French Studies (Graduate Diploma)

Birkbeck, University of London

Our Graduate Diploma in French Studies is ideal if you are keen to study French language, literature and culture at an advanced level. It will help you become a proficient French speaker with a critical appreciation of the literature and cultural history of France and the French-speaking world from the Enlightenment to the present day. Why choose this course? You will be taught by specialists from a centre of teaching and research excellence that prides itself on research-led teaching. It offers you the chance to attend numerous workshops, public lectures and conferences organised by our affiliated research centres such as the Centre for French, Francophone and Comparative Studies. If you have a degree in another subject or have taken a break from studying, this course will improve your written French and develop your research and study skills to prepare you for a master's degree in French or comparative studies. It is also ideal if you are a teacher wishing to refresh and deepen your knowledge but you are not quite ready to undertake a full MA. What you will learn This qualification will prepare you for postgraduate study and allow you to pursue a personal or intellectual ambition. You will gain a high level of proficiency in French language and develop your understanding of French culture by choosing option modules from a diverse and challenging syllabus, exploring French literature and culture through a range of different periods, from the eighteenth century to today. You can also choose one of our cross-cultural modules, allowing you to analyse comparative themes across linguistic, cultural and historical contexts. At the same time, you will master transferable skills such as essay writing, oral presentations and written reports, critical and logical thinking, and translating. How you will learn Teaching takes place in small-group seminars giving you plenty of opportunities to participate actively and interact with your peers and our experienced tutors, who are experts in their fields. Language teaching is delivered in French, allowing you full immersion in the language. This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening allowing you the flexibility to combine studying your Graduate Diploma with other commitments, such as work and family.