French MA (Honours) 2025 entry

Entry requirements

The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements as outlined on their pages.

• SQA Highers

  Standard entry grades:

  AAAB, including A in French.

  Minimum entry grades:

  AABB, including A in French.

  Gateway entry grades:

  Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

• GCE A-Levels

  Standard entry grades:

  AAB, including A in French.

  Minimum entry grades:

  ABB, including A in French.

• IB points

  Standard entry grades:

  36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in French.

  Minimum entry grades:

  36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL6 in French.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

• SQA qualifications

  SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing science
  • Geography
  • Applications of Mathematics
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

• GCSE qualifications

  GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing Science
  • Geography
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

Other qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Students must have studied French at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level, or equivalent.

Alternative study options

Integrated year abroad

Students may choose to spend an additional year working or studying in a French-speaking country. Find out more about the integrated year abroad for this course.

Study abroad

Students studying French can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.

Working abroad

Completing a work placement abroad is a good opportunity to gain work experience in another culture or language and to enhance valuable skill sets. As part of specific degree programmes in modern languages, you may apply to undertake a work placement abroad for credit.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Course details

The MA (Hons) in French is a four or five-year course run by the School of Modern Languages. In the first two years, you will build on your existing skills in French and be offered a broad view of language, literature, society and culture. You will further develop skills of close reading, listening, speaking, writing and translation. 

Alongside French, in the first year of your studies you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised. 

During your third year, you have the opportunity to apply to study at one of the University’s partner institutions in France. In this case, study undertaken in France replaces equivalent study in St Andrews. Studying abroad is optional. You may also choose to spend an integrated year abroad and return for two Honours years.  

At Honours level, you will take modules focused on communication and transferrable skills, while developing your understanding of ideas and debates which shape modern France and the Francophone world. You will be able to choose to specialise in a number of areas such as politics, culture and society, translation methodology, creative writing, or literature from the Middle Ages to the present.  

Graduates in modern languages from St Andrews can expect to have not only a high level of competence in language skills, but a highly developed appreciation for other cultures and peoples. Other transferable skills, including analysis, synthesis and communication skills will prepare you for a career in almost any industry. 

The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.

Modules

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours), you will take the required modules in French along with modules in at least one additional subject. 

Typically, you will take one French module per semester in first year and between one and three French modules during second year. You will take at least two French modules per semester during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).

Fees

Scotland
£1,820

England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man

Following the decision of the UK Government to raise undergraduate tuition fees and maintenance loans in line with inflation from April 2025, we are reviewing the consequences of that decision for fees payable by students from the rest of the UK who have chosen to study in Scotland. We will update the information on this page as soon as possible.

EU and overseas
£31,670

More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.

Accommodation fees

Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.

Joint Honours degrees

You can also take French as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.

Triple subject degree options

You can take French as part of a Modern Languages joint Honours degree. You would take French with two other modern languages or with one other modern language and one additional subject. All French triple degrees are also available 'With Integrated Year Abroad'. In taking a 'triple' modern languages degree, you are required to take core modules in all of your subjects.

"With" degrees

You can take French as part of a "with" Honours degree in which the majority of the course deals with the first name subject. St Andrews offers the following "with" degrees in French:

• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology with French (With Integrated Year Abroad) - UCAS code C1R1
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology with French - UCAS code CCR1
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Chemistry with French (With Integrated Year Abroad) - UCAS code F1RC
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Chemistry with French - UCAS code F1R1
• Master in Chemistry (Honours) Chemistry with French - UCAS code F1RD
• Master in Chemistry (Honours) Chemistry with French with External Placement - UCAS code F1RA

"With" degrees taken with French are also available 'With Integrated Year Abroad'.

Normally, for degree programmes including more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. However, the following courses have different entry requirements.

• Chemistry with French BSc
• Chemistry with French MChem

Careers

Modern languages graduates have an extremely good record of employment after graduating, not only in all sectors that require advanced language skills but also in professional environments that demand good communication and analytical skills. 

Employers value language graduates because they demonstrate excellent communication, interpersonal and intercultural skills. 

Many graduates go on to: 

• specialise in translation and interpreting services, in language teaching or other sector-specific careers 
• join international institutions and enterprises, working in international development departments, human resources, administration, media and communication jobs 
• start a career in the banking and financial sector 
• join the civil service, particularly in positions within the Foreign Office 
• continue to study at postgraduate level

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

Contact us

Phone

+44 (0)1334 46 3643

Email

frenchhod@st-andrews.ac.uk

Address

Department of French
Buchanan Building
Union Street
St Andrews
KY16 9PH

Department of French website