French and Politics

French and politics is a combination that makes particular sense at a time when the relationship between language, culture, and political power is more clearly visible than ever. French is spoken by around 320 million people across more than seventy countries and is an official language of major international organisations including the United Nations, the European Union, and NATO. Politics examines how power is organised, exercised, and contested within and between states, using theoretical frameworks from political philosophy, comparative politics, and international relations.

At Queen Mary University of London, this four-year degree is jointly taught by the School of the Arts and the School of Politics and International Relations, combining two different but often complementary areas of interest. You will develop French language proficiency to a high level alongside a rigorous engagement with political theory, comparative politics, and international relations, exploring how Francophone political cultures and institutions compare with others around the world. The programme runs full-time over four years.

Graduates of French and politics programmes pursue careers in diplomacy and the foreign service, European institutions, international journalism, NGOs, the civil service, think tanks, and international business. The combination of French-language competency and political analysis is particularly valued in roles that require engagement with French-speaking countries, the EU, and international organisations in which French is a working language. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in international relations, politics, or French studies.