Chinese and French, BA, University of Leeds

Course content

A joint honours degree allows you to study the same core topics as students on each single honours course, but you'll take fewer optional and discovery modules so you can fit in both subjects.

In your first year, you'll improve on your written and spoken French while taking intensive Chinese language classes. You'll take optional modules exploring Chinese culture and history, as well as a Cornerstone module that helps bring together the two subjects. You could also try one of the many other languages we offer, such as Spanish, Japanese, Korean or Thai.

This prepares you for your second year, which you'll spend in China enhancing your language skills and gaining first-hand experience of life there. When you return, you'll take advanced language classes and choose from modules covering an array of topics, such as French poetry or African and Caribbean culture in French, recent Chinese history or broader modules across East Asia and Japan. You'll then spend a term of your third year in France or a Francophone country.

Your final year will give you an even broader range of choice alongside your core language modules. You'll be able to work on interpreting and translation as well as the full range of research interests among our tutors. You'll also demonstrate the skills you've acquired through an independently researched project on a topic of your choice.

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Entry requirements, fees and applying

  Entry requirements

  A-level: AAB

  including A in French

  • Career opportunities

    A degree in Chinese and French gives you skills in two important world languages, as well as an appreciation of the cultural contexts in which they are spoken.

    It also equips you with valuable transferable skills such as presentation, teamwork, research, critical and analytical thinking - and you'll have the organisational skills needed to manage two different and demanding subjects. Spending time abroad is also a great addition to your CV, since it shows you are adaptable and independent.

    As a result, graduates have progressed into diverse careers both in the UK and elsewhere such as education, law, journalism, publishing, advertising and marketing, the charity sector, business and finance. Others have pursued language-based careers such as translating and interpreting, or gone onto further training in these areas.

    Careers support

    We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That's one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

    Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.

    The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

  • Study abroad and work placements

    You'll spend the whole of your second year studying a Chinese language course at one of our partner universities in Taiwan, Beijing or Shanghai. In your third year, you'll also spend a term undertaking a work placement or studying in Lille, Bordeaux or Montpellier.

    Both periods abroad are fantastic opportunities to immerse yourself in the local culture and gain valuable experience to inform your studies. For many students, spending so much time overseas is the highlight of the degree.

    Read more about French Residence Abroad

    Read more about Residence abroad in East Asian Studies