18/01/2016, by CLAS

The first year of French and Francophone Studies

What better way to continue your passion for French than the French and Francophone Studies course at the University of Nottingham?

My first year here was incredible. As a straight French student I had the opportunity to study a wide variety of French subjects: French grammar, history, literature, politics, film and translation. Not to mention having extra credits to then take up a beginner’s language on the side!

At first, the variety of different modules appeared scary. I’d never done English politics before – let alone French! The staff, however, were impeccable. Their classes were always full of information. I would always recommend going to the seminars and office hours of your teachers, as they never fail to give you a new insight into your course, as well as helping you with any difficulties.

Hallward library on University Campus has become my second home. Its mass of resources for extra reading either for interest, research or simply for pleasure should not be wasted! It is also a brilliant way to keep your French going – reading French articles, books and critics.

Oral classes with a native French speaker were my favourite part of my week during first year, keeping my French active with a variety of engaging topics. Having French friends around university was also a real pleasure, allowing me to socialise in French as well as improve my pronunciation and accent!

The French department’s newspaper Pamplemousse is also a fun and creative way to keep your French writing active. Students can write on any topic of your choice, and contributing articles is a brilliant way to get your work and ideas published. So why not give it a try?!

Jessica Rushton, 2nd Year French Studies

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