The French Studies degree offers an in-depth, multidimensional knowledge not only of French language but also of French and Francophone literature, culture, society, and politics.
This course is taught in person. We welcome applications from anyone who will be able to commit to these sessions.
The degree enables you to focus in-depth on studying the French language through and alongside the historical, cultural, geographical and political contexts in which French is spoken across the world. You will cover topics spanning politics, philosophy, literature, visual culture and history.
Wherever you decide your interests lie, you can tailor your programme of study in a way that suits you. Part-time students are integrated into our undergraduate programme for full-time students. You will be part of a dynamic, interdisciplinary, research-active culture, playing an active part in your own learning.
Having developed foundation skills in the first two years of the degree, you will hone your language abilities in subsequent years of study and explore your own academic interests beyond the language. You will consolidate your learning with time spent abroad.
All classes are taught in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures.
Entry requirements
Flexible entry requirements, consideration given for non-traditional qualifications, work and life experience. Applicants are normally interviewed by the course selector.
All applicants are required to have A level French or an equivalent level of language.
The University of Warwick is not currently sponsoring students on part time or distance learning courses with a Student Visa (formerly known as Tier 4 visa) and so if you require a visa to study a part time/distance learning course in the UK which is longer than 6 months, you may wish to consult the 'right to study' page on our Student Immigration & Compliance website before you make an application.
Modules
Note that information found by following the links to the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry.
While this degree offers flexibility, it is highly recommended that students complete 120 credits of Level 4 modules prior to Honours Level (5 and 6) study in order to prepare well for this.
The degree consists of 120 Level 4 credits followed by a further 240 Honours Level credits over subsequent years. The degree will take a minimum of four and a maximum of ten years to complete. Please note that the French department offers modules only during the day.
The degree also requires you to reside in France or in an approved French-speaking country for a total of at least four weeks by the end of your second year and a further six weeks by the end of your degree.
At Level 4, there are three core modules:
*The modules mentioned above may be subject to change.
Students’ linguistic abilities in the language/s chosen for study will be assessed on arrival at Warwick. Should your linguistic ability prove too advanced for certain language modules, you may be required to substitute other modules for these core modules. Any substituted modules will reflect the nature of your chosen programme of study and be of an appropriate level; you will be informed of which alternative modules are available to you. Please note that, should a variation to core language modules be required, the final decision on which modules you will take will reside with the School of Modern Languages and Cultures.
At Honours Level you will have to take two more core modules:
Up to two of the remaining six modules can be taken in other departments. We also have a number of cross-school modules open to you. The modules you take in French Studies can be full year-long modules or half-weighted termly modules which gives you a maximum amount of choice. An indicative list of the modules offered at Honours Level include:
*The modules mentioned above may be subject to change.
Students’ linguistic abilities in the language/s chosen for study will be assessed on arrival at Warwick. Should your linguistic ability prove too advanced for certain language modules, you may be required to substitute other modules for these core modules. Any substituted modules will reflect the nature of your chosen programme of study and be of an appropriate level; you will be informed of which alternative modules are available to you. Please note that, should a variation to core language modules be required, the final decision on which modules you will take will reside with the School of Modern Languages and Cultures.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount. For students starting their course after 1 August 2023 (on Student Finance England’s Plan 5), you will repay when your income is over £25,000 a year.
Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold or you stop working, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.
Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency UnitempsLink opens in a new window (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
There are many different funding routes available, including a number of bursaries and scholarships for full-time undergraduates. If you struggle to meet your essential living costs, our Student Funding team will be on hand to offer advice and support.
Provides additional financial support for qualifying Home students from lower income families of up to £2,500 for eligible students
This bursary is paid directly into your bank account in three equal termly instalments to help with the costs of studying
There is no application for this bursary as your details will be provided directly from the student support awarding bodies (Student Finance England, Student Finance Northern Ireland, and Student Awards Agency Scotland)
A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award
There are no scholarships available for your School or Department; however, there are other scholarships you may be eligible for - please see our Scholarships webpages for more information.
The University of Warwick is not currently sponsoring students on part time or distance learning courses with a Student Visa (formerly known as Tier 4 visa) and so if you require a visa to study a part time/distance learning course in the UK which is longer than 6 months, you may wish to consult the 'right to study' page on our Student Immigration and Compliance website.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2025/26 year of study). Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
Core text books
Printer credits
Dissertation binding
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Are there any course specific costs?
Please check with the department.
Teaching and learning
The degree is designed to be fully supportive to those who are new to university study, whatever your age. There are a variety of assessments and these may include coursework assignments, formal examinations, presentations and research projects. You can study between one and three 30-credit modules per year.
Seminars for French Studies generally involve around 15 students.
You can expect to commit to around 10 hours a week for each module you take, which includes contact time and independent study. Tutors are experts in their field and have extensive teaching experience, including working with adult learners. Throughout your degree programme you will be provided with considerable support and guidance.
Your progress will be tracked through language assignments, essays, presentations, portfolio submissions and examinations (written and oral). Throughout your course you will receive detailed, personalised feedback to help you to improve your skills. The final degree classification is determined by your marks for intermediate- and final-year modules.
University of Warwick was recently awarded Gold in all categories of the government's latest Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) rankings.
The degree also requires you to reside in France or in an approved French-speaking country for a total of at least four weeks by the end of your second year and a further six weeks by the end of your degree.
Careers
Your course and university experience will give you skills that can be transferred to a wide variety of careers. Such skills include communication, innovation, linguistical and theoretical approaches, cultural and dynamic. All these are very desirable to employers. As many graduate jobs are open to students from all degree subjects, there is a wide range of career possibilities. For example, jobs in Teaching, Journalism and Content Writing and Publishing. You could also work in a range of sectors such as Arts, Culture, Business and Administration, Teaching and Lecturing.
Graduates have pursued roles such as:
Archivist
Author
Community Worker
Curator
Event Coordinator
Foreign Service Worker
HR Specialist
Immigration Officer
Journalist
Paralegal
Politician
Translator
Travel Agent
UN Representative
Our School has a dedicated, professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support you. They offer impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events to boost your employability. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
What are you doing after Warwick? Career planning for final year language students
Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
Completing effective CVs and Application Forms for students from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures
Our Student Opportunity (Careers) department offer a wide range of workshops, from developing confidence and interview techniques to learning how to articulate what you have to offer in order to impress potential employers. Online resources are also available, including training in drafting CVs and covering letters, practice aptitude and psychometric tests, practice online interviews, and other resources to help you research job opportunities. The myAdvantage databaseLink opens in a new window also advertises job, placement and internship vacancies that are from employers who are targeting Warwick students for their recruitment.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live in a campus residence or in partnership accommodation off campus, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
68th
Warwick is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
(Daily Mail’s University Guide 2025 - "Academic strength spans the arts, humanities and languages...")
Join us at one of the best universities in the UK for Modern Languages, with an excellent reputation for employability. Study one, two or three languages and cultures, or combine languages with other subjects.
The department recently moved into our Faculty of Arts Building.
As an Arts student at Warwick you’ll find your home amongst excellent teaching, learning and social spaces, including specialist facilities, all designed to support collaborative working and to enable your creativity and innovation to flourish.
The sustainably built, eight-storey building is located next to the refurbished Warwick Arts CentreLink opens in a new window in the heart of the University’s creative and cultural arts quarter.
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
Experience campus at an Open Day. Can't visit? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.
