What will I learn on this module?
You will focus on experiential learning to enable you to develop your linguistic and employability skills on this semester-long French language and employability module. You will extend your knowledge of more complex lexical, semantic and syntactical structures of the French language through skills- based tasks that are contextualised in France’s social, political and business environments. You will apply your linguistic competence (in speaking, listening, reading and writing) to the working environment on this module. You will extend your knowledge of more complex lexical and syntactical structures of the French language appropriate to the business environment of a variety of sectors and disciplines. You will have the opportunity to apply this knowledge and skills to increasingly complex situations as well as develop as an autonomous learner. You will develop your ability to recognise and to compose in different styles and registers both orally and in writing. You will extend your knowledge of applied terminology relevant to contemporary economic, business, political and socio-cultural issues. You will be introduced to the linguistic and methodological skills needed to tackle fieldwork and library research relevant to level 5 tasks, including the period of residence abroad. You will enhance your ability to evaluate, synthesize and organise information from a variety of authentic written and aural sources in French. In addition you will consolidate and expand your ability to use e-learning materials, including the use of ICTs.
How will I learn on this module?
You will concentrate on a range of tasks, to develop oral, aural and interpreting skills through activities such as: aural comprehension and an introduction to interpreting, correspondence, CV writing, oral presentation, essay writing, translation into French and translation into English. Your learning will also be enhanced by employability guest lectures delivered by professionals from a wide range of public and corporate organisations.
The module is delivered through a combination of seminars, workshops and tutorials. You will attend interactive and engaging seminars and workshops (five hours per week), guest lectures, presentations from employers, recent graduates, career services professionals, and academic tutorials. In addition to written, oral and aural sources, other media will be used in order to consolidate and refine your knowledge (of the French-speaking world) and your French language skills. You will gain a critical understanding of the employment environments and industries discussed. You will also be required to undertake directed and independent study, and you will be given weekly preparation guidelines to actively engage in informed discussions in seminar groups. The materials used in the module will be available to you on the eLearning Portal. In particular, you will be able to access feedback and a very wide range of translation and reading materials, as well as grammatical consolidation exercises and employability tools for your own guided and independent study.
Emphasis will be placed upon the development of your employment potential, the consolidation of your professional profile, and the nurturing of your critical approach to sources relevant to the French-speaking world.
How will I be supported academically on this module?
Your directed learning will take the form of preparation for seminars (including both written and oral work) either individually or in small groups. Your independent learning will take the form of further reading and investigation of set texts and critical approaches to French Studies topics, the consolidation of lecture and seminar materials, and revision/preparation for the assessment included in the module. Throughout the semester you will receive individual attention from academic tutors and you will be able to substantially shape the content of and the angle of your oral presentation. You will attend tutorials to share your ideas with your tutor and discuss and agree on a viable, original, research-informed, relevant academic project that will showcase your independent thinking and encourage your academic creativity. You will be supported in finding your own voice in the midst of primary and secondary sources, and in engaging in a structured manner with the texts and the ideas. You will be encouraged to gain a solid understanding of the working environments discussed and the texts analysed. Your tutors will be happy to discuss your ideas, your professional and research interests informed by their own teaching and research profiles.
What will I be expected to read on this module?
All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.
What will I be expected to achieve?
Knowledge & Understanding:
• You will consolidate your ability to recognise and compose in different styles and registers, including business-related vocabulary and registers, extending your knowledge of the applied terminology relevant to economic, business, political and socio-cultural issues in the French-speaking world and for the Modern Languages graduate (MLO1).
Intellectual/ Professional skills & abilities:
• You will develop your awareness of the language skills required in a working environment, demonstrating your knowledge of more complex lexical, grammatical and syntactical structures in French (MLO2).
• You will be able to initiate and maintain written and verbal communication in response to familiar and unfamiliar demands in professional and business environments (MLO3).
• You will be able to use the linguistic and methodological skills needed to tackle fieldwork and academic research commensurate with level 5 (MLO4).
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• You will develop an expert understanding of global ethical issues in business and employment environments (MLO5).
How will I be assessed?
The module includes formative and summative assessment, the latter a combination of coursework and examination.
Formative assessment will enable you to demonstrate, on a regular basis, that you are building towards achieving the learning outcomes of the module.
Summative assessment consists of:
• coursework: an essay in French of 1000 words on a topic related to the working environment, including appendices. The weighting is 40%. (All MLOs assessed)
• Examination:
A one- hour translation into English. The weighting is 30% (MLO1, 2, 3).
A 15-minute group oral and a week- on-week performance mark. The weighting is 30% (All MLOs assessed).
Your assessment is designed to match course aims and learning outcomes, encouraging you to build on seminar materials with the support of your tutor.
The assessment is designed to test all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) as well as transferable employability skills, knowledge, and critical outlooks, including your ability to present complex ideas in working environments in a foreign language, and your familiarity with the workplace conventions of the French language, the French-speaking world and the many target industries for Modern Languages graduates.
Formative assessment will be an ongoing feature of the module. You will be encouraged to deliver informal presentations during some of the seminar hours. You will present your preliminary ideas to the class in a friendly and constructive environment, in order to receive feedback from both your colleagues and your lecturers.
Formative feedback will be directly relevant to both pieces of summative assessment, and will be a prominent feature in the e-Learning Portal.
Pre-requisite(s)
ML4002/ML4003
Co-requisite(s)
ML5023
Module abstract
Please find details of this module in the other sections provided.
Course info
UCAS Code N185
Credits 20
Level of Study Undergraduate
Mode of Study 4 years Full Time with a Placement (Sandwich)/Study Abroad
Department Newcastle Business School
Location City Campus, Northumbria University
City Newcastle
Start September 2025
All information is accurate at the time of sharing.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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