BA Joint Honours English and French (UCAS Code: QR31)
For entrance requirements
E: admissions@qub.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)28 9097 3838
For course information
French Studies
School of Modern Languages
T: +44 (0)28 9097 5365
E: french@qub.ac.uk
W: http://www.qub.ac.uk/french
BA Requirements
Note: if the language is studied at a higher level then the grade indicated at that level will be required.
BA Joint, BSc and LLB Requirements
For BA Joint Honours the requirements are stated separately under each programme. For BSc and LLB requirements please refer to their course entries.
For students whose first language is not English
An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information on other acceptable English Language qualifications is available here
If you are an international student and you do not meet the English Language requirements, you should consider a preparation course at INTO Queen's University Belfast, which will develop the language skills you need to progress. INTO Queen's University Belfast is based on the University campus and offers a range of courses. For a full list click here
Back to topFrench is one of the major languages of global trade and of international relations. It is one of the official languages of the European Union, and is the official or administrative language in over 45 countries or regions worldwide. Studying French therefore offers an insight into the language and society of metropolitan France and opens up exciting vistas of cultures throughout the world.
At Queen's, French Studies reflects the dynamism and cultural diversity of the French-speaking world today. Students can explore a variety of contemporary issues, historical periods and geographical areas through a range of media including art, cinema, linguistics and literature. Our degrees cater for Beginners, AS-level and A-level students.
Back to topLevel 1
First-year is designed to enhance students' practical language skills and all students take two core language modules. Students of Beginners' French benefit from an intensive language course designed to bring them to A-level standard within a year. All other students take classes in comprehension, writing and translation, which focus on contemporary social and cultural issues and draw on authentic materials. Oral skills are highly valued, and most classes in Level 1 are taught through French.
Law with French students take a module entitled Le Français Juridique; AS and A-level students follow a module in Business French.
Optional modules (taken by students on the BA pathway) explore key issues in the modern French-speaking world, through a range of materials and approaches (visual, linguistic, literary). Joint Honours students take one optional module and Single Honours students take two.
Levels 2 and 3
Levels 2 and 3 provide the opportunity to expand the linguistic skills and cultural awareness developed in Level 1. In each, students take a compulsory core module comprising advanced language study and a choice of filières, or 'mini-modules'. The filières centre on intensive language study for ex-beginners (in Level 2), language for professional purposes (Legal French, Business French), or a variety of historical, cultural, linguistic and literary topics. Subjects on offer include: Algérie, Marginalités, Langue et pouvoir, La Phonétique du français, Paris, Migration et cultures and Image et Texte. Depending on their pathway, students can then choose from the range of optional modules, which include:
Caribbean Cultures
Contemporary French Travel Narratives
Francophone Chinese Writing
French Film Noir
Gender, Culture, Society
Linguistic Variation in French
Modern Autobiography in French
Modernism(s)
Myth and Biography
Symbolism
The Literature of War
The Orient in French Literature and the Visual Arts
The Structure of Modern French
Click here for more information on modules
Back to topAt Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential.
On the English and French degree programme we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:
Assessment: The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations. There are also oral examinations which enable students to demonstrate their ability to analyse and present material in French and pursue high-level discussion in the target language. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.
Feedback (general): As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.
Back to topStudying for an English and French degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree have the proven ability to analyse subjects in depth and develop coherent arguments in written and verbal form, as well as linguistic fluency and experience of living and working abroad, all of which are highly sought after skills in a global job market.
In a context where over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline, we have found that employers of all kinds wish to employ English and French graduates. Although many of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers in teaching, business, the civil service, translating/interpreting or advertising, significant numbers develop careers in a wide range of other sectors.
A list of the major career sectors (and some starting salaries) that have attracted our graduates in recent years is shown below:
? Advertising
? Librarianship
? Voluntary sector/charities £15,000-£18,000
? Public Relations £20,000
? Banking £28 000
? Export Marketing £15 000-£25 000
? Publishing, Media and Performing Arts £16,000-£25,000
? Teaching £21,500
? Fast Stream Civil Service £25,000
? Translation / Interpreting £18,000-£26,000
? Varied graduate programmes (Times Top 100 Graduate Recruiters/AGR, Association of Graduate Recruiters UK)
Employer Links
Consultations
We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, BBC Northern Ireland who provide sponsorship for the course in Broadcast Literacy (currently offered at postgraduate level but soon to be offered at undergraduate level also). In French, employers such as Santander and the British Council, as well as Rolls Royce, Price Waterhouse Coopers and Ulster Carpets’ Export Marketing division have provided placements for students.
Graduate Careers and Achievements
Many of our former graduates have risen to the top of their fields and include many famous figures; for example:
English
French
Further information regarding the types of jobs that attract English and French graduates can be found on the Prospects website.
Further study is also an option open to English and French graduates. Students can choose from a wide range of Masters programmes as well as a comprehensive list of research topics. For opportunities in English, see relevant pages within the Englishand Modern LanguagesSchool websites.
Other Career-related information: Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group and, therefore, one of the 20 universities most-targeted by leading graduate employers. Queen’s students will be advised and guided about career choice and, through the Degree Plusinitiative, will have an opportunity to seek accreditation for skills development and experience gained through the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer. See Queen’s University Belfast fullEmployability Statementfor further information.
Degree Plus and other related initiatives: Recognising student diversity, as well as promoting employability enhancements and other interests, is part of the developmental experience at Queen’s. Students are encouraged to plan and build their own, personal skill and experiential profile through a range of activities including; recognised Queen’s Certificates, placements and other work experiences (at home or overseas), Erasmus study options elsewhere in Europe, learning development opportunities and involvement in wider university life through activities, such as clubs, societies, and sports.
Queen’s actively encourages this type of activity by offering students an additional qualification, the Degree Plus Award (and the related Researcher Plus Award for PhD and MPhil students). Degree Plus accredits wider experiential and skill development gained through extra-curricular activities that promote the enhancement of academic, career management, personal and employability skills in a variety of contexts. As part of the Award, students are also trained on how to reflect on the experience(s) and make the link between academic achievement, extracurricular activities, transferable skills and graduate employment. Participating students will also be trained in how to reflect on their skills and experiences and can gain an understanding of how to articulate the significance of these to others, e.g. employers.
Overall, these initiatives, and Degree Plus in particular, reward the energy, drive, determination and enthusiasm shown by students engaging in activities over-and-above the requirements of their academic studies. These qualities are amongst those valued highly by graduate employers.
Back to top
Study Abroad/Placement: between Levels 2 and 3 students spend a period of residence in a French-speaking country. Most students have the possibility of acquiring valuable professional experience in a French-speaking company or school, and of gaining a work-based learning qualification. Those who choose to work as an English-language assistant can enrol for a TEFL qualification. Recent students have taught not only in France, but also in Martinique, La Réunion and Canada.
Support: students run a lively French society, and staff offer support through a personal tutoring system, a skills development programme, and a structured feedback framework, aimed at helping all students reach their potential.
Back to top
