French at St Andrews - language, literature, and culture

Study French at Scotland's oldest university. Develop high-level French language and communications skills and explore global French-language literature and culture.

Top in the UK for French 2026

St Andrews is 1st in the UK for French in the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

Why study French at St Andrews?

Reputation and student satisfaction

The School of Modern Languages is consistently rated among the best in the UK by major national rankings.

Welcoming community

The School of Modern Languages prides itself on being a vibrant and engaging academic community. The School is committed to creating an environment that supports equality, diversity, and inclusion.

  • The Department of French each year welcomes students from around the world.
  • Undergraduate study in French is open to students who have studied French at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level, or equivalent.
  • Core language modules build on each other to expand and develop your French language competence and confidence.
  • Optional cultural studies modules reflect the Department's contemporary, interdisciplinary, and inclusive approach to French studies.

Global and multi-medial approach

French studies at St Andrews are distinctive in the breadth of their approach - spanning the Middle Ages to the present day across a variety of media and disciplines and covering both France and the wider French-speaking world.

At all levels French programmes promote independent, critical thought and intellectual curiosity.

  • French language is taught at St Andrews via engaging methods that combine a high level of oral competence with sound grammatical accuracy. 
  • Innovative module design supports a creative approach to assessment - alongside traditional academic essays and research projects, students have the opportunity to make podcasts, write magazine articles, try their hand at creative writing, practice job interviews in French, and even translate French operas for performance.
  • Acquisition of high-level French language skills goes hand-in-hand with exploring French-language culture right from the start of your studies - recent optional modules include:
    • The Exotic, the East, and the Other in Medieval French Literature
    • Politics, Propaganda, and Mythmaking in Medieval France
    • Women's Voices in Renaissance France
    • Discovering the Renaissance: Imitation, Interpretation, and Imagination
    • Aspects of Gender in 17th-Century Theatre
    • Libertine Literature and Libertinage in 18th-Century France
    • Bodies and Words in Libertine Literature
    • Translating French Opera
    • Saint-Domingue: Theatre and Society in a Caribbean Slave Colony
    • 19th-Century French Narratives of the Sea
    • Diversifying 19th-Century French Poetry
    • Literature and the Press in 19th-Century France
    • French Politics, Culture, and Society 1914-1945
    • De Gaulle and Since: Politics, Culture, and Society of the Fifth Republic
    • Consumerism in Modern France
    • Modern French Thought
    • African Francophone Fiction
    • Francophone Vocal Cultures: Song and Identity
    • Francophone Screen Cultures: Shaping French Identities
    • Novels and their Film Adaptations
    • Writing the Self in 20th- and 21st-Century French Literature
    • Contemporary French Poetry
    • Recent Women's Writing in French
    • Translation Methodology
    • Creative Writing in French

Study French with other languages or subjects

Study French as a single-subject degree or combine French with another subject that best reflects your academic interests and professional goals.

Integrated year abroad option and study abroad placements

Combine your French studies with time abroad and develop your linguistic skills, intercultural competence, and self-confidence.

Linguistic, transferable, and social skills for employability

Languages can be used in almost any career and so are a uniquely valuable subject whatever your professional goals. Languages are particularly sought after in sectors where communication, intercultural competence, and self-confidence are essential attributes.

French studies graduates leave St Andrews with an impressive mix of linguistic, transferable, and social skills equipping them for careers in:

  • journalism and communications
  • government and civil service
  • non-governmental organisations
  • intelligence and security services
  • marketing and business development
  • international aid and development
  • teaching and education 

Postgraduate study in languages, literatures, and cultures

Take your French studies further with a postgraduate degree.

Masters degrees

Masters degrees with the School of Modern Languages provide advanced study in global cultures - giving you the intercultural and professional competencies needed to understand, and thrive in, a globalised world.

Research degrees

As a PhD, MPhil, or MSt (Res) student in the School of Modern Languages you will be part of a vibrant interdisciplinary research community.

You will work with academic supervisors who will provide you with subject expertise and guidance to help you plan and manage your research while the University's researcher development programmes give you the skills you need as an independent researcher.

Research degrees in languages and comparative literature

Start your journey

Register your details to receive more information about programmes at the School of Modern Languages and the University of St Andrews.