French/History of Art

French and history of art is a combination with a particularly natural coherence, since France has been at the centre of European artistic life for centuries and the French language remains essential to understanding a significant portion of the world's most important art, criticism, and curatorial practice. Studying French gives you access to a literary and intellectual tradition of extraordinary richness, from medieval romance and the Enlightenment to the Surrealists and the contemporary novel, as well as the ability to communicate with French-speaking people across the world. History of art trains you to look closely at images and objects, to situate them in their historical and cultural contexts, and to understand how artistic meaning is made and contested.

At the University of Glasgow this five-year full-time programme takes you through both subjects with real depth, developing your French language skills to a high level and engaging with a wide range of topics in French literature, film, culture, and history alongside a comprehensive study of art from different periods and traditions. French topics available within the programme range from medieval France and French song to comics and contemporary history, giving you scope to develop your own intellectual interests. A sandwich year and a work placement are incorporated into the degree, providing professional experience in a context relevant to your studies, whether in a gallery, a cultural organisation, a language-related role, or a broader professional environment.

Graduates from this combination go on to careers in galleries, museums, auction houses, arts journalism, teaching, publishing, cultural diplomacy, and the heritage sector, as well as a wide range of other professional roles where language skills and cultural literacy are valued. The combination of French and art history is particularly well suited to those interested in the international art market, European cultural institutions, and roles that require engagement with both visual and textual culture. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in French, art history, or curatorial practice.