French and Chinese (4 Years) [BA]

BA (Hons) French and Chinese

Provides a comprehensive grounding in French language, literature, culture, history and linguistics. It enables students to become proficient enough in French to live and work effectively in a French-speaking environment. Students will also develop a firm grounding in Mandarin Chinese and in contemporary Chinese culture, society, economy and politics as well as China's changing relations with the West.

French

• Throughout the course students will be trained in modern spoken and written French by following a high level core language course. From Year One, students will discover how the language really works by learning about its morphology, syntax, phonology and phonetics.
• Students will thoroughly develop their French language skills by working with a variety of oral and written French texts and engaging in discussions in French (most of this language instruction takes place in French and is predominantly taught by native speakers).
• Core language courses at all levels of study are complemented by a variety of other French and Francophone-related topic areas, and by a period spent in a French-speaking country, which might be metropolitan France or further afield.  Independent, monitored self study will reinforce your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.
• Students also take a set of broad-based content courses designed to provide essential grounding in key areas of French culture (especially visual studies), literature, history, society and linguistics.  Some of the content teaching on these courses, in the first and subsequent years, is in English, so that you can focus fully on the new concepts introduced to you and can hone not only your French language skills, but also your expression and accuracy in English.

Chinese

• Students will study Mandarin Chinese throughout the course. The core language teaching in Mandarin Chinese enables students to develop various linguistic skills: speaking and writing accurately; understanding and analysing audio, video and written material; using different registers; speaking to a group with confidence; and translating with appropriate sensitivity.
• At the same time, students can choose China-related topics in literature, film, cultural studies, politics, history, linguistics, economics, development studies, and business, drawing on the wide range of research expertise in Chinese Studies across the Faculty of Humanities. In this way, students will be able to tailor the course in keeping with the development of their interests.

The degree is awarded as a single class, based on the marks achieved in both languages.