4-Term Pathway - International Foundation Year in Social Sciences and Humanities - Continue to Bachelor of Arts - English Language and Literature

This program will prepare students for entry to Year 1 of an undergraduate degree in a wide range of subjects, including many based at the £10m LICA building. Popular subjects include law, film studies, sociology, linguistics and politics.

This four-year joint degree combines the study of the languages and cultures of China and France, and the Sinophone and Francophone worlds. It includes a year’s international placement in Chinese- or French- speaking countries or split between the two. The degree provides the opportunity to acquire both high-level language skills and a thorough understanding of the sensitivities of Chinese and French cultures and societies within a global context.

Students will learn language and culture in innovative and engaging ways. For example, students learn the Chinese language in its social and cultural context by participating in a wide range of activities through the Chinese Friendship Project. Recent activities have included a day trip to Manchester Chinatown, Chinese Food Corner, Chinese Film Night, Chinese festival celebration, and more.

Besides studying the core language modules, students will also choose from a broad range of specialist cultural, historical and political modules that provide comparative insight into relevant countries in global contexts.

In addition to language modules, in year one students will also select one module from other related subjects.

In the second year, students will continue to take Chinese and French language modules (an oral and a written module for each language), as well as the core modules they will be able to choose two optional modules.

The third year will be spent studying or working in Chinese- and/or French-speaking countries. The year abroad is an immersive experience that gives students the opportunity to greatly improve their language proficiency while deepening their intercultural awareness. Students can study at a partner academic institution or conduct a work placement. As a joint major student, they can spend their time in a French- or Chinese-speaking country, or split the year between the two.

Upon return to Lancaster for the final year, students will continue to develop their core Chinese and French language oral and written skills, combining this with a further choice of specialist courses. If they are interested in exploring a particular topic in depth, perhaps a subject they have studied previously in the course, they could take a dissertation module.

The language modules are designed so that students can attain CEFR levels C1-C2 (equivalent to HSK5-6) upon successful completion of the degree.

Beginners Languages

Studying a language from beginners level is somewhat intense in nature so students are only allowed to study one language from beginners level. Please bear this in mind when looking at the first year module options. If students apply to study a degree with a language from beginners level, their optional modules will only include higher level languages and modules in other subject areas.