WHAT IS FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES?

The B.A. major in French and Francophone Studies provides students with an opportunity to develop proficiency in the French language as well as cultivate an appreciation and understanding of the various contexts that comprise the French and Francophone literary and cultural traditions. Students receive instruction in small, interactive classrooms that foster communication and exchange. Our courses promote critical thinking with an emphasis on cultural, literary and linguistic analysis. Majors are encouraged to participate in language immersive events such as embedded courses, faculty-led courses, and study abroad. The major can also help to prepare students for interdisciplinary professional careers for which a knowledge of French language and culture is useful. At present, the B.A. major in French and Francophone Studies is available in the following options: Language and Culture, Language and Literature, and Language and Linguistics.

The B.S. degree in French and Francophone Studies is designed to develop proficiency in the French language and deepen knowledge of French cultural artifacts and frames, allowing students to combine both sets of skills with other academic disciplines. Students receive instruction in small, interactive classrooms that foster communication and exchange. Majors are encouraged to participate in language immersive events such as embedded courses, faculty-led courses, and study abroad. The B.S. options are detailed below. All three options have a focus on developing proficiency and literacy in French with an eye toward using French in a professional context.

• The Business option acquaints students with concepts essential to business.
• The Engineering option is intended for engineering students who envision using French in their primary career.
• The Applied French option permits students to combine their French degree with another major or concentration in a professional area in which a command of French can be particularly relevant or useful.

WHY STUDY FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES?

You might like this program if:

• you are interested in critical thinking about the cultural frames and literary objects that comprise French and Francophone literature/culture;
• you are planning a career in which French proficiency is useful;
• you are eager to connect with French-speaking communities both home and abroad;
• you seek to cultivate a professional profile that will give you an edge on the job market;
• you aspire to explore the various people, places, and things that make up the French-speaking world; and/or
• you are interested in combining your love of French with another discipline.

POTENTIAL CAREERS

With a degree in French, students have a variety of pathways open to them. Our graduates have gone on to pursue a myriad of exciting careers that have allowed them to use their proficiency in the French language, understanding of French and Francophone cultural artefacts, grasp of French and Francophone ways of seeing and making sense of the world, and the skills of critical thinking acquired in our classrooms. Graduates have gone on to careers in the following fields.

• Teaching in France (as Fulbright Scholars or on French government teaching assistantships)
• The Peace Corps
• Homeland Security
• The State Department
• World health organizations
• Non-profit sector
• Culinary arts
• Hotel and restaurant management
• Business
• Film
• Journalism
• Advertising
• Fashion
• Public relations
• Information technology