Politics, International Relations and Modern Languages (French)

Politics, International Relations and Modern Languages explores the key areas of contemporary European politics and international relations, and combines these with the in-depth study of German language, society and culture. Taught in partnership between the Department of Politics and International Relations and the School of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, this course is informed by the outstanding research and international outlook of both departments.

The politics element of the course provides an introduction to the working of international relations and the growth of Europe as a political entity. This includes research into areas such as Brexit, the European Union’s Budget, the European Parliament, security, international diplomacy, and the use of military force, as well as European languages and cultures. Your second and final year courses in European politics and international relations will be taught by Giacomo Benedetto, who holds a Jean Monnet professorship in European integration awarded by the European Union.

As a modern linguist, you will not only learn to speak and write fluently, you will also develop excellent communication and research skills and combine language proficiency with cross-cultural perspectives.

As a part of Royal Holloway’s close-knit international community based in our beautiful historic campus, you will be within easy reach of London. You will also have the exciting opportunity to spend a year working, teaching or studying in a German-speaking country, when you will immerse yourself in the language and culture and truly broaden your horizons. Among the institutions we have exchange links with are two of Germany’s most respected universities for politics and international relations - the Ludwig-Maximilian’s University of Munich and the University of Konstanz.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, we will commit to providing 2019 and 2020 entry students with a subsidy equivalent to current Erasmus+ funding (where this would have previously been funded by the Erasmus+ scheme). To find out more visit the Erasmus+ page.

• Study with leading experts on Brexit and EU Budgets.

• Taught in partnership with the School of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

• Spend a year of study and/or work in a French-speaking country.

• Gain written and verbal fluency in French.

• Other language options in German (R200), Italian (R300) and Spanish (R401).

Core Modules
Year 1
Introduction to International Relations
Introduction to Politics and Government
You will take one of the following modules in French depending on your language proficiency:

French Language: Culture and Translation
French Ab Initio Written I
French Ab Initio Oral I
French Advanced Oral I
French Advanced Written I Year 2
Understanding the European Union: Politics and Theory
You will take one of the following modules in French depending on your language proficiency:

Pratique du Français II
Intensive French for Beginners II
Advanced French Translation: Skills and Practice Year 3
Year Abroad Year 4
European Union Public Policy
You will take the following module in French:

Pratique du Français III
Optional Modules
There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

Year 1
Optional modules in French may include:

All modules are core
Year 2
International Relations Theory
Democracy in Britain
Contemporary Political Theory
International Political Economy
Political Behaviour
War and Security in World Politics
Modern Political Thought
International Organisations
The Politics of Human Rights
Introduction to Political Communication
Optional modules in German may include:

Death, Desire, Decline: Thomas Mann and Franz Kafka
Love and Marriage in Major Novels by Theodor Fontane
Representations of Childhood and Youth in Modern German Culture
Year 4
Power and Money in the European Union
Dissertation in Politics and/or IR
The British in India: a Social and Political History
Contemporary Middle East Politics
US Foreign Policy
Comparative Foreign Policy
Young People's Politics
Leadership, Power and the British Prime Minister
Visual Politics
Understanding China's Rise: Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy
Global Energy Policy
Refugees and Migration in World Politics
American Political Development
The Politics of Russia and Eastern Europe
The Politics of International Development
Issues in Democratic Theory
Political Theories of Freedom
Defence and Security Governance
Military Change in the 21st Century
Leaders and Political Communication
Global Healthy Policy
Political Protest
European Union Foreign Policy
Optional modules in German may include:

Doubles, Devils, and Deadly Spiders: 19th-Century German Gothic Literature
Narrative and Identity: The German Novel from the 18th to the 21st Century
Dream Factories: Recent German Film
Dark Tales: E.T.A. Hoffmann and German Romanticism
National Socialism and the Third Reich in German Film and Visual Culture from 1933 to the Present

The course has a modular structure, whereby you will take 14 units at the rate of four per year in the first, second and fourth years, plus two in the third year, which is spent working or studying abroad. Most modules contain an element of assessed coursework, which contributes to the final mark awarded.

Your first year is formative, though your results will determine whether you can progress to the second year. Your second and fourth year results, alongside those of the third year spent abroad, will contribute to your final degree classifcation. Work completed in your fourth year will count for a larger proportion of the result.

You will be assigned a personal tutor who will provide you with support, guidance and advice throughout your studies.

You will also have access to the comprehensive e-learning facility Moodle, which features lecture handouts and other supporting materials, such as lecture slides, quizzes, video clips, and links to relevant academic journal articles.