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French Studies (Graduate Diploma)

Graduate Diploma

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Key information

Key information for 2026-27

Start date:
October 2026
Study route:

  • One year full-time, on campus

  • Two years part-time, on campus

Status:
Fully approved
Location:
Birkbeck Campus, Central London
Awarding body:
University of London
Study options:
Full-time | Part-time | On campus

Course overview

Our Graduate Diploma in French Studies is ideal if you are keen to study French language, literature and culture at an advanced level. It will help you become a proficient French speaker with a critical appreciation of the literature and cultural history of France and the French-speaking world from the Enlightenment to the present day.

  • Why choose this course?
    • You will be taught by specialists from a centre of teaching and research excellence that prides itself on research-led teaching.
    • It offers you the chance to attend numerous workshops, public lectures and conferences organised by our affiliated research centres such as the Centre for French, Francophone and Comparative Studies.
    • If you have a degree in another subject or have taken a break from studying, this course will improve your written French and develop your research and study skills to prepare you for a master's degree in French or comparative studies.
    • It is also ideal if you are a teacher wishing to refresh and deepen your knowledge but you are not quite ready to undertake a full MA.

  • What will I learn?

    This qualification will prepare you for postgraduate study and allow you to pursue a personal or intellectual ambition. You will gain a high level of proficiency in French language and develop your understanding of French culture by choosing option modules from a diverse and challenging syllabus, exploring French literature and culture through a range of different periods, from the eighteenth century to today. 

    You can also choose one of our cross-cultural modules, allowing you to analyse comparative themes across linguistic, cultural and historical contexts. At the same time, you will master transferable skills such as essay writing, oral presentations and written reports, critical and logical thinking, and translating. 

  • How will I learn?

    Teaching takes place in small-group seminars giving you plenty of opportunities to participate actively and interact with your peers and our experienced tutors, who are experts in their fields. Language teaching is delivered in French, allowing you full immersion in the language.

    This course is available to study full- or part-time. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening allowing you the flexibility to combine studying your Graduate Diploma with other commitments, such as work and family.

  • How often will I attend classes?

    Full-time: Two to three evenings a week, October to July.

    Part-time: One to two evenings a week, October to July.

  • Course disclaimer

    Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

    Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the How will I learn? section.

More highlights

  • This course is designed for students with a particular interest in developing their French to an advanced level, or who require further training to progress to an MA course, such as Birkbeck’s MA/MRes Modern Languages and Comparative Literatures.
  • Ours is a community of scholars with shared interests in interdisciplinary topics and cross-cultural research. Our affiliated research centres, the Centre for French, Francophone and Comparative Studies and Birkbeck’s Eighteenth-Century Research Group provide a dynamic and exciting platform for this exchange, alongside many other Birkbeck events, such as our annual celebration of Arts Week.
  • All teaching takes place in our central London location in Bloomsbury, a stone’s throw from all the cultural richness that London has to offer by way of theatre, museums and galleries. 
  • You could be studying in a building that was once home to Virginia Woolf and frequented by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The building houses our own creative hub which includes the Peltz Gallery, the Gordon Square cinema and a theatre and performance space.
  • We are also close to a number of cultural centres and research libraries relevant to French studies at advanced levels, including Senate House Library, the British Library, British Film Institute, Warburg Institute and Institut Français.

Modules and Teaching

School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication

The school's teaching and research is highly interdisciplinary, spanning cultures and periods. Academic and practice-based study will equip you for a career in the creative and cultural industries.

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Entry requirements

Normally a second-class honours degree (2:2 or above) in a subject other than French studies or modern languages.

Language skills in French equivalent to A-level plus one year (also equivalent to a pass in French 3).

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

Apply now to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered, and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

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Fees

Graduate Diploma: One year full-time or two years part-time, on campus, starting in October 2026

Academic year 2026-27

Part-time home students: £3,780 per year
Full-time home students: £7,560 per year
Part-time international students: £6,950 per year
Full-time international students: £13,900 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing their course may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the Fees Policy.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

Birkbeck's campus is located in the historic and vibrant Bloomsbury area of central London - named one of the best places to live in London 2025 by The Times.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this Graduate Diploma in French Studies, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

  • enhanced intercultural awareness, especially in relation to the French-speaking world
  • critical thinking
  • advanced communication skills in both English and French
  • time management and organisation.

Graduates can pursue career paths in the Civil Service, international organisations or businesses, translating and teaching, research and journalism. Possible professions include:

  • translator
  • secondary school teacher
  • researcher
  • journalist
  • diplomatic services operational officer
  • interpreter.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Student support

Birkbeck offers study, learning and wellbeing support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed.

Our Learning Development Service provides a lively programme of free weekly workshops building essential academic skills - from writing and critical thinking to maths and referencing - offering flexible sessions, practical tips, and online resources to boost your skills and confidence.

Our Disability and Mental Health Service can support you if you have disabilities, specific learning differences, mental health conditions or neurodivergence, by providing practical support to help you achieve your academic potential.

Our Counselling Service aims to support you with any emotional and psychological difficulties that are affecting your experience and engagement with your studies at university. It is a free, non-judgemental and confidential service which consists of a consultation process followed by time limited counselling contact.

Find out more about the full range of student services we offer at Birkbeck.

How to apply

You apply directly to Birkbeck for this course, using the online application link.

You will need to prove your identity when you apply. Find out more about how to apply.

Related courses

Study routes for French Studies (Graduate Diploma) (Graduate Diploma)

Please select a study route below to continue your application.

Please note that international students who require a Student visa to study in the UK can only apply for full-time, on campus routes.

Starting in October 2026

Full-time

Part-time