French is a major world language, spoken by hundreds of millions of people across multiple continents.
It’s one of the major languages for diplomacy and business – being an official language for major organisations such as the United Nations, NATO and the WTO – and completing a degree in it can open up a range of career and personal opportunities for you.
What jobs can I get with a degree in French?
With regards to the more traditional career pathways for French graduates, you’ll be able to find opportunities in translation work – especially with the largest French-speaking market right at the UK’s doorstep – as well as in language teaching.
How valuable is a French degree?
The number of people studying French – and other foreign languages – has been decreasing in recent years, with A level and GCSE entries for the language steadily declining year on year since the 1990s.
This means that studying French at higher education equips you with an increasingly valuable skill in the job market, which will help you stand out as a candidate when looking into careers in media, publishing, international business or politics.
Does a degree in French help for a career in law?
Proficiency in French is also valued by law firms, and can be a key asset, not least in the case of international firms with a global remit. Law firms that deal with clients from a range of countries are always looking to recruit multilingual candidates, especially those who have also studied French law along with their language studies.
With many law firms having offices in France and other French-speaking areas, your experience having completed the compulsory year abroad as part of your degree can make you stand out as a legal trainee.
Within the scope of the law industry, you’ll find that holding a language degree can open the door to a career as a solicitor, but also language-specific roles such as legal translation and positions abroad.