- UCAS course code
- QR31
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
BA English Language and French
Duration: 4 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: QR31 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Study abroad
Study with a language
- Typical A-level offer: ABB
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBC
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBC
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 34 points overall with 6,6,5 at HL
Overview
Course overview
- Investigate the sounds, words and grammar of the English language, and study its origin, development and regional variations.
- Gain advanced linguistic skills in French and explore the culture, history and politics of French-speaking countries.
- Study at a university ranked 6th in the UK for Modern Languages (QS World University Rankings 2024)
- Spend a year in a French-speaking country to consolidate your language learning.
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Telephone
- +44 (0161) 306 1252
- ug-languages@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- http://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/
- School/Faculty overview
-
See: About us
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Compare this course
Entry requirements
A-level
Grades ABB.
Contextual offer
Grades BBB for applicants who meet our contextual offer criteria. For further information and to check eligibility visit our Contextual Offers page.
Refugee/care-experienced offer
AS-level
Unit grade information
The University of Manchester welcomes the provision of unit information where available. Like all other information provided by applicants this may be taken into consideration when assessing your application. Unit grades will not normally form part of an offer conditions.
GCSE
Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade C or 4 in GCSE/iGCSE English Language and Mathematics. GCSE/iGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/iGCSE English Language.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
International Baccalaureate
Other international entry requirements
Scottish requirements
We normally require grades ABBBB in Scottish Highers.
Applicants offering a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers should contact ug-languages@manchester.ac.uk for further advice.
English Language and Mathematics not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (minimum National 5 grade C / Intermediate 2 grade C / Standard Grade Credit level grade 3).
Welsh Baccalaureate
The minimum grade required will normally be the same as the lowest grade listed in the A Level entry requirements.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
European Baccalaureate
We normally require: 77% to include a minimum of 8.0 in at least one essay-based subject.
AQA Baccalaureate
In making offers, the University will focus on the three A Levels taken within the AQA Baccalaureate. Students need to check the standard A Level requirements for their chosen course.
The units of broader study, enrichment activities and the Extended Project are considered to be valuable elements of the AQA Baccalaureate and we would therefore strongly encourage students to draw upon these experiences within their personal statement.
Foundation year
Applicants completing the INTO Manchester in partnership with The University of Manchester international foundation programme are required to achieve ABB in academic subjects and grade A in the EAP with writing, speaking, listening and reading grade B.
Applicants completing the NCUK International Foundation year are required to achieve ABB in academic subjects and grade A in the EAP with writing, speaking, listening and reading grade B.
Please read this in conjunction with our A-level requirements, noting any pre-requisite subjects.
For all other foundation programmes please see this list of approved UK foundation programmes .
Pearson BTEC qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: we consider the National Extended Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, Merit, in a humanities-related subject such as English, History or Politics.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma: we consider the National Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus one A-level at Grade B in an essay-based subject such as English Literature, History or Politics.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma: we consider the National Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Foundation Diploma with a Distinction grade, PLUS one A-level at Grade B in an essay-based subject such as English Literature, History or Politics, PLUS an EPQ or AS at Grade B.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate: we consider the National Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Certificate with a Distinction grade, PLUS two A-levels at Grades BB (one of these A-levels should be in an essay-based subject such as English Literature, History or Politics).
The University of Manchester welcomes applications from students who have achieved legacy BTEC qualifications (pre-2016) such as the BTEC Extended Diploma, BTEC Diploma, BTEC Subsidiary Diploma, and BTEC Certificate. The grades required are likely to be the same or vary similar to the new BTEC qualifications (first teaching 2016, awarded 2018). Please contact the Academic School for clarification.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Extended Diploma (CTEC): we do not consider the Technical Extended Diploma for entry to this course.
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Diploma (CTEC): we consider the Technical Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Diploma with grades Distinction, Merit, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level at grade A in an essay-based subject such as English Literature, History or Politics .
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Foundation Diploma (CTEC): we consider the Technical Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Foundation Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level/A Level at min. Grade B an essay-based subject such as English or History, PLUS an EPQ or AS Level at grade B.
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Extended Certificate (CTEC) : we consider the Technical Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Extended Certificate with grade Distinction, plus two additional Level 3 qualifications such as A Levels at grades BB in an essay-based subject such as English or History.
The University of Manchester will consider applications from students who have achieved legacy CTEC qualifications (pre-2016) such as the CTEC Extended Diploma, CTEC Diploma, CTEC Subsidiary Diploma, and CTEC Certificate. The grades required are likely to be the same or vary similar to the new CTEC qualifications (first teaching 2016, awarded 2018). Please contact the Academic School for clarification.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
Access to HE Diploma
The specific course requirements are a minimum of 30 credits with a Distinction grade, plus 15 credits with a Merit grade, all in a Humanities-related subject.
Cambridge Pre-U
We consider applicants offering Pre-U Principal Subjects, or a mix of Pre-U and A Level subjects, provided a minimum of three distinct subjects overall is taken.
Candidates taking Pre-U principal subjects in conjunction with A levels are expected to achieve a combination of D3, M2, M2 in the Pre-U and ABB at A level in three distinct subjects.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
T Level
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
Core Maths
The University recognises the value of Level 3 Core Mathematics qualifications. Core Mathematics is not a compulsory element of post-16 study and as a result we will not normally include it in the conditions of any offer we make. However, if a student chooses to undertake a core mathematics qualification this may be taken into account when we consider a student's application, particularly for courses with a distinct mathematical or statistical element that does not require A Level Mathematics. Academic Schools may also choose to take a student's performance in Core Mathematics into account should places be available in August for applicants who narrowly miss the entry grades for their chosen course.
Where a course requires applicants to have at least grade 6/B or higher in GCSE Mathematics we would be likely to consider a pass in Core Mathematics at a minimum grade C or B as an alternative way to fulfil this requirement. Where an A Level in Mathematics is required then Core Mathematics will not be accepted in lieu of an A Level.
A Level and GCSE Mathematics requirements for our courses vary according to subject so we advise students to contact the academic School, who will clarify whether a student's portfolio of qualifications is acceptable for entry onto the chosen course.
Home-schooled applicants
Non-standard educational routes
Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences. Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest. There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.
The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to. Further information for mature students can be found here ( http://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/mature-students/ )
English language
All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:
- GCSE/iGCSE English Language grade C/4 or;
- IELTS 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in any one component, or;
- An acceptable equivalent qualification.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student from outside the UK and the EU must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language in order to be granted a UK visa (Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. This level is often referred to as the 'B2 level'.
Additionally, our individual Schools may ask for specific English Language proficiency levels that are necessary for their academic programmes. In most cases these requirements are likely to be higher than the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found here .
English language test validity
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £26,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
- Find out more from student finance
- Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
- Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
- Many students work part-time or complete a student internship
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
Mitigating circumstances may be personal or family illness, other family circumstances, change of teachers during a course, problems with school facilities or an unusual curriculum followed by your school or college.
We recommend that information on mitigating circumstances that have affected or are likely to affect your academic performance should be included in the referee's report.
We cannot usually consider information that is supplied after an adverse decision has been made on an application by our School.
If you encounter mitigating circumstances after you have submitted your application, please inform the admissions staff in our School as soon as possible.
Where mitigating circumstances have already been considered, for example by the relevant exam board, we will not be able to make further allowances.
How your application is considered
You will be invited to an interview prior to an offer being made for this course.
Returning to education
Access courses are acceptable as an entry route to this course - please contact the UG Admissions Team.
Deferrals
Policy for applicants who resit their qualifications
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
Our BA English Language and French course is ideal for analytical minds who want to delve into the science of language - an everyday phenomenon which impacts our lives on an individual and a global scale.
English Language covers the history of the English language and the variation between English dialects in the UK and further afield.
You will acquire the skills required for analytical language study alongside the means to apply those skills to the study of historical and present-day English.
In addition, you will practise key transferable skills, such as essay writing and how to give a presentation.
The course allows students to achieve near-native proficiency in French and to study the language within its cultural and historical context.
Language study offers much more than just language fluency. You'll explore diverse aspects of the culture, society, history, politics and literature of the countries in which French is spoken, helping you to develop intercultural awareness and communication skills - both highly valued by employers.
You'll benefit from excellent teaching, student support and cutting-edge study facilities, as well as from the vibrancy and cultural diversity of Manchester itself, Western Europe's most multilingual city.
With placement options available at partner universities and in professional environments in several French-speaking countries, a compulsory third year abroad gives our undergraduate students unforgettable and invaluable personal and professional experience.
The course unit details listed below are those you may choose to study as part of this programme and are referred to as optional units. These are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this programme. Although language units may show here as optional, they are a mandatory part of your modern languages degree and you will take the units relevant to your level of language in each year of study. It is compulsory to study language at all levels of your modern languages degree.
Special features
Study or work abroad
Your year abroad will offer the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of life in a French-speaking country and further develop your language skills.
You will study, work and/or teach during the year abroad, with opportunities both in metropolitan France, and in other Francophone regions, such as Belgium, Switzerland, Martinique and Quebec.
Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to take advantage of our long-established partnership with the Alliance Francaise de Manchester, which supports cultural events such as film screenings and exhibitions throughout the year.
In addition, our collaboration with the Institut de Touraine in the Loire Valley, brings opportunities for learning at its Easter and Summer French language classes, which are appropriate for ab initio students and finalists.
Learn from language experts
Language courses are mainly taught by native speakers of each language, giving you a richer learning experience.
Access outstanding resources
You'll have the opportunity to access cutting-edge resources, including one of the largest repositories of linguistics texts in the UK, and to conduct research using English manuscripts held in our prestigious Special Collections.
Get involved with interesting projects
Our students are encouraged to take an active role in funded teaching-enhancement projects, whose outputs benefit them individually and collectively.
For example, some of our students have developed an online atlas of dialect variation in the UK.
Enjoy cultural activities
Join The Francophone Society and benefit from French classes, discussion groups, cheese and wine nights, film screenings, themed socials and a yearly trip to Paris.
Teaching and learning
You will learn through a mixture of formal lectures, seminars, and tutorials, spending approximately 12 hours a week in formal study sessions.
For every hour spent at university, you will be expected to complete a further two to three hours of independent study.
You will also need to study during the holiday periods.
The individual study component could be spent reading, producing written work, revising for examinations, or working in the University's Language Centre.
Coursework and assessment
You will be assessed in various ways, including:
- written and oral examinations;
- presentations;
- coursework (which may include library research, linguistic fieldwork and data collection, or web-based research).
Many course units are assessed through a mixture of techniques.
In your final year, you can choose to write a dissertation.
Course content for year 1
English Language
- You'll study the foundations of English grammar and be introduced to the history of English and varieties of English in the UK and further afield. You may also choose additional optional units, including those in which you learn about the study of meaning or of sounds, or learn how to investigate English using corpus methods.
French
- A predominantly native French-speaking staff will teach you in French in `language' classes, as well as in most `culture' classes.
- You will study between 3 and 6 hours of French grammar and conversation every week, in order to reach near-native precision and fluency, running in parallel with optional course units on French and Francophone history, politics, literature, popular culture and/or linguistics, from the Early Modern period to the present.
You will take only the language units relevant to your level of language in each year of study.
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity in Modern France | FREN10150 | 20 | Mandatory |
| English Word and Sentence Structure | LELA10301 | 20 | Mandatory |
| The Sounds of Language | LELA10322 | 20 | Mandatory |
| History and Varieties of English | LELA10342 | 20 | Mandatory |
| French Cultural Studies | FREN10070 | 20 | Optional |
| Identity in Modern France | FREN10150 | 20 | Optional |
| French Language 1 | FREN51011 | 20 | Optional |
| French Language 2 | FREN51022 | 20 | Optional |
| French Language 3 | FREN51030 | 20 | Optional |
| Language, Mind and Brain | LELA10201 | 20 | Optional |
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Course content for year 2
English Language
- Tailor your degree to suit your interests. While studying two core units in subjects like language change, sociolinguistics, stylistics or pragmatics, you may additionally choose from a wide range of optional units tapping into academic expertise in specialist fields such as phonology and experimental phonetics, and psycholinguistics.
French
- In the second year of your course, you build on the grounding already established. This year's core language course develops that of the previous year and prepares you for the linguistic challenges of your year abroad, including dedicated sessions on writing CVs and cover letters for job applications in French.
- The other courses available in your second year are options broadly falling under three categories: Literature, History and Popular Culture, and Linguistics and Translation. Topics covered include French literature, French linguistics, colonisation, media, and cinema. All include a research component that encourages you to develop your skills of analysis and information-gathering, working independently or in a group.
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art in France | FREN20271 | 20 | Optional |
| Temptations of the Tragic: Love and Death in French Literature | FREN20682 | 20 | Optional |
| Media, Performance, & Digital Culture in Contemporary France | FREN21212 | 20 | Optional |
| Stardom in France | FREN21771 | 20 | Optional |
| French Language 4 | FREN51040 | 20 | Optional |
| French Language 5 | FREN51050 | 20 | Optional |
| Language, Mind and Brain | LELA10201 | 20 | Optional |
| The Sounds of Language | LELA10322 | 20 | Optional |
| Study of Meaning | LELA10332 | 20 | Optional |
| From Text to Linguistic Evidence | LELA10401 | 20 | Optional |
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Course content for year 3
Your third year of study is spent abroad under approved conditions.
Course content for year 4
English Language
- Have complete freedom of choice among a wealth of different course options spanning subjects as diverse historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, child language development, formal semantics and syntax, and forensic linguistics.
- You will also have the option of writing a dissertation, where you explore and write about a particular topic in depth.
French
- On your return to Manchester in your final year you will continue with your core language course and choose additional units from a wide range of even more specialised courses, building effectively on Year Two study.
- Language study is centred on essay writing, translation and oral work involving discussion of texts, debates and presentations.
- Also available in this year are course units that cover topics closely related to the research interests of individual members of staff. As part of your final-year work, you can write a dissertation on a theme of your choice related to one of your courses, which students find an especially rewarding experience.
Course units for year 4
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Language 6 | FREN51060 | 20 | Mandatory |
| Introduction to Interpreting: Context, Skills and Modes | ELAN30241 | 20 | Optional |
| Introduction to Professional Translation | ELAN31182 | 20 | Optional |
| Art, Culture and Activism in France in the Age of Social Media | FREN30731 | 20 | Optional |
| History and Memory in Francophone Cinema | FREN30832 | 20 | Optional |
| Wild and Tamed: Nature in French Culture and Politics | FREN30842 | 20 | Optional |
| Exoticism & Orientalism in C19th France: French Romantics and Local Colour | FREN30871 | 20 | Optional |
| Dissertation in Modern Languages and Cultures | LALC30000 | 40 | Optional |
| Phonology | LELA20012 | 20 | Optional |
| Analysing Grammar | LELA20022 | 20 | Optional |
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Facilities
As well as making use of the wider University library network, you will have access to the University Language Centre , a modern open learning facility where you can study independently and make use of a library and audio-visual resources.
There are also language laboratories and multimedia facilities.
For your English language studies, you will benefit from access to a wide range of technical facilities, online resources, and unique collections at the John Rylands Library.
Learn more on the facilities pages for Linguistics and English Language and Modern Languages and Cultures .
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
A degree in languages paves the way for an exceptionally broad range of careers.
You will develop analytical and problem-solving skills together with intercultural awareness and communication skills - which are highly valued by employers.
Through your studies, you'll acquire transferable expertise at the very heart of language learning, including enhanced powers of perception and interpretation, and advanced decision-making and multitasking skills.
Your in-depth understanding of language will open numerous paths with an international dimension, and you'll have developed excellent all-round communication skills that will make you a strong contender for openings in the media, PR, and similar areas.
Many of our graduates go straight into business services, marketing, advertising, management, banking, or communications.
Others opt for postgraduate study or further vocational training to become accountants, lawyers, teachers (in the UK or abroad), or enter the Civil Service.
Employers who have taken on graduates of our department's courses in the past include The Guardian, L'Oreal, Universal Music Group, and Vodafone, as well as Dell, Nova (Kyoto) and Berlitz.
Find out more on the careers and employability pages for Linguistics and English Language and Modern Languages and Cultures .
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.
At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .