France is a country in Europe with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Its capital is Paris. As of January 1, 2026, France had an estimated population of 69.1 million. The country’s official language is French.
France ranked as the world’s top tourist destination in 2024, welcoming more than 100 million international visitors. Well-known attractions include the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Château de Versailles, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, and the Provence countryside.
The country’s educational system includes primary and secondary education. Afterward, students can opt to pursue higher education. Options include universities, specialized schools and institutes, and grandes écoles.
Let’s take a look at several schools offering humanities programs in France.
Top Schools Offering Humanities Programs in France
1. Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University is a public university created on January 1, 2018, through the merger of Paris-Sorbonne University and Pierre et Marie Curie University. It has three faculties covering humanities, languages, and social sciences; science and engineering; and health sciences. The university reports more than 53,000 students.
Sorbonne University states that its Faculty of Arts and Humanities is the largest and most complete in France in the fields of arts, languages, literature, humanities, and social sciences. Its areas of specialization include classical and modern literature, languages, foreign literature and civilizations, linguistics, philosophy, sociology, history, geography, art history and archaeology, and musicology.
2. European Global School University – Paris
- Study Program
- Levels Offered: Undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral
The European Global School (EGS) in Paris describes itself as a private higher education institution with campuses in France, Turkey, China, and Kuwait.
EGS’s website lists 100 programs and 40 majors. Its Faculty of Humanities covers subjects such as languages, criminology, journalism, education, sociology, and politics at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels.
Prospective students should note that EGS states in its FAQ that its degrees are not recognized as equivalent to qualifications in the French system. Applicants should confirm whether a specific award meets their academic or professional goals before enrolling.
3. Catholic University of Lille
The Catholic University of Lille is a private nonprofit institution in the Hauts-de-France region. Founded in 1875, it describes itself as France’s largest private nonprofit associative university. It reports 43,000 students and 23 training establishments covering 11 fields of study.
Its Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FLSH) offers bachelor’s degrees, completed in three years, and master’s degrees, completed in five years in total, in Culture and Communication, Languages and International Affairs, and Psychology. FLSH also has a Language and Intercultural Center, known as CLARIFE, which offers French as a foreign language courses.
4. University of Pau and the Adour Region
The University of Pau and the Adour Region (UPPA), or Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour in French, is a public university formally created in 1970. It is organized into three colleges: the College of Sciences and Technology for Energy and the Environment, the College of Social Sciences and the Humanities, and the College of Cross-border, European and International Studies. UPPA has five campuses: Anglet, Bayonne, Mont-de-Marsan, Pau, and Tarbes.
Within the College of Social Sciences and the Humanities, students can find programs in areas such as applied foreign languages, literature, history, art history and archaeology, geography, and sociology. UPPA’s current catalog also lists doctorates in humanities and social sciences.
5. Université Bourgogne Europe (UBE)
Université Bourgogne Europe (UBE) roots date to 1722, when a faculty of law was established in Dijon. UBE has six campuses: Auxerre, Chalon-sur-Saône, Dijon, Le Creusot, Mâcon, and Nevers.
UBE reports 40,000 students and offers more than 400 courses ranging from the baccalaureate level to the doctorate. Its Humanities Faculty has six departments: Geography and Planning, History, Art History and Archaeology, Musicology, Psychology, and Sociology.
France has a long tradition in art, literature, and philosophy, and many higher education institutions offer humanities programs. Students can explore fields such as languages, literature, history, philosophy, archaeology, communication, and cultural studies.
We hope that this article on schools offering humanities programs in France was helpful. For more information, check out the Study in France and Available Programs in Europe for International Students sections.
