French and Italian The University of Manchester

Overview

Studying the French and Italian at The University of Manchester you  will also develop knowledge of the language and culture of Italy from the medieval period to the present day.

French

• At least two thirds of our staff are native speakers, teaching you in French 'language' classes as well as most 'culture' classes.

• You will experience between 3 and 6 hours of French grammar and conversation every week (at post A-Level or beginners' level), in order to reach near-native precision and fluency. This will run 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 benefit from our long-established partnership with the Alliance Fran ç aise de Manchester with cultural events throughout the year, such as film screenings, talks, plays, concerts, exhibitions and intensive language classes.

• You will also benefit from our collaboration with the Institut de Touraine in the Loire Valley, which hosts Easter and Summer French language classes that are appropriate for ab initio students and finalists.

• Our range and quality of courses are regularly cited for praise by external examiners and two colleagues have won University Teaching Excellence Awards.

  Italian

• The course units offered combine the study of history, politics, and the literary, linguistic and visual culture of the peninsula, and are taught by specialists in the fields.

• We offer a linguistics pathway through the course for those interested in the history of the Italian language and its dialects.

• Language courses, taught by native speakers at post A-level or beginners' level, involve comprehension, translation, grammar and oral work.

• Our excellence in teaching and learning in Italian has been recognised internally and nationally: a colleague won a Teaching Excellence Award and one has secured national funding to develop use of digital resources in teaching by bringing our libraries' special collections into the age of the app.

• You will benefit from extensive interaction with Italian cultural agencies in the North West.

• You will also benefit from the world-class Italian holdings of the John Rylands Library, including one of the largest collections of early Italian printed books in the UK.

Career opportunities

A degree in Modern Languages and Cultures paves the way for a broad range of careers. You'll develop intercultural awareness and enhanced communication skills - both highly valued by employers. You'll also acquire transferable expertise at the very heart of language learning, including enhanced powers of perception and interpretation and advanced decision-making and multitasking skills.