Students preparing for their graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral

French and History - BA (Hons)

UCAS code RV11

This is an archived page and for reference purposes only

2016

French and History enables you to learn the language and about the culture of France while undertaking a detailed study of the past.

Overview

French is one of the most beautiful romance languages. Outside of France it is spoken as far afield as Canada, the Seychelles, Madagascar and Mali. It is one of the official languages of the United Nations, and an important language in the EU.

The University of Kent is an ideal location to study French. Canterbury is the closest British university city to mainland Europe, and our proximity to the Channel ports and Ashford International station means you can be in Paris in just a couple of hours. There are also many French-speaking students on campus, so you have a better chance to immerse yourself in the language than at any other university in the country.

The School of History has established itself as one of the leading History departments in the country, recognised for its research excellence, flexible programmes and quality teaching. You are taught by passionate academics, active researchers and recognised experts. You can tailor your modules to your own interests, and use your expanding knowledge of French culture and language to focus on European history.

During your year abroad, as part of an Erasmus programme, you could begin to study for a French qualification (Licence), or alternatively you can gain work experience by becoming a language assistant in a French school or by following other career paths.

This degree programme therefore is ideal for those wanting to gain a broad and detailed understanding of our world, one that is international in scope and that spans across the years.

Independent rankings

In the National Student Survey 2015, 91% of French students were satisfied with the quality of teaching on their course.

Also in the National Student Survey 2015, 93% of History students were satisfied with the overall quality of their course.

Course structure

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.  Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.

Year abroad

The University of Kent has Erasmus agreements with several universities in French-speaking countries. See here for the up to date list.

Teaching and assessment

French

You take compulsory language modules, including taking part in small group work with a native speaker. We also make extensive use of computer-assisted language learning packages and audio and video materials. Culture and literature modules typically involve a weekly two-hour seminar plus essay supervision. We employ six French language lectors to help students improve their fluency.

At all stages, assessment is based 100% on coursework (essays, oral presentations) in the first half of the year, and a combination of coursework and examination in the second half of the year. Credits from your year abroad count towards your final degree.

History

Teaching is by a combination of lectures, providing a broad overview, and seminars, which focus on discussing particular issues and are led by student presentations. Lectures and seminars use a variety of materials, including original documents, films and documentaries, illuminated manuscripts, slide and PowerPoint demonstrations.

The School of History uses a mixture of assessment patterns. The standard formats are 100% coursework or 60% examination and 40% coursework.

The School also has excellent student support arrangements. All module convenors keep regular office hours, and the School has a policy of returning at least one essay on each module in a one-to-one personal meeting allowing for additional verbal feedback and discussion.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

  • provide a sound grounding in the French language in all its aspects
  • immerse you in Francophone Culture by enabling you to spend one year in a Francophone Country. In most cases you will participate in an Exchange in France or Switzerland, to work as a language assistant in a French School or in the Kent Regional Office in Brussels.
  • develop a critical awareness of the broad canon of French Literature from the 17th century to the 21st century as well as of the role of French Cinema and French Linguistics in the development of Contemporary French Culture.
  • train you in the field of translation from and into the target language.
  • provide a gateway to related thematic studies
  • provide teaching which is informed by current research and scholarship and which requires students to engage with aspects of work at the frontiers of knowledge.
  • provide opportunities for the development of personal, communication, research and other key skills appropriate for graduate employment both in industry and in the public sector.
  • develop general critical, analytical and problem solving skills which can be applied in a wide range of situations.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

  • French Language
  • French Literature from the 17th to the 21st century 
  • French Linguistics 
  • French Cinema
  • French Theatre
  • Francophone Autobiography
  • French Postcolonial Studies
  • Francophone Presence in the World 
  • French History 
  • Critical Theory

Intellectual skills

You gain intellectual skills in:

  • apply the skills needed for academic study and enquiry.
  • evaluate information critically.
  • synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding of the subject.
  • utilise problem solving skills.
  • utilise communication skills for the coherent expression and transfer of knowledge.
  • analyse, evaluate and interpret a variety of types of evidence in a critical manner.
  • study and reach conclusions independently.

Subject-specific skills

You gain subject-specific skills to:

  • communicate effectively in French
  • develop reading speed in French
  • demonstrate detailed knowledge and effective understanding of the various structures and registers of French 
  • translate accurately and efficiently into and from the target language
  • analyse critically a variety of texts be they journalistic, historical or literary
  • appreciate of cultural diversity
  • work independently in a  Francophone Business environment
  • perform well in these three related areas: a) reception (listening and reading), b) production (speaking and writing) and c) mediation between at least two languages (translation and interpreting)

Transferable skills

You gain transferable skills to:

  • communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals using a variety of means
  • evaluate you own academic performance
  • utilise problem-solving skills in a variety of theoretical and practical situations
  • demonstrate active and effective note-taking and summarising skills
  • demonstrate library and bibliographical research skills
  • use French language source materials
  • take responsibility for personal and professional learning and development
  • manage time and prioritise workloads, think and perform under pressure
  • demonstrate a capacity for teamwork
  • demonstrate leadership abilities
  • work creatively and flexibly
  • deploy a range of Information Technology skills effectively, such as word processing text with footnotes, basic formatting, using e-mail, searching databases and text files, navigating the World Wide Web

Careers

The Schools of History and European Culture and Languages are committed to providing programmes that allow our students to gain and hone the valuable skills required to meet the demands of the modern workplace and career prospects for History and languages graduates are wide ranging, due to the valuable transferable skills acquired and developed during the course of study.

Graduates find themselves prepared for a variety of career options, including research careers within government and NGOs; museums, galleries and libraries; records management and information officers in a variety of workplaces; journalism; numerous roles in the public sector; teaching; and politics to name but a few. The ability to speak European languages is a key asset in the global employment market and 74% of employers say that they are actively looking for graduates with modern foreign language skills.

Entry requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

Qualification Typical offer/minimum requirement
A level

BBB including B in History, Classics - Ancient History or Classics - Classical Civilisation; a grade B in French for the post-A Level pathway 

GCSE

Grade B in French for the post-GSCE pathway, or for the beginner's level, some aptitude for modern languages including a grade C in a GCSE in a modern European language other than English

Access to HE Diploma

The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances.

International Baccalaureate

34 points overall or 15 points at HL including a modern European language other than English 4 at HL or 5 at SL and History 5 at HL or 6 at SL

International students

The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.

Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.

General entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

Fees

The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

UK/EU Overseas
Full-time

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.

The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.

For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk

UK/EU/International students on an approved Year Abroad for the full 2016/17 academic year pay an annual fee of £1,350 to Kent for that year. Those on an approved Year in Industry pay an annual fee of £865 to Kent for that year. Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.

Funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.  

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page. 

The Key Information Set (KIS) data is compiled by UNISTATS and draws from a variety of sources which includes the National Student Survey and the Higher Education Statistical Agency. The data for assessment and contact hours is compiled from the most populous modules (to the total of 120 credits for an academic session) for this particular degree programme. Depending on module selection, there may be some variation between the KIS data and an individual's experience. For further information on how the KIS data is compiled please see the UNISTATS website.

If you have any queries about a particular programme, please contact information@kent.ac.uk.