French and History
Swansea University
UCAS Code: RV11 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Swansea University
UCAS Code: RV11 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Humanities Course
We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success. If you are predicted a grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSEs: English/Welsh Language Grade C, French Grade B
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
International students will also require a score of 4 at Higher Level English Language or Literature, or 5 at Standard Level English Language or Literature.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
UCAS Tariff
Swansea University will accept the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate as fully equivalent to one A-Level.
About this course
Studying a History and French degree allows you to explore a cross-section of profoundly different periods and historically significant worlds, alongside a study of French language, culture and fiction.
Our four-year degree helps to provide graduates with a wealth of inspiring career opportunities thanks to numerous transferable skills which are highly valued by employers.
During your year spent in France, you will either study at a university, teach in a school or work in a business.
Your early studies will concentrate on the early modern world from and modern British history, together with French language and culture. But whether your true passion lies in medieval Europe, revolutionary America or the unique cultural environment of Paris, our generous range of modules has it covered.
Swansea is a perfect gateway to the past. Within a short journey you will discover magnificent castles such as Pembroke and Manorbier, as well as medieval churches and fortresses in the Gower.
Based on our stunning Singleton Park Campus overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, you will have the ability to tailor your degree according to your specific interests as you progress.
Later studies are shaped by modules around your specific interests. You may pursue vocational themes in translation and language teaching, and three separate work placement programmes are available to help prepare you for graduate life.
History and French students typically develop oral and writing skills through presenting ideas in different formats, supported by strong research and rigorous analysis. Assessment is conducted through essays, coursework, examination, presentations and a dissertation. Teaching is informed by a vibrant and supportive research environment that unites academics, postgraduates and visiting scholars around shared subject matter.
A year in France will enrich the study experience and boosts your career prospects. Graduates have progressed to careers in sectors such as education, heritage, business, media, politics and humanitarian services. Employers have included Mercedes-Benz, English Heritage and St Fagans National History Museum.
History at Swansea is ranked:
• 16th in the UK for Student Voice (NSS 2023*)
*Based on the average positivity score across questions 22 to 25 in the NSS 2023 when ranked against 33 universities featured in the Times Good University Guide.
French at Swansea is ranked:
• 12th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2024)
Please visit our course page for more information: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/artsandhumanities/french/ba-frenchhist-rv11
Modules
Your first year will include a mixture of compulsory and optional modules, with examples of compulsory modules from recent years including:
• Making History
• Introduction to Culture and Linguistic Traditions
Your second year comprises mostly of optional modules, enabling you to shape your own degree. Examples of optional modules in recent years have included:
• The Global First World War
• History, Heritage and Classics Study Trip
• French Language
Your third year will be spent in France, either studying at a university, teaching in a school or working in a business.
Your fourth and final year is made up entirely of optional modules, and can include an independent dissertation project.
For the full programme structure and module breakdown, please visit our webpage at www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/artsandhumanities/french/ba-frenchhist-rv11
Assessment methods
We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional examinations and essays, examples of alternative assessment may include:
• Presentations
• Group Work
• Personal Reflection
Throughout your degree you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing.
For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course page www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/artsandhumanities/french/ba-frenchhist-rv11 or get in touch with us at [email protected]
The Uni
Singleton Park Campus
Interdepartmental
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
History
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
French studies
Sorry, no information to show
This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
History
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
History is a very popular subject (although numbers have fallen of late) — in 2015, over 10,000 UK students graduated in a history-related course. Obviously, there aren't 11,000 jobs as historians available every year, but history is a good, flexible degree that allows graduates to go into a wide range of different jobs, and consequently history graduates have an unemployment rate comparable to the national graduate average. Many — probably most — jobs for graduates don't ask for a particular degree to go into them and history graduates are well set to take advantage. That's why so many go into jobs in the finance industry, human resources, marketing, PR and events management, as well as the more obvious roles in education, welfare and the arts. Around one in five history graduates went into further study last year. History and teaching were the most popular further study subjects for history graduates, but law, journalism, and politics were also popular postgraduate courses.
French studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
History
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£22k
£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
French studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£24k
£26k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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