Our curriculum prepares you to excel in the field of French and Francophone Studies, including all aspects of language, literature and culture. Course work emphasizes all language skills—oral fluency and comprehension, writing, and analytical reading of various texts. You’ll also acquire a broad knowledge of French history, civilization, values, and society. Our students are well prepared to live and work in a French-speaking environment and pursue graduate study.
Major and Minor Offered
- French—French Language Concentration (BA major, minor)
- French—Francophone Studies Concentration (BA major, minor)
We also offer a French Language Certificate, available to majors and non-majors. The certificate recognizes students' proficiency in French based on the standards of the nationally-recognized ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) test. With global business increasingly being conducted in languages other than English, the certificate provides another way for students to prepare for success in multilingual environments.
Why Study French at Principia College?
- Our multilingual faculty emphasize all skills pertinent to a learned language but also focus on broad-based intellectual exploration and strong written and verbal communication skills.
- We develop cross-cultural understanding skills transferable to any unfamiliar culture.
- We prepare students to continue their education at top graduate schools.
- Fluency in French is an essential accomplishment. As one of two global languages, French is a critical language for world affairs, spoken in more than 40 countries and by over 200 million people.
Abroads
Principia abroad programs are open to all majors, and students are encouraged to apply for any abroad program that interests them. All abroads involve individual research that students can tailor to their interests. The abroads to France, Vienna, and Prague are of particular interest to our majors and minors.
Note: See the College Catalog for more detailed information about our program and departmental learning outcomes.