French/Geography

French and geography is an unusual combination that connects deep linguistic and cultural competence in one of the world's most important languages with the spatial and environmental understanding that geography provides. French is the first language of countries spread across four continents and is an official language of many international organisations, while geography examines the physical and human dimensions of the world, from the forces shaping landscapes to the social and political processes driving urbanisation, migration, and environmental change.

At the University of Glasgow, this five-year, full-time programme allows you to develop your French to a high level, engaging with a broad range of topics including French literature, history, film, contemporary culture, and the diverse traditions of the Francophone world, alongside geographical study of both the physical and human dimensions of our world. A sandwich year is built into the programme, giving you professional experience in a relevant context, and work placement opportunities are also integrated. The programme asks you to bring your linguistic and cultural competence to bear on the geographical questions it raises, and vice versa, creating a distinctive combination that is both intellectually rich and professionally distinctive.

Graduates are well-placed for careers in international organisations, the civil service, environmental consultancy, development agencies, journalism, education, and cultural diplomacy, particularly in Francophone contexts. The combination of French language competence and geographical understanding is valuable wherever organisations operate across French-speaking environments and need people who understand both the language and the spatial and environmental issues relevant to those regions. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in French, geography, international development, or environmental management.