This module follows on from an OU Level 2 French module. It further develops your knowledge and understanding of French-speaking societies and extends your language competence. The interactive online study materials are based around text, audio and video resources, including interviews and documentaries. You’ll engage in critical analysis, develop academic writing, research and presentation skills, and be introduced to the concept of linguistic and cultural mediation. The six module themes provide both broad and focused coverage of historical and contemporary aspects of French-speaking societies, which you are encouraged to discuss with your fellow students in tutorials and forums.
All the materials for this module are delivered online via the module website.
Each of the six units studied covers different aspects of the language and culture of the French-speaking world.
The units in detail are:
Unit 1: The first unit deals with linguistic diversity and identity. You'll begin by looking at the concept of ‘la Francophonie’, and the status of the French language in a world where English is still predominant. You will then explore how regional identities are expressed in metropolitan France and Corsica and how language plays a significant role in feelings of belonging. You'll then look at Quebec and French Polynesia, where the French language and culture play very different roles.
Unit 2: This unit focuses on the economy and society. Starting with the industrial revolution in the textile sector in northern France, you'll explore how the industrial revolution shaped society as we know it today. You will then examine the status and role of French women in the professional world in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries before looking at alternative economic models, including the move to a greener and more sustainable economy and society.
Unit 3: Unit 3 centres on the written word and its adaptations. You will start by exploring the main artistic movements in France through a thematic panorama from the 18th century to the present day and through a selection of internationally renowned French and Francophone authors. Then you will look at two traditionally highly popular genres in France: the crime novel and the ‘bande dessinée’ (comics).
Unit 4: This unit focuses on migration and identity. You will look at where and why migration happens and how it affects identities, not only in mainland France but also on the African continent. You will explore how identities are constructed through political media coverage of migration and how sensitive and complex the issues surrounding migration and identity are dealt with. During this unit, you will also engage in a cross-language interactive task with students of German and Spanish.
Unit 5: Unit 5 deals with science and technology and starts by introducing you to the status and the importance of science in France, both from an educational and political point of view. You will then explore scientific and technological advances in the areas of space, biology, climatology, and artificial intelligence. Science and technology will be examined from a critical point of view, raising questions about their applications for the future of society.
Unit 6: Finally, Unit 6 will cover history and politics through the prism of key historical events such as the French Revolution, the Dreyfus affair, and Mai 68. Throughout this unit, you will see how significant events have shaped 20th and 21st-century French society and identities as well as how these events still resonate deeply in today’s France and in other parts of the world.
Throughout these units, you will work on text and audio-visual material by completing a wide range of online activities, designed to deepen your understanding of the module topics and develop your confidence in communicating in French. Throughout the module, you will progressively develop your academic skills, leading up to a small-scale project at the end. All materials are interactive and encourage your participation; they also allow you to evaluate your progress regularly and provide you with strategies to further develop your skills as an independent language learner. With your fellow students, you can engage jointly in forums and in Unit 4, you will take part in an interactive cross-language discussion task.
This module is designed to enable you to achieve a level of language proficiency equivalent to level C1 of the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
This is an OU Level 3 module for students who have successfully completed an OU Level 2 French module or who already have an equivalent knowledge of French.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
If you have time before the module begins, we suggest that you continue to use your French in any way you can. You could do this by: redoing some of the activities in your OU Level 2 module; watching and listening to the audio and video materials from your OU Level 2 French module; reading a French newspaper; accessing resources such as online editions of newspapers and magazines, internet radio and television; or borrowing French books and films from the local library. Anything you can do to keep practising your French will help you to prepare yourself for the start of the module.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
One of the TMAs is an interactive speaking assignment which will be carried out by your tutor online.
You'll have access to a module website, which is the focal point of your study, and includes:
To join in spoken conversations in tutorials and to take part in your interactive TMA 04, you’ll need a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).
You'll also need to have access to a suitable French dictionary, either in print or online, for example:
You will also be working with the following grammar book, which you can access electronically through the library, or you may have a printed copy if you have previously studied L222.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying L332 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
French studies 3: language and culture of the French-speaking world (L332) starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2034.
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