Introduction
French and Sociology at Aberdeen is a great combination, adding to your language and cultural skills with a fascinating awakening of your ‘sociological imagination’.
You will explore how the societies we live in shape us as individuals in all sorts of ways, benefitting from top-rated teaching and a culture of dynamic research. You will gain the skills to be a sought-after graduate by employers in many sectors and with strong international possibilities.
Study Information
At a Glance
- Learning Mode
- On Campus Learning
- Degree Qualification
- MA
- Duration
- 60 months
- Study Mode
- Full Time
- Start Month
- September
- UCAS Code
- RL13
French & Francophone Studies at Aberdeen has a long-standing reputation for teaching and research. The programme explores the diversity of French and Francophone culture and the complex global influence of France and the French language over the centuries.
You will add to your growing language skills with diverse courses in contemporary society and politics, philosophy and history, film and visual culture, advanced translation skills, and literature from the Renaissance to the present day.
By combining your study of French with Sociology at Aberdeen, you will explore how society shapes us as individuals in all sorts of ways. You will gain insight into sociology of the family, work-life balance, religion and society. You will be taught by experts in social movements, conflict and peace, religion and secularisation and global political sociology. You will also become skilled in the social research methods used to gather the evidence to better understand aspects of society – such as observation, interviews, large-scale surveys or analysing the content of documents and videos.
In addition to your technical ability, you will develop great skills in thinking critically and posing probing questions, which have tremendous value to employers across a range of sectors. Previous graduates have gone on to work in journalism, marketing and advertising, social and market research, teaching, health services, social work, charities, human resources, and more.
What You'll Study
- Year 1
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Year 1: Compulsory Courses
- Introduction to Sociology I: Self, Identity & Society (SO1007)
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15 Credit Points
Sociology is the study of human social groups. It particularly focuses on modern societies, analysing how they work and how the major social institutions in them (such as religion, the media, government and the economy) operate. The course provides students with a general introduction to the unique manner in which sociologists seek to understand contemporary societies. Students are presented with current and classical approaches to understanding the social processes that underlie self-construction, group formation and social interaction, within urbanizing and globalizing social contexts.
- Introduction to Sociology II: Systems of Power (SO1509)
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15 Credit Points
This course is an introduction to macro-sociology, which analyses the ways that people’s lives are shaped by large-scale forces, structures, and institutions. Students are introduced to the particular ways in which classical and contemporary sociologists understand social forces in the modern domestic and global environment and learn to think critically about those social forces that impact their everyday lives using the sociological imagination. Substantive topics likely to be covered in this course include the media, politics, religion, surveillance, education, class stratification, international inequalities, and the relationship between humans and other animals.
- Getting Started at the ºÚÁÏÍø (PD1002)
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This course, which is prescribed for level 1 undergraduate students and articulating students who are in their first year at the University, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.
Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.
Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.
- Academic Writing for Language & Literature (AW1008)
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This compulsory evaluation is designed to find out if your academic writing is of a sufficient standard to enable you to succeed at university and, if you need it, to provide support to improve. It is completed on-line via MyAberdeen with clear instructions to guide you through it. If you pass the evaluation at the first assessment it will not take much of your time. If you do not, you will be provided with resources to help you improve. This evaluation does not carry credits but if you do not complete it this will be recorded on your degree transcript.
Year 1: Optional Courses
Select ONE of the following options:
Beginner
- Beginners French Language 1 (FR1028)
- Beginners French Language 2 (FR1528)
- French Culture and Society: from Occupation to Decolonisation (FR1031) AND/OR The Global City in Text and Film (LA1501)
Qualified
- Qualified French Language 1 (FR1029)
- Qualified French Language 2 (FR1529)
- French Culture and Society: from Occupation to Decolonisation (FR1031) AND/OR The Global City in Text and Film (LA1501)
Plus select further credit points from courses of choice to gain a total of 120 credits.
- French Culture and Society: from Occupation to Decolonisation (FR1031)
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15 Credit Points
This course introduces students to twentieth and early twenty first century French and Francophone culture and society, focusing on the occupation of France during World War II, gender issues, and the impact and aftermath of colonialism and decolonisation. Students will explore the socio-historical and socio-political context by engaging with literature, film, writing from the period and visual materials. Texts will be available in translation for those with limited or no knowledge of French.
- The Global City in Text and Film (LA1501)
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15 Credit Points
Focusing on major cities in Europe and the Americas, this course unit uses a range of texts, including films, poetry and fiction, to investigate urban spaces as sites of promise, power and loss. Representations of global cities, and experiences of urban dwellers, highlight themes such as empire, identity, leisure, labour and love. Set amid glittering facades and gritty back streets, the texts studied in this course explore the many meanings of the urban experience across place and time. These urban encounters also provide a way of understanding key social, political and cultural moments in the past and present.
- Beginners French Language 1 (FR1028)
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15 Credit Points
This intensive language course is designed for students with limited or no previous knowledge of French, whether or not they intend to complete a degree in French.
The aim of the course is to introduce the fundamentals of French grammar and a basic working vocabulary and to give extensive practice in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. If they choose to do so, students who take this course and the follow-on Term 2 course, FR1528, will have sufficient knowledge of French to proceed to study at Level 2 and beyond.
Individual cases will be considered, however, it is recommended that:
- Students who have no or limited experience of French register for FR1028: Beginners French Language 1
- Students who have studied French up to a Higher at grade B (or equivalent) register for FR1028: Beginners French Language 1
- Students who have studied French to a Higher at grade A (or equivalent) or above, register for FR1029: Qualified French Language 1
- Students who wish to discuss their individual situation should e-mail: llmvc.enquiries@abdn.ac.uk or speak directly to relevant staff members as soon as possible and ahead of the deadline for changing courses (Friday of teaching week 2)
- Beginners French Language 2 (FR1528)
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15 Credit Points
This course is intended for students who have successfully completed and passed FR1028 – Beginners French Language 1.
The course builds on the work done in FR1028, extending students’ knowledge of the fundamentals of French grammar and continuing to build their vocabulary and communication skills. This will enable students to consolidate and further develop the core language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, working towards a level equivalent to CERF Intermediate A2/B1. The course is open to all students with the relevant experience, whether or not they intend to complete a degree in French. If they choose to do so, students who complete and pass this course will have an adequate command of French to proceed to study at Level 2 and beyond.
- Qualified French Language 1 (FR1029)
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15 Credit Points
This course is intended for students who have studied French to Higher (Grade B or above) or equivalent level or above.
This course will enable students to consolidate and extend their knowledge of French, written and spoken, working towards a level equivalent to CERF intermediate B1 by the end of the follow-on course in the second semester. The course is open to all students with the relevant experience. For students registered for a degree with French, this will be a significant step in their training and preparation for the required residence abroad in a French-speaking country after level 2.
Individual cases will be considered, however, it is recommended that:• Students who have no or limited experience of French register for FR1028: Beginners French Language 1• Students who have studied French up to a Higher at grade B (or equivalent) register for FR1028: Beginners French Language 1• Students who have studied French to a Higher at grade A (or equivalent) or above, register for FR1029: Qualified French Language 1• Students who wish to discuss their individual situation should e-mail: llmvc.enquiries@abdn.ac.uk or speak directly to relevant staff members as soon as possible and ahead of the deadline for changing courses (Friday of teaching week 2)
- Qualified French Language 2 (FR1529)
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15 Credit Points
This course is intended for students who have successfully completed and passed FR1029 - Qualified French Language 1.
This course will enable students to consolidate and extend their knowledge of French, written and spoken, to achieve a level equivalent to CERF intermediate B1 by the end of the course. The course is open to all students with the relevant experience. For students registered for a degree with French, this will be a significant step in the students’ training and preparation for their required residence abroad in a French-speaking country after level 2.
- Year 2
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Year 2: Compulsory Courses
- Sociology of Everyday Life i: the Embodied Self (SO2006)
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30 Credit Points
This follows on from level-one sociology. It is designed to highlight the ways that sociological theory informs the research endeavour, not only the questions sociologists raise, but also the particular modes through which we go about investigating them. The module examines these points in relation to a range of micro-level topics – the body, food and feeding, health and illness, the emotions, group behaviour, sex and gender, the life course and death and dying – all of which emphasise the nature of human interaction and sociological efforts to understand it.
- Sociology of Everyday Life II: Global Issues in the 21st Century (SO2509)
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30 Credit Points
This macro-sociology course extends students’ understanding of large-scale social, as well as political and economic, processes and institutions. Particular focus is on the sociological analysis of global issues and socio-political controversies, many of which are subject to topical and, at times, contentious debate at the beginning of the 21st century. The substantive topics include areas of social and political concern such as globalisation; the changing nature of economy, work and leisure; risk and insecurity; multiculturalism; food production and security; social movements; nationalism and identities.
- (De)centering France: Social Movements and Cultural Transformation (FR2017)
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15 Credit Points
The course introduces students to the history, culture and identity of contemporary France by examining key moments and themes in the development of France as a political and cultural entity from the Early Modern period to the present.
FR2017 explores the history, culture and identity of modern France and its place in the Francophone world through topics such as:
- The French Revolution (1789-1799)
- The Dreyfus Affair (1894 to 1906)
- Feminisms in Modern and Contemporary France (1970s to present day)
- The legacies of colonialism (post-World War II to present-day)
- The role of the French language in the contemporary world
- Residence Abroad Preparation for Mlti Students (LA10RP)
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This course is restricted to MLTI (Modern Languages / Translation and Interpreting) students.
This course is for students preparing their residence abroad, as part of their degree requirements on Modern Languages (Mode A and Mode B) or Translation and Interpreting programmes. This course carries no credits in itself, but provides essential support and guidance as MLTI students organise their residence abroad to meet their degree requirements.
Year 2: Optional Courses
Select ONE of the following options:
Ex-beginner
- Advanced Introductory French Language 1 (FR2012)
- Advanced Introductory French Language 2 (FR2512)
Qualified
- Advanced French Language 1 (FR2002)
- Advanced French Language 2 (FR2502)
- Advanced French Language 1 (FR2002)
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15 Credit Points
This course is open to students who have successfully completed and passed FR1528 OR FR1529. Building on the work done in FR1528 and FR1529, it will consolidate and extend students’ knowledge of French language. Grammatical and linguistic analysis will develop further language skills, both receptive (listening, reading comprehension and translation into English) and productive (translation into French; oral language). Students will work towards a level equivalent to CERF Advanced B2 by the end of the follow-on course, FR2502 in Term 2.
FR2002 and FR2502 are both the required French language courses for students to enter the French Honours programme and will prepare them to complete the required period of residence abroad in a French-speaking country. These courses are also open to students with the relevant experience who do not intend to complete a degree in French.
- Advanced French Language 2 (FR2502)
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15 Credit Points
This course is open to students who have successfully completed and passed FR2002. It will further consolidate and extend students’ knowledge of French language. Continued grammatical and linguistic analysis will enhance language skills, both receptive (listening, reading comprehension and translation into English) and productive (translation into French; oral language). Students will work towards a level equivalent to CERF Advanced B2 by the end of the term.
FR2002 and FR2502 are both the required French language courses for students to enter the French Honours programme and will prepare them to complete the required period of residence abroad in a French-speaking country. These courses are also open to students with the relevant experience who do not intend to complete a degree in French.
- World - Changing Protests: History, Culture, Politics (LA2501)
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15 Credit Points
The course will span a century of protests across Europe, the Americas and North Africa, with causes including peace, democracy, human rights, anti-racism, labour rights, equality for women and LGBTI+ communities, climate change and decolonisation. Students will learn about the history, culture and politics of the countries where protests erupt, including of the social movements that lead protests. Approaches will include history, literary, film and media analysis, material and visual culture, music and social science methods.
- Year 3
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Year 3: Compulsory Courses
Academic year spent in French-speaking country.
- Year 4
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Year 4: Compulsory Courses
- Level 3 French Language (FR3027)
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30 Credit Points
This course will improve French language skills in all four areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing, whilst increasing grammatical and lexical knowledge, as well as sensitivity to linguistic variety.
Year 4: Optional Courses
Select ONE from each of the following options:
- Thinking Sociologically (SO3066) OR Sociology of Religion (SO3070)
- Social Research Methods (SO3524) OR Ten Sociological Studies (SO3568)
NOTE: If you intend to enrol on the Sociology research project at level 4, you must pass (SO3524) Social Research Methods at level 3.
Also, select a further 45 credit points from level 3 courses in French.
- Thinking Sociologically (SO3066)
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30 Credit Points
Thinking Sociologically is the department's core sociological theory module. The course offers our students an introduction to a range of key sociological thinkers and bodies of thought, both classical and contemporary, that inform sociological analysis of social life and social institutions. As such, this course is intended to provide our honours students with a conceptual 'toolkit', that can be applied to facilitate understanding, insight and informed critique with respect to a broad range of historical and contemporary social, political and economic phenomena.
- Sociology of Religion (SO3070)
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30 Credit Points
This course provides students with an introduction to the sociological imagination as applied to the topic of religion. While the focus is on religion, it uses religion as means of thinking about core sociological concepts and key social processes, as well as the challenges to studying the world sociologically. We will discuss the key dimensions of religious belief, practice and institutions, and what we can learn from these that can be adapted and applied to other kinds of beliefs, practices and institutions.
- Social Research Methods (SO3524)
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30 Credit Points
Sociologists use a range of methods and techniques to explore and test sociological theory. This module introduces many of these methods and techniques. It aims to ground students’ theoretical understanding of society through the practical analysis of a variety of data. It starts by introducing the varying philosophical starting points of research and goes on to provide foundation level critical analysis skills in the key quantitative and qualitative methods that sociologists have deployed to understand and ‘capture’ the social world.
- Ten Sociological Studies (SO3568)
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30 Credit Points
This course bridges the theoretical emphasis of SO3066 and the methodological elements of SO3524. It presents sociology as a social science by having students examine and discuss in detail ten reports of sociological research. The goal of the course is to highlight the different ways sociological research combines theory and methods to examine and explain specific phenomena, events, or experiences of the world. Each of the ten studies will be chosen by one of the Sociology staff and present theoretical and methodological ideas and approaches that staff members use in their own work or believe to be pivotal to sociological research. Students will be required to read all ten of the chosen publications in preparation for the course each week.
- Year 5
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Year 5: Compulsory Courses
- Level 4 French Language (FR4027)
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30 Credit Points
Building on the skills gained in their third year of study of French, this course will help the students' French language gain very high skills in all four areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing, whilst increasing their grammatical and lexical knowledge, as well as their sensitivity to linguistic variety.
Year 5: Optional Courses
Choose ONE of the following dissertation courses:
- French Dissertation (FR4097)
- Research Project Part 1 (SO4068) AND Research Project Part 2 (SO4568)
Plus further credit points from level 4 courses in French and Sociology (see below) to gain a total of 60 credits in each discipline.
SO4058 Sociology of Religion & Culture
SO4070 Peace, Conflict and Society
SO4554 Political Sociology
SO4565 Sex, Death and the Afterlife
SO4571 Contemporary Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity
SO4065 Animals and Society- Final Year Project (LA4006)
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15 Credit Points
The Final Year project offers students the opportunity to undertake in-depth independent study on a topic of their choosing. The topic is chosen by the student, in conjunction with the dissertation coordinator and an individual programme supervisor, both of whom approve the topic. The project can either take the form of an extended piece of writing; a creative output with reflective commentary or an extended translation with accompanying commentary.
- Research Project Part 1 (SO4068)
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30 Credit Points
This course is the first of two courses that comprise the Dissertation in Sociology. This first course affords students an opportunity to apply their sociological knowledge and research skills to an individual piece of research, focusing on a topic selected by the student and ethically approved by their Supervisor. Over the course of SO4068, with guidance from a member of staff, the project student will formulate an appropriate research question(s), conduct a critical literature review of relevant material, select appropriate research methods and prepare appropriate data collection tool(s) in order to commence their (online) research by the end of this course. Students will also get the opportunity to reflect on their presentation skills and prepare a 5-minute Panopto video on their project design for peer review. Particular emphasis will be given to helping students develop time management skills, a key transferable skill.
- Roads, Mobility, Movement, Migration (AT4061)
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30 Credit Points
In this course students will be introduced to the topical themes in contemporary anthropology: roads, automobility, car cultures, migration, road narratives, and roads in film and literature. The course is based on the notions of movement and mobility and will incorporate the ethnographic material from the North, including Scotland and Siberia. During the course students will conduct their own research on the road of their choice. The course includes: a fieldwork element, screenings of documentary films about roads, and weekly student-led discussions.
We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page. In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips.
How You'll Study
Learning Methods
- Individual Projects
- Lectures
- Research
- Tutorials
Assessment Methods
Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:
- Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course.
- Practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course.
- Written examinations at the end of each course.
The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.
Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.
Why Study French and Sociology?
Why French
- Join a vibrant international community on campus and across Aberdeen and north-east Scotland, with many French and French-speaking students, staff and activities on campus and across the region
- Get involved with our dynamic French Society, organising social and topical events throughout the year, and a brilliant way to get to know other students studying or speaking French
- Access the spectacular, award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library, with stunning study facilities, state-of-the-art learning technology, and a first-class collection of French books and films for your course
- Enjoy a packed campus programme of events, exhibitions, invited speakers and the popular WayWord literary festival, which often features work by Francophone writers
- Spend your year abroad as a language assistant or visiting student at locations including Lyon, Rennes, Grenoble, Réunion, Brussels, Geneva, Lausanne, the IFP (Institute of French Petroleum) School in Paris and the Club des Langues in Anglet
- The University is internationally recognised as a centre for study and research in French, with research covering not only France, but also French-speaking Africa and the Caribbean
Why Sociology
- Aberdeen has an international reputation for our sociology research, and we are recognised by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as a centre for research training and supervision for postgraduate students
- Get involved with a packed programme of student and public events, lectures, exhibitions, seminars, invited speakers, plus the annual May Festival, British Science Week and Being Human Festival regularly featuring Aberdeen research in social sciences
- Aberdeen participates in the European Social Survey, one of the largest and most reliable sources of data about Europeans’ attitudes, behaviours, and experiences, with data from more than 350,000 individuals across 36 countries since 2002
Interested in this programme?
Entry Requirements
Qualifications
The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the ºÚÁÏÍø.
General Entry Requirements
- 2027 Entry
-
SQA Highers
Standard: BBBB
Applicants that present with BBBB will usually receive an unconditional offer.
Where we have more applicants than places we may need to ask for more than the minimum so continued engagement in school is recommended.
Widening Access: BBC
Applicants who meet one or more of our widening access metrics and present with BBC, are guaranteed an unconditional offer.
Foundation Apprenticeship: One FA is equivalent to a Higher at A. It cannot replace any required subjects.
Note: We do not double count a Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject, but we do consider that a B grade at Advanced Higher is equivalent to an A grade at Higher.
National 5 English (or equivalent) is required at Grade C or above.
A LEVELS
Standard: BBC
Widening Access: CCC
GCSE English (or equivalent) is required at Grade C/4 or above.
BTEC LEVEL 3 EXTENDED DIPLOMA
DMM in related subjects.
Note: BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate (Subsidiary Diploma) achieved at Distinction level, is normally acceptable in lieu of one A Level at grade B.)
GCSE English (or equivalent) is required at Grade C/4 or above. GCSE Mathematics at Grade C/4 is also required for Accountancy, Economics and Finance programmes.
IRISH LEAVING CERTIFICATE
Five subjects at Higher at H3.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
30 points including 5, 4, 4 at HL.
SL in English is also required.
The information displayed in this section shows a shortened summary of our entry requirements. For more information, or for full entry requirements for Arts and Social Sciences degrees, see our .
Fees and Funding
You will be classified as one of the fee categories below.
- EU / International students
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- Tuition Fees for 2027/28 Academic Year
- £20,800
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year
- £20,800
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *)
- £14,800
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The above fee includes the £6,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.
- Tuition Fees for 2027/28 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *)
- £14,800
-
The above fee includes the £6,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.
- Home Students
-
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year
- £1,820
- Tuition Fees for 2027/28 Academic Year
- £1,820
- England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland
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- Tuition Fees for 2027/28 Academic Year
- £10,050
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The UK Government has confirmed that the RUK fee cap will continue to increase each year to reflect inflation. Tuition fees will increase in line with the Government fee cap each year, and this should be taken into account when budgeting.
- Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year
- £9,790
-
The UK Government has confirmed that the RUK fee cap will continue to increase each year to reflect inflation. Tuition fees will increase in line with the Government fee cap each year, and this should be taken into account when budgeting.
Scholarships and Funding
UK Scholarship
Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding. These are designed to provide assistance to help students support themselves during their time at Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Global Scholarship
The ºÚÁÏÍø is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme. More about this funding opportunity.
Funding Database
View all funding options in our Funding Database.
Careers
There are many opportunities at the ºÚÁÏÍø to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.
- More information on employability at the ºÚÁÏÍø
- More information on the Careers and Employability Service
Our Experts
Information ºÚÁÏÍø Staff Changes
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
Features
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Get in Touch
Contact Details
- Address
-
Student Recruitment & Admissions
ºÚÁÏÍø
University Office
Regent Walk
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX