, theatre and most genres and periods of literature from the middle ages to the present day. You will be taught by staff recognised internationally for their research, from Renaissance studies to the politics of culture and difference in contemporary France. Philosophers attempt to answer questions such as: What is knowledge? What is the nature of truth? Why should we act morally? Philosophy is just as much the study of reasoning and argument as it is the application of thought to specific problems. What makes Philosophy at Aberdeen especially attractive is the breadth of courses, the user-friendly materials you will use and the experts who will teach you. In your first year alone, you will study topics such as How Should One Live? Controversial Questions and Experience, Knowledge and Reality. As an integral part of your 5-year programme, you will spend the whole of year three taking your language and cultural skills to a very high level as a teaching assistant or visiting student in a French-speaking country. The skills you will develop through combining these subjects will be a great foundation for any career including opportunities in you choose, including European business and organisations, NGOs, charities and international development, government service, marketing and much more. Philosophy ranked top in Scotland for teaching and course content in the last National Student Survey.