History and French BA (Hons)

Our BA History and French combined honours degree offers a unique opportunity to explore nearly two millennia of history, from the Roman era to the modern day, as well as studying French in small, supportive groups and to explore the contemporary history of the French-speaking world through the medium of language.

Benefit from the guidance of our close-knit team of medieval, early modern and modern historians who specialise in the history of Britain, Europe, America and their global influences, as well as the passionate French language experts, who are enthusiastic about sharing their expertise and dedicated to your success. You can tailor your modules by choosing from a wide range of history options, including those focused on France, such as the Norman Conquest, Crusades, Burgundian Netherlands, medieval rebellions, the Age of the Black Death, early modern witchcraft and heresy, or the First World War.

Gain practical experience working with collaborators such as the Chester PGCE in Secondary History, Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, the Grosvenor Museum, and Chester Cathedral. Further enhance your studies with a short placement in Guadeloupe or France during your second year. And spend a year abroad in your third year, in which you could choose to undertake a British Council English Language Assistantship or continue your studies of history and French at one of our partner universities, before returning for the final year back in Chester, where you will acquire practical skills in French for the business world through a specialised final year module.

This course offers a unique opportunity for you to develop your knowledge, skills and global perspective, so that you can excel within any field.

The BA History and French course contains core modules in both subjects at each level of study. You will explore the past to allow you to prepare for your future through topics covering a thousand years of local, national and international history. Alongside this, you will develop your French language skills and apply them to real-world situations. Our inclusive curriculum means that you will challenge existing narratives about the past and will be encouraged to think critically about how and why these narratives have developed. You will also explore important themes and issues relating to race, diversity, gender, imperialism, conflict and climate change.

In Year 1 (Level 4), you are introduced to global historical events, are given the opportunity to explore historical debates and are also exposed to key themes in medieval, Early Modern and contemporary history.

Year 2 (Level 5) builds on this foundation through more complex learning: you will consider the uses and abuses of history in both the past and present; focus on more specific regions, events or periods; consider the role of history in the workplace; and produce projects with external partners.

In Year 3 (Level 6), you will immerse yourself in special subjects which focus on particular historical issues (and relevant primary source material) in greater depth.

French can be studied in a beginner or post A Level set. In Year 1 (Level 4), you will develop your language skills while exploring societies and cultures across the world where French is spoken. In Year 2 (Level 5), your French is further applied to real-world situations in preparation for living, studying or working abroad. You may choose to take a language study placement abroad at the end of Year 2 (Level 5) or undertake a Cambridge CELTA qualification for teaching English to speakers of other languages.

During the year abroad you can live, study or work in countries where French is spoken. You can spend time as a language assistant, find a work placement or attend one of our partner universities.

At Level 6, you will study French in the business world, translation and mediation, and can delve deeper into the study of languages in their diverse cultural contexts.

You will also undertake a major project in either history or French on a research topic of your choice with support from a supervisor.

The course contains several optional modules which may run depending on the availability of staff expertise and the viability of cohorts. Where available, these options provide you with the opportunity to undertake study in particular areas of interest.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.