Department of French

In the recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008) the Department of French at St Andrews was ranked 4th in the UK and 1st in Scotland. The Department came 3rd in the UK in the 2013 Complete University Guide.

The Department of French is truly diverse in its outlook and activities. It currently comprises ten academic staff who are among the leaders in their fields and whose work covers a broad spectrum of French studies. Significant numbers of international students, including students from France, are attracted to the Department of French within the context of our exchange and postgraduate study programmes, making it a truly international and francophone environment in which to pursue academic study.

French is taught with modern, 'communicative' methods which combine a high level of oral competence with sound grammatical accuracy. The first two years of study have been designed to stand as autonomous units which are of value and interest in themselves. They also allow continuing students to make informed choices when deciding which French modules to take in third and fourth years. Overall the St Andrews French MA course is designed to allow students to develop analytical and communicative proficiency, alongside other crucial transferable skills, in English as well as in French.

The Department offers taught MLitt in French Studies which draws upon the research strengths of members of staff. PhD supervision is also available across a wide range of subjects.