French
When choosing to study French perhaps you are attracted by the facts that:
- French is spoken all over the world, with more than 220 million people you can communicate with
- Second language knowledge opens doors, enhancing your professional profile
- France is one of Australia’s major trading partners
Or perhaps you have an interest in:
- Cultural production including cultural heritage, literature, music, cinema, and theatre
- Intellectual production of French-speaking thinkers on philosophy, literary theory and cinema
- Political thought, feminism, human rights, migration, peace and conflict studies or ethics
Why Choose
In choosing to study French, either as a UQ student, or as a student from one of our BULA partners, you will benefit from the expertise of an award-winning teaching team recognized with two significant citations for outstanding contributions to student learning.
At UQ you will:
- Communicate in French from your very first class
- Use online technologies to collaborate, communicate and learn
- Explore French-speaking cultures online
- Develop your analytical and creative skills
- Be involved in real-life projects using your language expertise
In 2015, students undertook real translation projects, mentored Year 8 students taking French through the Brisbane School of Distance Education, and got involved in academic publishing through the UQ Winter Research Program.
At UQ we offer courses for complete beginners, students with some experience, school-leavers and students with extensive experience of the language.
But that’s not all: French at UQ isn't just a series of language courses, it’s also an opportunity to pursue your interests in literary and cultural studies, cinema, intercultural communication, translation and second language acquisition.
Although our former students do not all work in positions where French is central to what they do, French study gives them an advantage by offering a store of knowledge on which they can draw.
Undergraduate
- Bachelor of Arts
- French Major / French Advanced Major
- French Minor (visit Study at UQ for further details)
- Bachelor of International Studies
- Diploma in Languages
- Dual Degrees
Honours
Pathways
Students may study French courses as an elective in their degree or complete a French Major or French Advanced Major. Separate course starting points apply for students in each category. A pathway that shows courses over 3 years is available.
French Majors and French Advanced Majors can be undertaken by students from:
- Introductory level (beginners or students who have done less than 2 years of French at secondary school)
- Intermediate level (students who have studied 2 years of ab initio (beginner) French at high school, or Year 12 French more than 2 years ago)
- Students who have studied Year 12 French at school in the last 2 years
- Students who have completed Year 12 French and spent 6 months or longer in a French-speaking country (entry via placement test)
Courses available in each stream are also listed on UQ's Courses and Programs site.
Unsure where to start?
Go to our online language course placement advisor and answer a short questionnaire. In most cases the system will recommend the starting course you should enrol in. For more complex cases, you will be advised how to proceed.
Language Course Placement Advisor
Looking for an elective course?
Courses concerning popular culture, literature, history, and film can be studied as electives within your degree, or some may count towards the Major. To find out more about the other courses offered, please consult the Courses and Programs site.
What our graduates are doing
Play Director and Honours student
After finishing her Bachelor of Arts, Emily was accepted into the UQ French Honours program. Since starting Honours, Emily has been MC for Australia’s biggest French Festival and is now one of its committee members. She was also awarded the Mabel Pingel Scholarship for excellence in French and completed a Winter Research Program with the UQ French department. Her passion for language and theatre drove her to direct and produce Brisbane’s first ever French play entirely in French with English subtitles. Local high school students, French expatriates and Francophiles alike attended the sellout season. Emily aspires to use theatre as a tool to not only introduce French theatre culture to Australians, but also give second language learners the opportunity to engage with the French language outside the classroom. With theatre and French on her mind, Emily will continue to produce and direct French plays in Brisbane while continuing her research in post-colonial studies.
"After having already completed a degree, the decision to return to university was not a decision taken lightly. Having said that, it was one of the most profitable and rewarding decisions I have ever made. My skills and employability as a graduate have greatly increased since learning French. Better still, I have seized countless opportunities after coupling my previous degree with a second language and have now forged relationships with French communities both nationally and internationally.
In a nutshell, learning French at UQ is a must. The French team is consistently awarded for its excellence in teaching and innovation, and is relentless in its efforts to improve second language learning in higher education."
Emily has a Bachelor of Arts (French Major and Anthropology Minor) from The University of Queensland.
Get Involved
As a student at UQ, you have many opportunities to get involved and enhance your language learning experience, including going on exchange, joining the French Society, and participating in research opportunities such as the summer and winter research programs.
Events
There are a number of school events held throughout the year such as public lectures, seminars and conferences which students are encouraged to attend. Details for these events are published on the School Events page.
Exchange opportunities
Going on exchange will allow you to further advance your linguistic and intercultural skills while living and studying abroad. UQ has agreements with Universities and higher education institutions in over 40 countries around the world, including many in French speaking countries. Some include:
- Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
- Université Lumière Lyon II, France
- Université Catholique de Lille, France
See UQ Abroad for information about the exchange program.
In 2015 French student Angie went on exchange to Sciences Po in France as part of her Bachelor of International Studies degree. Read her story here.
French staff can also tell you about a short course in New Caledonia also available to beginners and intermediate students.
Clubs and societies
Joining a club or society is a great way to learn new skills and meet new like-minded people. There are over 190 affiliated clubs and societies at UQ. The enthusiastic members of the UQ French Society look forward to having you join them to take your interest in French outside the classroom. Visit clubs and societies for a full list of clubs and societies, and find one that interests you.