.

BSc French

Key facts

4 years full-time with integrated year abroad  

UCAS Code: R120

Typical Offers
A Levels: ABB - BBB from 3 A-levels, including French Grade B.  General Studies accepted. 

Aston DOES NOT accept the double AS qualification in lieu of 2 AS-levels.

IB: 33-34 points in the IB diploma including TOK/Bonus points. Standard level Maths and English 5 required and 6 in Higher Level French.

Access: Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in each module.  Humanities or Social Sciences Access course preferred, but other courses considered on an individual basis.  A-level grade B in French or equivalent.

BTEC: National Extended Diploma DDD – DDM.   A-level grade B in French or equivalent.  Mix of Diploma/ Subsidiary Diploma/A-levels acceptable.

We accept a wide range of UK, EU and International qualifications: please contact us for further advice.

Specific subject requirements:
GCSE English Language and Maths Grade C.

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

Tuition fees: £9,000 (£1,000 during placement year) for UK/EU students. (2012).  More on fees

Scholarships available for 2012

Key benefits

  • 1st for graduate level jobs after 6 months for European Languages (unistats.com 2011)
  • 90% of Modern Language students at Aston are satisfied with the quality of their course (Guardian University Guide 2012)

  • Contemporary and applied focus, with a high level of teaching delivered in French.

  • Fully integrated year abroad with extensive preparation and support offered.
  • Teaching is conducted by research experts with international reputations in their fields.
  • Achieve near-native fluency and a broad overview of modern societies, politics, histories and cultures within which your language(s) is spoken.  
Open days and visits
order a prospectus
How to apply

Programme Overview

Our French course is designed to develop your linguistic skills to near-native proficiency and fluency. We stress the development of your practical command of French, emphasising language as a means of communication and mutual understanding. Our programme also aims to develop your understanding of French culture and society - its traditions, its complexities, its underlying ideas - and to develop your critical, analytical and collaborative skills.

You will also require transferable skills such as teamwork and independent research. These will be essential for any of the career choices that the course will open up for you. Language classes are supplemented by a series of thematic modules, also taught in French, which focus on contemporary French society, particularly on French politics, socio-linguistics, media, film and literature. You will be taught by research experts, with international reputations in their fields, in a lively, friendly, experienced and enthusiastic department.

Back to top

Sample Module Options 

The following module descriptions are indications only - the modules on offer and the content of the modules is subject to change.

Click on the module titles to find out more.

Year 1

This module is designed to improve your language skills and to develop your fluency and accuracy, in both written and oral production. Key areas of focus include the production of academic texts (summary, essay), the revision and reinforcement of grammar, and the ability to communicate and to argue in a structured and appropriate format.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by coursework and exam.
This module is designed to introduce you to the French press from the outset of your university studies, and to encourage regular reading of both print-based and electronic media sources. We look at the economics and structure of the French press, and the challenges posed by new technologies and the arrival of free newspapers, before discussing the structure of news articles and comparing different press titles.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by presentation and exam.
This module offers an introduction to the study of French history. Starting with the Revolution of 1789, it provides an overview of major events and processes which have shaped the course of modern French history, examining the enduring significance of the past for contemporary France. Key historical events and personalities are considered against a historical backdrop of political turbulence, regime change and the continuous debate over what constitutes the French ‘value system’.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam.
This module is a companion module to Reading the French Press. It focuses on how individual press titles deal with specific issues and general subjects, and looks at how media reports are constructed differently across media titles (mainly weekly and daily publications). There is a strong emphasis on independent study.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by critical commentary and portfolio.
The aim of this module is to provide a basic grounding in French culture. Amongst a range of different texts, we focus on contemporary literature (looking at writers such as Camus and Ernaux) and on the cinema of La Nouvelle Vague. Group activities centre on text analysis and discussion, with particular emphasis on the themes of alienation and protest or contestation. Above all, the module aims to provide the tools to analyse, discuss and enjoy aspects of contemporary culture.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by group presentation, exam and essay.

Year 2

Building on the skills acquired in the first year, the second year language skills module prepares you for the year abroad. We concentrate on sophisticated sentence construction, and analyse the construction of high register texts. Key areas of focus include the production of syntheses of dossiers, and analyses of adverts or marketing reports. These activities are underpinned by ongoing grammar learning.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by grammar tests and exams.
This module aims to develop your proficiency in spoken French to a standard which enables you to communicate effectively and confidently with French native speakers and sustain a work or study placement in a French-speaking country, as well as to broaden your knowledge of contemporary French society and culture.

Assessment method: Assessment is by course work.
This module aims to develop your awareness of translation problems and your research skills, focusing on the translation process from English to French. Texts for preparation, analysis and translation are distributed weekly, from a range of text types of immediate topical, or contemporary, interest. We take a functionalist approach as our basic framework of analysis.

Assessment method: Assessment is by take-away paper and dossier.
This module aims to develop your awareness of translation problems and your research skills, focusing on the translation process from French to English. Texts for preparation, analysis and translation are distributed weekly, from a range of text types of immediate topical, or contemporary, interest. We take a functionalist approach as our basic framework of analysis. We also encourage the study of comparable texts in the source language and parallel texts in the target language, regardless of topic, so as to refine the language and style of any given translation.

Assessment method: Assessment is by take-away paper.
This module aims at furthering students’ understanding of the origins, evolution and development of French in its social context. It shows how extra-linguistic factors have an impact on the dynamics of variation and change. Lessons are a mixture of lecture, discussion of readings and in-class activities.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by an essay on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the tutor, based both on academic reading and on the analysis of authentic language data.
This module examines social conflicts and issues that have been critical in the making of contemporary France. It considers how such conflicts and issues have changed with the evolution of French society, from those that defined France in the post-war years (economic modernisation, demographic change, new employment patterns, the ‘rural exodus’ etc) to those that define France today (national identity, immigration, religion, the banlieues, law and order, unemployment, gender etc). The module looks closely at a number of fault lines and fractures in French society and seeks to assess how social ‘conflict’ and ‘consensus’ are negotiated in France today.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam.
This module considers French cinema’s responses to market globalisation, focusing on public film policy, the film industry, and individual films. We discuss the critical features of French cinema – its relationship to national identity, the importance of state funding, debates around Americanisation – before analysing a number of recent mass market popular films and some less commercially-oriented fiction and documentary films. The latter provide an opportunity to explore how cinema has become an important medium for political resistance to economic globalisation.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by essay and exam.
This module examines French political society in the aftermath of World War 2. We focus on the Fifth Republic, discussing its beginnings out of the post-war settlement, the Fourth Republic, and de Gaulle’s return to power in 1958, before examining politics and society from the perspective of its six Presidents to date. We also concentrate on the relationship between the presidential system and the evolution and fortunes of the political parties and the party system.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by essay and exam.

Year 3 - Year Abroad

Final Year

Building on the year abroad, the module is designed to further improve students’ productive language skills. We focus on a range of current issues and controversies in French politics and society, and classes encourage development of increasingly sophisticated written and oral skills and increased fluency, accuracy and comprehension. These activities are underpinned by ongoing grammar learning.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam and group presentation.
This module explores key aspects of the French media in the context of increasing globalisation. Discussion focuses on current themes such as freedom of information; rights and responsibilities; regulation and cultural values; the decline of print, the power of the image and new media; media and democracy; political influence and market forces; pluralism, diversity and balance.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by oral presentation and essay.
This module presents the French language through its use in authentic documents, as opposed to representations in grammars. More specifically, it focuses on how particular linguistic forms lose or develop functions over time. The module is split between presentation of areas of contemporary language variation and change and a group research project.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment includes seminar work (including a critical transcription) and writing a research report.
This is an independent study module, for which you devise, research and write a dissertation on a topic of your choice, related to France or another Francophone country. The module develops your analytical and evaluative skills as well as your linguistic fluency and accuracy. Independent study is supplemented by small group classes and/or one-to-one consultations with your dissertation supervisor, enabling you to develop your presentational and communication skills.

Assessment method: Assessment is by written dissertation and viva.
This module analyses the French overseas territories, and critically situates their role and status with respect to France and, more widely, the international system. We analyse the different geopolitical contexts in which the territories operate, and discuss their social, cultural, political, economic and strategic identities and relationships with France.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by essay and presentation.
This module examines the Vichy regime of 1940-44, when France was occupied and collaborated with Nazi Germany. It shows how the liberal, democratic, assimilationist model of French Republicanism was abolished by an authoritarian, repressive, ultra-nationalist regime. It explores the historical and political background to Vichy, its policies and personalities, its progressive radicalisation, the tensions between state collaboration and pro-Nazi ‘collaborationism’, and the difficulty of defining Vichy as a political regime. It also considers the aftermath of Vichy and the legacy of this brief regime within the Republican culture of contemporary France.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam.
Back to top

Year Abroad  

Campus accommodation guaranteed for first year and final year students returning from year abroad.

The Third Year of your course is spent abroad in a French speaking country - increasing your fluency, enhancing your cultural awareness and adding value to your degree. The year abroad is an integral and assessed part of language studies at Aston University, fully supported by us, and of direct relevance to your degree. 

A distinctive feature of our year abroad is the flexibility that we offer. You will be able to choose between undertaking a paid work-experience placement with a company, working as a teaching assistant in a school or studying at one of our partner universities.

We are extremely proud of the high level of preparation, orientation and support that we provide before and during your year abroad. We have a full-time Placements Team who will give you plenty of individual help and advice, and even come and visit you during your time away.  

Find out more about the Year Abroad.

Back to top

Learning, teaching and assessment   

You will take part in interactive seminars, presentations and group work as well as
attending lectures and tutorials. There are also opportunities for individual research and guided study. We teach our courses in French, which means that our students are at a real advantage when it comes to gaining maximum benefit and experience from the year abroad.

You will be allocated a personal tutor who you can provide help and advice.

Assessment is through a combination of written and oral exams, course work, essays, presentations and an extended dissertation during your final year.

Back to top

Career Prospects   

Aston is 1st for graduate level jobs after 6 months for European Languages (unistats.com 2011)

Our graduates are in demand from a wide range of employers who value their understanding of different cultures and societies, their communication skills and motivation for team work. Recent destinations for Language and Translation Studies graduates include:   

  • Graduate Trainee Managers for British Airways, Aldi Stores, John Lewis Partnership and Selfridges

  • Journalist for Tatler Magazine
  • Michelin – Senior Administrator 
  • European Union/European Parliament Officers/Assistants
  • PGCE Secondary Teaching Qualification – French and German Teachers 
  • Marketing Assistant at Beiersdorf (makers of NIVEA amongst other products) 
  • German/English/French Translators at companies such as Volkswagen and freelance work
  • Bilingual Marketing Assistant at 3Com (an international Internet and Telecomms company) 
  • Trainee Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers 
  • Further study and PhD Research in the areas of International Politics, European Cultural Studies, Linguistics and Translation/Interpreting
Back to top

Facilities & equipment

The School of Languages and Social Sciences has a dedicated Learning Support Team and excellent facilities including:

  • 70 computers in 4 rooms
  • Streamed satellite television (French, German, Spanish)
  • TRADOS and memoQ Translation Software
  • Free DVD library (French, Spanish, German, English)
  • Audio and video-editing tools
Back to top

Teaching Staff 

Read what the French staff have to say about their course:

Helene Stafford
''As a lecturer in French at Aston for the past 16 years, I have seen a vast number of our students graduate with a good degree in French and go on to graduate-level jobs. The relatively small French section provides a welcoming and nurturing environment, in which our students can thrive. Almost all teaching is deliverd in French, which provides our students with an excellent level of written and spoken French, as well as in depth knowledge of francophone culture. Studying French at Aston will guarantee an enriching experience, and provide you with the means to go on to a great future career.''

Dr Nathalie Mrgudović - Lecturer in French

Dr Nathalie Mrgudovic
''In choosing to study French at Aston, students will experience a unique teaching approach where language and content are taught together. They will learn mostly contemporary issues in an engaging, interactive, dynamic and very friendly way. They will also have the opportunity, during their year abroad, to go to places as exciting as New Caledonia in the South Pacific, or attend one of the famous "Science Po" schools in France. They can expect to leave Aston with a true understanding of what constitutes the French and French-speaking cultures, as well as with a very high level of French.''
Back to top

Contact us

School of Languages and Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions
Tel: 0121 204 3700
Email: lss_ugadmissions@aston.ac.uk 

Back to top

Student Profile

Student Profile

Lyndsey Freeman

BSc French

The fact that class sizes are fairly small is extremely beneficial since you feel more comfortable in participating and teachers know your name. What’s more, the rapid response to your emails by the lecturers ensures a query never goes unanswered for long. Outside of lessons, I have enjoyed being a member of the French Society.

Read more...
 
Undergraduate Prospectus
Languages & Translation Studies

Related courses

BSc Translation Studies - French

BSc French and English Language

BSc International Politics and Languages (IPL)

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

Find out about tuition fees & student loans, and the bursaries and scholariships available.

Accommodation

Accommodation

All our accommodation is based on campus and over 80% of our rooms are ensuite. We offer a guarenteed place scheme for first years.

Student life

Student life

Our city centre location gives you the best of both worlds: a welcoming, lively campus community, in the heart of a vibrant city.

Outstanding graduate career prospects

Outstanding graduate career prospects

Aston is ranked 5th in the UK, and the best outside London, for the percentage of graduates entering employment who achieve graduate level jobs (Sunday Times University Guide 2012)

gjgjgkghkg

Student support - we're with you all the way

Student support - we're with you all the way

We offer a range of support services to ensure your time here is a success in academic, social and personal terms.

Birmingham - home to 65,000 students!

Birmingham - home to 65,000 students!

With fantastic nightlife, great restaurants, beautiful parks, superb shopping and much more, Birmingham is a true student city.

International students

International students

Aston offers a world-class education and is home to students from over 120 countries.

Learn a language alongside your course

Learn a language alongside your course

Whatever course you are studying, you can choose to study a language whilst you are at Aston. Improving your cultural awareness and career prospects.

Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Visit our YouTube channel
See our photos on Flickr