This is an archived page and for reference purposes only
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. A working knowledge of the French language, and of French culture, will give you a head start in the business world. Combining Business Administration with French enables you to gain a deeper understanding of European business, which is an ideal option for those considering an international career.
Overview
We offer you opportunity to spend a year studying or working abroad in a French-speaking country, where you can experience the language and business culture first hand, make some useful contacts and practise your French language skills.
Business Administration gives you the academic foundation you need for a career in business or management by equipping you with the fundamental skills and knowledge essential for managing the key areas of organisations: accounting, human resource management, quantitative methods, marketing, strategy and operations management.
Kent Business School students and staff come from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities, which leads to a multicultural learning environment with a supportive and flexible approach to teaching.
So this joint honours gives you the benefits of cultural understanding of a humanities degree, language skills, and business knowledge for the world of work.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2015, 91% of French students were satisfied with the quality of teaching on their course.
Business Studies at Kent was ranked 5th in the UK for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2015. In The Complete University Guide 2016, business and management at Kent was ranked 2nd in the south-east for overall performance.
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 France, Belgium, Canada and Switzerland. See Study Abroad A - Z countries and courses.
Teaching and assessment
French
Compulsory language modules typically involve three to four hours of classes per week, including one hour of 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.
Business Administration
Most modules are taught by a combination of lectures and seminars and you also have regular access to a personal tutor for advice on matters concerning your studies. Modules also involve individual study and sessions in the computer laboratories. In your final year, you take at least one project module, including the possibility of a 30-credit business/management project on a topic of your choice. Modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and exams.
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 a means of access to intercultural awareness and understanding.
- contribute to widening participation in higher education by offering a wide variety of entry routes
- 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:
- applying the skills needed for academic study and enquiry
- how to evaluate information critically
- synthesising information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding of the subject
- utilising problem solving skills
- how to utilise communication skills for the coherent expression and transfer of knowledge
- analysing, evaluating and interpreting a variety of types of evidence in a critical manner
- how to 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 IT skills effectively, such as how to produce written documents; undertake online research; communicate using email; process information using databases.
Careers
French
Modern Languages at Kent offer work-related modules and work placements including the Languages in the Classroom module, designed for budding language teachers, which combines traditional learning methods with practical teaching experience.
The Year Abroad programme offers all students the opportunity to study abroad at one of our partner universities. It is also possible to work abroad, in a country where your chosen language is spoken, with many students opting to teach English.
There are numerous employment prospects open to languages graduates, and popular choices include teaching; translation and interpreting, working in international organisations and going into the Armed Forces. Further study options include a PGCE, TEFL, a PhD or Master's in various aspects of French language and culture, or another subject altogether.
Business Administration
You acquire the skills you need to build a successful career. Through your studies, you acquire communication skills, the ability to work in a team and independently, and the ability to express your opinions persuasively and with passion. Through modules on entrepreneurship such as our New Enterprise Start-up module, we give you the confidence and the expertise you need to start your own business and, through our varied contacts in the business world, we give you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience as part of your degree.
Kent business graduates work in a variety of careers in management, business analytics, marketing, website management, recruitment and business development for companies such as Hays Consulting, Juniper Networks, Hewlett-Packard, IBM or Microsoft.
Professional recognition
Full or partial exemption from the preliminary stage of professional accountancy examinations, provided you choose the appropriate modules.
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 |
| GCSE | Grade C in Mathematics and grade B in French for the post-GCSE pathway, or for the beginners' 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 at HL, including IB Mathematics 4 at HL or SL and a modern European language other than English 4 at HL or 5 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.