French

A student who has completed French course work in high school or at another institution and who wishes to continue the study of that language must begin course work for credit at the level consistent with her or his academic background. A placement test is required for all students with less than three years of high school French or the equivalent. Students who have had three or more years of previous study must consult with an adviser in the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures to determine the appropriate level. As a general guideline, students who read and write French fluently must begin course work for credit at the 300-level or higher. Students considering a major in French must consult with an adviser in the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures concerning projected plans of study.

French Course Descriptions
French Minor Check List
French Links of Interest

Why Study French?

More than 70 Good Reasons to Study French (Adapted from the University of Tasmanis):

• It is not limited to one or two continents.
• French is spoken in two of the G7 countries.
• France is the world's major tourist destination (75 million tourists a year).
• France is Europe's foremost investor abroad.
• France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany have the lowest rates of inflation in the European Union.
• (This is an indicator of the health of these countries.)
• France is in 4th position in terms of world power, and it does not have the debt problems facing many other major industrialized nations. (A positive sign for joint projects, business, and scientific co-operation.)
• France is renowned for the quality of its high-tech. (The TGV is the fastest train in the world — 515 kph)
• French is the official language of the International Red Cross.
• France is one of the two official languages at the Olympic Games.
• French-speaking Africa represents an area larger than the USA.
• French is the most widely taught second language after English.
• French is one of the official languages of the United Nations.
• French is a major language of high-tech and business in the world.
• Over 20,000 English words have their origins in French.
• In terms of number of words, French is the second-largest language after English.
• France offers a range of generous scholarships to our graduate students.
• Paris had 1,100 congresses in 1993 (including 400 international congresses) — a world record.
• France has the world's greatest number of Nobel Prize winners in literature (12).
• Montréal is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world.
• PARIS is considered the capital of the world in terms of quality of life (Healey and Baker 1991.)
• MEGABUCKS FOR TRADE: In 1994 the United States did business/trade with the following countries in order of importance:
• French-speaking countries:
  • Japan
  • Spanish-speaking countries
• Be able to fully enjoy, at the cinema or on TV, the best films from the French-speaking world.
• Learning French can help you improve the interpersonal skills you bring to your international career.
• You can do so many more interesting things on the internet if you speak French. (There are many high-quality internet sites available in French ranging from fashion to finance, society to science, music to medicine... just to mention a few.)
• For those with the appropriate skills, there are also possibilities for work in the following fields:
  • International business.
  • International agencies.
  • The tourism and hospitality industries.
  • the diplomatic service.
  • French research institutes.
  • As a teacher.
  • As a translator or interpreter.
• And don't forget the other 43 good reasons! — French is spoken in over 43 countries in the world.