Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in French and English Literature

at University of Westminster - Regent Campus United Kingdom

On our French and English Literature BA, you'll develop the skills you need to become a competent linguist, ready to enter graduate employment. Our course places particular emphasis on employability and the contemporary cultural context of language learning, offering high-quality teaching in all language skills and a thorough knowledge of the way language is used in real-life situations.

The course will develop your French reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in a culturally aware style, giving you the ability to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations. You'll study an integrated curriculum with a focus on applied language skills and cultural studies, supported by a rigorous development of your foreign language skills in all areas.

In English Literature you'll have the opportunity to examine literary and non-literary works of all periods, from Shakespeare to the present day, taking in a wide range of authors and themes, with a full and balanced coverage of dramatic, poetic and prose works. You'll consider the wider historical and political contexts in which cultural and literary works have been produced and received, and relate the works both to intellectual history and to work in other arts and media, such as architecture and the visual arts. You'll also have the opportunity to consider the theoretical tools of textual, cultural and literary analysis in detail.

You'll have the option to spend a full academic year abroad at a partner institution and/or, depending on your language level, an approved form of employment in a country where French is the official language. A year abroad will not only improve your language skills but also contribute to your employability, encourage intercultural awareness, and build confidence. You can also study an elective module from across the University in each year.

We accept students at two different entry points – beginner or intermediate. Please note that we may need to test you to determine your entry point.

You'll examine how languages differ and what elements they share, as well as developing your knowledge of the historical and cultural aspects of the English language in particular.

The course provides a rare opportunity to combine in-depth formal linguistic study with a consideration of the ways in which the English language is used and how it reflects its social context. As a result, the course nurtures research and analytical skills at the same time as enhancing your own abilities with the English language.

You'll develop your knowledge and understanding of how the English language works in terms of its structure, how it has changed over time and how it's employed in different spoken and written contexts. Your knowledge of English will be informed and contextualised by your wider study of language as a human faculty. You'll examine what languages have in common and how they vary in terms of their grammatical structures and their sound systems.

The course appeals to students interested in the nature of the English language and its variants, as well as students interested in language in general and the fundamental role it plays in our understanding of the world around us. It includes practical and theoretical modules that are invaluable for students interested in teaching English, speech therapy, editing, journalism, or advertising, but also helps to prepare you for any career that requires an advanced and sophisticated use of language.

Top reasons to study this course

• Academic expertise – the teaching staff on this course are industry experts, with experience in topics ranging from creoles and pidgins, to sociolinguistics, language and gender
• A holistic approach – study the underlying structure of language and how it's used, all in one course
• Study in a true polyglot city – with over 250 languages spoken, London is one of the world's most linguistically diverse cities
• An international experience – you'll have the option to spend one or two semesters at a partner institution in Europe, the USA, Canada, or Australia
• Get experience before graduating – you’ll have the option to do a work placement as part of this course
• Personal support throughout your degree – our small group tutorials are designed to support you, your studies and your career goals

Our Arabic and Global Communication BA develops your knowledge of the Arabic language and culture, and develops your communication skills for the professional global environment.

Our course helps you to achieve a good or high level of linguistic proficiency in Arabic in reading, writing, listening and speaking. It also gives you insight into and practice in communicating internationally as well as mediating between English and Arabic speakers.

The curriculum integrates applied language skills and cultural studies, while ensuring a rigorous development of your foreign language competence in all areas. We teach in an integrated interdisciplinary way, exploring the connections between language and culture and the broader historical and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced. 

You'll improve your ability as an intercultural communicator by studying how our ideas are shaped and communicated in a global society, where our interactions are no longer confined by national, regional or cultural boundaries.

Studying the Arabic and Global Communication BA, you'll acquire qualities and skills in areas such as interpersonal communication and organisational skills, analysis and argument, autonomy and team working, and team management. You’ll also build your flexibility, tolerance and organisational skills to enable you to be an effective international communicator. On graduation, you'll be able to thrive linguistically in diverse cultural situations.

This course gives you the chance to study English literature in a modern university environment, while taking advantage of the wealth of resources offered by London's rich cultural life. You will examine literary texts in the wider context of cultural production and relate them to the social, historical and political circumstances from which they emerge.

The course team consists of academic specialists who make use of the many nearby museums, galleries and libraries in their teaching. The course will be of particular interest to those wishing to prepare for further study at MPhil or PhD level, and those teaching English who want to gain a further qualification and investigate recent and current developments in the field.

The English Literature: Modern and Contemporary Fictions MA at the University of Westminster is designed to offer a coherent programme of postgraduate study that allows for both chronological range and specific topical focus. It gives you the opportunity to revisit and reinvestigate the texts, critical practices, institutions and periods that make up the discipline in order to see it in new and exciting ways.

The International Relations and Democratic Politics MA provides an advanced critical and comprehensive understanding of the forces shaping inter-state relations and global politics. Drawing on key theoretical interpretations of democratic politics, the course examines various principles of democratic thinking (ranging from pluralism and civil society to egalitarianism and human rights), and explores the interplay between theory and practice in old and new democracies and in processes of global governance.

You'll consider various aspects of international order and politics, including the dynamics of international social and political power relationships and conflicts, and state building. These topics are studied comparatively in relation to governmental, political and social processes, and in the contexts of various historical continuities, discontinuities and contrasts.

History and Politics are deeply complimentary disciplines: history (and the writing of history) is entrenched in politics and political frameworks, while contemporary politics and political institutions, organisations and movements can only be fully understood when examined in longer historical patterns. Combining these subjects equips you with the analytical tools to explore and understand societies, both past and present.

In our course, you'll explore the factors that have helped shape the modern world since 1789 – including war and revolution, nationalism and liberalism, democracy, socialism and fascism – from both the historical and political perspectives.

Based in the heart of London, you'll make the most of the city’s resources, interacting first-hand with your subject matter through field walks and visits.

Aside from learning the main themes, skills and approaches in both disciplines, you'll also be able to choose from a wide range of optional modules, which give you a truly global outlook: history lectures explore the modern histories of Europe, China, Africa, South-East Asia and America form British, European and international perspectives, while politics modules focus on Britain, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, Asia and America.

Ultimately, by completing a degree in History and Politics here, you have the opportunity to study two fundamental disciplines in one of the world’s oldest and most influential political capitals.

Research underpins much of our teaching, and we encourage you into a community of scholars through teaching that will enthuse and inspire you.

London is our campus, but as students of a joint degree you are also given the opportunity to travel to international destinations from Europe to Asia.

Our Arabic and International Business BA will help you develop the skills and knowledge you'll need to succeed in the internationalised business world.

In today's global economy, language skills are of significant value to prospective employers when combined with business expertise. This combination can greatly enhance your career opportunities.

On our course, you'll have the opportunity to study Arabic language, culture and international business in an integrated way, exploring the relationships between these elements and the broader economic, financial and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced.

Our comprehensive language training places strong emphasis on the use of language in a professional environment, while our business modules will allow you to gain a solid understanding of international business – a combination that will enable you to gain the real-world skills required to progress to a rewarding career.

The training you'll receive in cross-cultural communication will equip you with the flexibility, adaptability and creativity required in global interactions.

You'll also have the opportunity to benefit from experiencing life, culture and the world of work or study outside the UK by taking part in an optional year-long placement overseas. Study placements take place at a partner educational institution in a country where Arabic is the official language.

Law is an interesting and challenging discipline that impacts at every level, from people's individual daily lives to the operations of government on the international stage. Increasingly the international dimension to legal study has become more important, across a wide range of legal areas, as the influence of European and international organisations has become so significant.

The Law LLB Honours offers you an exciting and dynamic educational experience, while also providing you with the core subjects required by the professional legal bodies. The legal profession requires graduates to possess both intellectual and practical skills, and the course explicitly addresses these requirements with a structured programme of skills development. It will equip you with the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

You can also add an international dimension to your studies through a further year of law study abroad in one of the School's partner institutions in Europe and overseas.

Top reasons to study with us

• Practise in a real-world environment – as part of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your legal skills at the Westminster Law School Legal Advice Clinic
• Develop mastery of an area of the law with subject streams developed by our research-led experts – you can specialise in entertainment and media law, commercial law, international law, theory and human rights law, criminal law and justice, or welfare law
• An international outlook – the Law LLB has several international law options, the chance to study abroad, the option to learn a foreign language alongside your studies and is supported by our International and European Student Law Societies
• Boost your employability – skills and work-based learning modules are available in every year of the course
• Personalise your learning – with a vast range of optional modules to choose from

The English Language and Literature MA aims to allow you to explore the interconnections between language and literature. It will provide you with a thorough understanding of the linguistic features of English from a wide range of perspectives (theoretical and applied, synchronic and diachronic), as well as leading you to explore a wide array of texts in connection with the social, historical and political circumstances from which they emerge. Furthermore, the MA will equip you with the intellectual perspectives and the scholarly skills that will prepare you to conduct independent research.

The MA is suitable for students who have taken English language and/or literature modules at undergraduate level, and others who have taken allied disciplines such as TESOL. It is of particular interest to those wishing to pursue further study and those teaching English who wish to gain a further qualification and investigate recent and current developments in the field.

Our Arabic and International Business BA will help you develop the skills and knowledge you'll need to succeed in the internationalised business world.

In today's global economy, language skills are of significant value to prospective employers when combined with business expertise. This combination can greatly enhance your career opportunities.

On our course, you'll have the opportunity to study Arabic language, culture and international business in an integrated way, exploring the relationships between these elements and the broader economic, financial and cross-cultural contexts in which they are produced.

Our comprehensive language training places strong emphasis on the use of language in a professional environment, while our business modules will allow you to gain a solid understanding of international business – a combination that will enable you to gain the real-world skills required to progress to a rewarding career.

The training you'll receive in cross-cultural communication will equip you with the flexibility, adaptability and creativity required in global interactions.

You'll also have the opportunity to benefit from experiencing life, culture and the world of work or study outside the UK by taking part in an optional year-long placement overseas. Study placements take place at a partner educational institution in a country where Arabic is the official language.